A Toast To Us
Harry made a squeak of surprise as he heard the door crash open. Charlotte stood in the hall, wincing as the door hit the wall behind it.
“Oops,” She entered the room, wheeling the wheelchair behind her.
“What’s that for?”
“This?” She looked at the wheelchair. “For you.”
“Why? I’m not going anywhere.”
“Except you are!” She grinned. “Chief gave you clearance to come out with us. Celebrate the quarantine ending and all!”
“Harry!” Jesse Williams burst into the room. His face was donning a huge smile that seemed a lot more natural. Behind him trailed Dr. Vargas, rolling her eyes at him but holding his hand.
“Afternoon, Dr. Blaylock-Vaughn.”
“Woah woah, what happened with you two?” He teased. Donna blushed.
“Nothing that is of importance to work,” she finally decided to say.
“Lovebirds,” Charlotte said. Jesse spluttered out some form of a counter-argument but Charl ignored him. “I’m teasing, Jesse. Come on Haz. Get your ass in here.”
Harry sat up and gingerly sat himself in the chair. “So, where are we going?” He asked as Charlotte wheeled him out.
“The roof first,” She said. Jesse called the elevator down and then stood back next to Donna. “And then we’re going out for dinner. I don’t actually know, I was just told to bring you to the Italian that we were meant to go to back in October.”
“Yeah I remember. I love that place,” Harry smiled. The doors pinged open and he wheeled himself into the elevator. Charlotte, Jesse and Donna piled in after him.
“We know,” Donna said, smiling at the young man. “That’s why we booked it. Charlotte does he-?”
Charlotte shook her head. Jesse gave her a pointed glare.
“Do I what?!” Harry looked at each doctor’s face, searching for an answer.
“Nothing,” Charlotte muttered, going red. Donna decided to keep her mouth shut.
“Hana asked her out the other day and she said yes!” Jesse suddenly blurted. Immediately after he covered his mouth and looked at Charl apologetically.
“Jesse!” Charlotte covered her reddening face with her hands.
“Aw yes!” Harry pumped his fist in the air. “Sam owes me thirty dollars!”
“You were betting on me?” Charl exclaimed.
“Duh. What brothers would we be if we weren’t betting on when you’d get with your crush?”
“Hm, maybe some actually nice ones?“
“Aw, love you too,” The elevator doors pinged open again and Harry wheeled himself onto the roof. The cool March air refreshed him. He could barely believe that he’d been recuperating in hospital for six months. It seemed like a blur.
On the other side of the roof, a group of older people stood, looking out across the skyline. Behind them, sat on the floor were faces that Harry recognised: Hana, Juliet and Dr. Stiles. He wheeled himself over to them.
“Harry!”
“Dr. Blaylock-Vaughn!”
“Hey guys,” He put his hand out for a high-five from each of them.
“I’m glad to see you’re up and about,” Evie said. “Feels good, nein?”
“Yeah,” Harry looked at the woman sat next to Evie. “Who’s this?”
“Ainsley. I’m Evie’s wife.” The woman nodded to Harry.
“Oh no the lesbians are taking over. Someone get my gay ass out of here,” He put a hand to his head dramatically. An awkward silence followed, and Harry’s brain caught up with what he said.
“You’re gay?” Juliet asked.
“Uh, yeah?” Harry smiled sheepishly. “It’s not really that big of a deal.”
“No, of course not!” She said, looking at her hands. “Just a surprise! That’s all.”
Hana coughed awkwardly. Charl went to sit next to her, taking her hand. Hana raised an eyebrow, looking at Harry.
“Oh, I know. It’s okay,” He rolled his eyes. “Besides, you’re pretty rubbish at being subtle.”
Hana looked at Harry in mock offense. “How dare you! I can be very subtle!”
“Sure.”
They looked up as they noticed that the older doctors had stopped talking. Gabriel was smirking at them.
“No go on. Please continue,” He said, blowing smoke out of his mouth.
“I hate you Gabe.” Charlotte said.
“Nah,” he walked over, the others following him. “You did well, kiddo.”
“You all did,” Erhard said. “You should be proud.”
“Yeah! You kicked some serious ass!” Maria yelled. Harry winced, his hands travelling up to his ears as if to cover them. Jesse flinched as well, though it was a lot less detectable than Harry’s reaction. Donna put a hand on his knee to reassure him, and he squeezed it gratefully.
“It is important that you take time to relax. We’ll reduce your workload as much as we can without disrupting the hospital,” Tomoe said. “You deserve some rest.”
“Well I, for one, am ready for drinks!” Jesse said, leaping to his feet. His slightly nervous energy seemed to be gone. Gone, or hidden? Harry thought. “When’s the table booked for?”
“Half past-” Juliet began.
“Cool, that’s in like twenty minutes. We’ll need to get the bus cos I’ll be honest I don’t think Harry’s hands will hold up for very long.” Jesse gestured to the wheelchair.
“The next bus is-”
“Soon, I know. C’mon!” He ran to the elevator. Harry rolled his eyes and began to follow, with Donna by his side. They began talking pleasantly about something. Charlotte, Hana and Juliet stood up and burst into laughter before running after them.
Evie and Ainsley stood up, wiping the grit from their hands. They looked at the older doctors.
“Thank you for your help,” Evie said.
“It’s nothing,” Tomoe said.
“Your parents should be dead proud of you, Evie,” Gabriel said. “Actually scratch that - knowing your dad, he is unbelievably proud of you.”
Evie laughed. “Ja. Wouldn’t stop calling or texting me. I have temporarily blocked him for tonight but don’t tell him that!”
Gabriel laughed. “Nah, you're safe.”
Ainsley put her arm around Evie’s waist. “We’d best be going. If we don’t catch up we’ll be walking to the restaurant.” She gently guided Evie away from the others, waving as they entered the elevator.
“Well, it seems we’re leaving the hospital in good hands, hm?” Hank said.
“Wouldn’t have expected any better,” Gabriel took another drag of his cigarette. “Anyone up for hitting the nearest bar?”
“Yeah,” Hank replied immediately. “Clare’ll kill me but that seems like a tomorrow-problem.”
Maria laughed. “Wow, Big Guy, you really loosened up huh? Oh, and I’ll come! But you’re paying Gabe.”
Gabriel winked. “Of course. Tomoe? Kid?”
Erhard looked at Tomoe. “I think we’re going to finish up some paperwork, and then go home. There’s been a lot on because some junior messed up a patient’s meds. Well, multiple patients.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Mk, your choice. Last one to Madcap is paying!”
“You just said-!” Maria sighed and sprinted after Gabriel. Hank sighed, looking at Tomoe and Erhard.
“They won’t make me pay, they’d feel too bad. You sure you two don’t want to come?”
“Yeah,” Tomoe rested her hand on Hank’s. “Busy day. Go have fun, Dr. Freebird.”
Hank nodded, and walked towards the lift. Tomoe turned back to the side of the roof that looked over the city.
“Rosalia can finally rest,” she said.
“Indeed. May her disease pass from this world.” Erhard placed his arm around Tomoe’s shoulder. They stood like that for a while, looking into the skyline. Eventually it got cold, and they had to go inside. But they had a feeling in their soul, like something in the universe had clicked into place.
In the afterlife, Rosalia Rossellini smiled at her brother as she watched him go into the hospital with his wife. And as she faded, she whispered something. Words that fell into the wind, lost and forgotten.
“Thank you, big brother.”