Book 1: Leap of Faith -Charles Leclerc

Chapter 32 + AN

Chapter: 32 February 28th, 2024

Caroline was sitting at her desk, signing off all of her notes from the day. She had almost finished her last note when she stopped for a moment and looked up at the framed photos she had of both her and her close friends and her and her family.

"Well, at least I'll be close to them again when my contract expires here. I just have no idea how I'll handle working American hours and using all of my PTO and paychecks to buy plane tickets to see Charles. The clinic here is barely even open on Friday's and all I had to do was text my boss that I was at the race and they understood. What kind of employment can you get like this in the US?"

Caroline was not looking forward to the reverse culture shock she would most-definitely get when going back to the US. Europeans, the French especially, did not live to work and it showed. Caroline told all of her friends and family about the time where she got reprimanded for staying an hour past closing to get ahead for the next day's patients. Her work-life balance had never been better, and she never dreaded going into work. She had a great relationship with her bosses, great hours, great patients, great pay, and plenty of time off to be whisked away to races.

Caroline knew this was the type of job she had only ever dreamed about, where she could be a good provider, but that she was also happy in her personal life too. During some of her clinical rotations she was working 45 hour weeks with even more time spent finishing notes. She tried to shake off the thought of giving up this perfect job, but she sat there in her sadness, letting it take over her mood.

"I am really going to miss this," she thought as the tears started forming in her eyes.

Her reflection on the computer screen made her laugh, thinking of how she had basically started crying about nothing.

"Oh my god, girl, get yourself together. You're at work."

Caroline wiped the tears from her eyes and took a long exhale. She was having a hard time not letting all of the thoughts consume her, especially the thoughts about how on earth this relationship with Charles was going to work. He was busy 24/7 and she was busy. They would be on completely different sides of the world with a 7 hour time difference on a good weekend. There were only 3 weekends that they would be in the same country, and even then it would be a long flight for her.

She trusted him now, but her trust issues were always there. The odds were clearly stacked against them, and she could see it all playing out. The arguments over the phone at random hours, the gossip articles about him being seen with new women, the space between them growing, and bam: over. Caroline dropped her head into her hand, desperate for some ability to focus on her work. Before long, JJ knocked on the door lightly, poking his head into the small room.

"Bonjour Caroline! Can we talk?"

"Yes, of course. Here?" Caroline said as both JJ and Jack filed into her small office and pulled up chairs. It was a cramped space for two, let alone three people. She knew it was something serious the way that Jack was looking at her.

"Caroline, I'll cut to the chase. We love you and we've loved having you, but you know that your contract is about to expire..." JJ started.

"Ah yes, I did have a few questions about that actually," Caroline said as she pulled out her day planner with questions about logistics of moving out of her apartment scribbled on top.

"Dr. Caroline, our former employee, whose job you signed a contract for, has decided to resign permanently, opting to instead stay at home with her new baby. We are now looking for a permanent, full time position to take this job. And we want to offer it to you," Jack continued with an almost stern tone. He was always one to cut the bullshit.