15. Giselle
GISELLE
T he surgery was intense but successful. Giselle and Addie worked seamlessly alongside the team in the ICU, the quiet rhythm of the monitors underscoring their coordinated movements.
The patient, a small child with an unexpectedly severe complication, pulled through under their steady hands, leaving a faint but gratifying sense of relief as they wrapped up the case.
Days passed, but Giselle’s thoughts kept drifting back to Addie. She caught herself thinking about her more than once, wondering what it was about Addie that made her presence linger long after they’d parted ways.
She told herself repeatedly to focus, to brush these thoughts aside, yet here she was, distracted once again at her desk. She sifted through the files in front of her, forcing her mind to clear and her focus to settle on her work. But every effort seemed to draw her right back.
Seated at her desk, she looked at her computer, narrowing her eyes as she reviewed patient charts. Her attention snapped when she noticed an email notification from Addie. She’d barely clicked it open when, as if on cue, Addie stepped into her office.
“Giselle,” Addie said, stepping forward and holding a file. “Something is missing in this chart.” She opened the file, pointing to a section of the notes. “A small omission from the parents’ report—something we need to follow up on.”
Giselle leaned in, glancing at the highlighted section as Addie explained, nodding along. But her focus drifted, settling on the way Addie’s hand moved across the page, her fingers grazing the paper with a gentle ease.
Her mind wandered, drawn to the soft line of Addie’s jaw, the way her eyes held a quiet intensity even as she discussed something so routine.
“This omission could impact our treatment plan,” Addie continued, glancing up at Giselle, unaware of her gaze. “I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”
Giselle caught herself, nodding. “Good catch. We’ll need to follow up with them, then.”
A silence lingered between them, and Giselle noticed the warmth in Addie’s gaze, the hint of something she couldn’t quite name. She forced herself to maintain a calm expression, reminding herself that this was nothing more than a fleeting attraction.
A distraction .
Even as her pulse raced with every glance, she convinced herself it was just that—a passing fascination. It couldn’t be anything more than that.
But Addie’s presence had this effect on her, drawing her in without effort. Giselle leaned back, letting her gaze linger a moment longer than usual.
Addie’s expression softened. “You seem distracted,” she said, an almost teasing edge to her words.
“I’m not,” Giselle replied, straightening in her chair, though the faintest smile pulled at the edge of her lips.
Addie raised an eyebrow. “Right. And here I thought it was just me.” Her tone was light, almost playful, but it carried a hint of something else.
Giselle looked away, shifting the files on her desk as if they held all the questions she was avoiding. “We should focus on the work,” she said, though her words felt hollow.
Addie’s smile didn’t fade, and her gaze was steady. “Agreed.” But she didn’t make a move to leave, staying rooted in place, her eyes lingering on Giselle.
Giselle’s resolve weakened. She let out a soft breath, feeling her usual walls weaken in Addie’s presence.
“Addie.” She hesitated, her gaze meeting Addie’s.
Addie stepped closer, their faces only inches apart. Giselle’s heart raced, her hand instinctively reaching out to graze Addie’s arm. She caught her breath, the pull between them undeniable, filling the space like a silent question.
Without another word, she leaned in, her lips finding Addie’s in a slow, deliberate kiss. It was softer than she’d expected, that familiar warmth bringing them back together again.
Addie’s hand rested against her back, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss until nothing else mattered.
The kiss lingered, stretching into something neither of them was willing to break, an unspoken connection that only grew stronger with each passing second. Giselle felt herself give in, savoring their closeness and the way Addie’s breath mingled with hers.
As their kiss deepened, Addie responded, her hands finding Giselle’s waist. Giselle felt a surge of excitement as Addie’s tongue tentatively explored her mouth.
Giselle pulled Addie closer, their bodies pressed together. Addie’s hands moved to Giselle’s hair, tugging gently as Giselle traced the curve of Addie’s spine. She felt a shiver run through Addie as her fingers brushed against her skin.
The kiss intensified, their breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. Giselle’s hands moved to Addie’s neck, then down to her collarbone. She traced the delicate curves, her fingers lingering on the soft skin. Addie arched her back, her body pressing into Giselle’s touch.
Giselle’s fingers moved to Addie’s breast, gently caressing it through the fabric of her scrubs. Addie moaned softly, her eyes fluttering closed. Giselle’s heart raced as she felt the heat of Addie’s body against hers.
Giselle pulled away from Addie, her breathing ragged.
She realized the intensity of her grip on Addie, her hand still resting on her breast. She loosened her hold, bracing herself for Addie’s reaction.
She expected a mumbled apology or an awkward goodbye, but she couldn’t bring herself to let go completely. She was too captivated by Addie.
Finally, Addie looked up at her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes met Giselle’s, and at that moment, all of her self-control vanished. Giselle closed the distance between them, cupping Addie’s face and kissing her passionately.
Addie responded with equal fervor, wrapping her arms around Giselle’s waist. The kiss was everything Giselle had imagined and more. It was intense, electric, and all-consuming.
A moment of hesitation flickered in Giselle’s mind, but Addie quickly dispelled it by pulling her closer. Giselle whispered in Addie’s ear, “Addie, could we...?”
A sudden knock at the door pulled them apart, and Giselle straightened, catching her breath, her gaze leaving Addie’s with a hint of reluctance.
Giselle looked up as Josephine entered, her expression neutral but sharp, taking them both in as if she somehow knew what had just happened. Josephine adjusted her glasses and set her gaze firmly on the clipboard in her hand.
“Everything’s under control with your patients, I hope?” Josephine asked evenly.
“Yes, absolutely,” Giselle replied.
Addie nodded in agreement beside her. “All cases are stable. And the ICU patient is showing progress. The parents were given an update.”
Josephine nodded, her expression softening a fraction. “Good to hear. I appreciate your attention to detail.”
She looked as though she wanted to say something else, her gaze lingering for a beat longer than necessary, but instead, she shifted her expression into a gentle smile. “Thank you both again for making it to the party the other night.”
Giselle nodded. Josephine’s knowing glance, almost as though she could see right through them, was uncomfortable.
Addie gathered her things as Josephine excused herself. “See you both in rounds.” With a quick nod, she left, her footsteps echoing down the hallway.
Addie took a breath, meeting Giselle’s gaze briefly before she turned to head out herself.
Once alone, Giselle leaned back against her desk and let out a long breath. She pressed her hand to her forehead, trying to shake off the way her thoughts drifted back to Addie.
She wanted to move forward, to focus on the work, to tell herself that everything between them was temporary.
But as much as she tried, Addie’s smile, her voice, even the way she brushed a hand over her arm, lingered like an anchor, refusing to let her go.
Giselle made her way to the changing room, catching sight of Addie adjusting her scrubs near the lockers. Just seeing her there, calm and focused, brought an unsettling warmth to her chest.
She took a breath, determined to keep her focus on the surgery ahead. But then Madeline stepped in with her usual energy, swinging her bag onto a bench and flashing both of them a mischievous grin.
“Look at you two,” Madeline said, eyes darting back and forth between Giselle and Addie, clearly amused. “Am I interrupting something? Maybe a lover’s quarrel?”
Giselle shot Madeline a sharp look. “It’s rude to dig into other people’s business.”
Madeline held up her hands, a playful smile on her face. “Alright, alright. Just making observations here.” She glanced at Addie with a smirk. “Anyway, just saying. You two take things too seriously. ”
Addie let out a small, exasperated sigh. “Madeline, not everything’s a joke.”
“Fine. I get it. I’m backing off,” Madeline replied with a shrug, her tone light, though her gaze still sparkled with interest.
Giselle turned back to her locker, trying to keep her mind on the task, yet her thoughts drifted. She knew Addie was just a few steps away, and despite the distraction Madeline provided, Giselle’s focus kept straying toward her.
There was something magnetic about Addie’s quiet presence, a pull that Giselle couldn’t ignore, no matter how much she tried.
They finished changing, and after a quick review of the case, they moved out together toward the OR. The surgery went smoothly. They coordinated seamlessly, with Madeline assisting on a few key parts.
The patient, a complicated heart case, made it through with no issues, and Giselle felt a familiar sense of accomplishment as they finished and began to clean up.
Afterward, as they walked back down the hall, Giselle kept pace beside Addie. She glanced over, studying her profile, noting the concentration still etched on her face. She wanted to say something, to acknowledge the ease they shared in the OR.
The quiet rhythm of their work together felt natural, even comforting.
Addie caught her look. “Good job in there.”
Giselle nodded, clearing her throat. “Same to you. It’s...easy, working together.”
They fell into silence again, the muffled sounds of the hospital around them, the occasional beeping echoing in the distance. Giselle’s heart beat a little faster, and on impulse, she turned to Addie.
“Would you like to have coffee later?” The words were out of her mouth before she had time to second-guess herself.
Addie paused and glanced at her, surprise flickering in her eyes. “Giselle...no, I don’t think so.”
Giselle stiffened, nodding. “Of course. Forget I asked.” She forced a neutral expression, though inwardly, a wave of frustration rose. What was she doing? She knew better than to let her guard down. Coffee...as if a simple invitation could bridge the distance that lay between them .
They parted ways, and as Giselle walked back to her office, she berated herself for even suggesting it. She kept her gaze fixed forward.
Why had she let herself care?
Turning the corner, she almost collided with a resident, barely dodging him at the last second. He stepped back, surprised, and mumbled a quick apology.
“Watch where you’re going,” she replied automatically, her words sharper than she’d intended.
The resident hurried off, leaving Giselle alone in the corridor. She straightened, took a deep breath, and headed toward her office. The second she stepped inside, her phone screen lit up with a new message notification. Her mother’s name glared back at her.
CALL ME.
She let out a low sigh, feeling a familiar knot settle in her stomach. Without thinking, she picked up the phone, her thumb hovering over the call button.
Her mother had been reaching out more often lately, though every call always led to the same questions, the same unwanted reminders of the past she was trying to leave behind. She wasn’t sure she was ready for another one of those conversations.
Instead, she opened the message screen and quickly typed, I’m fine , but paused before hitting send. A part of her wanted to believe that simple assurance would be enough to satisfy her mother’s concerns, but she knew better.
She deleted the message, then tossed the phone onto her desk and sank into her chair.
Leaning back, she exhaled and stared up at the ceiling. She hated the sense of avoidance creeping in, yet she knew it was easier to ignore than to confront the flood of emotions these calls always unleashed.
Her mother’s probing, the reminders of her last relationship—all of it only brought memories she wanted buried. What her parents had said and done had driven a wedge into her life that she was still struggling to repair.
Giselle crossed her arms, feeling a sudden pang of bitterness. Her last love hadn’t survived that wedge. She hadn’t survived her parents’ disapproval.
Giselle had been so hopeful then, so determined that love would overcome whatever obstacles came their way. But in the end, her parents’ lack of acceptance, the constant arguments, and the stress—all of it had been too much.
And now...she glanced at the door, her mind drifting to Addie. They weren’t anything official. She hadn’t let herself get close enough for that, but the thought lingered like a quiet warning.
What if her parents’ disapproval somehow tainted this too, drove another wedge into something that hadn’t even had a chance to begin?
Her phone chimed again, the screen flashing with another message from her mother: Just let us know you’re okay.
Giselle picked it up and stared at the words, her thumb tracing the edge of the phone. She hated that this one message could unearth all the feelings she thought she’d buried.