"You did it!" Chris told her, picking her up and spinning her in the air as Grace screamed.
"So did you, and you never left for that career of yours," She teased, poking his nose.
"I know, I needed to tell you about that, I'm moving out to Orlando, to go to an arts college and maybe get something started there, you know?"
Grace's smile fell, "Oh," was all she could say.
"Hey, you're going all the way to washington anyways, it's only a couple more hours on a plane to see each other, right?" He tried to comfort her.
Grace gave him a weak smile, of course," She answered, tightly wrapping her arms around her close friend. As the two stood there they felt another pair of arms wrap around them and were soon met with Kayla's smiling face.
"we made it!" She exclaimed, meeting her forehead with Chris and Grace's.
"Who's ready to celebrate?" Chris chirped in.
"I know I am, are you Kay?"
"Oh, I think I am, let's get this show on the road baby!" She yelled, as the three walked off the field to celebrate the end of one part of the lives and the beginning of another.
"Hey Grace," She heard Kayla's voice penetrate through her dream.
"Yeah Kay?" She asked back.
"Are you nevous about leaving and starting over?" She questioned.
"No, I"m thrilled," Grace answered without hesitation. "I can't wait to leave this small town and everything it is behind me, there's nothing here to tie me down except a couple great friends," She heard Kayla chuckle through her tears at her last statement.
"Well, it's good to know your time here wasn't completely wasted, Doctor Thomas."
Now it was Grace who had to laugh. "I'm not a doctor."
"Yet," Kay corrected her. "You will be and I'm gonna read about you in the paper how you found the cure for cancer and whatever."
"Well, it's good to know you believe in me so much, Kay, and don't ever forget our friendship, it meant the world to me whether you know it or not, and I promise to keep in touch." That was the last thing Grace said before the entered a dream filled sleep.
"Don't worry I won't,and don't you forget to keep me up-to-date with all your medical discoveries," He teased before giving his friends one final hug as he heard the final boarding call for his flight.
"Well, in a couple more hours it'll be just little old me left for the summer," Kayla sighed as she and Grace walked to the gate where she would be leaving soon.
"hey now, you're going to go and have that so successful movie acting career and Chris is gonna be a hot teen sensation while I run around in my scrubs," Grace reminded her friend as they both laughed.
"Whatever, you're gonna be rich long before me."
"No, I am going to have some serious college loans to pay off."
"Maybe, but it doesn't matter," Kay started as she heard Grace's flight called. "But, it's time for you to go, make sure you call me so I know you landed safe, and don't tell me lost the number girl, I know you know it, bye," The two girls embraced before Grace walked down the gangplank and onto the plane to start over.
"I got three hours left," She answered with a sigh looking down at her watch. It was already nine at night and Grace wouldn't get off until midnight so she could go home and study for one of her finals. Medical school was a lot harder than she had ever expected.
Grace had made it through washington state at the top of her class when she graudated two years ago. She had been working at washington medical teaching hosptial for almost 6 months now and she was getting ready to finish off yet another year of schooling.
"Hey Grace, can you get the guy in one started on an IV? He came in passed out with dehydration," She heard her attending ask as she got up again and went to do as she was told.
"Hi, I'm Grace Thomas, I'm here to put in your IV," Grace introduced herself as she gathered all her materials from the room. She walked over to the bed and began the procedure as she heard voices coming through the door behind her. "Excuse me, but can I help you?" She asked them, wonering why they were coming in.
"We're here with him," A tall man with dark hair and deep blue eyes told her, pointing to the patient on the bed.
"Oh, alright, well you can have a seat while I get this done," She told them turning back to her the task at hand.
"Wait, does this involve needles?" The asked her.
"I'm afraid so, and from the way you look I'd suggest you stand outside the door until I'm done," Grace suggetsed as the man did as she had said.
"Alright, I'm done you can go back in now," Grace told him once she had sucessfully out in an IV and got everythign all set.
"Thanks, how long do you think until he's back to normal?"
"I don't know exactly, he' pretty exhausted and extremely dehydrated, so I'd say in a few days maybe a week he will be all set."
"Thanks, I'm Josh by the way," He said, extending his hand.
"Grace, I'll be back in a few hours to check up on him, see you around," Grace said, shaking Josh's hand and walking away.
As her shift began to wind down Grace went back to check on a few patients. She walked in to the room where she had inserted the IV and saw the same four men standing around.
"Hi again," She greeted them, looking them all over as she walked over to check on the patient. She couldn't help but see something naggingly familiar about the one with the weird facial hair. She felt like she should know him. She shook off the the feeling and averted his stare as she checked again, "how you feeling, Justin?" She asked, looking at his chart.
"Still a little tired, but over all I'm ok," He answered, rubbing his eyes.
"That's good to hear, you look a lot better, much better color than when you came in," Grace told him as she checked his pupils. "Well, I'll let you leave tonight on one condition,"She started as he nodded his head urging her to continue. "If you promise me you'll drink at least three bottles of water before you go to bed, you can leave, and if I were you I'd take it because staying this ER all night isn't exactly peaceful and relaxing," she said as eveyrone smiled, hearing the sirens outside as if on cue.
"Alright, works for me," Justin answered, glad to be able to get out of the smelly hospital.
"Alright good, and I'll make sure your friend Josh over there keeps you in check," She assure him, throwing a wink across the room. "Oh geeze, I' sorry guys, I'm Grace," She introduced herself, feeling rude for having forgotten.
They all introduced themselves, shaking her hand. 'Chris... she thought, that name, that face.
"Excuse me, Chris, but could I ask you what your last name is?" Grace questioned, it couldn't be him. She hadn't talked to Chris in over five years.
"Kirkpatrick, why?" he answered, wondering why she cared.
"It's you!"
"Yeah it's me, do I know you?" He still didn't get it. Grace had looked a bit familiar when she had entered the room but Chris had thought it was because she had one of those faces.
"It's me, Grace Thomas."
"You!" He said happily as he enveloped her in a hug. "You who never called, wrote, or e-mailed!" He teased hugging her once agian.
"And you did? Gee, must have gotten lost!" She rolled her eyes as she smiled.
"It's so good to see you again, when do you get out of here?" He asked, letting her go.
"As soon as I get my stuff!"
"What do you say we go out?"
"I would love to," She started, seeing the excitement in his eyes. "But, I have finals to study for."
"You're still the some old Gracie, well, we're here for what, 2 more days?" He questioned, looking around at the other guys in the room seeing them nod. "You got any free time before Friday?"
"I might, here," She said, taking a piece of paper and writing down her number. "Call me tomorrow, that way I can make sure he didn't pass out again," She smiled, winking at Justin, "and you and me can get together, alright?"
"Alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow, it's so good to see such a familiar face again," Chris said, hugging Grace on more time. "Alright, we're gonna head out, thanks for everything, talk to you tomorrow, I love you!"
"Love you! Talk to you soon, bye." Grace said, waving at everyone as she watched them pile into a van as she went and got her stuff out of her locker and went hme to study.
"Kay kay, guess who I say today?" Grace taunted.
"Oh, who did you see Gracie girl?" Kayla asked.
"I saw one mister Chris kirkpatrick..." She answered.
"No way!" She excalaimed. "You are talking about the one from high school right?"
"Of course, we're going out tomorrow, I can't wait, Kay, it's so nice to see someone familiar, you know?"
"Sure, well, I hafta get back to bed, I'll call you tomorrow Gracie, love you! Bye!"
"Alright, bye Kay, love you!" Grace hung up the phone smiling, lately life had been great.