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Uamazed83
  • 5/9/2025

Category

😹
Fun
Transcript
00:00Dear listener, the upcoming episode will be today's last free episode.
00:16Christopher walked down the hall towards Noelle's room, the thin paper coffee cup doing nothing
00:22to protect his hand from the burning liquid he had just poured for himself.
00:26He didn't care.
00:28Dropping heavily into the plastic chair he had dutifully set outside of the exam room,
00:34Christopher took a sip of the coffee and winced, scalding hot, thin, bitter, instant, exactly
00:42what he deserved.
00:44He loosed a breath, slouched in the seat and rolled his neck, the muscles painfully tense.
00:50Christopher could feel his impending hangover from the party the night before, and when
00:55he dragged a hand down his face, he found his chin already rough with stubble.
01:01What time was it anyway?
01:03Christopher checked his phone.
01:055.30 a.m.
01:06He would kill to be in bed right now, sleeping off a great night out with his friends.
01:12But things hadn't turned out that way, and he had meant what he said to Hannah.
01:17He wouldn't leave until he knew that Noelle was okay.
01:21It didn't matter that they had met only a few hours ago.
01:24He didn't want her to wake up alone.
01:26Waking up alone was the worst, even at the best of times.
01:31Christopher knew that firsthand.
01:34Besides, he was a gentleman, and he'd never leave a lady in distress.
01:38The events of the evening kept playing over and over in his mind.
01:42The fake end of bedrest soiree, Felicity and Cole's engagement announcement, the envy he'd
01:48felt seeing their bliss, the nightclub, Noelle crumpled on the floor of his flat, and that
01:55gut-wrenching look of disappointment that Hannah had leveled at him when he arrived at
01:59the hospital with Noelle limp in his arms.
02:02Christopher rubbed his temples, trying to silence Hannah's words, still echoing in his mind.
02:08I know exactly who you are, rich and spoiled.
02:12You said you have a job, but Daddy probably gave it to you.
02:15You went to all the best schools, but never attended class, because it didn't matter for
02:21you.
02:22A new girl in your bed every week.
02:25Molly, now this one.
02:27No care for the havoc you wreak on other people's lives, because no matter what you do, yours
02:32will always be perfect.
02:35The words kept ringing through his mind over and over.
02:39They would have been hurtful enough from anyone, but from Hannah, those words had hollowed
02:44Christopher out.
02:44This wasn't how he had felt at the bar when she tended to his bloody knuckles after the
02:50punch-up.
02:51He knew he couldn't have been the only one who felt it.
02:54That low, electric something that had blossomed between them when she had held his hand in
03:00hers.
03:01When their gaze is locked.
03:03When neither of them had been able to look away.
03:06Christopher had even seen the shadow of a smile on Hannah's face that night.
03:10A hint of that single dimple.
03:12Even the memory made his chest ache.
03:16That moment, when he had been able to elicit something like happiness in her, had felt like
03:22Christmas morning.
03:24Sure, they had bantered and he'd thought their banter had just been, well, banter.
03:29Maybe a little sharp-edged, but playful.
03:32Flirty even.
03:32But tonight, the way she'd looked at him, there was nothing playful about it.
03:38There'd been judgment, yes.
03:40But something else.
03:42Something that stayed with Christopher more than the accusation.
03:46Something like pain.
03:47Christopher jumped to his feet at the sound of the door opening, his heart lurching, expecting
03:54Hannah.
03:55But it wasn't Hannah.
03:57It was Sotvik.
03:59Inwardly cursing himself, Christopher's voice came out more cutting than he meant it.
04:03What are you doing here?
04:06Sotvik halted mid-step.
04:08Christopher, I work here.
04:10What are you doing here?
04:13Right.
04:13Never mind.
04:14Sorry.
04:15I had a long night.
04:17Sotvik looked him over.
04:19Sure looks that way.
04:20As your lawfully vaguest wedded husband, I feel the need to tell you this.
04:25You look god-awful.
04:27I wouldn't deign to be seen in public with you.
04:30No offense.
04:32Christopher scowled, dropping back into the plastic chair.
04:35None taken.
04:37Why are you really here?
04:39Looks like you need a shave, not a doctor.
04:43Sotvik suddenly looked concerned.
04:45It's Freddy, isn't it?
04:47What on god's green earth has he done to himself now?
04:50If it's worse than the night with the trapeze and the snake venom...
04:54No, Freddy is fine.
04:55Everyone is fine.
04:57Sotvik looked confused.
05:00Then why are you sitting outside of...
05:03He looked down at the chart he was holding in his hand.
05:06Noelle LaRue's room.
05:08Is she okay?
05:10Suddenly, Sotvik noted the worry etched across Christopher's face.
05:14He looked down at the chart once again, studying it intently.
05:18His expression fell.
05:20Oopsie.
05:22She died.
05:23Christopher paled.
05:24What?
05:26Kidding!
05:27Sotvik flipped the chart closed.
05:29My god, man, what happened to you last night.
05:32Takes quite a bit to steal your sense of humor.
05:35I...
05:36Look, it was a good night, gone bad.
05:39She, Noelle, took some drugs at my flat.
05:42I didn't know until I found her on the bathroom floor.
05:45I brought her here as fast as I could and I want to make sure she's okay, but...
05:49Hannah, Dr. Park, I mean, wouldn't give me any information because I'm not her next of kin.
05:54She told me to leave my number, which I did, but that didn't feel like enough.
05:58So here I am waiting to make sure that Noelle is going to be okay.
06:01Sotvik looked over his shoulder to the closed door of Noelle's room, then back to Christopher.
06:08I shouldn't do this, but I can tell you, Ms. LaRue is going to be fine.
06:13The talk screen showed alcohol and cocaine, but nothing irreversible.
06:18Mild dehydration.
06:20Christopher exhaled, leaning his elbows on his knees and holding his head in his hands.
06:25Thank God.
06:27She's lucky you brought her in.
06:29She won't remember it.
06:30It doesn't mean it didn't matter.
06:33Christopher nodded slowly.
06:34Thanks for telling me.
06:36Of course, but tell Noelle to lay off the ski slopes, Sotvik said, pointing to his nose.
06:42Right, no more drugs, Christopher said, still too tired for humor, even from his best friend.
06:49Why are you tending to her?
06:51I thought she was a patient of...
06:53Dr. Park went home.
06:55New shift started at 5 a.m.
06:56Dr. Park, her name landed harder than Christopher expected.
07:01He stood, squaring himself to Sotvik.
07:04I wanted to thank her, Dr. Park, for helping Noelle.
07:09She's not still in the break room or something.
07:12Sotvik shook his head.
07:14Should be halfway home by now, or more likely passed out in the back seat of an Uber.
07:19When Christopher gave him a confused look, Sotvik continued.
07:24She's new here.
07:25Bottom of the ladder.
07:27Her shift schedule is brutal.
07:29Night float.
07:30Swing shifts.
07:31Back-to-back trauma calls.
07:33It's like med school all over again, only now she's got real responsibility.
07:38Her shifts are more like torture by sleep deprivation.
07:41It's a wonder she remembers her own name.
07:44Christopher hesitated.
07:45Did she seem...
07:46Upset?
07:48Sotvik tilted his head.
07:50Why?
07:51When we spoke earlier, I may have pushed her buttons.
07:55What did you do?
07:57Nothing.
07:57Nothing on purpose, anyway.
07:59She's just very cross with me.
08:01And this bothers you?
08:03Yes, it bloody well bothers me, all right?
08:06Sotvik shook his head, smiling.
08:08Hannah is one of the most even-tempered people I knew.
08:12Warm, sharp, unflappable.
08:14She's also witty and charming.
08:16Honestly, sometimes she reminds me a little of you when you're not being insufferable.
08:21If she snapped, she either really dislikes you or you deserve it.
08:26Or both.
08:27Plus, she must have been exhausted at this hour.
08:31Christopher muttered.
08:32Seemed full of piss and vinegar to me.
08:35Then went to drink his now cold cup of coffee.
08:38Did you get that from the vending machine?
08:41It'll take petrol off cement.
08:43I'll get you a proper cup from the break room.
08:46At his nod of thanks, Sotvik took the cup away from Christopher.
08:50Look, it's not my place to speak for her.
08:53But I can tell you Hannah is very, very good at her job.
08:56And she gives a damn about every patient.
09:00Maybe a little too much sometimes.
09:02I don't know what she said to you, but she may be misjudging you.
09:07But would it hurt to take a look at your life and ask yourself if this is what you actually want?
09:13Do you want to be nursing the Noel of the week back to health every month until you're sporting a sleek cane and a gray beard?
09:22Christopher smirked.
09:24I am pleased that you think I'll be a sleek old fox in the future.
09:29As always, you have heard the wrong part of my speech.
09:33But duty calls.
09:34If you'll excuse me, I'm going to pretend this coffee is drinkable and survive the next eight hours by sheer delusion.
09:42Christopher nodded, glancing again at the time on his phone.
09:46Right, of course.
09:47Time for me to head off to Bedfordshire.
09:51Bedfordshire?
09:51Bed, sleep, sorry.
09:54Old British slang.
09:56Sophic rolled his eyes.
09:58Posh people.
09:59Christopher turned back toward Noel's room.
10:02He had one more thing to do before he went home.
10:06He pushed the door open gently.
10:09Noel was sleeping soundly now, face slack, breathing even.
10:13The beeping from the machines had faded to the background noise, a steady reassurance.
10:18Christopher stood at her bedside for a moment, unsure if he should sit or speak or just leave a note on the paper he'd written his number down on when Hannah had told him to.
10:29She seemed too peaceful to disturb her now.
10:32A note it would be then.
10:34But when Christopher looked around the room, he realized that the piece of paper with his phone number was gone.
10:42Dear listener,
10:50Dear listener,
10:50Dear listener,
10:50Dear listener,
10:50Thank you,