As they walked side by side, the sound of their footsteps echoed softly against the pavement. Mia's voice was a steady stream of chatter, but Jane's thoughts kept drifting back to the road, her eyes scanning the familiar sights, almost hoping—no, wishing—that she might see a glimpse of Sophia. The thought made her stomach flutter, and she quickly dismissed it. It was just a fleeting moment, nothing more.
But no matter how many times she glanced around, there was no sign of Sophia, not the way she had hoped. Just the usual hustle of the city, people rushing by, and the hum of life continuing on.
Mia, unaware of Jane's distracted thoughts, kept talking, her voice filled with concern. "That guy at the café," she said, breaking Jane's trance. "He seemed... well, a bit scary. Why was he there alone with you?"
Jane's heart skipped, and she exhaled sharply, pushing back the rush of emotions that surged within her. "Nothing." She said it flatly, but Mia wasn't convinced.
Mia raised an eyebrow, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "That's not an answer. Jane, seriously, he looked like he could snap at any moment. What's the deal?"
Jane hesitated, the memories of that moment in the café creeping back. She'd been so caught off guard by his sudden appearance, by his overwhelming presence, that she hadn't thought to mention him to Mia. But now, it was time.
"He's my ex," Jane finally confessed, her voice soft but firm. "The one I told you about. The one I met when I first moved here."
Mia's expression shifted instantly, her brows furrowing as she took in Jane's words. "Oh... That's him?" Her tone softened with realization, but a flicker of anger still sparked behind her eyes. "You should've told me sooner. I would've punched him."
Jane laughed, a genuine sound this time, relieved by Mia's unwavering loyalty. "I appreciate that, but it's all in the past now," she said, shaking her head. "I don't want to drag any of that up again. It's done."
Mia didn't respond immediately, her gaze shifting over to Jane. For a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away, and it was just the two of them walking in sync. Finally, Mia let out a long breath, her features softening. "Okay, but if he ever comes near you again, you let me know. I'm not letting anyone hurt you, Jane."
A small smile tugged at Jane's lips. She didn't know what she would do without Mia by her side. "Thanks," she whispered.
Mia threw an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a sideways hug. "What are friends for?" she grinned, and Jane, for the first time that day, felt a little lighter.
Meanwhile The hospital was buzzing with activity, a constant hum of voices and beeping machines. The ER was full, and Sophia was in the middle of it all—moving from one patient to the next, her hands steady, her mind sharp despite the exhaustion that was creeping in at the edges of her focus.
She glanced at the clock—her shift was over an hour ago, but the pile of paperwork on her desk and the patients waiting for care made it impossible for her to leave. The waiting room was full, the hallway crowded with staff hustling to get to their next emergency, and Sophia knew the patients couldn't wait.
She moved swiftly, hands instinctively pulling on a fresh pair of gloves as she entered another trauma room. A middle-aged woman with a broken leg, a man with chest pain, and a child with a fever—all needed immediate attention, and Sophia wasn't the type to walk away from that responsibility. She was used to this, used to working past her limits, always wanting to do more, to help more.
It's just another hour, she thought, pushing back the fatigue, the burning in her muscles. Her phone buzzed with a message from Clara: "I'm heading home. Take care, Dr. Sophia."
Sophia sighed and set the phone aside. Clara had been more than helpful during the day, but it was always the same. The moment her shift ended, she would leave. Clara had her own life, her own schedule. But for Sophia, there was always just one more patient, just one more thing she could do to make sure everything was taken care of.
Her dad's hospital. Her family's legacy. It was hard to walk away from it, hard to admit that sometimes there was no more time to give.
She checked the monitor above a patient's bed, glancing at his vitals. Stable. For now.
Her exhaustion weighed heavily on her, but she pressed on. This was the life she had chosen, and the stakes were high. The responsibility was immense, but so was the reward. She'd made peace with the long hours, the missed meals, and the weekends spent in the hospital. It was her calling, and she was good at it. That was enough for her—for now.
"Doctor, we need your help in the ICU," a nurse said, appearing at the door.
Sophia nodded. "I'll be there in a minute," she said, her voice steady even though her body was screaming for rest.
She took one last glance at her patients in the ER, then headed toward the ICU. She could feel her body dragging, but her mind was alert, focused. She couldn't afford to think about how tired she was, not when there were lives depending on her.
Her father's legacy. It wasn't just the hospital—it was the people, the lives saved, the patients she had cared for over the years. It was in her blood. She couldn't walk away now, no matter how tired she was.
Her phone buzzed again, this time with a call, but she ignored it. She needed to be in the moment.
She pushed the ICU doors open, ready for whatever came next.
But in the back of her mind, one thought lingered: Maybe someday I'll take a break. Just not today.