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@esmeraldawhitlock
Two headlights shine through the sleepless night And I will get you, and get you alone Your name has echoed through my mind And I just think you should, think you should know That nothing safe is worth the drive And I will follow you, follow you home I'll follow you, follow you home I'll follow you, follow you home I'll follow you, follow you home
phillip-nashrp:
Phillip knew that the chance of Esmeralda rejecting him was high. She was a logical woman; that was something he had known about her from their first meeting. It was something that they had shared, something that had bonded them. Yet now, Phillip was going against every grain in his body, every instinct he had learned, and pushing them all away for one chance, for one moment, with the woman he had been waiting for all of his life.
What if Esmeralda could not do the same? There was a chance that her logic was more substantial than his. She might scold him for not asking her permission for such an intimate kiss. Esmeralda could tell Phillip that while she was interested, she wanted to take things slow. She could outright dismiss him.
By the time they pulled away from each other, breathless, fear had suddenly broken through Phillip’s bravado. Now, he found himself searching those foggy grey eyes for hesitation, anger, or resignment.
Instead, Esmeralda began to speak.
“Across ten years, we still found each other, we still wanted each other… we still felt something. That has to mean something. I can’t explain this, but I don’t care. I know I want you, and I also don’t want to waste another minute. Take me home with you. I’ll text Abigail.”
Relief colored Phillip’s face, and while Esmeralda began to text her friend, the surgeon grabbed his cell phone and quickly texted Damian. Though they lived on the same property, the two often spent time together in the evenings at one of their homes before retiring to their own spaces.
“We’re going back to my place. I’ll text in the morning.” It was simple, as in many texts that Phillip and Damian exchanged, but he knew his friend would be supportive. In fact, it was probably precisely what Damian wanted to happen.
Phillip took Esmeralda’s hand once she had texted her friend and let her out to the parking lot where he had parked his truck. Pulling out his keys, the surgeon unlocked the doors and looked at Esmeralda with a soft smile. “I tend to forget that not everyone is as tall as me,” with a slight chuckle, he opened the passenger side door and helped Esmeralda climb inside.
“Ignore the dog hair,” he stated as he climbed through the passenger seat, placed the keys in the ignition, and began the drive back home. Turning the radio station down low enough that there was a bit of background noise, Phillip made the thirty-minute drive toward his lakehouse. At one point, the surgeon made a slight joke that he promised he wasn’t taking her out to the middle of nowhere and that he genuinely had a house.
Finally, after what felt like miles of winding roads that wove in and out of thick green trees, the surgeon turned on his blinker and drove another quarter mile until he parked in front of a contemporary-style lake house. His safe haven, his private world, is where Phillip Nash could be himself without worrying about anyone else’s thoughts, expectations, and judgments.
“I built this home in 2019. My friend, Damian Ixmata, has a home on the same land. I’m sure you’ll meet him; he also works at the hospital…though…” Phillip thought about his closest friend, his cold, bristly nature. “I might want to introduce you to him first. Damian and I are very similar….”
Of course, Esmeralda wouldn’t be aware that Phillip Nash was generally disliked by most of his co-workers. She couldn’t know that others considered him a callous, complicated man. Would her feelings change when she realized the truth?
Getting outside the truck, Phillip walked to the passenger side, opened the door, and let Esmeralda out. Walking to the front door, he quickly entered the keypad number and allowed the brunette to walk in first. Immediately, Phillip’s dark brown cocker spaniel came bounding from downstairs with energetic and excited barks. Ignoring Phillip, he went straight for Esmeralda and began to jump up and down, begging for attention.
“Winston, not everyone wants to love on you,” he said, attempting to push the dog down. As he did, his cat, Squish, let out an annoyed meow from her spot on the couch as she looked up at Phillip, Esmeralda, and Winston.
“That’s Squish. She came with the property.”
The rush of everything was thrilling. Her blood rushed through her veins like the Chattahoochee River causing her cheeks to stay painted in pinks. Her hand grasped his tightly needing to know that he was not going to slip away from her again. With reluctance, she allowed him to let go of her hand to help her up into the cab of the tall truck, but as soon as he too was in the car she took his free hand in hers.
The drive was peaceful as soft music played, and they talked casually about the radio. Being from Georgia, she was used to long drives, and so she simply smiled as he mentioned that he wasn’t taking her to the middle of nowhere. She didn’t care where they were going as long as it was with him.
As they pulled up on his house she was struck by how modern it was. His tastes were so different from her. The dark moody paint struck her as it stood out from the greenery that surrounded them. “Damian Ixmata. That’s an interesting name.” She mentioned. “Of course you’re similar. You’re friends.” She grinned as she watched him walk around the car. When he opened the door, she unbuckled herself and allowed him to help out. “Well... most of the time. Abigail and I are a lot alike, but she’s... we are different in some ways.”
She followed him to the door, and then walked carefully in to the house that washed her immediately with a coolness that shocked her in her bathing suit. She had forgotten that a house would be air conditioned. She shivered a bit before being hit by the sight of a brown blur that came running toward her.
Then not far from her she heard the sound of a meow on the couch. She turned toward the sound with a grin realizing the cat was a barn cat. “Hi, Squish!” She waved at the cat before reaching down to scratch Winston’s head.
After a second, she stood up and turned to Phillip, “I’m so sorry to bother, but... do you have something to warm me? I’m only in... this.”
phillip-nashrp:
With each step, Phillip took toward Esmeralda, his rage slowly faded. It had only taken one moment, one other man looking at Esmeralda, for the surgeon to realize that he was being foolish. Damian had been right; ten years was long enough. Phillip wasn’t about to waste another moment. He wouldn’t lose his chance with her after waiting a decade.
“To hell with this,” Phillip thought as he approached Esmeralda, still standing with her arms wrapped around her frame. The Surgical Resident conversing with the brunette was obviously making Esmeralda uncomfortable—all the more reason to step in.
He didn’t think about what he was doing or planned to say. Instead, he let fate close the distance between himself and the girl who had haunted him for so long. She had been in every thought, every dream, every brunette who passed by on the street. The smell of lavender brought him to his knees; rainy mornings reminded him of her eyes staring back into his as they danced under ballroom lights.
With ease, Phillip stepped in front of the Resident.
“I’m sorry to have left you waiting,” the surgeon said, ignoring the protests of the Resident behind him. As relief shined in those blue-grey eyes, Phillip could no longer stop himself. Long arms reached out and pulled Esmeralda closer. As her chest melted into his, gentle hands with calloused fingers cupped her face again.
“I won’t keep you waiting ever again.”
Then, without caring what his co-workers might think or say, what they might speculate about their boss, what might happen tomorrow, Phillip leaned down and pressed his lips to Esmeralda’s. And what started out as a gentle kiss became more as the surgeon felt passion rip through his body.
Every cell in his body longed to make up for lost time. His hands found Esmeralda’s waist, and he pulled her closer, deepening their kiss. Had lips ever felt so soft? Had a tongue ever tasted so sweet? For a decade, he had dreamt of this moment, but just as before, the dream was nothing compared to the precious reality of Esmeralda’s lips against his.
When they pulled apart, breathless, Phillip grabbed Esmeralda’s hand and placed it on his chest. “I don’t care where we go, I don’t care what we do, but let’s get out of here. I’m tired of pretending like this isn’t what I want. That you’re not…what I want. And I know that this is ludicrous, we truly don’t know each other, but we have ten long years to make up for…and I don’t want to waste another second. Please tell me you fell the same.”
Sobering up had been painful as Esmeralda realized that the longer she waited the more likely Phillip might not come back. She had missed ten years, and now she wanted every minute going forward to get to know him. She knew exactly what she wanted, but she also knew that ten years might have changed Phillip from the self assured man she knew years before into something else. Would he run away from her?
She was caught up in her own thoughts when a dark haired man stepped in front of her with a charming grin. “What’s a hot thing like you doing by yourself?”
Not this. Not now. She looked around pretending to not be sure that he was talking to her. “Do we know each other? I’m sorry. Were you talking to me like that?”
“Yes, you.” The man replied with a sloppy grin betraying that he hadn’t gotten the hint.
With a roll of her eyes, Esmeralda started, “I’m waiting on...”
“I’m sorry to have left you waiting.” The voice that haunted her interrupted.
“Phillip.” She whispered as all her attention focused on the man that was behind the other man who now was only a blurry figure as far as Esmeralda was concerned. She let out a happy breath as his scooped her up into his arms. “You came back.”
“I won’t keep you waiting ever again.”
Then surprising even Esmeralda his lips pressed against hers.
Ten years. Ten whole years she had dreamed of this moment. Millions of permutations that she created in her head of what had felt like a figment of her imagination. A million different ways that she had pretended this moment would happen in her head. She had hunted for his scent at stores. Every British accent made her chest hurt. She had worried all the longing would make any reality not stand up.
Yet none of it could compare.
His soft lips against her as his calloused hand pressed against the side of her face was better than any drug. She melted into him as her arms wrapped around his neck. A single flame became wildfire as his hand traveled down her back and his lips became hungrier. One of her hands sank into his hair, and the other gripped onto his back for life as she hungrily devoured his mouth that tasted bitter and warm. She wasn’t sure what she wanted or even where she was going, but she wanted to be with him wherever it was.
The cool air that surrounded them as he pulled back felt almost painful against her warm cheeks as she attempted to catch her breath.
Everything was happening so fast.
In the past, she would have told her that she was allowing lust to control her. She would have told herself that she was being like every other dumb girl that let a guy lead her into the pits of hell. She would have pulled away and insisted on a date for Phillip to prove that was really what he wanted.
But now Esmeralda knew she’d rather burn down than to ever feel nothing again. She’d rather whatever this was kill her than to lose it. It was insane and dangerous, but she didn’t care. Ten years was long enough to know this was what she truly wanted. “Across ten years, we still found each other, we still wanted each other... we still felt something. That has to mean something. I can’t explain this, but I don’t care. I know I want you, and I also don’t want to waste another minute. Take me home with you. I’ll text Abigail.”
She got out her phone and texted, “I’m going with that guy. I know. Shut up. I’ll text you his address when we get there. Love you! Don’t get too drunk! I’ll pay for your Uber if you need it!”
Then she took his hand, “Let’s get out of here finally.”
phillip-nashrp:
“Chief of Surgery for Sapphire Lake Hospital is no easy feat, Dr. Nash. You should be proud of yourself. If you’re not, I can be proud enough for the both of us.”
Phillip smiled at Esmeralda’s words. She was right, of course. It was something he should be incredibly proud of. He was proud of his accomplishments, but something deep inside him urged him for more. The surgeon knew that if he truly wanted to set him apart from his father, he couldn’t stop there. He wouldn’t stop until the name of Nash had been redeemed in the eyes of the medical community. Until the stain of his father had been washed clean, Phillip would not stop.
Still, for a brief moment, he allowed himself to feel satisfied. If Esmeralda was impressed, then it was an accomplishment.
Phillip relaxed slightly, letting out an inaudible sigh. Why couldn’t he just allow himself to be lost in this moment? It had been something he had dreamed about for a decade, and it was so much better than he had ever imagined, so why couldn’t he just focus?
As Esmeralda dug her fingers into Phillip’s shoulder, he was suddenly reminded why he couldn’t focus. It had been…almost seven years since anyone had touched him. Seven years since, he had felt someone pressed closely against his body. The last thing he wanted was for Esmeralda to think he was the kind of man who only wanted one thing. No, Esmeralda was much more than an attractive woman. She deserved much more than Phillip pawing and clawing at her like some starved grizzly looking for a piece of meat.
“I think overall, they’ve been good. I have a best friend now. I own property. I’m well respected in my career. I’m the single mother to my six chickens, though. That’s hard work. Do you like chickens?” Esmeralda said as the two continued to move through their dance.
“It seems like the last ten years have treated us the same. My best mate is around here somewhere…” Phillip thought of Damian and knew that if his best friend was anywhere, it was at the bar or off drinking alone somewhere on an isolated corner of the beach. “I have some property close to the lake. It’s beautiful. I’m a single father of a dog, and the cat came with the property. As for chickens,” a small chuckle escaped his lips. “As a Londoner, I’m afraid I never made it out of the city far enough to see an actual chicken. Though I can easily see you taking care of six chickens. Maybe…maybe sometime I could see them?”
A promise. Something to hold on to. Reassurance that this wouldn’t be the only night they had.
“When was the last time you danced,” Esmeralda asked, her breath heavy and ragged.
Was he having the same effect on her?
“I haven’t truly danced since that night,” Phillip said softly, looking down into Esmeralda’s eyes. As the song ended, the doctor found removing his hands from Esmeralda’s body nearly impossible. Those blue eyes reminded him so much of the sky on a rainy London morning, rooted him to the spot. Lifting a shaking hand, Phillip cupped the brunette’s face. “I tried after, of course. It just never felt right. A step or two…and I couldn’t continue.”
Though Phillip meant no deeper meaning to his words, he couldn’t deny it was much the same with the woman he had dated after Esmeralda. It never felt right. After that, the surgeon hadn’t even tried. He came focused solely on his career. Since he had moved to the United States, there hadn’t been a single dance, a single date, or even a one-night stand.
“Have you…again? Danced, I mean.”
Best mate somewhere around the corner watching them. Would his friend have things to say about the two of them? Would he understand the ten years that tied them across time and space? What would he say the moment that he found out about her? Would he chastise her for her choices? Would he understand the insecurity and instability of youth? Suddenly, there was an outside specter that could judge and sentence her to another lifetime not knowing Phillip.
A lifetime not knowing what the beautiful home on the lake looked like. She might never get to know his dog and barn cat. She might not get to know what things Phillip preoccupied himself with when others weren’t watching. She might never get to taste what his late night thoughts were. She could not bear to once again have something slip through her fingers. “Of course you can meet her. I think you’ll like Chickarita. She’s the most friendly. Maybe I can meet your dog and cat?”
Her breath caught in her lungs as Phillip’s hand gently cupped her face. Summer storm oceans crashed down on Esmeralda as his eyes met hers with an intensity she had never felt before. Only her in his eyes. Only her to dance with. No one else to feel the beat of the world with.
Only her.
Only her.
She melted into his arm as she sighed, “I haven’t danced either. Nothing felt... right.”
“Dr. Nash?”
Esmeralda flinched.
“Dr. Nash. I have some questions about the paperwork you filed today.”
Esmeralda looked up at the person with a bit of annoyance before turning to Phillip, “I’ll be around.” With that, she turned to find Abigail.
phillip-nashrp:
Phillip could feel the eyes of his co-workers on his back as Esmeralda’s body melted into his. It was a rare sight, the surgeon knew. He wasn’t known for being social. In fact, at Sapphire Lake, Dr. Phillip Nash was known as a strict and severe man. The only person that Phillip interacted with was Damian. So he was sure it was a sight to behold, to see him speaking to Esmeralda and holding onto her like he was.
As Esmeralda’s hips began to move to the beat, Phillip couldn’t help but think back to that night ten years ago. It had been a much different occasion. Suit and ties, expensive champagne, and caviar. The surgeon had been different too. Life hadn’t hardened him or turned him into a man who avoided his reflection in the mirror. Phillip had always been standoffish, but he was charming and at least willing to put himself out there. When Esmeralda’s Uncle, Ted, introduced them, the thirty-two-year-old surgeon was more than willing to spend a night dancing with the beautiful brunette on the dance floor. No one had watched him that night; there had been no gossip the following day.
He had dreamed of returning to that night just to feel Esmeralda’s waist under his long fingers. To bury his face in long, dark wavy hair, to smell the heavy scent of lavender all around him. Each night since that night, Phillip had thought of her.
Yet his fantasies were nothing compared to reality.
As Esmeralda’s hand traveled up the smooth planes of his chest, Phillip felt a chill run up his spine. He knew it wouldn’t take long for his body to react to the brunette being so close, so the surgeon did all he could to avoid the feelings rising within him. Phillip couldn’t stop his eyes from taking in the porcelain skin so heavily exposed from Esmeralda’s lack of clothing as her hand rested on his shoulder. He had never seen the dark tattoo that spiraled across her back, and suddenly, he couldn’t help but wonder what the story was behind it.
It occurred to him that he knew very little about the woman he had been obsessed with for the last ten years.
“This is so much easier,” Esmeralda admitted with a soft sigh that hung in the air. “It’s so hard to think sometimes when I know others can see me. I get so…flustered. It reminds me of…” the brunette trailed off, lost in the memory, before continuing. “classroom presentations.”
“I know what you mean,” the surgeon replied as they continued to move together. Phillip had meant what he said, and he no longer paid attention to the eyes and whispers of his co-workers. All that mattered what Esmeralda.
“Ten years feels so long and so short at the same time. What have I missed in this time?” Are you the Surgeon General of America yet?“ Esmeralda let out a soft laugh, which brought a smile to Phillip’s face. When was the last time he smiled? Truly smiled?
"Not at all,” he said, “Just the Chief of Surgery.” The way the Englishman spoke, it was almost as if the position was no big deal when it was quite the opposite. He was the youngest Chief of Surgery ever appointed at Sapphire, perhaps in all of Maine. Not only that, he was the first foreign selected Chief of Surgery. It was a significant accomplishment, but it was just a stepping stone for Phillip. He would always need more. Anything to set him apart from the man who seemed to control his life even after death.
“What about you? Have the last ten years…” Phillip trailed off, trying to decide what to say. “Been good to you?”
“What a stupid question,” Phillip chided himself internally. As the music changed, Phillip pulled Esmeralda closer, allowing his hands to move closer to her hips.
Of course, Phillip understood her anxiety of the crowds. It seemed the more she learned about him the better that he seemed. Fate had cruelly convinced her that he was simply the figment of her imagination, but now it was proving to her that he was better than her imagination could have made him.
That’s all? Chief of Surgery at one of the highest rated hospitals in the world? The way that Phillip talked about the achievement implied it was almost as if he expected her to reply like that. Was nothing enough for him? Nothing to reach high enough for him to acknowledge that he was proud of the hard work that got him there? When was the next mountain high enough?
His question answered her question though, because she opened her mouth to nonchalantly answer as if what she had done had been easy too. She too didn’t know when it was too much. In fact, Abigail had remarked that the last time that Esmeralda had gotten a promotion. When was she ready to accept that she had done enough in her career to focus on her personal life? If she were honest, Esmeralda had known at the time that there was never going to be a time that was enough. She had to have more.
With that knowledge, she shook her head, “Chief of Surgery for Sapphire Lake Hospital is no easy feat, Dr. Nash. You should be proud of yourself. If you’re not, I can be proud enough for the both of us.”
Had the last ten years been good to her?
Certainly in some ways. She had managed to publish several papers, she had a full calendar of patients that were balanced in who could afford her and who couldn’t, and she had managed to garner attention for her papers on how poverty effects how women get in and out of domestic violence. She had managed to find a friend that truly cared about her more than anyone else in the world. She had traveled the world with that friend. She had raised countless chickens. Her mother had died. Jean broke her heart.
My father is out of prison.
Don’t drown.
Her fingers had dug into Phillip’s shoulder just slightly, and with a deep breath she lightened up her grip and flashed a smile, “I think overall they’ve been good. I have a best friend now. I own a property. I’m well respected in my career. I’m the single mother to my six chickens though. That’s hard work. Do you like chickens?”
As he pulled her closer, Esmeralda let out a heavy breath. “When was the last time you danced? “
abigailhartrp:
Abigail was sure that her friendship with Esmeralda Whitlock might initially seem strange. Esmeralda was entirely an introverted creature. She didn’t exactly warm up to people quickly, and though Abigail could be the same, she was much better at playing the game. An eight-year age gap often seemed to strike people as odd, but for Abigail, Esmeralda Whitlock was the little sister she never got to have. From the first moment Abigail and Esmeralda met, the redhead felt a need to protect the younger woman.
Their similarities in politics, their drive to better the world around them- especially for women, their driven nature and an unsaid understanding of each other’s pasts made their friendship easy. There wasn’t a person on the planet that Abigail trusted like she did Esmeralda.
As the brunette finished her drink, she pointed toward a man on Abigail’s left. “He seems your type. Nice smile.”
The redhead tilted her head slightly and took in the man. He was very muscular, laughing warmly as he chatted up another man. Ezzy was right; he did have a friendly smile. Abby took a mental note to chat him up later and get his story. She wasn’t looking for a romance, but there was nothing wrong with seeing what was out there.
“Oh! Did I tell you that Chickarita finally laid eggs today? Three big blue ones! They looked great. Your idea to feed her extra seems to have worked. I think the stress of the move just freaked her out. Who could blame her? I’m surprised my back didn’t give up from moving all those boxes of books.”
Abigail laughed as she finished her drink. “Aww. Yay! That makes me happy; I was worried about her.” It hadn’t been easy transporting chickens to Maine, but it had been worth it for her friend, who loved those chickens with all her heart. “My back did give out. Next time, we’re hiring a moving company. I will never lift another box again.”
How to close the gaping chasm between the canyon preoccupied Esmeralda for many years. On one side was academia that told her that she was important, valuable, and someone even to look up to. They spoken in a precise language with large vocabularies and what seemed like infinite knowledge. They consumed books like air just like her. Some of them even felt like outcasts in the world that they had been born into. Yet they also made fun of accents, acted like Southerners were stupid, and they refused to admit when they were wrong about something. On the other hand was the Currahee Mountain, old southerners who told tales she wasn’t sure if they were true or not, and a community of people tightly tied together. They sold home grown vegetables and fruits. The mountains hid things that whispered your name at night and you ignored. However, they also cursed her name the moment they could toss her to the wolves.
Despite all her attempts at pushing down the south within herself, she still found herself drawn to parts of her old world. The most tempting was raising of chickens. She wrestled for years with doing this until one year one of her coworkers admitted that their grandmother had chickens that they didn’t know how to care for. Esmeralda told herself she’d only care for them until they passed away, and then she’d stop. But that was years ago.
In the process of surrendering to her own happiness, Esmeralda realized that she didn’t have to choose either world. She was already respected enough in the psychological community that she didn’t have to hide her accent, and even if they discovered her love for chickens, she would simply point out that she was being environmentally friendly by raising her own chickens for eggs.
Eggs that were especially good considering how well Esmeralda took care of them. “I was worried too, but it seems that we’ve gotten over that hurdle. Things should stabilize now. Other than Morgo getting used to the house. He seems to be doing well with that thus far. We better not be moving again. This is permanent as far as I’m considered. You can’t escape me after this. We’re going to get old together in this house.” She giggled before ordering drinks for the two again. “So any new news since we split up a couple of hours ago? The drinks here are great by the way.”
abigailhartrp:
“Well, in my defense,” Esmeralda said with a shrug, “I feel like I’d be a bad friend if I didn’t keep tabs on you.”
Abigail nodded in agreement. Esmeralda wasn’t wrong. Abby didn’t always make the best decisions for herself, so she was lucky that her best friend tried to watch for her.
“What do you mean by interesting? I have not talked to anyone yet. I just got here. What is there to do?”
“By interesting, I mean hot. It was a quick conversation. The guy told me that the best parking lot is the west lot, which has an elevator that no one ever uses, so there is hardly any wait. Honest, I can’t even remember his name. A…Dr. Delgado? And….mingle?” she said with a smile. “Get to know our co-workers. We’ve got to find where the cleanest bathroom is, which break room has the best snacks, and who we should avoid.” The redhead gave her best friend a wide grin. “We can drink, dance, walk around looking hot, scope out our co-workers. We can do anything we want to do, Ezzy. We’re the new girls; the world is our oyster.”
Abigail had been excited about their move to Maine. At forty-three, the OBGYN began to feel like she had spent her entire life putting others first. Her family, her ex-husband…She needed a change, a fresh start, a place where she could rebuild and be the person she wanted to be. Which is precisely what she planned to do. Abigail was tired of living her life as if she was in the passenger seat.
“I think we need another drink and then maybe some dancing? We haven’t danced in forever. My feet need it.”
Esmeralda was always going to be impressed by Abigail’s ability to befriend just about anyone that she met. People always seemed to find Abigail pleasant. She seemed to know the right things to say when it came to small talk. She somehow figured out how to find the right person to inform her what elevator to use to get into the hospital faster. Esmeralda hadn’t even considered trying to find out information like that. She was just going to show up to work an hour early to scope things out.
She supposed that was the fundamental difference between being an introvert and an extrovert. The cost-benefit equation was different for the both of them.
Mingle. The word caused a small frown to grace Esmeralda’s face. She had always hated that aspect of going to a new place. She hated having to go through the awkward toe dancing of getting to know a new person. She assumed it was due to her Autism, but either way it felt much like pulling teeth. Part of it was that the conversations were boring, but the bigger problem was that people often found Esmeralda’s conversation style off putting.
Almost as if Abigail anticipated that Esmeralda was going to complain about having to socialize she beat her to the punch on suggesting another drink. Esmeralda nodded, and she ordered herself a glass of sweet tea and three fingers of peach whiskey. “Let me finish this, and then we can dance.”
She looked around the beach before carefully nodding towards a buff Asian man. “He seems your type. He’s got a nice smile.” She then turned back to Abigail. “Oh! Did I tell you that Chickarita finally laid eggs today? Three big blue ones! They looked great. Your idea to feed her extra seems to have worked. I think the stress of the move just freaked her out. Which who could blame her? I’m surprised my back didn’t give up from moving all those boxes of books.”
phillip-nashrp:
Phillip knew he needed to get a handle on himself. He meant what he said; the man was no lush. Growing up with an alcoholic father had kept the surgeon very aware of his alcohol intake. On rare occasions, he would cut loose, typically in the confines of his home with Damian. This experience was entirely different for Phillip and not how he liked to be seen. The fact that Esmeralda, the girl who had gotten away, witnessed his over-consumption was even more embarrassing.
The surgeon took a deep breath. He’d stick to water, gather his wits, and hopefully not do anything he’d regret the following day.
“Would it be too much to admit that I’m not sad you’re not wearing a shirt?”
Phillip felt his stomach tighten as air filled his lungs. The temperature rose ten degrees around him, and sweat suddenly beaded on his forehead. The surgeon was not a man who cared much about his appearance. He took care of his body for health purposes, not aesthetic reasons. In fact, Phillip typically shrugged off compliments on his physic, yet the idea that Esmeralda was not only happy that he was shirtless, the idea that she had already let her grey-blue eyes roam across his form and she liked what she saw…
He swallowed loudly.
“Plus, if anyone of us is not wearing enough clothing, it’s certainly me.”
The small, sober brain cell the surgeon had managed to fight off the others and keep his eyes from looking back at Esmeralda’s chest and toned stomach.
“This is all so awkward. Let’s go do something simple for the two of us.” Looking up through thick black eyelashes, she smiled. “Come dance with me, Dr. Nash. Let’s forget all this lost time and make some now.”
Her hand found him and began to pull him toward the dance floor. “Nothing but you and me. Alright?”
“I…” Phillip could not protest. How could he ever say ‘no’ to her? Never. Whatever she asked, Esmeralda would receive. Phillip would fight heaven and hell to bring it to her. It didn’t matter that as she led him out to the dance floor, some of his co-workers began to head toward the bar while others looked in shock.
“Deal,” the surgeon finally said before pulling Esmeralda close. “Nothing but you and me.”
Hesitation clung to Phillip’s words, but his body seemed to know what he truly wanted. She’d let go of him if he told her no or pulled away, but she wouldn’t let go until then. She needed some way to push aside all the awkwardness of lost time, and she wanted some way to prove to herself that the way she remembered him was real. She could tell that he too was struggling to be in the present through the shock of realizing reality, and she didn’t want to waste another minute with him.
Not when he could disappear in the morning. Not when he could realize the next day that he didn’t want what was between the anymore.
“Nothing but you and me.” He repeated finally as he pulled her tightly against his skin.
Again and again, she had replayed that night, but it could not compare to the reality. The long fingers of one of his hands slid down the palm of her hand before perfectly slotting between her fingers. His other hand carefully pressed gently against her back causing her stomach to press against his hot and firm muscle. His electric eyes latched onto hers, and finally, the whole rest of the world disappeared.
Esmeralda melted into his touch as she began to move her hips to the sultry heavy beat that vibrated through her chest. Her free hand slowly traveled up the firm plane of his chest enjoying the heat that followed her touch before it rested on the cusp of his shoulder. “This is so much easier.” She admitted with a sigh. “It’s so hard to think sometimes when I know others can see me. I get so... flustered. It reminds me of...” It’s too early for that. We can’t ever tell him about that, “classroom presentations.”
She took a deep breath in an effort to calm a wave of anxiety that began to crawl up through her as she finally realized that she knew nothing about the man before her other than a moment in time. “Ten years feels so long and so short at the same time. What have I missed in this time? Are you the Surgeon General of America yet?” She snickered knowing that that wasn’t even possible, but it was a way to get him to help her see who he was now.
Kinds of Chickens at Esmeralda Whitlock’s Home and The Eggs They Lay
Whiting True Blue
Whiting True Green
French Black Copper Marans
Swedish Flower Hen
Esmeralda Whitlock’s Chicken Coop
phillip-nashrp:
The entire world had violently shifted on its axis. Phillip had never felt so off-kilter in his life. Part of him wanted to reach out and grab the bar, something that might steady him.
“I don’t think I’d be allowed at the party if I didn’t work here,” Esmeralda said. A small laugh escaped her lips. Internally, Phillip sighed. He remembered her sense of humor correctly. After a decade, the surgeon began to doubt his memories of the brunette. Sometimes, he felt as if that night had never happened and had been an elaborate dream. Her phone number saved in his phone, transferred from each device to the next, had been the only reminder that she was real.
“We moved here just a month ago.”
A month. Esmeralda had resided in his vicinity for a month, and Phillip had not known.
The bartender returned, bringing Esmeralda the alcohol she ordered. Phillip pointed to her shots and then his empty glasses. “Two more- and put her drinks on the Surgery Tab, please.”
“I…I don’t know,” the brunette began. “What is the coincidence that we’d end up here at the same time?” Esmeralda let out a breath, a moment of silence that felt like an army desperately trying to hold the main gate before the enemy came crashing in.
“Are you mad at me for not calling?” Esmeralda took a step closer. “It wasn’t out of disinterest. I swear. I…I..I… I thought of you all the time in Leipzig. I even dialed your number frequently, but it was always three or four AM, so I’d hang up before it rang long enough. I was young and…stupid.” The blush in her cheeks turned scarlet in shame. “It’s crazy that after that, we’re here together. That…the universe has to be saying something. Right?”
Phillip reached out for his fifth shot of the night, took it, and then looked back at Esmeralda. Beautiful. She was heart-achingly beautiful with dark chocolate curls that flowed nearly to her waist, eyes the color of the sky on a foggy London morning, and full lips, quivering almost as she apologized. Lips he had regretted not kissing for a decade. The taste of the unknown lingered on his tongue.
“A phone works both ways,” Phillip said, immediately regretting that last Johnny Walker. “You have…nothing to apologize for.”
Hold it together, Nash, the surgeon demanded internally.
“It wasn’t long after we met that I was promoted to Head of Neurosurgery, and my life got increasingly….” the last ten years flew by in a blur, making Phillip blink before continuing, “complicated. But, I, too, thought of you often.” Slightly intoxicated, Phillip pulled out his phone, entered his passcode, and pulled up his contacts list. Sliding his iPhone to Esmeralda, he shrugged. “I’ve had six phones in the last ten years. You’ve followed me…everywhere.”
Too intense, Phillip chided himself. Where the hell was Damian?
“I…sorry. But no, how could I be mad when I’m guilty of the exact same thing…and though I’m no believer in serendipity, I have to say, I’m pretty pleased to see you again. I wish I had been wearing a shirt for the occasion.” A small chuckle escaped his lips. “I’m a bit gobsmacked,” the Englishman stated as he grabbed the other shot. “And… a wee bit hammered. I assure you, the last decade has not turned me into a lush.”
Were eyes able to consume? Could desire devour through sight? If it wasn’t possible, how was Phillip Nash doing it so well? Esmeralda could feel his gaze raking down through her long curls, down her neck, and over her curves. He seemed to take in every inch of her as if she were a prey he was hunting down to gorge on later.
Under such a heavy gaze, Esmeralda’s breath shuddered. Never had a single look shaken her like this. To be fair, never had she cared so much what someone thought of her. She had always been so career focused that she had never quite cared if others thought that she was physically appealing. Now, she wanted to know what every flicker of Phillip’s eyes meant.
He was right that phones worked both ways, and it occurred then to her that he might not have cared at all if she ever called. Had he forgotten her all those years ago? Had he not felt the same about her as she felt about him? Did she dream of a man who forgot about her the next day? Did he replace the memory of her with someone prettier or smarter?
Six phones, ten years, and she had in some strange way travelled with him the whole time. Seven digits that symbolized her for him had been with him the whole time. How much of him did they know? What she wouldn’t give to take that information into her. If only she could bridge the awkwardness, to know him the way that she had known him that night.
“Would it be too much to admit that I’m not sad you’re not wearing a shirt?” Color rushed into her face once again before she took the two shots that were slid towards her by the bartender. “Plus, if anyone of us is not wearing enough clothing, it’s certainly me.” She snickered. “Don’t worry. I too am... a tad bit intoxicated.”
She paused for a moment before blurting out, “This is all so awkward. Let’s go do something simple for the two of us.” She turned to him and looked up at him through her eyelashes, “Come dance with me, Dr. Nash. Let’s forget all this lost time and make some now.” She took his hand and began to pull him along with her. “Nothing but you and me. Alright?”
Hart-Whitlock Manor
Front Exterior
Front Exterior
Front Exterior
Back Exterior
Back Exterior
Overhead shot of open floor plan
Overhead shot of open floor plan
Living Room
Dining Room
Kitchen
Kitchen
Abigail's Bedroom
Abigail's Bedroom
Abigail's Bathroom
Abigail's Bathroom
Upstairs Reading Nook
Upstairs Reading Nook
Esmeralda's Bedroom
Esmeralda's Bathroom
Not Shown:
There is a section upstairs with a library. In the library are wall to wall bookshelves, a fire place, a large couch that can comfortably seat two people cuddling and a wooden table. It looks somewhat similar to this in style but not in color. Instead, the room is largely dark brown bookshelves and white furniture.
Connected to the office are two doors that go to two offices. One office is Esmeralda's office.
The other door is Abigail's office
Esmeralda Whitlock’s Timeline
Age 0; 1990
June 30th- Esmeralda Tsetsiliya Whitlock is born in Stephen’s County Hospital in Toccoa, Georgia to Varvara Diana and Preston Myron Whitlock
Age 2; 1992
December- In response to Esmeralda crying over her hat having a ‘bad itch’, Preston gives Esmeralda her first bruise on her upper arm from holding her too tight.
Age 4; 1994
August- Esmeralda starts kindergarten at Toccoa Elementary School where she picks up reading books quickly. By the end of the year, she finishes a hundred books.
Age 5; 1995
May- Esmeralda’s father strikes her for the first time.
August- Esmeralda is placed in the “gifted program”.
Age 7; 1997
March- Esmeralda’s father forces her to watch and then help him clean a deer.
August- Esmeralda skips third grade, and she begins forth grade a year early.
Age 8; 1998
April-August- The isolation that occurs due to her skipping the previous grade causes Esmeralda to read more voraciously, and by the end of that summer she completes a complete set of Encyclopedias.
November- Preston and Varvara get into a fight about Christmas, and Esmeralda gets between them. Preston breaks Esmeralda’s ribs, but then he convinces her to not tell the doctors by telling her that he’d kill Esmeralda and her mother before he’d let her ‘destroy’ his family.
Age 10; 2000
August- Esmeralda skips seventh grade and goes straight to eighth grade causes Esmeralda to become entirely isolated from her peers.
Age 12; 2002
August- Esmeralda skips tenth grade and starts eleventh grade. She begins taking college courses at the local community college Toccoa Falls College.
Age 13; 2003
April- Esmeralda graduates from Stephen’s County High School as the technical Valedictorian but she refuses to walk.
May- She graduates with her Associates of Arts in Psychology and Associates of Science in Biology. She minors in Criminal Science and History.
July 5th- Esmeralda kills her father.
July 7th- News of what Esmeralda did gets spread around Toccoa and then through the rest of Georgia.
August 3rd- Police find bodies of women hidden in Preston’s hunting shed. Police at first try to pin it on Esmeralda, but eventually find no evidence of her having been there. Police officers start looking for the identities of the women.
August 27th- Esmeralda’s second cousin (Theodore Dalton Whitlock) whom she calls her Uncle Ted reaches out to her, and they start to become close.
September- The police find out that the women are from across state lines, and this starts police from other states starting to compare the murders in their states to the ones in Georgia. Slowly, but surely eventually they discover that her father had killed near thirty women who had been homeless, sex workers, or otherwise vagabonds.
December- Esmeralda’s case finally goes to trial. Esmeralda is found, “not guilty by reason of insanity at the time of the crime, the defendant (Esmeralda) will be committed to a state mental health facility until such time, if ever, that the court is satisfied that she should be released pursuant to law.”
Age 15; 2005
May- Esmeralda finishes her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Bachelors of Science in Biology. Once again she minored in History and Criminal Science.
May- Esmeralda starts her Masters in Cognitive and Forensic Psychology classes online.
Age 17; 2007
May-Esmeralda graduates with Masters in Arts in Clinical Psychology and Masters in Arts in Forensic Psychology. That same month Esmeralda is finally released from the mental hospital. She heads to London where she stays with her Uncle Ted for a couple of months to get on her feet.
July- Esmeralda starts Muay Thai.
August- The Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital employs Esmeralda, and she begins to train under some of the best psychologist in the nation. Esmeralda begins working on her Doctors in Clinical Psychology.
Age 18; 2008
January- Esmeralda wins The Early Graduate Student Researcher Award
May- Late in the month, Esmeralda heads to London where she spends every one of her summers between school years.
Age 20; 2008
March- Esmeralda takes the MCAT, and she gets a 523.
April- Esmeralda completes her Doctorates in Clinical Psychology. She begins working at the Connecticut Valley Hospital where she starts her . Training. Esmeralda begins to work at the Connecticut Valley Hospital to get her state license.
August- Esmeralda starts the Yale Psychiatry Residency Program.
Age 22; 2010
January- After mastering Muay Thai, Esmeralda moves to MMA.
December- Esmeralda receives the APA Distinguished Scientific Award for an Early Career Contribution to Psychology
Age 24; 2014
May- Esmeralda completes her Medical Degree. She decides to spend a year in London with her Uncle Ted.
September- While at a fancy dinner party with her Uncle Ted, Esmeralda meets Phillip Nash. They drink together, and have what she feels is an intense conversation and an intense dance too. They have what she feels is an intense conversation, and an incredible dance. The next day Esmeralda has a research program approved, and she flies to Leipzig University.
Age 26; 2016
July- A client bites into Esmeralda and leaves a scar. At this time, Esmeralda decides to return back to America.
August- Esmeralda starts working at the Divine Feminine Clinic in North Shoreham, Rhode Island. There she meets and quickly befriends Abigail Hart over similar political beliefs.
Age 28; 2018
January- Varvara ends up at the hospital for what seems to be a grand mal seizure. She has one more seizures and then a stroke that leaves her paralyzed on her left side and in a coma. Esmeralda is forced to travel back to Georgia. She gets her mother and brings her mother to a nursing home in Rhode Island.
February- Varvara comes back to consciousness where she begins to insist that Esmeralda was trying to kill her by bringing her to Rhode Island. She starts to threaten the staff by stating, “My husband is going to kill all you whores!”
April- Varvara passes away.
November- Esmeralda receives the Janet Taylor Spence Award For Transformative Early Career Contributions.
Age 30; 2020
February- Esmeralda meets Jean Wilson.
April: Abigail begins to date Francis “Frank” Clark, a Rhode Island Lawyer running to become a member of the Senate.
October- Jean makes it clear that she is trying to flirt with Esmeralda. They asked Esmeralda out. Esmeralda nervously agrees.
November: Frank Clark wins his election and becomes a Senator
Age 31; 2021
January- Jean begins to complain that Esmeralda does not prioritize them.
May: Abigail ends her relationship with Frank Clark.
September- Disagreements begin to crop up between Jean and Esmeralda about Esmeralda’s job.
November- Jean dumps Esmeralda.
Age 33; 2023
February- Preston is somehow released from the Georgia prison on good behavior. Out of fear, Esmeralda tells Abigail that she no longer feels safe where they live due to her practice being in her own name. She decides she has to move. Abigail refuses to let Esmeralda move by herself, and they start to look for a place together.
May- Abigail and Esmeralda move into their new place in Laurel, Maine after both got jobs at the Sapphire Lake Hospital. Abigail gets the house in her name to hopefully protect Esmeralda from any stalking by her father.
abigailhartrp:
Abigail could feel Esmeralda’s guilt, despite spending a large part of her days reassuring Esmeralda that moving to Maine had been a good decision for both of them. Abigail had spent forty-five years in Rhode Island, and her eyes longed for something new. As much as she enjoyed stability and the comforts of routine, Abby knew that she was stagnated. When Esmeralda revealed her need to leave the state, Abigail knew the timing was too perfect to pass on. She would go with Esmeralda; they would start over.
Yet, no one had a guilt complex like Esmeralda Whitlock, so Abigail knew it was futile to fight it. One day, when Abigail was settled, she had established a routine…Esmeralda would finally see it was a good decision.
After taking their tequila shots, Abigail shook her head slightly.
“Tequila makes me forget I’m middle-aged,” she smiled at her best friend, who had just asked her a question.
“Were you keeping tabs on me?” Abby said, arching her brow. “Yes, actually. All of the above. It was interesting, to say the least. Of course, I’m not trying to repeat the past. What about you? Are you actually being social or sticking to yourself?” Abigail knew she didn’t need to ask the last part. Esmeralda was not exactly extroverted.
“Tequila makes me feel middle aged.” Esmeralda snickered before turning her attention back to Abigail.
It was no secret that Esmeralda was a bit clingy when it game to Abigail. Youth had cropped up one friendship, but that ended in a secret garden that washed away in a torrent of tears. College offered many small friendships, but somehow even in one on one interactions Esmeralda had still felt like there was a wall that was between her and others that she just couldn’t get past.
There was a brief connection in London that shone bright as the north star, but after months, she accepted she had missed her opportunity. Then it too washed away.
At twenty-six, Esmeralda had accepted that she was never going to be able to bridge that barrier. Then Abigail came in, and everything was so easy. Abigail didn’t shy away from hard conversations about politics, and in fact, she dived in elbow deep even when it was a topic they weren’t sure of. Abigail never seemed to care about Esmeralda’s lack of eye contact. She enjoyed quiet moments, and shared her care in both loud and quiet ways.
For once, Esmeralda felt fully seen and accepted, and so she gave all the love and care that she had hidden from others to Abigail. Which included watching her a bit like a hawk when at parties. “Well, in my defense, I feel like I’d be a bad friend if I didn’t keep tabs on you.” Esmeralda shrugged, “What do you mean by interesting? I have not talked to anyone yet. I just got here. What is there to do?”
phillip-nashrp:
Phillip Nash prided himself on being a man that was quick on his feet, yet his brain seemed to be overloaded like an old computer with too many tabs open in the internet browser. Everything seemed to move slowly around him, and soon he found himself lost in a memory. Ten years seemed to fade before his eyes as he found himself in a Ball Room, the smell of wine and caviar in the air, the drone voices of the wealthy elite chatting away about their charity donations, and then…there she was. Like a meteor, she, a bright, brilliant light, shone through the dark skies, illuminating his entire world. Yet, just like a shooting star, it was brief, leaving him longing for just one more glance.
It had been a decade. Phillip had long ago assumed that he would never see her again.
Esmeralda Whitlock, the girl who got away.
As she realized just who he was, the brunette began to ramble quickly, a blush rising to her cheeks. Phillip, still shocked, couldn’t help but chuckle. How absurd. How…
“This is impossible,” the Surgeon finally said, shaking his head. “I can’t even begin…” Flabbergasted, Phillip didn’t know where to start.
She looked just as beautiful as she had the day they met. Age had only improved her. Swallowing, Phillip did his best to keep his eyes level with Esmeralda’s face. He realized that not only did he stumble upon a woman he had dreamt about for a decade, but she was also sitting across from him in the least amount of clothes someone could wear and not be given a citation.
“Seven Years,” Phillip finally said. “And you…well…not America obviously, you were born here…I mean Maine…here. Are you employed here?” Standing up, the Surgeon seemed to shake his head once more as if he was still trying to convince his brain that she was real, sitting close enough that the familiar scent of lavender, the same damned scent that haunted his dreams, had begun to mix with the smell of the salt and sea.
“On mo’,” Phillip said as he turned toward the bartender and ordered two more shots of Johnny Walker. After taking each shot, he turned back to Esmeralda. “How are you?”
“This is impossible.” The normally light British accent dripped through Phillip’s assertion.
Had ten years truly passed if his voice could still do the things it did to her? She had joked with Abigail that she had a thing for British accents, but the reality was that it wasn’t broadly the British accent. It was his accent. It was the way Phillip’s tongue said things that haunted Esmeralda.
Yet the man who had haunted her for so long had only managed to get better with age. His hair was styled more purposefully to show his curls but also to bring out the sharpness of his face more. Now, he stood in front of her without a shirt, and he was fit. His shoulder muscles and pecs were refined. She didn’t dare look lower in fear of losing her footing even more than she had already.
“I don’t think I’d be allowed at the party if I didn’t work here.” She laughed softly. “I have been back in America since 2016. I’ve lived with my best friend.” Esmeralda glanced back at her friend that was talking to a tan man with dark curls. “We moved here just a month ago.”
She didn’t want to go over the embarrassing reason they moved.
Fortunately, it seemed Phillip was trying to gather his thoughts. He shook his head and walked away from her, and suddenly now she couldn’t miss the long muscles on his stomach. She had fought off thoughts of his form for years, and now she knew.
Now, she knew how they’d look as he’d lean over...
“He’s walking away!” Esmeralda’s head screamed, and she blinked before following him to the bar where she found him taking two shots of something. She too ordered shots and took them in an attempt to shove aside her sinful thoughts. “I... I don’t know.” She admitted. “What is the coincidence that we’d end up here at the same time?” Now, half naked and inebriated. “Are you mad at me for not calling?” She took a step closer trying to read his face, “It wasn’t out of disinterest. I swear. I... I.. I...”
We can’t let someone slip away again! Say something!
“I thought of you all the time in Leipzig. I even dialed your number frequently, but it was always three or four AM. So I’d hang up before it rang long enough. I was young and... stupid.” She admitted as her face burned. “It’s crazy that after that we’re here together. That... the universe has to be saying something. Right?”
abigailhartrp:
Abigail was not your typical party girl, though she was never one to say no to a celebration. It was why when the hiring manager of Lake Sapphire Hospital informed her that there would be a Beach Party two days before she was due to start her new position at the hospital’s Women’s Health Campus, she didn’t hesitate to RSVP. Of course, that also meant making her best friend, Esmeralda, go. It took some convincing and light threats, but eventually, Esmeralda caved.
Sunblock on, a drink in her hand, Abigail socialized with some of her new co-workers, stopping to speak to anyone who seemed friendly. She was approached a few times but never made to feel uncomfortable. Eventually, three drinks in, the redhead took a break from all the socialization.
Finding a secluded corner, Abigail reached the bottom of her bag and found her nicotine vape. Turning her back toward the party, she began to take little hits, holding the smoke long enough so her exhale wouldn’t cause any attention. She walked toward the bar a moment later and ordered a Corona and Lime.
Taking a drink, Abigail looked out for her co-workers. They looked like a fun group of people. She only hoped that she found the work rewarding. Leaving the Hospital and Clinic in Rhode Island was hard, but being here for Esmeralda was worth it.
Speak of the devil, Abigail thought as she heard her friend sit down beside her and ask to do shots.
“I never say no to shots.”
Months had passed, and yet Esmeralda still felt guilty for dragging her friend across the states. Her own irrational fears regarding her father had driven them from both of their homes into a new state, new jobs, and without their old friends. She had no evidence that her father would come find her, but that fear was so intense she couldn’t stay where she was. Ever the loyal friend, Abigail followed her to the ends of the earth- even going so far as to put their new home in her own name to protect Esmeralda.
Despite all of Abigail’s assurances that she didn’t mind, she couldn’t help the intense guilt that bubbled up when she saw Abigail talking to their new coworkers. She was trying so hard to make a new life after the change, and she was doing so with grace Esmeralda envied.
She grinned half-heartedly as Abigail agreed to do shots before nodding, “Great! Okay!” She pushed the shot of tequila to Abigail before grabbing two slices of lime and salt over the counter. She sprinkled salt on one side of her hand that also had the shot glass and took the lime in her other hand. She watched Abigail as she did the same.
“One, two, three!” Immediately, they both licked the salt, hooked their arms before taking their shots, and then bit down on their limes.
“Humans are so weird that we consume poison for the fun of it.” Esmeralda admitted before grinning up at Abigail. “I saw you talking to someone. Were they nice? Handsome?” She wiggled her eyebrows.
phillip-nashrp:
Seven years ago, when Phillip accepted the position of Chief of Surgery, he often wished they had mentioned just how socially demanding the job was. Since arriving in Maine, Phillip felt like he was attending some gathering or event every other weekend. This party, perhaps the worst one the Hospital Engagement Staff had mucked up, was a Beach Party. An outside work event, obviously optional and not company funded, or at least legally, most of the staff seemed excited. Phillip, who had already been made aware that events were not optional for him, internally groaned.
So, along with his best friend and co-worker, Damian Ixmata, Phillip put on his swim trunks, grabbed his sunglasses and sandals, and made it to Lake Sapphire Beach, where he immediately went to the bar.
“Johnny Walker, two fingers on the rocks,” Phillip ordered, his British accent thicker than usual, eager to partake in the social lubricant alcohol was. As the bartender handed him the drink, the Surgeon nodded a thank you, brought the glass to his lip, and sipped.
After five minutes, Phillip let out a sigh of relief and relaxed his shoulders.
“This is silly,” he muttered, looking toward the beach. The place was packed, with people dancing, drinking, and playing games. He hoped Damian didn’t want to stay too long, but as he looked out among the crowd, he realized he’d already lost his friend.
As the person beside him moved from their spot, Phillip looked over and felt his heart freeze.
It couldn’t be. How could it… It wasn’t possible.
Then, she turned, their eyes connecting.
“Take a shot with me?”
“Esmeralda?”
The rush to push down her own thoughts had made Esmeralda reckless in her pursuit for some kind of distraction, and so she had not paid attention to anything around her when she walked up to the bar. In fact, she supposed that was part of the purpose. She would have backed down if she had to face the humanity of the person, but if she couldn’t think about it, she couldn’t think about it hard enough to back down.
Now?
Now, she regretted it.
Years slipped by and a different record played. Her Uncle Ted walked away revealing the full height of the man. The man who had stolen her attention and desire for a night. Everything for once had made sense. There was no hesitation or awkwardness. There were only questions, burning, and dancing that fit like a puzzle.
Then he slipped away and oceans distanced them.
Had those oceans been emptied?
Her heart raced against her chest as her name rolled off of his tongue. He remembered her too. His eyes widened and his mouth fell slightly open. Shock wrote itself between them.
“Phillip?” She asked stupidly as she attempted to pull her thoughts together. “You’re in America? You’re in Maine? Laurel? You work at the hospital?!” She reached up and touched the side of her head before tossing back her shot. “Obviously, I guess.” She snickered and shook her head. “Uh...” She opened and closed her mouth for a moment before smiling, “It’s... I... it’s so nice to see you. Umm... I’m so sorry for not calling you. My spot opened up, and I had a limited time to respond. By the time I had time that wasn’t sleeping or working (not to say I’m not grateful for the opportunity), it was months later. And I...” She shrugged. “I just thought... my moment had sort of passed.”
She pushed the shot towards him, “How... how long have you been in America?”