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chappela · 4 years

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First thing...I LOVE YOU! I LOVE THIS STORY! I LOVE DRAKE AND I LOVE ALYSSA!

Second thing...I’m so sorry I practically dropped off the face of the earth for the last few months. Check your messages for a more in depth apology.

I’m super sorry.

However one great thing about re-emerging from months of social hibernation is that I have so many amazing chapters to binge read!!

Ugg you have such a way of capturing these two no matter what situation they may be in. This chapter was everything! The first date, and the reveal of Alyssa’s inexperience. The way Drake accepted it and her and was just so absolutely sweet and chivalrous. His desire to take things at her pace and all the little detailed, adorable, stomach flipping encounters they had! Just soooo perfect!

*** FANGIRLING 🚨 !!! ***

I especially loved the back of the truck scene. I love that they took the time to make things official and put a lable to their relationship that was super sweet. The scene where they touched each other was so pure, and disturbingly sexy. I am so glad you had them explore each other in that manner before having them jump straight to the end game. So many times fanfic stories involving virginity don’t build enough sexual chemisty and it becomes super unrealistic. Of course I would expect nothing shy of greatness from such an amazing writer as yourself my dear.

Thank you so much for your amazing talents. Again I am so so so sorry I have not kept up with you lately but I hope you know I still absolutely adore you and Lyssa! 😘❤️

Remember Two Things Ch. 6: The Warm and Far Away

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Alyssa Devereaux)

Series Premise: Alyssa Devereaux and Drake Walker fell in love at Langston University nine years ago. Drake broke things off out of nowhere and disappeared, breaking Alyssa’s heart. What will happen when she’s chosen to compete in Liam’s social season?

Chapter Premise: At Langston, Drake and Alyssa take their first steps toward being a couple. Alyssa finds herself wanting something she’s never had. (2010)

Catch Up: Remember Two Things Masterlist

Chapter Title Comes From: Dave Matthews Band’s Remember Two Things track #6, “The Song That Jane Likes”

A/N: Remember Two Things jumps between 2010 and 2019. 2019 chapters will be told in third person past tense, e.g. “She said …” 2010 chapters will be told in first person present tense, e.g. “I want to …,” and the perspectives will switch between Alyssa and Drake. I am hoping this is not terribly confusing and look forward to your feedback!

Please let me know if you’d like to be on or off the tag list!

Thank you to my pre-readers for squeeing. All love and gratitude to @sirbeepsalot for that beta Boo Magic. xoxoxo

Lastly, thank you, readers … your likes and comments and reblogs mean the world to me. I appreciate them so much!

In this chapter, Alyssa’s mine. Drake’s Pixelberry’s.

RTT playlist songs for this chapter:

Taylor Swift, “Today Was a Fairytale”

Colbie Caillat, “Bubbly”

Taylor Swift, “Mine”

Warnings for this series: Smut 🍋🍋, language, drug use, physical fighting, angst, grief, loss, unhealthy alcohol usage. Do not read this if you’re under 18.

Warnings for this chapter: N*FW smut 🍋🍋, language

Word count: 6450

August 2010

When I started dating Jimmy junior year, Mom sat me down and said, “Lyss, I hope you and Jimmy decide to wait on having sex. It’s a big decision, and you’re still very young. But I also know that hormones are powerful things that sometimes take over good judgment. If that time comes, I want you to tell me so I can make sure you have condoms and get on birth control.”

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chappela · 4 years

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~Busted~

Marnie totally shipped them ever since the Farmer first came to town. I like to think that when Jojamart shut down, Shane finally got himself a hoodie that DIDN’T have holes in it.

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chappela · 4 years

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Hahaha! Stardew Valley/ Shane = my new obsessions

Me going to see Shane every single fucking day to talk to him

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chappela · 4 years

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@dcbbw Thank you tons for your Birthday wishes! This story was just the perfect amount of fluff for me and I’m super glad ypu enjoyed it as well! 😁🥰

In Hand a Single Rose -- a Heavier Things drabble

@mskaneko - thank you so, so much for this beautiful moodboard and the edit of Alyssa and Drake found below. Love you. xoxoxo

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Series Premise: What happens when the king can’t take no for an answer on his marriage proposal?

Chapter Premise: Drake and Alyssa go to Valtoria to help Hana and Enrique throw the Beaumonts’ engagement party … but something is unusual. You can probably read this without having read HT – just be prepared for Maxvannah and Hana to be involved with an OC, Enrique, who used to be Lyss’ bodyguard and is now the Head of Security for Cordonia.

Chapter Title Comes From: John Mayer’s Heavier Things track #10, “Wheel”

Catch Up: Heavier Things Masterlist

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Alyssa Devereaux Walker)

A/N: Happy birthday to @chappela, who reached out to me during Heavier Things to scream over it and became a wonderful friend. You are also a great writer!

for her birthday, @chappela asked for “a Drake x Lyssa fic that has a butterfly in the tummy protective style Drake” and included a scene having to do with this picture:

Hopefully I delivered!

This fic takes place in the middle of the first epilogue “We Said Eternity.”

All characters belong to Pixelberry except for my best girl Alyssa Devereaux and my dude Enrique Ramirez!

Warnings for this series: Sexual assault, NSFW, mental illness, sexual harassment, murder, violence, gun violence, terrorism, corrupt medical practice, illegal drug use, pregnancy endangerment, domestic violence, dubious consent, major character deaths, and more. Language, always language. EVIL LIAM. Do not read this series if you’re under 18 or if any of these topics cause you distress.

Warnings for this chapter: a touch N*FW 🍋🍋and language. The fluff level is very high, which is just where I like it best.

Word count: 2125

July 2020

Hana offered to throw Maxwell and Savannah an engagement party, so Drake and Alyssa drove to Valtoria the day before to help her and Enrique with last-minute details. On Friday night, the cooks prepared a delightful dinner of Greek shrimp with tomatoes and feta over rice with lemon bougatsa for dessert.

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chappela · 4 years

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Have a wonderful birthday and even better year!! 💜💜💜💜💜

Absolutely beyond words right now. Thank you so flippin much for your love and friendship. A girl couldn’t ask for anything more than what you have shared with me this past year 😘❤️🥰😭

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chappela · 4 years

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@mskaneko thank you so much! I am so beyond blessed to have been gifted with such a precious story as well as such amazing friends as you all in this fandom! Thank you for the love and support we all share! Love you all so much!! ❤️😘🥰🎉😁

In Hand a Single Rose -- a Heavier Things drabble

@mskaneko - thank you so, so much for this beautiful moodboard and the edit of Alyssa and Drake found below. Love you. xoxoxo

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Series Premise: What happens when the king can’t take no for an answer on his marriage proposal?

Chapter Title Comes From: John Mayer’s Heavier Things track #10, “Wheel”

Catch Up: Heavier Things Masterlist

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Alyssa Devereaux Walker)

A/N: Happy birthday to @chappela, who reached out to me during Heavier Things to scream over it and became a wonderful friend. You are also a great writer!

for her birthday, @chappela asked for “a Drake x Lyssa fic that has a butterfly in the tummy protective style Drake” and included a scene having to do with this picture:

Hopefully I delivered!

This fic takes place in the middle of the first epilogue “We Said Eternity.”

All characters belong to Pixelberry except for my best girl Alyssa Devereaux and my dude Enrique Ramirez!

Warnings for this chapter: a touch N*FW 🍋🍋and language. The fluff level is very high, which is just where I like it best.

Word count: 2125

July 2020

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chappela · 4 years

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Thank you so much @ao719 this fic made my world! I am so blessed to have such amazing friends in this fandom! 😘🥰❤️

In Hand a Single Rose -- a Heavier Things drabble

@mskaneko - thank you so, so much for this beautiful moodboard and the edit of Alyssa and Drake found below. Love you. xoxoxo

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Series Premise: What happens when the king can’t take no for an answer on his marriage proposal?

Chapter Title Comes From: John Mayer’s Heavier Things track #10, “Wheel”

Catch Up: Heavier Things Masterlist

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Alyssa Devereaux Walker)

A/N: Happy birthday to @chappela, who reached out to me during Heavier Things to scream over it and became a wonderful friend. You are also a great writer!

for her birthday, @chappela asked for “a Drake x Lyssa fic that has a butterfly in the tummy protective style Drake” and included a scene having to do with this picture:

Hopefully I delivered!

This fic takes place in the middle of the first epilogue “We Said Eternity.”

All characters belong to Pixelberry except for my best girl Alyssa Devereaux and my dude Enrique Ramirez!

Warnings for this chapter: a touch N*FW 🍋🍋and language. The fluff level is very high, which is just where I like it best.

Word count: 2125

July 2020

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chappela · 4 years

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Oh...My...Gorsh!!! I legit have no words...I am speechless....

I am so in love with this...and with you, and with Drake, and Alyssa, and their love story that you created!!!

Ok...ok..words are coming back to me but they are all fighting for dominance I don’t even know where to begin!

Thank you so much my dear friend for this amazing Birthday gift. This was absolute perfection! I am so sorry it took me so long to finally get in a physical and mental space to read it but trust me I have been craving it all damn day!

I absolutely love, and feel very honored, that my birthday fic was one in which you decided to include their pregnancy test journey. The feels that come with it and the way you outlined that this was not a one hit wonder moment for them was amazing. As much as it would be nice and fairytale-ish if they got pregnant on the first go, I love the way you made it so anticipatory for them. It was so sweet and such a great set up for Drake to really shine as a lover, friend, and husband.

Drake knowing exactly what is happening but still letting Lyssa have her moments to process were so sweet. He is so intuitive it hurts! And the sidewalk scene was perfect!! So subtle but incredibly sweet. It made my day!

Also...I laughed so hard at “Valgreens” ahhahaa!

Uggg...”Welcome to a whole new level, baby girl.” ......I am sooo dead!

Thank you, thank you, thank you so freakin much friend! This gift meant and means the world to me! You are an absolute gem and I am beyond thankful to have you in my life! 😘❤️🥰😁🎉

In Hand a Single Rose -- a Heavier Things drabble

@mskaneko - thank you so, so much for this beautiful moodboard and the edit of Alyssa and Drake found below. Love you. xoxoxo

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Series Premise: What happens when the king can’t take no for an answer on his marriage proposal?

Chapter Title Comes From: John Mayer’s Heavier Things track #10, “Wheel”

Catch Up: Heavier Things Masterlist

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Alyssa Devereaux Walker)

A/N: Happy birthday to @chappela, who reached out to me during Heavier Things to scream over it and became a wonderful friend. You are also a great writer!

for her birthday, @chappela asked for “a Drake x Lyssa fic that has a butterfly in the tummy protective style Drake” and included a scene having to do with this picture:

Hopefully I delivered!

This fic takes place in the middle of the first epilogue ��We Said Eternity.”

All characters belong to Pixelberry except for my best girl Alyssa Devereaux and my dude Enrique Ramirez!

Warnings for this chapter: a touch N*FW 🍋🍋and language. The fluff level is very high, which is just where I like it best.

Word count: 2125

July 2020

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chappela · 4 years

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🥺🥺🥰😻😻🥰🥺😘🥰😍🥰😘🥰🥰😻🥺🥺🥺

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chappela · 4 years

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🤣🤣😂

Bryce, unbuttoning shirt: god it’s so hot in here

OH MC: I know that but why are you unbuttoning my shirt ???

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chappela · 4 years

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This...was....ADORABLE!!! It really brought back so many memories and feels from when I moved into my college dorm over a decade ago haha.

I must admit I have never actually thought about or envisioned Drake with an accent but this...I heard it in my head and lady it was sexy AF!!! I always love reading your descriptions of dear Drake Walker, and this story is no exception to the deliciousness that is your Drake. That height, and those muscles...woooooh fanning myself currently (and not from the 103 degree days we have been having here). His Law Enforcement degree with a Biology Minor really had me sweatin tho! Partly cuz I was a Criminology and Criminal Justice Major with a Bio Minor and mostly cuz that just HOT!

I am sooo incredibly excited and super looking forward to the coming chapters (tho I am currently so behind on reading your fics that the “next chapter” is actually like one click away at this point haha).

I am so incredibly jealous of your ability to come up with such intriguing, sexy, and original storylines. I absolutely love where this whole series is headed and adore the details you are ensuring are added in. The details and flashbacks I can already tell are gonna absolutely MAKE this story!

Alright enough of my ridiculous rambling. You know how much I love you and all of your talents and abilities. You are amazing!

P.S. My favorite/lucky number is 13 so that part kinda hurt my heart a tad bit hahahha (Tho I am psychotic). <3

Remember Two Things Ch. 2: And the World Your Balloon

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Alyssa Devereaux)

Chapter Premise: Alyssa moves into Langston University as an 18-year-old freshman and meets a man who will impact her life forever. (2010)

Catch Up: Remember Two Things Masterlist

Chapter Title Comes From: Dave Matthews Band’s Remember Two Things track #4, “Satellite”

Thank you to my pre-readers @axwalker and @bbrandy2002 and all my snippet friends. :)

Drake Walker belongs to Pixelberry, which is the saddest shame. Everyone else in this chapter is mine.

RTT playlist songs for this chapter:

Lady Antebellum, “American Honey”

Faith Hill, “Wild One”

Usher, “OMG”

Warnings for this series: Smut 🍋🍋, language, drug use, physical fighting, angst, grief, loss, unhealthy alcohol usage. Do not read this if you’re under 18.

Warnings for this chapter: … nothing? is that right? Mild language, I guess. I think Lyss says “shit” once.

Word count: 3580

August 2010

It’s 2:30 a.m. I have never been awake at 2:30 on this side of the day. Still been awake at 2:30? Absolutely. I’m a procrastinator and a perfectionist. Awful combination.

Starting the day at 2:30? No. And yet here I am.

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chappela · 4 years

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The types of comments you get on fanfiction

Bonus: any combination of the above

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chappela · 4 years

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Absolutely!!!

I need this emoji!

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chappela · 4 years

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😂🤣😂

Ugh Bradshaw... that wig...

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chappela · 4 years

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Just now getting to my mess of a notification board (which is all fics from @burnsoslow 🥰 cuz I basically have no other friends on tumblr hahha). I am finally at a point this week where I can read and reblog all of this amazing work!

First off @burnsoslow you are such an amazing friend. Your consistent list of birthday fics for everyone you care for in this fandom brings a tear to my eye. The amount of time and effort you put into each of these gifts and how you tailor them to your birthday friends’ interests yet still keep them so absolutely perfect! You have an absolute gift my dear.

Alright now to talk about this story! This was the cutest freakin thing ever!! I love Bryce being Bryce but also taking the time to slip out of his cocky coat and pull on a humble hoodie every now and then...especially for Bentley/(mc). The little moments are my favorite, the kiss on the forehead, the “you know the wrong kind of guys if that’s the case”, line, ugg just all of the fluffy Bryce. I love it!

Thank you again for such a wonderful fic and while I don’t know you personally @jamesashtonisbae I hopr you had an absolutely amazing Birthday!! 🥳🍾🎉🎁🎈

The Art of Stalling – Happy birthday, jamesashtonisbae!!

Book: Open Heart

Pairing: Dr. Bryce Lahela x MC (Dr. Bentley Rogers)

A/N: It is @jamesashtonisbae’s birthday!! Happy birthday, you beautiful soul! We bonded when she stumbled upon the very first chapter of UnBEARable and was happy to see reference to former Nebraska player Prince Amukamara … once we realized we were both crazy sports girls, there was no turning back. I value you and your friendship so much, sweetie! Love you!! Happy BIRTHDAY!! xoxo

Thank you to my lovely pre-readers @loveellamae and @axwalker.

Additional A/N: @loveellamae sent me a SpongeBob prompt for Bryce and MC:

“What do you usually do when I’m gone” “wait for you to come back.” — Spongebob & Patrick BRYCE 😝

It will appear in bold.

Warning: it’s a little smutty. Let’s rate it 1 lemon 🍋

Word count: 1850

“Bentley. Bentley.”

She feels his warm breath in her ear, one of those magic hands slipping the strap of her nightgown down her shoulder to kiss it, but it’s the first day they’ve both had off in months, and she just wants to sleep in. “Mmmph,” she mutters into the pillow.

“Come on, Dr. Rogers …” Bryce’s playful tone, which she usually adores, only makes her grumpier.

“I’m tiiiiiiired!” she whines, squeezing her eyes shut tighter to block out the sun’s detestable rays.

He laughs against her shoulder. “All right, I’ll take pity on you.” Bryce spoons her again, making sure the sunlight shines only on him so Bentley can sleep in peace.

Bentley gets 10 more minutes of rest before Bryce can’t hold back anymore. He rips the covers off. “I need help!”

She sits up and mock glares at him before stretching in a way that she knows will catch his attention, especially as pretty a picture she makes in the satin negligee. “What’s up?”

“Keiki’s birthday is coming up, and I want to throw her a little party. But I don’t know what gifts teenage girls like. I definitely don’t know what to serve. I can’t cook. I don’t know what kind of cake she might want or where to get it and my parents haven’t celebrated her at all for fear of looking ‘ostentatious’ and I just want her to have a nice day …” He trails off helplessly.

Bentley puts a hand on her boyfriend’s shoulder. “I’m happy to help. We’ll plan her a wonderful celebration! What day is her birthday?”

“The 14th.” Bryce gives her a grateful smile. “Is that enough time?”

Bentley startles before fighting a little twinge of sadness. Her own birthday is the 14th. She can’t expect Bryce to know it, she supposes; last year, she and Bryce had been so much more casual as a couple. They’d all had drinks at Donahue’s to celebrate her that weekend, but there had been no mention of the actual day.

She fights to keep a smile on her face. “That’s plenty of time.”

“You’re the greatest.” Bryce plants a sloppy kiss on her lips before lowering her back to the mattress. “Now that the most important part of planning is out of the way …” He slides her short nightgown up her thighs. “Dr. Lahela has a very intricate procedure on his schedule.” Tugging her panties down as she eagerly lifts her hips, Bryce murmurs appreciatively, “And the doctor will see you now.”

Bentley giggles beneath him, her laughter quickly morphing into a throaty moan as Bryce’s ambitious mouth and legendary fingers claim her together.

——

Bentley’s been doing her research. She knows that Keiki loves cake, the more chocolatey the better, so she orders a chocolate cake filled and frosted with chocolate ganache. The idea makes her own mouth water. Bryce thanks Bentley, kisses her, and tells her he’ll take care of paying for it and picking it up.

She suggests Bryce have a taco bar catered for the evening; no prep for them, delicious, and everyone is able to eat exactly what they want.

“I’ll get extra chips and guacamole,” Bryce promises her. “I know you love them.”

She laughs. “What about Keiki?”

“She likes queso. There’ll be plenty of that, too.”

Taking him in – messy sun-bleached hair, those soulful brown eyes that seem to read all her thoughts – Bentley is overpowered with a rush of love. “You’re pretty wonderful, you know.”

“I know,” he says cockily, drawing a laugh from her, “but why now?”

“You’re just … thoughtful. You’re a good brother, Bryce. I don’t know a lot of guys who would go to all this trouble for their teenage sisters.”

“You know the wrong kinds of guys if that’s the case.” He pulls Bentley against him for a long kiss. “That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the compliment, though.” He strokes her hair. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

Blushing, Bentley accepts one more kiss. “I have to go. I’ve got some shopping to do.” She boops his nose when his face falls and his beautiful eyes get all sad and puppy dog-like. “Stop that! What do you usually do when I’m gone?”

“Wait for you to come back,” he says with exaggerated sadness, causing her to giggle.

——–

Bentley’s housemates frown when she gets home, hands full of shopping bags, and tells them about the birthday party at Bryce’s place.

“Did you not tell him that’s your birthday?” Jackie demands, her hands on her hips.

“Why would I do that? He wants to give his sister the perfect birthday. The Lahela parents are garbage and refused to do anything for Keiki as a kid because they didn’t want to attract attention. We can celebrate my birthday anytime.”

Sienna looks hesitant. “I feel like this is the opposite of what you would tell me to do, Bentley …”

“How are you calling yourself ‘in a relationship’ if you can’t even tell him your birthday?” Elijah reasons.

“Family shouldn’t always come first.” Aurora crosses her arms over her chest and fixes Bentley with a withering stare.

Bentley throws her hands up in frustration. “Can you guys just support me on this? I want to make Keiki’s day amazing. She deserves it. She’s such a good kid who’s had a rough time.”

Everyone agrees to show up on Thursday night. Bentley buys balloons and a greeting card to go with the pedicure gift card and pair of sparkly earrings Keiki had drooled over on their last trip to the mall. She wraps everything beautifully.

On Thursday morning, her housemates wake her by singing “Happy Birthday,” surprising her with flowers, her favorite Starbucks order, and a delicious breakfast sandwich before they all have to head to the hospital.

The day passes quickly, but no major crises or catastrophes mean that Bentley will hopefully be able to leave on time. She keeps an anxious eye on the clock.

Fourteen minutes before her shift is supposed to end, Ethan pages her to his office. “Rookie! I need you in here to go over a case that’s just come in.”

She grits her teeth but enters to find Baz, June, and Ethan already waiting around the table. As soon as she arrives, Ethan begins hanging CT scans on the wall. “This patient is being transferred tomorrow from Manhattan Presbyterian. She’s a 23-year-old female who was admitted with shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, fever of 102 degrees –”

“And she had grown an extra eyeball,” Baz adds, peeling an orange as Ethan glares at him.

“She what?” Bentley demands. “And why are these all abdominal CT scans?”

“Because she also has been vomiting for six weeks,” June interjects calmly. “However, the growth of the third eyeball was what really spurred her to finally seek medical attention.”

“About damn time, too,” Ethan mutters.

Thus begins the oddest, most circular conversation Bentley has ever observed or participated in as part of the Edenbrook diagnostics team. She loses the thread of the discussion several times as the attendings use vocabulary she’s never heard before like “thrombeebee,” “tachywomble,” and “squiddish protein percentage.”

She remembers the advice Ethan gave her early on that sometimes it’s best to shut up and hope you learn something, but she literally cannot follow what the other doctors are saying.

I’m too young for this to be old age settling in.

Bentley grows increasingly tense as the minutes tick by; not only does she understand nothing, but the party is scheduled to begin in less than an hour, and she still needs to head home, shower, and get to Bryce’s to help him decorate. Her foot taps rhythmically under the table.

“Are we keeping you, Dr. Rogers?” Ethan asks sardonically.

“Of course not, Dr. Ramsey,” she replies with equal acidity.

The two other doctors exchange looks across the table. “I think we’ve really prepared ourselves for tomorrow morning. Dr. Rogers, will you share the notes you took with all of us via email tonight?” June smooths her jacket before standing.

“I –” She hasn’t written a thing. Bentley swallows and lifts her eyes bravely. “I didn’t take notes, Dr. Hirata. You all seemed so well-versed; I’m sure it’s not necessary.”

June’s nose wrinkles. “I must say, I’m disappointed. I guess that means we’ll need to be back here at … 6:15 tomorrow morning to decide on protocols?”

Ethan and Baz nod gravely. Bentley wants to melt into the floor.

She can’t leave soon enough.

——-

Bryce didn’t answer her frantic text of apology, but Bentley doesn’t even have time to worry about it. As she scrambles out of the elevator toward Bryce’s apartment, her heart pounding, Bentley hopes her boyfriend was able to handle the last-minute details of Keiki’s party on his own.

She knocks on the door, wiping her sweaty balloon-carrying hand on her short black skirt as she waits for someone to answer.

Bryce grins at her as the door swings wide. “Hi, gorgeous.” He kisses her deeply and takes the gift from her, holding her hand with the other as they walk into the apartment.

“Nobody’s here,” Bentley says, panicked. “I don’t know where Sienna and Elijah and Jackie and Aurora are –”

“SURPRISE!” The apartment is overwhelmed with light and sound as people pop up from behind Bryce’s furniture, grinning and shouting.

“No, no!” Bentley tries to cry over the din. “We’re here for Keiki –”

Bryce’s sister runs up and throws her arms around Bentley. “My birthday’s in January, Bentley,” she laughs. “Bryce just told you it was today so that you wouldn’t be suspicious about the party!”

Bentley whirls on Bryce as Keiki darts away, still chortling. “Is that true?”

Laughing, he takes her in his arms, kissing her forehead. “Yes. I wanted to throw a surprise party for you, but I know how inquisitive you are. So I came up with this little plot including all kinds of players, including these three –” he gestures to Baz, June, and Ethan, who smirks at her over a glass of scotch,” – to keep you from figuring it out.”

She sinks into a half crouch. “So there’s no 23-year-old with a third eyeball?”

Harper lets out a shriek of laughter. Naveen pats her on the back while he fights his own chuckle. “They’re better diagnosticians than improv actors, eh?”

Elijah and Esme are laughing over a bowl of guacamole. Jackie, Keiki, Aurora, and Siena have started dancing. Ines and Zaid are locked in conversation beside the taco bar. Rafael catches Bentley’s eye and lifts his beer to her in a salute; she notices with a twinge of satisfaction that Sora is nowhere to be found. Bentley is overcome with gratitude for this night, her friends, her boyfriend, the joy of having everyone she loves in the same place at the same time.

Curling an arm around Bryce, she whispers, “Thanks for giving me the best birthday surprise ever.”

His lips brush her ear. “Not yet. That’s for after the party. Keiki finally gets a sleepover with a friend … we’ll have the place to ourselves, Bentley. And you’ll love the surprise I have for you then.”

Permatag: @emceesynonymroll @axwalker @bbrandy2002 @sirbeepsalot @emichelle @loveellamae @mskaneko @dcbbw @ao719 @oofchoices @pedudley @chappela @zaffrenotes @forthebrokenheartedthings @jamesashtonisbae @flutistbyday2020 @sweetest-marbear @desireepow-1986 @debramcg1106 @kimmiedoo5 @drakesensworld @choices-lurker @queenjilian @thecordoniandiaries @hopefulmoonobject @bascmve01 @msjr0119 @ac27dj @star-spangled-eyes @bebepac @openheart12 @ramseyswifey

Open Heart: @cocomaxley @msjpuddleduck @silverofdreams @seriouslybadchoices @annekebbphotography

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