3. (New Hope Children's Home)

The sky was spinning. The stars whipped by in a blur of light, going faster and faster until I felt as if the heavens were descending upon me. I could hear my name being called out, but I couldn't respond. Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, I woke up in a panic. 

I’ve been having a lot of those types of dreams lately. Ever since the accident. I find the best way to cope is to turn on all the lights, make some coffee, and go talk to the first person available in the hopes of letting the fear from the nightmare drift away. 

Heading out of my bare room and out of New Hope, I strode quickly to the Sunnyside up diner. In search of coffee, I was not ready for what I saw inside. Note to self: when you've barely just gotten out of bed, don't show up at a speed-dating event. You will feel very out of place in sweats and a ratty T-shirt. Just as I was about to get out of there, I had a nametag shoved into my hand. I looked up to see who the offending stranger was, and found myself staring into the "dreamy" eyes of Brian. 

            "What the hell are you doing here?" I asked. 

            He laughed and pulled me out of the doorway "I’m trying to represent the minute clinic" he responded. 

I rolled my eyes as I ripped off the nametag. I wasn't going to have any part of this, so not my thing. But he insisted I stay and meet some of his friends. As I wandered around with my coffee, I took in the people in front of me. Could I really stay in Dreamwood for that long? It feels forced and strange to be in this town. I don't want to spend my life around people that only remind me of my childhood and what it was like to lose my family. Standing there alone, watching the room swell in front of me, I began to panic. What was I thinking coming back here? Does New Hope even really need me? All of the sudden the room felt too crowded, the lights to bright, and the music too loud. I staggered to the door, the paranoia from my nightmare quickly returning.

The frigid air burned my eyes and my throat as I started running. I needed to get away, and I needed to clear my head. I ran until all I could hear was my heart pounding and my jagged breathing. I ran until the pain of my past began to ebb away leaving me exhausted and more confused than ever. 

2.

Today I got a job.  Working at the minute clinic could never rival the research I was doing in Argentina, but I didn't come back here to make medical history. Im here to help Christina with the children's home.  She's been overwhelmed ever since Jasmine died, and since Jasmine practically raised me the least I can do is help New Hope get back on its feet. But that doesn't mean I need to give up my career all together.

You never know who will walk in the minute clinic. Today I treated a spunky five year old with poison ivy, vaccinated an angsty teen against HPV, and diagnosed an eighty year old's bladder infection. The city has been hit with a particularly bad case of the flu, and so the waiting room was packed with sniffling patients of all ages. On the bright side, I get to work with one of my childhood friends Brian. Today we caught up over waffles at brunch. Brian and I have been friends ever since we were lab partners in AP Chemistry. I think just about every women in this city has her sights set on Brian, and he is completely oblivious. It's pretty hilarious, especially since Brian wasn't such hot stuff back in the tenth grade. We were just those nerdy kids that got way too excited about the kidney dissections. 

Just as I was walking out of the clinic, a man came in with a minor abrasion on his leg. He smelled of smoke, but seemed to be dusted in what looked like pink glitter. It all seemed a little strange if you ask me. I had to get back to the children's home, and so Brian checked him out. Looking at his face one more time as I walked out, I was sure I had seen him before. Oh well, let Brian deal with guy. It was time for me to get dinner ready back at New Hope.