An Unexpected Love

Homecoming

Three months later...

It is a week and a bit before Christmas and Elena is in Salinas. Since the end of November, she has been busy with baking. In a few hours, she is going to be leaving for San Jose. Her grandparents are looking forward to seeing her. She hasn't visited them since her grandmother was discharged from the hospital. She got quite an earful when Kristina found out that she was in San Jose for a few hours, with Neil of all people, yet she made no time to see her. So she is going to make up for it now.

Neil is so excited to see Elena. He is quite busy at work and a bit stressed, especially with all the trauma accidents during the festive season. The thought of seeing her in a few hours calmed him. Or so he thought...

"Okay. I think I got everything." said Elena to Lynn as she double checked her bags. It was a Thursday afternoon and they closed up shop half an hour ago.
Lynn hugged her. "Call me when you get there."
Elena pulls away and nods. "Enjoy your first Christmas with Justin. Do you have any plans?"
Lynn smiled. "I don't know. Maybe he surprises me."
Elena smiles.
"Enjoy your first with Neil." said Lynn as Elena walked out the door.
She turns around. "I will. See you soon."

Elena opens her car door and starts driving to San Jose.

She receives a call from her dad.
"Hey Dad."
"Hey. Are you on your way?"
"Yeah. I just left the bakery about ten minutes ago."
"Okay."
She hears laughing in the background.
"Are you with Grams and Grandpa?"
"Yeah. They're playing 30 Seconds."
She laughs.
"Elena! How are you?" said Kristina, grabbing the phone from David.
"I am okay. I am excited to see you and Grandpa."
"More like you're excited to see Neil." she said, rolling her eyes.
Elena sighs.
"Grams, I said I was sorry. And besides, you were with Mom and Dad in Newport Beach."
"Still, you could've have told us you were coming. We could have left the spare key under the doormat."
"It's fine. I booked a hotel room. See you later. Can I talk to Dad again? Oh, and tell Grandpa I say hi."
"Hi, Elena." said John.
She smiles.
Kristina passes the phone to David.
"So I will see you later?"
"Yeah."
"What do you want for dinner?" he asked her.
"Dad, can you please stop by Hecho Con Amor and grab something there?"
David is surprised.
"Hecho Con Amor? You sure?"
"Yeah."
He exhales. "Okay. You know where it is? I remember you went there before, but I never asked where it is."
She laughs. "I will send directions to get there."
He laughs. "Thanks."

She sends it quickly.
"I will see you later. Love you."
"Love you too." He ends the call.

She sees a text from Neil.
"I can't wait to see you."
"Me too. ❤️"

Elena arrives in San Jose. She is half an hour away from her grandparents' house.
The traffic light flashes green. She drives and notices that a car in the opposite direction is driving strangely and is not stopping. As if the driver is drunk. Elena sees the lights and... CRASH!!!!!!!
The car collides into hers from the left.

A while later, an ambulance arrives.
Elena is semi-conscious. She hears a paramedic speaking.
"We need to get her to St. Bonaventure." said EMT.
"What is your name?" asked a paramedic.
"Ele... Castillo." she said, before losing consciousness.
"She's still breathing. Okay, we need a stretcher."
They get one and transport her to St. Bonaventure.

She regains consciousness, very briefly. She sees lights and loses consciousness again.

"What do we have?" Dr. Lim asked a paramedic, coming into the E.R.
"Female. Early 30s. T.A victim. Lacerations to the head and left side with some glass. We couldn't get all the glass. Seems as if she could have internal bleeding as well. She is breathing, but unconscious."
"Could you get hold of the family?" asked Dr. Lim.
"Yeah. They're on their way." He hands Elena's phone to Dr. Lim.
"Where is the patient?" said Dr. Lim.
"They are bringing her now."
"And the person who caused the accident?"
"He is okay. Minor injuries. He was drunk."
Dr. Lim rolls her eyes. "Always this time of the year."
"No kidding." said the paramedic.
"Thank you." she said as they brought her in.
He nodded.
Dr. Lim runs to the door. "Pupils are reactive. Okay, get her to Trauma Bay 2."

They push her to the bay.
Dr. Melendez enters the E.R.
"What happened?" he asked Dr. Lim, swiftly walking towards the bay. She doesn't take note of ho. .
He looks at the patient.
He is shocked. He exhales. "What happened?" he asked again. This time, trying to hide his nervousness.
"Drunk driver was swerving and crashed into her."
"Does her family know she is here?"
"The paramedics called them."
"Okay."
"Neil, you okay? You seems startled."
He exhales. "Yeah, no. I'm fine."
She nods and examines Elena.
"She needs a CT. Her head might be fine, but we got to check and see if there is any glass that may have pierced or lacerated her organs."
"I'll take her." said Neil.
"Okay." said Audrey.

Neil takes her to the CT scan room.
Her head is fine, but there is a shard of glass that has pierced one of her organs.

He takes her to a room and she wakes up.
He sighs of relief and tears roll down his face.
"Hey." he said.
"Hey. I'm in hospital, aren't I?" she said, weakly.
She wipes the tears from his face.
He nods.
"I could tell from the scrubs."
"Elena, you were in an accident and you have abdominal bleeding. A shard of glass pierced into one of your organs. We need to remove it before it causes any...umm... damage."
She nods. "Are they..."
"They're on their way." he said, nervously.
"There's still some shards that I need to remove before you head to surgery." he added.
She nods.
He goes outside and tells a nurse to book the OR.
He pages Dr. Browne. "Prep OR 2."
Without further hesitation, he rolls up Elena's top. He starts to remove the glass.
They sit in silence.

Just then, the door opens and Elena's family comes in.
"Elena?" said Nicole, bursting in tears.
"Hey, Mom." she said.
"Hi, Dr. Melendez." said Kristina.
"Hi."
"She was in a..." said Dr. Melendez as he was about to explain.
"Dr. Lim told us." said David.
"Good. She needs surgery. So we are going to be taking her to the OR once we're done here."

Kristina looks at Neil, curiously.
"Umm... I am just removing some glass."
She nods her head.
"Mom, I am going to be fine. Stop crying." said Elena.
"You don't know that." said Nicole, crying. "
Elena shakes her head.

"Face me." said Dr. Melendez.
He holds her head as he stitches up the cut on her forehead.
She looks at him, smiling.
He smiles and starts to cry.
"Neil, don't cry."
"I'm sorry." he whispered and he uses his thumb wipe them away.
He finishes and Dr. Lim enters.
"Are you taking her up?"
He nods.
He calls Dr. Lim inside.

They talk aside from the family.
"I don't think I should be the one to do the surgery."
"What are you talking about? This is your patient."
"I can't."
She then recalls the time that Neil forgot his phone.
"She's your girlfriend, isn't she?"
He nods and tears well up in his eyes.
She pauses.
"Neil, you have never let emotions get in the way of work."
"This time, it's different."
She sighs.
"I guess I'll do it then."
"Thanks."

"Dr. Lim." called Elena.
"Yes, Miss Castillo?"
"Elena is fine. I'd like Dr. Melendez to do my surgery."
"Elena, I can't." he said, holding her hand.
He leans into her and whispers.
"I can't lose you. If I do the surgery, my emotions will get the best of me."
"I don't think they will. Please, do it. Or at least assist Dr. Lim."

He nods.
"Okay."

"I'll do the surgery." said Dr. Melendez to Dr. Lim. She nods.

"Let's go." said Dr. Lim.
"Love you guys." said Elena as she left the room.
"We love you too." said David.