CLAIRE
The lab smelled like disinfectant and coffee, a combination that usually helped me ease through the final stretch of my day. Today it only made me aware of how long I had been sitting in the same position without writing a single useful note. My pen hovered over the chart, my focus drifting no matter how many times I tried to pull it back. Wanting Aiden had stopped feeling like a distraction. It had become a constant presence, warm and persistent, threading through everything I did. I was not fighting it anymore. The part of me that once would have insisted on control had quietly stepped aside.
An intern dropped off new scans, and I shifted smoothly into work mode, reviewing the files with practiced efficiency. It felt grounding to be competent, to move with certainty, and i
