16.New chemistry, Marry me and Ignorance
HOSPITAL - PEDIATRIC WARD - MORNING
The ward was buzzing with morning energy-nurses doing rounds, soft cartoon music playing in the background, a few giggling kids being playful even with IV lines attached.
Eva and Lexi stood beside a young patient's bed, both in their scrubs, checking the vitals and updating the chart.
Lexi handed Eva a pen without looking.
Eva smirked.
Eva (whispering):
"Damn, Lex... Dr. Lucas is so flirting with you."
Lexi (rolling her eyes):
"He flirts with everyone. What's new?"
Eva (grinning):
"Uh-huh, but does he offer everyone a cup of coffee with a protein bar every morning? Or say, 'Don't forget to breathe today, Dr. Lexi, some hearts are too pretty to skip beats.'"
Lexi narrowed her eyes, turning slightly red.
Lexi:
"That was one time. He was just being nice."
Eva raised a brow.
Eva:
"He called you 'Sunshine in scrubs' yesterday."
Lexi (quickly):
"He was looking at the patient's drawing when he said it!"
Eva (teasing):
"Mhm. Sure. If he writes you poetry next, I'm officiating the wedding."
Suddenly-
Dr. Lucas appeared at the door, all charming smiles and ruffled hair.
Dr. Lucas:
"Good morning, ladies. Lexi, I left a vanilla protein shake on your desk-you mentioned missing breakfast."
He gave her a wink.
Dr. Lucas (to Eva):
"And Dr. Walter, Good morning "
"Morning Dr.Lucus."
He waved and walked off casually.
Lexi stood frozen.
Eva stared, wide-eyed.
Eva (mock gasp):
"He knows your favourite shake! Oh my God, you guys are practically married!"
Lexi threw a file gently at her.
Lexi:
"Shut up, Eva."
Eva (laughing):
"You better start writing your vows."
They walked down the hallway, Lexi trying not to smile too much while Eva giggled the entire way, her first moment of lightness after court.
Lexi walks into the lounge, brushing her hair back, clearly flustered after a long morning.
She notices the vanilla protein shake neatly placed on the table with a sticky note:
"Breakfast matters, Dr. Sunshine. - L"
Lexi rolls her eyes but can't stop the smile creeping up.
Lexi (muttering):
"He's so dramatic..."
Dr. Lucas:
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
Lexi jumps slightly-Lucas is leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, watching her with a playful smirk.
Lexi (composing herself):
"I thought you were in surgery?"
Lucas:
"Wrapped up early. Thought I'd check if my shake delivery got a five-star rating."
Lexi straightens, her tone polite, but her eyes carry that signature spark.
Lexi:
"Thank you, Dr.lucus. I wasn't expecting this... though I should've guessed. You're quite consistent."
Lucas (grinning):
"Consistently thoughtful, charming, and under-appreciated. It's a tough life."
Lexi smiles but keeps it subtle.
Lexi:
"I'll make sure to include that in my next case report... under 'unusual symptoms: excessive confidence.'"
Lucas chuckles and walks in, leaning casually on the edge of the table.
Lucas:
"Careful, Dr.Lexi. That almost sounded like sass."
Lexi (gently):
"Just respectful observation, Dr. Lucas. You're still the senior surgeon in the room."
Lucas:
"And you're still the only intern who sounds like she's giving a performance review while sipping a protein shake."
Lexi (quiet laugh):
"Occupational hazard, sir."
They pause for a beat-comfortable silence, the kind that says they've had these exchanges before.
Lucas (turning to leave):
"Also, tell Dr. Eva to stop giving me that matchmaking stare. I'm flattered, but mildly terrified."
Lexi:
"I'll make sure to pass the message, sir."
He waves a hand and walks out. Lexi finally sits, shaking her head, eyes lingering on the shake.
Lexi (muttering):
"He really is something..."
The golden hue of sunset cast a soft light on the hospital garden. Eva sat on a wooden bench near the parking lot, her white coat folded over one side. Her coffee cup nestled in her palms, steam rising lazily as she stared ahead, a quiet sigh escaping her lips.
The chaos of the day was over-patients, charts, back-to-back emergencies. Now it was just her and this fleeting moment of calm. Her bun had half come undone, a strand of hair falling across her cheek.
From the glass window above, Neil stood watching.
She looked peaceful. Not just tired, but... content.
And maybe that's what made something shift inside him.
His mind was never quiet, but right now, one thought rang louder than the rest.
He was down the stairs in seconds. His feet moved before logic could catch up.
Eva took another sip of her coffee just as a shadow fell across her. She looked up.
Neil.
Eva (surprised): "Oh-hey. You need something?"
Neil didn't sit immediately. His hands were in his pockets, and he stared ahead for a second.
Neil: "Just needed some air."
Eva scooted slightly, patting the bench beside her. "Air's free here."
He sat, exhaling slowly. They sat in silence for a few beats-just the rustle of trees and the occasional ambulance siren far away.
Eva glanced at him sideways, smiling.
Eva: "You look like your brain's buffering."
Neil chuckled faintly. "Maybe it is."
Eva leaned back. "Want me to reboot it with a coffee refill?"
He shook his head, then finally looked at her.
There it was again. That intent in his eyes. Not cold, not formal. Just... real.
Neil (softly): "I was going to ask you something yesterday."
Eva's smile faded into a curious frown.
Eva: "And Ria interrupted?"
Neil: "And Ryle threw shade."
They both smiled. Then, silence again.
Neil turned slightly to face her.
Neil: "I wasn't joking yesterday. I do need your help."
Eva raised her eyebrows, heart ticking faster.
His voice was low, the kind that sounded like he'd been carrying something for too long.
Neil: "Marry me Eva."
Eva blinked, brows slowly pulling together.
"Sorry, what?"
But before he could say more, a sudden drop landed on her wrist. Then another.
Rain.
Not harsh, not pouring. But enough to chase people under cover.
Eva stood up immediately, holding her coffee close, ready to run under the porch.
But Neil's hand gently caught her wrist.
His grip was firm-but not forceful.
Neil: "This is serious."
She turned to him, rain slowly soaking through the shoulders of her scrub.
Eva: "I can help with anything, but this?"
Neil: "Just for a year. We need to act like we're married. Just on paper. In front of my family."
Eva: "Why?"
Neil looked at her, water dripping off his lashes now.
"I can't tell you the reason. I don't trust people that easily."
Eva scoffed lightly, rain streaking down her temple.
"But you can get married? Just like that?"
Neil: "It's not an order, Eva. I'm not commanding you-I'm asking. I can't ask anyone else. And I swear, everything will go back to normal after a year. You'll get your life back. No mess, no strings.I promise."
She stood frozen. Her breath visible in the damp air.
She had promised herself-if Neil ever needed help, she would say yes.
And now he was asking.But this was something she couldn't do. It's something personal.
Eva (quietly, looking away): "I need time."
The rain was pouring harshly now.
Neil nodded once, water dripping from his jawline.
They stood in silence-two people drenched in rain, tangled in something they never saw coming.
Eva stood frozen. Rain soaking through the fabric of her top, hair plastered against her cheeks. Neil hadn't moved-he was still watching her, silently, waiting for something she wasn't ready to give.
Her heart was racing too loud in her ears.
And then-
"There you are!"
Lexi jogged over from the hospital steps, holding a large umbrella over her head, her heels awkward on the wet concrete. She reached them, panting slightly, umbrella stretching wide now to cover Eva.
Lexi: "You'll both catch pneumonia at this rate. What are you doing out here?"
Eva blinked, almost like she'd forgotten where she was.
Lexi's arm looped through hers automatically, gently tugging her.
Lexi (cheerfully, pretending not to notice the tension): "Come on, Eve. It's time to leave. You promised we'd catch that bus together today, remember?"
Eva didn't resist. She just nodded and let Lexi pull her away.
Neil watched silently, not stopping her this time.
Lexi cast a glance back at him. She didn't know what had happened, but she felt the air shift-heavy, crackling, like something unspoken was left behind.
As they walked off, Eva turned slightly-just once-meeting Neil's eyes through the falling rain.
He didn't move.
Didn't smile.
But his gaze was steady. Intense.
Lexi (softly, beside her): "Everything okay?"
Eva gave a tight-lipped smile.
"Not even close."
And with that, they disappeared under the umbrella, the rain falling harder behind them.
The rain hadn't stopped. It tapped softly on the windows of the small, cozy home like it was trying to whisper secrets.
Eva sat cross-legged on her bed, arms wrapped around a pillow, hair still slightly damp from earlier. The lights were dim-just the bedside lamp casting a golden hue.
Ria was asleep in the other room.
But Eva... she hadn't moved for over an hour.
Her coffee cup from earlier was still on the side table-cold now.
Her mind replayed it all on loop.
The moment he held her wrist.
The urgency in his voice.
The way his eyes looked like they weren't used to asking-but this time, he did.
He didn't even say please easily... but he did.
And she...
She said she'd help him if he ever asked.
Eva (to herself, barely a whisper):
"Marriage?"
It didn't feel real.
It wasn't a love confession.
It wasn't romantic.
It was... business. A one-year deal.
Still.
Why did it ache when it shouldn't .
Neil stood on his balcony, hands braced on the railing. His hair was still damp too, shirt slightly unbuttoned at the collar. The city lights blinked in the distance, blurred by the misty rain.
He wasn't thinking about his hospital rounds.
He wasn't thinking about the family estate problems.
He wasn't even thinking about the clause.
He was thinking about her.
The way her eyes widened in disbelief.
How she froze-not with fear, but confusion.
How she hadn't said yes, hadn't said no.
Just that she needed time.
And for once, Neil Morris didn't know what that meant.
His jaw tightened.
Neil (under his breath):
"Please say yes."
Not because he couldn't find someone else.
But because he didn't want to.
Just her.
Only her.
The rain picked up again, and he didn't move.
The storm outside was nothing compared to the one quietly building between two people who never imagined being part of each other's personal lives... until now or never
Eva walks briskly down the hallway, her coat flaring slightly behind her, clipboard in hand. She's focused-maybe too focused-pretending to be entirely absorbed in the chart.
She turns the corner sharply-and collides right into someone.
Neil.
A brief silence. Just a second too long.
Neil (softly):
"Eva..."
She steps back quickly, clutching her file like armor.
Eva (curtly):
"Sorry, Dr. Morris."
She's about to step aside and go around him, clearly avoiding eye contact.
Neil (stepping slightly in her way, voice low):
"Eva-just wait, please. I wanted to-"
Dr. Lucas (walking in with perfect timing, cheery):
"Neil! Just the person I needed."
Eva exhales softly in relief. Neil gives Lucas a sharp glance but quickly masks it.
Dr. Lucas (to Neil):
"That spinal trauma case from last night? The scans are back. It's worse than we thought-multiple-level compression. I was thinking anterior approach, but we might have to go posterior too."
Neil (eyes still flicking toward Eva):
"I'll check the imaging. Let's prep for both approaches and decide intraoperatively."
Dr. Lucas (nods, then to Eva):
"You're on rounds in Ward B, right? Tell Dr. Lexi to be ready for pre-op."
Eva (politely):
"Sure, sir."
She turns and walks away quickly without looking back. Neil watches her leave-his jaw clenched, something unspoken trapped in his throat.
Dr. Lucas (noticing):
"...everything alright?"
Neil (flatly):
"No. But it will be."
Lucas raises an eyebrow but doesn't push it. They walk off in the opposite direction.
Eva walks into the lounge, massaging her stiff neck, exhaustion visible in her steps. She drops her file on the table and heads to the counter to pour herself some water.
But stops.
A neatly packed sandwich, her favorite, and a hot cup of coffee sit on the table-fresh.
A yellow post-it note is tucked under the cup. She slowly picks it up.
Neil's unmistakable handwriting:
"Evening. You're coming with me. Don't argue."
She stares at it.
A breath.
Her fingers curl slightly at the corners of the note, unsure whether to smile, frown, or crumble it. She doesn't touch the food. Just sits beside it for a second, quiet.