Stitching the Past

Beep Beep Beep and by the fourth beep from the pager on my nightstand I was up and I looked at the clock and it said 1:45 am and I groan at the site of it being one am and my third on call shift in a row. I get up and go press the button to my coffee pot to start doing its daily job in creating my fuel for another shift. I then proceed to get a shower and do my daily routine for work I try and always take a quick shower before my on call shifts at the hospital seeing as I never know when exactly I’ll have another. Don’t get me wrong I love my job but man when a 12 hour shift turns into a 24 due to unforeseen circumstances your girl starts to show it. When I started rinsing my hair out I started thinking about the shift I was gonna have would I be floated if so where would I be and hoping I’d be placed in my favorite place in the hospital and quite literally the world is the OR.  When I get done showering I pack my bag and head to the place I’ll call home for the next 12 hours. Before heading out the door I make sure I feed and water the only man in my life at the moment moose my Belgium Malinois.  Moose was a blessing in disguise he was my dads service dog and when he passed it seemed only fitting moose came with me plus being a single female in Tampa Florida it’s never a bad thing to have a highly protective dog. After feeding moose and locking up I headed to the garage to head to work I get in my 1999 bronco and I twist the key to start the engine and it doesn’t start I try again and by the third time I realize I won’t be driving to work. I call my best friend Sydney  seeing as she should be headed in also since we’re both on call she’s apart of the OR team so generally we’re both on the same on call schedule. After the first ring she picks up telling me she was on her way to the hospital too “she says hey girl what’s going on you better be heading in to work too and your not gonna leave me with Dr.dick Patrick” I laugh at that and say although I wish I was I’m not but I do need you to come get me on your way in my car won’t start again. She said yes but can I ask why your still are driving your dads ancient bronco? I say well not only do I enjoy no payment but I also can’t bring myself to get rid of it. Sydney says listen babe I totally get it but your one of the top General Surgeons in Bay Area you can’t tell me you can’t afford another vehicle that will start after the first try and I tell her yea yea maybe I will but for now when are you gonna be here when they paged us they acted like it was a full moon!! She says I just turned on bayshore drive I’ll be there in 5 and I say ok see you soon.

1

When we arrive to work based on the parking garage it looks fine so I’m kind of confused on why we were called in but regardless we head inside. Once I get to the ER where I was assigned to float for tonight’s shift I see a bunch of people with Cameras at the front entrance but I still think nothing of it seeing as we are in Tampa and any celebrity or athlete could be here. When I get my first case from Dr.Tullum the ER doctor on staff. I open the chart on my Ipad and see it says possible head injury from collision during a hockey game with that I immediately say to Dr.Tullum is there a reason I’m getting a case that doesn’t require surgery? Dr.Tullum laughs at that and she says well they asked for the best so that’s who I’m giving them. After being a little annoyed I look over his chart more while I’m waiting for his CT scan to come through and I looked at his labs they look perfect. When I look at the CT scan that finally comes through I can see he took a pretty hard hit and by the looks of the scan he’s suffered a grade 3 concussion. I head towards the room to check in with my patient when I see a few ER nurses giggle as they pass the room. Still confused on the cameras out front and the giggling staff but weirder things have happened. I stepped into the room and immediately know why there’s cameras and giggling staff. None other than Tatum Holland for the Tampa Cyclone still just about full uniform straight from the game I’m guessing. When I entered the room I said good evening I am Dr. Sinclair I will be treating you today. He says ok doctor can I just get some fluids and be on my way I need to make it home to gets some rest for morning skate tomorrow. Mr.Holland all though I do admire your resilience here you won’t be attending morning skate tomorrow I would like to keep you overnight for monitoring seeing that you’ve suffered a grade 3 concussion. He gets very angry by my decision and says what the fuck I can’t stay don’t you know who I am I have to make work outs and morning skate tomorrow morning so I can play Wednesday. I say with great harshness I’m sorry Mr.Holland and he interrupts by saying it’s Tate you can call me Tate and I said ok Tate well so your aware who I am, I am one of the top Surgeons for this hospital and after looking at your CT scan you have a grade 3 concussion and it would be very irresponsible for me as your doctor to let you leave and go back to full physical activities. Now if you stay and let us monitor you then we can talk about you leaving tomorrow and if you could please let me examine you. He huffed at that and said fine and with a scowl I got my pen light out and started the exam. I placed my finger in-front of his face and say ok now just follow my finger back and forth and when I get to the last motion I say for most of these I have to bend down and get on the patients level but with your height I don’t have to break my back and he kinda chuckles and Tate says with my height? Was that a compliment Doc ? He says and I respond with no just stating the obvious and it’s Bristol you can call me Bristol.

2

When I left the room I was not only annoyed but flushed by the ignorance and audacity Mr.hockey star had thinking I’d risk my medical license just so he can go back to his team. As I was walking back to my desk to chart till I get another patient I couldn’t stop thinking about his eyes and how such a unique shade of green they were then I tell my self god Bristol snap out of he’s a hockey star and you work at a hospital never gonna happen. Walking through the hallway back to the ED I ran into Sydney again and she said hey wasn’t that Tatum Holland that you just saw and I responded with yes why and she says well he’s hot duhh!! I said girl get over yourself he’s way out of my league and she responds with your hot too real men love curves!! I say Syd I love you and your enthusiasm about my dating life but I have way to much on my plate to even think about dating right now.  She laughed and said well it doesn’t hurt to have someone on call you know when you need some attention in your neither regions and then she winked. I say oh your too much go back to work. After finally getting back to charting thanks to Sydney now I can’t stop thinking about him and his green eyes that look right through your soul and his auburn brown hair that only makes him hotter ughh this is not ok Bristol he’s your patient get it together I tell myself. The night goes on I see patients for anything from a stiff nose to gunshot wounds and even through all of that I’m still worked up about my encounter with Tate. When I go round in the morning before I leave I go to Tates room to check in and make sure he’s ok to discharge home I lightly knock on the door and see he was basically waiting to leave he was changed and shoes on waiting to be discharged. I great him with good morning Tate how are you feeling this morning he responds with well I kinda feel like I had a slap shot straight to my head but otherwise I’m fine. I say ok great then let me get your discharge paperwork together then we can get you out of here but I want to see you in my office three days from now so I can make sure the concussion is going away on its own and that your resting like instructed. Tate huffs at my response and says I’ll give you my number and you can just check in with me that way. With that I say well here’s my card with my office phone number on it if you have any questions or start feeling worse that is how you can reach me. He takes the card and nods and heads on his way. After that extremely awkward encounter I go back to my desk chart and head to see if Sydney’s ready to go since I had to ride with her and thank god she’s clocking out too last night wasn’t the worst shift but it was a annoying one thanks to Tate I’ll be happy to get home see my fur child and sleep this shift away. After Sydney drops me off I head to my floor on the elevator and when I get to my apartment take a quick shower then take moose to the bathroom. When I made it to bed and closed the black out curtains and I start scrolling through Instagram and low and behold the Tampa bay Cyclones have an add with Tate front and center and with that it’s a sign for me to get some sleep.

   3

When I wake up around 4 pm I get a shower and put some comfy clothes on and turn on Gilmore girls and watch reruns till my Uber eats order gets here. One thing that fixes my mood any day is Mexican take out and Gilmore girls. After eating and binging on Gilmore girls for 3 hours I decided since I’m not tired I would start deep cleaning since I would have three back to back shifts at the hospital after my two days off. As I am deep in cleaning and have my music blaring and Tate McRea playing greedy is playing I’m jamming and cleaning and then my phones message tone goes off twice. I stop was my hands and go and open my phone and see two messages from a number I don’t recognize I open the messages and see them saying “Hey it’s Tate I was one of your patients last night. I was wondering if you can make a house call and come to the arena to see if I can at least work out?” I read that message with disbelief on my face number one how did he get my phone number? I send a text back asking “Hello Tate I normally do not make house visits and how did you get my phone number?” I see the three dots seeing that he’s either typing or thinking and his response comes through with “I called your office?”. I respond with “I find it hard to believe you just called my office and got my number but ok why do I need to make a home visit? If your feeling worse maybe you should go back to the ER?” I see he starts typing the response comes through “ Can you please come to the arena I really do not want all of the cameras and fans trying to go to the ER” I think to myself well he does have a point that would probably get annoying. I respond with “Fine give me the address I’ll be there with in an hour”. I get done cleaning my shower and get a shower myself and put on some gym clothes because what do you wear to a hockey arena I don’t have a clue. I order an Uber because my car is now in the shop and that reminds me tomorrow I need to go car shopping. My Uber dropped me off at the front of the arena I went in the main entrance and asked one of the workers to take me to the Gym he said who are you? I said I’m Dr.Sinclair Tatum Holland requested I come to see him. He said ok right this way he takes me down a long hallway and when I hear what sounds like weight’s clashing together I assume we’re in the right place. He opens the door and I step in and to my surprise the whole Tampa bay cyclone’s team is there getting there work out and I can’t complain that’s a pretty hot sight. After a few seconds of scanning the room though I lock eyes with Tate he waves me over to the AT table he’s sitting on. I walk over to him with crossed arms and glaring eyes and standing in-front of Tate and his wicked smirk I say so what’s wrong why the house call? With a giggle he says “well aren’t you just a ray of sunshine” I say more like a hurricane but that’s besides the point why am I here Tate? He smiles and says “ I thought you would never ask, you are here to supervise my workout you know to make sure I don’t overexert myself”. With that I’m fuming I can not believe he had me come here to watch him work out?

4

He’s either really cocky or actually cares about his own wellbeing. I say fine not like I have anywhere to be. He hops off the AT table and places his hands on my shoulders and moves me toward the the table and says you sit. Reluctantly I sit and watch him doing his stretches while stretching he decides it’s a good time to spark conversation with me. “So where are you from?” Hesitant I roll my eyes and decide ok what the hell I’ll entertain him and I answer him. “I’m originally from here but went away for school and residency”. With that he says “ oh very nice where did you got to school? If you don’t mind me asking?” I smirk at the nervousness in his question because I would have never thought someone that’s in front of thousands every other night would have a nervous bone in his body but I guess we’re all human. “I went to Harvard for med school and Chicago Med for my surgical residency.” His eyes kind of got by from my response as if he was surprised. Why that look I say? Nothing just didn’t expect that but that’s awesome a big accomplishment can I ask why you came back to Florida rather than taking a job in a bigger city? He says and at that I’m growing annoyed. Did you just bring me here to play 20 questions I say ? No just thought maybe by having a conversation it might be less awkward he says. Okay well maybe focus on your workout and just act like I’m not here I say and he comes to me and bends his head to my ear and says I can ignore a lot of things in a room but you would never be one of them. When he says that chills raise at my neck. He steps away to continue his workout and finally after another twenty minutes of torture he was done and they all head to get cleaned up which was my time to leave. Heading out of the front of the arena where I came in at I sit on one of the benches outside and schedule an Uber so I can go home. While I’m waiting scrolling my phones social media apps sitting there minding my own business a nice smaller black suv pulls up and rolls the window down and once again it’s Tate. Do you need a ride? He asks, No I’m fine I’m just waiting on my Uber to get here. Oh no Sinclair let me take you home since I’m the reason you had to come here in the first place he says. You don’t even know me you just gonna take some random girl home you met in the ER yesterday? I ask with annoyance in my voice. Well your right I don’t know you but I’d like to know you more you seem pretty interesting and you don’t care about who I am which is a plus he says. With that I grunt and grab the door handle fine but I’m texting my best friend so if I show up on the six o’clock news she knows who did it. He laughs and says I get it yes please let her know your with the hot hockey star you took care of the other night in the ER. Cocky much what makes you think I find you attractive huh? I say with a huff. Well I mean you couldn’t help but look at me like you were undressing me with your eyes he says with a devilish smile. I was not  I was supervising you like you asked me too I say. So where do you live so I can take you home he asks.  I live at Kora apartments on water street I say. Oh sweet that’s not that far he says. Yes you will be rid of me in a timely manner I say with and attitude. That’s not what I meant I meant that’s good it’s close so you coming here wasn’t extremely out of the way for he says. So what’s your game plan here Tate are you trying to.             

 sweep me off my feet so you can get in my pants? I question him he looks surprised by my question. Wow no that’s not my intention at all I’m just trying to make conversation and get to know you but I’m getting the vibe now that’s not ok with you he says sounding defeated. Listen I’m sorry I don’t mean to be a bitch I just have had 4 shifts back to back and two of them were on call so my brain is just a little fried I tell him. He gives me an empathetic nod. When he pulls to the front of the my building I already have my seat belt off ready to almost jump out of the car. He stops I hop out of the car he rolls his window down and he says hazel am I gonna see you again? That’s for me to know and you to find out I say as I walk back towards the building. When I get up to the elevator my phone buzzes and I grab it to see who it is and I see the contact name of hockey star and roll my eyes. I open the message and see “just text me that you made it upstairs okay”. I text him back “yes I am home thank you for the ride”. I got home around eight in the evening I swap the laundry over and tidy up a few things before getting my third shower of the evening I think it’s from working at the hospital but anytime I go out after I get home before I get in bed I have to have another shower. Before I go to lay down there’s a knock at my door and I wasn’t expecting anyone I go and open the door to a basket with a card no one in the hallway for me to ask if it’s mine. I take the basket inside and place it on the counter before I start going through I open the small white card the message inside says “I hope some of these items help you relax like you deserve to -Tate” when reading that I feel the smile creeping on my face. I really don’t know how or why he’s interested in someone like me I tell myself. I go and look in the mirror looking at my thighs and my ass. When they say you are yourself worst critic that couldn’t be truer for me right now. I go back to my kitchen where I had placed the basket Tate sent me and see that he really did put a lot of thought into it and how scared that makes me. Between my dad passing and my ex boyfriend Cooper cheating on me and cheating on me was only the tip of the iceberg. Those two things have really put a hold on my dating life. I feel like anyone who has been cheated on can resonate with feeling like you can’t let your guard down. I won’t be giving Tate a chance but it would be rude if you don’t tell someone thank you for a gift. I open our text and text him thank you for the gifts and  let him know he didn’t have to do that. Just a few minutes after I sent the text he responds “least I could do for my new favorite doctor wink emoji”. I couldn’t help but bite my lip trying not to smile. I type my response “night hockey star” and shut the lights off and head to bed.

6

I wake up to a cold nose on my forehead telling me moose had got in the bed with me. Good morning big guy I say as I scratch his belly. I get up and go to the kitchen to start my coffee and feed moose I look at the clock happy to see it’s almost 9 am meaning I actually got some rest. I did end up putting some of those self care gifts Tate got me in the basket he had sent here and was able to relax maybe I should text him and tell him thank you again? No Bristol you don’t want to seem interested we’re not dating remember I tell myself. The other half of my brain says but he was being sweet by sending me that remembering what I said about being tired ahh no I’ll just leave it be. After doing more laundry and watching some tv I text Sydney to see what she is up to. Sydney responds “just getting ready to go to the yard to grab some drinks you should come!!? I say sure and start getting ready because after this past week I could use a drink! Then I think what the hell will I wear since I don’t normally go out and my wardrobe consists of scrubs and athletic apparel. I head to my Closet and look through my clothes only to find a black dress from when I was in residency I grabbed that and for a more casual look I added a blue jean jacket and a pair of black wedge heels since I am not a stilettos kind of girl. I headed in the bathroom to start doing my hair and make up to keep myself busy so I don’t end up back on the couch because I know I need to get out and socialize and I was ready for some fresh air and a night out with my friends. It’s really funny how your coworkers end up being some of your closest friends. I put the finishing touches on my make up and hair fed moose while I ordered an Uber. Once I got down town to where the restaurant was prime by the water I think is what she said walking a few more blocks and I found the place thank goodness because I don’t know if I could have walked much further in these shoes. I get to where Sydney and a couple more of my colleagues are and see that Dr Patrick is here and I’m kind of surprised but don’t think to much into it I find a seat next to Sydney she greats me as I sit down. I order a vodka cranberry and Sydney says “ damn bitch going for the hard stuff already? I giggle at that and say “yea it’s been a odd week for me it’s much needed” she smiles and says “oh has it how did it go with Mr dreamy on skates?”. I awkwardly laugh and say “fine he just wanted to make sure he could participate in his work outs it was nothing just doing my job as a doctor looking out for there patient”. I can tell she doesn’t buy it she’s giving me that look of ok sure. Keep it together Bristol you don’t wanna give away that you even like him in the slightest I think to myself. Trying to change the subject I whisper in Sydney’s ear asking “why is Dick Patrick here?” She giggles and says he over hear us talking about going out and I felt bad not inviting him?” I laugh obnoxiously at her works because he has never seemed like the type to want to go out on the town with your co workers.” She tells me I need to give him a chance and that he’s more down to earth if you get to know him. Her words make me think and wonder if there’s something more between her and Mr beau Patrick, but I’d never ask her that when others are around seeing that he’s married. Everyone orders another round of drinks and appetizers and I nudge Sydney and tell her how happy I am that I came she looks at me and smiles and says “babe I’m so happy you came it’s time for you to get out again we really missed you”.

7

After the waitress delivers the next round of drinks and appetizers I tell Sydney I’ll be back I’m gonna run to the bathroom really quick. I get up heading toward the bathroom I look back behind me then forward and before I can blink I’m running into what feels like a wall. Taking a step back and looking up I realize it’s a block alright a block of 6”4 muscle with auburn brown hair and green eyes. Tate I say softly in shock with his hands on my shoulders he looks at me coming to the same realization Bristol he questions? Hey sorry I was just headed to the bathroom I’m sorry I didn’t mean to run into you literally. He giggles it’s ok he says. I then awkwardly try to walk past him to get to the bathroom and he stops me “ ahh not so fast Sinclair what brings you here this evening a date he questions? I huff at the fact that he has the balls to question if I’m on a date as if it’s any of his business. “Even though this is none of your business at all I’m actually just here with some friends from work” I say and he smirks and nods the he bends to my ear “ my bad I couldn’t help but think by what you were wearing you could be on a date and good choice in the dress it really hugs your ass I’ll be sure to look on your way back” he says and I’m speechless so much so I I slap him with my purse and head to the bathroom. When I could out of the bathroom I don’t seen him guessing he sat back down at his table when I walk back by I hold my bag in-front of my ass to some what cover it and I just know he’s looking but I don’t care what makes him think that’s ok to say as if we’re on that level with each other we’ve seen each other 3 times. None of which was a friendly occasion or a date. When I get back to my table Sydney looks at me and says what was that all about? I say what trying to play stupid. She says don’t play stupid with me Bristol. I don’t know Syd I didn’t even know he was here I literally ran into him on my way to the bathroom I explain. “He seems like he likes you have you ever considered that”?” She ask and I say yea I doubt that what would ever make you think that I’m totally out of his league “. Are you sure because he keeps smirking this way she says and I turn my head and roll my eyes at him. We finish dinner I pay my tab at the table and tell everyone bye Sydney came and asked if I needed a ride I decided I was gonna get a few more drinks at the bar before I headed home “ok but please be careful and call me on your way home she says”. “ Ok mother Hen I will call you on my way home”. I head to the bar and find a seat and order a vodka soda. I hear a gruff behind me ask if the seat next to me is taken. “Well if your not Chris Evan’s Glenn Powell or Chris Hemsworth then yes it is I say. He takes the seat with a low chuckle “ I think I can compete with those guys”. I turn my head towards him confirming who I thought it was. “ you again, I’m starting to wonder If I need to get a restraining order for stalking” I say . He smiles “ oh trust me Sinclair you would know if I was stalking you”. The bartender comes to take Tate’s order when I hear an old fashion come out of his mouth I immediately bust out laughing. He looks at me questioningly “ how much more frat boy Brad and Chad could you be?” I say. “ I have you know I was never in a frat that I just appreciate an old fashioned from time to time” he says. After Tate gets his drink I order two more tequila shots. “Wow right to the hard stuff I see” he says with a chuckle. I give home a scowling look well it’s been one of those weeks I say with an eye roll.

8

After a few awkward moments for me Tate looks my way and says tell me what made your week so terrible besides meet me obviously”. Well for starters I was on call for 3 days straight and they were not your ordinary schedule for Monday and manage the pain until then. They were full blown shit shows to put it nicely. “Ahh he says so work was busy nothing else on your mind? I mean you are a beautiful young independent woman just sitting alone at the bar there’s gotta be more to it”. He questions me and looks at me with a gentle smile. “Well this young independent girl did come here to drink alone till you invited yourself” I say to him with snarl he knods his head and is speechless for the first time since we’ve met. “Well to throw a cherry on top it’s the 6 month anniversary of my dad passing so if there’s any reason for me to be up here drinking alone that would be a big one.” The moment all of that leaves my mouth I cringe at myself totally not blaming him if he leaves. “ I’m really sorry Bristol I know that’s gotta be extremely tough. “It’s ok life goes on it’s the circle of life right.” I said with a half smile. Tate just nodded as if he didn’t like my response. I look back at the sports game above the bar just to keep myself from breaking down in-front of him to be honest. I come and drink alone to be able to decompress alone but with Tate here I don’t think that’s gonna happen.