Something always comes up

Fun

The following day, Cara was discharged but her family already left to the airport. As Ben and Alex checked in, Nathan went to the company's office and asked if they could change the day.

"At this point, it's cheaper to buy a new ticket, sir"

"Can I be honest?" He asked, looking behind him if Caroline was still sitting far away. "See this woman? She came from Australia to surprise her daughter. And now her daughter is in the hospital but she can't afford to buy a new ticket or change this one."

"I'm sorry for her, but I can't do anything…"

"No, listen to me please. I want you to change the date, I'll pay for however much it costs."

"It's gonna be more expensive than ditching this flight and buying a new ticket"

"I know. But I need you to change it and not tell her how much it cost. Please. She won't accept my money. Could you act like you did it for free?"

The woman behind the desk seemed hesitant.

"Please." He repeated

"Alright." She said, grabbing the flight ticket and typing on the computer.

And so she printed a new ticket for two weeks later, then Nathan waved at Caroline to come.

"Did they refuse?"

"No, they agreed" he handed her her new ticket

"What, how ?"

"A bit of negotiating and name throwing" he said, winking at the lady behind the desk

"Thank you" she said "but you really did it for free?" She asked the lady

"Well, I did pay $30" Nathan said

"I'll give them back. Wow thank you"

Nathan smiled. 

As they got back to the apartment, they found Cara… exercising.

“Do you ever want to get back to work?” Caroline asked

“I haven’t exercised in weeks. Mary and Stuart are on shift, as I should be. I’m not hurting myself”

They seemed to accept it, although they didn’t believe her. And as Caroline went to take a shower, Nathan told Cara the truth about the flight ticket. The latter smiled.

“Well thank you” she said “In other circumstances, I’d be mad” She added

“But not now?” He asked, smiling

She shook her head

He celebrated with his fist up.

A few weeks later, school started again and Cara was not gonna get cleared before a few more months. So she agreed to get a three day class for Athena every week. After a week of class at home, she asked her house if she could train there while she teaches. And they agreed. So she spent three months training, with Athena training with her, while asking her questions and teaching her things.

During push ups, which Athena was doing on her knees obviously, she’d ask math questions. During pull ups, it’s history. And so on.

After exactly 4 months and two weeks off of work, she drove to her appointment at the hospital, confident that she will be cleared as she knows she worked out and was okay.

After a few exams, the doctor asked her to wait as he got paged, so she sat there, waiting. An hour. Another hour. Then she got out and asked where he was.

"He's on his lunch break" she replied after checking "oh my God did he forget about you?"

"Apparently" Cara said

She was a bit annoyed, but not that much. Somehow she gets it.

After a few minutes, he came back running.

"I am so so sorry I was in an emergency and then I just… forgot. Sorry"

"It's okay" Cara said

"No really, I don't know how can I make it up to you? This is so unprofessional I'm sorry"

"How about you tell me if I'm cleared for work?"

"Oh, right. Yes you are" he said after checking her results.

"You're not clearing me just to make up are you?"

"No. I wouldn't put your health at risk after I messed up. Again, so sorry."

"It's okay" she repeated "thanks"

And so she left, happy to get back to work on the next shift.

A few months later, after her birthday celebration, and becoming a lieutenant herself, even though she was not enjoying her new role yet, Nathan asked her if she wanted to see what he got her as a gift for their one year anniversary.

"Has it been one year already?" She asked

"Not yet. But when you get to use the gift it will be"

She followed him to his car where he got two envelopes.

They sat and she opened the first one.

As she opened it, he said "I don't know if this counts as a gift, but I would've never thought about it if I hadn't known you."

"Oh wow" she said, smiling

It was a huge donation to the firefighter's emergency savings.

"You like it?"

"Of course I like it. That is amazing, they're gonna be so happy. Thanks"

Then she grabbed the other envelope.

"Pictures" Cara said

A bulldog. Beans. Tea. Scones.

"Wait… are we going to England?" She asked

He nodded

She almost jumped to kiss him.

"I knew you'd like it" he said "just tell me when you're free"

"Next week end?"

"Any chance you could stay more than a week end?"

"I'll ask. Thank you"

As she got the ok from the chief, they left the following day.

"Hey we should try the normal way" Cara said as he was about to ask for business flight tickets.

"Alright but we get back on business" he answered

Cara agreed.

So they waited in line to check their luggage. And then for their departure.

"How long do we have to wait… here?" Nathan asked

"About an hour" Cara replied, typing on her phone

"An hour? Don't we get some snacks while waiting?"

"You can buy some at the cafeteria" she answered

"So you just wait in uncomfortable chairs?"

"Pretty much"

"Can this be the last time we fly economy?" He asked

Cara was amused by how serious he was.

"Yes" she replied "I just want you to see how normal people live"

"I… thought I knew how it felt"

Then they called their flight number. He immediately stood up but Cara held him

"Do you wanna wait standing? Let them get through then we follow"

In their seats, Cara let him take the window seat because she knew it was already too much for him. Then he called a flight attendant.

"Hi" he started "a glass of Sauvignon and.." he didn't finish when Cara stopped him

"Just get us some water please, he's not used to it"

He looked at her, not understanding.

"You don't get wine on economy. Let alone Sauvignon"

"All you get is water?"

"You can buy snacks" she replied, handing him the magazine.

"How many times have you taken the plane?" He asked

"About 5, why?"

"And it's always like that?"

"When there isn't a problem yeah"

"A problem?"

"Yeah like delay. Or canceled flights. Overbooked ones too"

"Oh my God that's horrible"

"No, that's… normal"

As they landed, they waited for their luggage. Nathan's arrived amongst the first but they had to wait for Cara's.

As everyone left and no luggage left was hers, she went to the complaints office.

"What do you mean you can't find it" Nathan shouted as he told them so

Cara put her hand on his arm to stop him, then turned towards the guy and shouted the exact same sentence.

"That's exactly what I said" Nathan said

"Yeah but I like to do it" she replied

"How valuable was it?"

"How valuable was it? I want what's in it!"

"We can get you up to £600 depending of what was in it"

"Well, there was my computer, for one!. And 600 are not gonna buy me one, let alone what's in it"

Someone came and dropped a suitcase.

"Hey that's " Nathan started but Cara cut him

"That looks exactly like my suitcase"

She checked the tag, it was hers, but she said "obviously it is not. f**k you Karen" she told the suitcase

Nathan was about to say something but he seemed to have understood that he shouldn't.

"Here's your check. Again, we are sorry for the trouble"

They left, hiding her suitcase in front of Nathan's.

"Why did you lie?" Nathan asked

"That's how it's always done." She replied

"That's a whole other side of you I've never seen before"

"Yeah, well, airports do that"

They finally checked into their hotel.

"Wow" Cara said, getting in the suite. "This is huge"

They put their stuff in there and went on on visiting and eating around London.

The following day, two days before their anniversary,  they kept visiting London and then Nathan asked Cara to get her stuff.

"Why?"

"We're going to Glasgow" he said

"What, okay. Wait that's where Ben is, can we go see him?"

"Sure"

So they flew, in business class. They were sitting in front of each other and a man was sitting next to Cara.

As they were talking about how cool business class is, Cara said "I love you" without paying attention.

"You what?" Nathan asked

"She said she loves you" the man next to Cara said, apparently annoyed.

"You do?"

"Why would she say it otherwise?" The same man replied.

The couple stared at him

"What. You seemed like you can't hear each other"

They discarded the man and looked at each other again.

"I said it I do love you" she said

"I love you too"

They held hands and then Nathan asked the man if they could switch seats.

"I'm not moving" he said

"But, see, we just told each other we loved each other for the first time and we would like" Nathan said but the man stopped him

"I don't care"

"It's okay" Cara told Nathan but apparently that won't do. He called the stuart who almost rushed there.

"I would like for this man to change seats please" he told her as Cara tried to hide her face.

"He can't do that" the man said

Nathan grabbed a card from his wallet and handed it to the stewardess.

"I'm sorry sir, would you please come with me to another seat" she told the man after looking at the card.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. You will be able to enjoy the area for yourself for the remaining time of flight"

"There’s only 30 minutes left."

She insisted until he got up and followed her.

"You didn't have to do that" Cara told him as he sat next to her

"But I wanted to" he kissed her

"Rich people are bitchy" she said, smiling "I like that" she added

And they spent the remaining 30 minutes hugging.