Ignite

7.

Noelle raises her glass, "To my divorce being finalized and to graduating in a few weeks."

"Cheers to that!" Mel said, tap her glass against her best friends.  "Has he reached out to you?"

Noelle shook her head and takes a sip of her wine, "Nope and I would like to keep it that way."

"Since you're officially single now-"

"Mel don't even think about it." She said, placing her glass on the table. "I'll step my foot back into the dating pond soon. I still have to figure out where I'm gonna work. I have a tour of the children's hospital in the morning."

"I still can't believe you're trying to leave me." Mel pouts, grabbing a piece of cheese from the charcuterie board.

Noelle sighs, "I don't want to leave you but I may have better opportunities at the children's hospital as a pediatrician."

"Well," Mel reaches for her best friends hand. "Whatever you choose, I'm here for you."

"You still going to your in-laws this weekend?"

Mel rolls her eyes, "it wouldn't be so bad if his mom didn't nit pick everything I do. To add the cherry on that sundae, she's now asking us about grandchildren."

"Does she still make you guys sleep in separate bedrooms?" Noelle asks, taking a sip of her drink.

"Yes she does." Mel answers, "let me get going since I've been putting off packing."

"Please don't kill his parents." Noelle said, as her friend packed up her things.

"I'll try not to. Keep your ringer on, I may need you."

Noelle laughs as she watched Mel walk out of her front door. She looks down at the half eaten board and sighs. Mel was right about going overboard but she did get a nice picture.

Her doorbell rings. She starts to laugh, "You are really trying to get out of packing." She said, walking towards her door. "I'd love to distract you but-"

Noelle opens the door and her face filled with shock. "Miss me?" Anthony said.

"What are you doing here? How did you know where I lived?"

"Came to check on you." He said, walking past her into her home.

"I'm thriving, now leave." She said, crossing her arms.

"You don't have to lie to me." He said, sitting at her kitchen island. "It'll be a year in a few days."

"Surprised you remember."

"Why wouldn't I remember? She was my daughter too."

Noelle scoffs, "once again surprised you remember. Now leave!"

"Look-"

"I don't care Anthony. You using Grace as an excuse to pop up is low and you should leave before I call the cops" She said, placing her hand on the doorknob, extending the door completely.

Anthony looks at her for a moment and nods. He rises from his seat and walks to the door. "Congratulations Doctor"

"Keep it." She said, "Come back and I'll call the cops." She slams the door behind him.

(-•-•-•)

"So I looked at Daniel's X-ray." She places the images on the light board. "There seems to be a little object inside."

"Is that a marble? Did you swallow a marble?"

Daniel looks down, "Bernie dared me to!"

"Daniel James!"

"When did you do it?" Noelle asks.

"After dinner, before his mom picked him up."

"Roughly what time was that?"

"7:30 is when my sister picked him up."Daniel's mom looks back at Noelle, "Is there anyway to get the marble out?"

"Daniel have you pooped at all since then?" Noelle asks.

He shakes his head, "No."

"So what we're gonna do is see if he can pass it on his own. We're gonna give him a laxative to get him to poop." Noelle explains. "If he doesn't pass it on his own then we can talk about what next."

The mother nods, "Thank you, Dr. Price."

Noelle nods, "Not a problem. The nurse will be by but I do need to know what kind of juice you'd like with it."

Daniel smiles, "Apple."

"Coming right up." She leaves the room and heads to the nurses station. "Turns out he swallowed a marble for a dare."

Monica laughs, "Boys." She said, "I'll get the laxative."

"He would like apple juice with it." Noelle chuckles, filling in the rest of the chart.

"Incoming!"

Noelle looks up to see EMTs bringing in a familiar woman. Eddie and Hen right behind them.  He just stared into the glass.

"Noelle, I need a second opinion in 6."

She snaps out of it and looks at the resident, "Okay, tell what's going on." She follows the resident to the bay. As they're explaining, her eyes look back to see Eddie walking inside the room as the doctors leave. She looks down for a moment before heading in the room.

After helping the resident, she sees Eddie signing a clipboard with a bag of clothes next to him. She walks over to him and He looks from the bag. "Noelle-"

"I'm sorry for your loss." She said, leaning in for a hug.

He embraces it, "Thank you."

Noelle pulls away, "If you and Christopher ever need anything, just let me know." He gives her a nod before walking into the waiting room.

(-•-•-•)

Noelle opens her trunk and sighs. She slowly pulls out the things she needs and places them into a small basket then begins her walk. It had been a while but it wasn't always an easy visit. Flashbacks of everything would playback on repeat. One day it'll get easier.

She kneels down and begins freshening up the  tombstone. Changing out the dead flowers for fresh ones. Cleaning the debris around the stone. Making it look as pretty as she could.

"We aren't late, are we?"

Noelle turns around to see her parents  standing there with balloons. "Just in time." She answers, opening a small box. Inside a vanilla frosted cake with small designs on it. A candle stood in the middle with 'Happy Birthday Grace!' in red frosting. Her small smile fades and she could feel the tears.

"Let me grab that from you." Her father reaches for the cake. He takes a match and lights the candle.

"Happy Birthday to you." Carla pulls her daughter into her arms as they sang. "Happy Birthday dear Grace. Happy birthday to you."

Noelle begins to cry into her mom's arms. Carla rubs her daughter's back as she sobs into her should. She did everything that she was suppose to. Didn't overwork herself, kept a healthy diet and exercised when she could.  It was something she always wanted, but she just couldn't have.

"She will always be with you." Her father says as he joins the hug.

"Sure will."