Feelings

Chapter 15

Melendez woke up stiff and sore the next morning from having slept on a couch all night long. He stirred when he heard noise from the upper floor and Lim came down the stairs a few moments later, "You're still here?" she asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Melendez sat up on the sofa, "You told me to stay," he reminded her.

"I know, but I didn't think you actually would," she admitted and went to start a pot of coffee. She came back over to him and sat down next to him, "Neil, about last night, I'm so sorry about what I said to you. I...I don't know what happened to me. I just had this sudden bout of anger and I took it out on you when I shouldn't have. I understand if you don't want to stay with me."

"Audrey," Melendez kissed her forehead, "Couples fight, that's a given. I'm not leaving you over that."

Lim breathed a sigh of relief, "Good, but you understand if I want to be alone today, right?"

"Of course, I have errands to run anyways," Melendez agreed.

Lim smiled and asked, "Well, I stocked up on food the other day. Is there anything in particular you want?"

"Just an omelet is fine," he admitted, "Unless you still don't know how to make them."

Lim glared at him and said, "I can make them well enough. Most of the time."

Once they both finished eating, Melendez gathered his things and laid a hand on Lim's shoulder, to which he noticed her jump a little, "Call me if you need anything. I'll be home all day."

"Don't worry about me," she reassured him, "I'll just be doing laundry. And you don't need to stay here tonight. Get some rest in your own bed."

"Alright," Melendez kissed her and left. Once he was gone, Lim spent most of the day doing laundry (she had a bad habit of letting everything back up because she had about twenty pairs of scrubs). In between loads, she somehow found herself searching the internet and all of her medical books looking for possible causes of her new found symptoms. All of the results came up the same and she wasn't happy about it. But if it meant being able to go back to the job she loved, get rid of the flashbacks and nightmares, and to be able to function more normally, she was willing to try anything at this point.

She finally built up the courage to find the phone and call her primary care provider for an appointment, and thankfully, Dr. Bradley was able to see her the next day. Melendez had to work, so he wouldn't know she had gone to see someone, at least not yet. If it was nothing, she didn't need him worrying about her because he was already worried enough with her lungs. Early Monday morning, Lim arrived at the doctor's office and signed in, waiting a few minutes before a nurse called her back, "Audrey Lim."

Lim took a deep breath and followed the nurse back to the triage area, where her vitals were checked before she waited for Dr. Bradley. The physician entered the room and smiled cheerily, "Audrey, it's been several months since I've seen you," Dr. Bradley commented.

"I know," Lim admitted, "I'm assuming you've been getting updates about when I was hospitalized?" she asked softly.

"I have," Dr. Bradley confirmed, "And how have your rehab sessions been going?"

"They've been going well enough," answered Lim, "But my lungs aren't the reason I'm here."

"Well, what's going on, Audrey?" asked Dr. Bradley.

Lim rubbed her hands together, not really wanting to admit what she was about to say next, "I don't know if it's anything, but my boyfriend is worried about it, so I'm getting myself checked out for his sake," Dr. Bradley nodded, indicating for Lim to continue. Lim's breath shook a little before she said, "Ever since I was released from the hospital after recovering from the virus enough to go home, I've been...different."