- Joelle -Six months into my contract and I’d had visitors almost every week. I was seeing more of my dad than I did when I still lived at home. In fact, he visited almost every month. Minna would visit for a weekend approximately every two months, while Kevin and Matthew came over for a week three months after I moved and were scheduled to visit again in a week or so. The only person who hadn’t visited yet was Jason. We spoke daily initially, eventually our chats become weekly and at times even less frequently than that. I was spared the torture of seeing him everyday but that didn’t mean I didn’t think of him everyday and miss him. Work was intriguing and I was doing well. I also managed to make a few friends. I loved the view from the hospital staff accommodation, especially during summer, when there was greenery all around me. Whenever I felt gloomy, I used to take a walk in the near by forest and my mood would lift itself up. It was impossible for it not to. The sounds of the
- Jason -I’d been tossing and turning all night. I’d been dating Amy for almost three months and things weren’t bad between us. She was tall and slim with dark hair much like Joelle’s. The first time I saw her from behind I’d thought it was her in fact. That’s how we had met in the first place. I’d approached her thinking it was her in spite of knowing Joelle was some 3500KM away. Then I’d apologized when I realized it wasn’t her and moved on. I saw her again the following Saturday and we got talking again. Her friend started dating Matthew and I started seeing more and more of her until eventually we too started dating. We met mostly on Saturdays with the occasional meet up during the week. While I was attracted to her and enjoyed spending time with her, I didn’t see this relationship going anywhere, nor did I envision a future with her. Then last night she mentioned something along the lines of thinking we should meet up more often and hinted commitment. She freaked me out. It was
- Joelle - The shift at work was unusually hectic, but I welcomed the distraction it provided. As I hurriedly attended to my duties, I could feel my phone incessantly buzzing in my pocket, demanding my attention. However, I couldn't afford to take the call at that moment. Whoever it was would have to wait. My focus was entirely on a 22-year-old patient who had been involved in a severe road traffic accident. Both he and his friend were in a bad shape, but it appeared that they would make it through. The patient was writhing in agony due to numerous fractures sustained in the collision, presenting a challenge to keep him pain-free. After tirelessly working on him for nearly three hours, he was eventually transferred to an orthopedic ward. Following the department's protocol, my Consultant called me and the other junior doctor involved in the case to discuss it further. He expressed his satisfaction with how I had handled the situation and commended my approach. During our discussion,
- Joelle - Three more months had swiftly passed, and once again, I found myself sitting in my Consultant's office, engaged in a discussion about my contract. True to his word, the hospital had offered me another internship based on my Consultant's recommendation. I couldn't deny the trust and mentorship he had shown me, but deep down, I knew that despite my attachment to this place, I longed for home. The decision weighed heavily on me, as I contemplated the uncertainty that awaited me if I chose to leave. Yet, in the depths of my being, I felt a resolute certainty that returning home was the right path for me. Norway had been good to me and the Norwegians treated me like one of their own. I had experienced a hospital life very different to that in my country. I had learnt a lot professionally and for this I was grateful. Grateful to my consultant and my seniors, grateful to my colleagues, and most of all grateful to my patients. I had come here seeking refuge from my personal life.
- Jason -For the next two months or so, Joelle and I spoke without fail every single day, and her calls became the most cherished moments of my day. Each conversation only fueled my anticipation for her return, as the past year without her had felt like an agonizing journey through hell. Uncertain of how she would react, this time I was determined to express my true feelings to her. Deep down, I knew she reciprocated those emotions; even Kevin had mentioned it. However, whether she would openly acknowledge them remained uncertain. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to take the chance. As the days drew closer, I found myself anxiously counting down to the moment we would reunite. Soon soon, I thought. One more month and I’d be seeing her again. However, the wait seemed unbearable, and I soon realized that one more month apart was simply too long. Fueled by this realization, I impulsively logged onto the internet and booked a flight to Norway for the following week, keeping my plans a sec
-Jason-Through some stroke of luck, I miraculously found my way to Joelle's place. Although I had encountered a delay in Frankfurt and missed my initial coach at the airport, I managed to catch another one just 30 minutes later. Eventually I'd found Joelle's place and called her to let her know I was behind her door. Things hadn't gone too well till now. She'd sworn at me for the first time ever and slapped me in the face, which was also a new one! What I didn't know was that things were about to get worse, much worse and my surprise visit would prove to be a somewhat of a flop on that particular evening.I can't say I didn't deserve to be slapped or sworn at. In an effort to avoid her calling me and picking up on my plan, I'd switched my phone off and didn’t switch it back on until I reached her place. She thought something had happened to me and when she saw me she'd sworn at me and slapped me in the face for scaring the life out of her. Eventually we went inside her apartment and
- Joelle -Bzzz Bzz… My phone buzzed. “I’m downstairs. Take your time,” he told me. I smiled. He really had no clue I was behind him. My hormones were telling me to flirt, my ego was telling me to stay composed. My hormones won. “I know, I’ve been ogling your back for the last five minutes or so,” I texted back. Holy cow! I thought as soon as I hit the send button. He turned around, looked in my direction and smiled. He grabbed his glass and headed towards me. That dimple whiped off any ounce of anger I might have still had. What the heck was in that wine, I thought. “Hey,” he told me as I stood up. We kissed on the cheeks and sat down. “Looking good Madam Zammit,” he told. Are you using Kevin’s lines? I wanted to tell him but instead told him he wasn’t looking too shabby himself. He flashed me a shy smile. When did he learn to be so charming? My hormones were in a frenzy and I hoped he hadn’t picked up on it. It was hard not to, I flirted shamelessly all evening. ******** - Jason
- Joelle -He had left me breathless. We laid there draped into each others arms. I think neither of us dared to speak. He had been amazing. Then again I didn’t have anyone to compare him to. Up until that evening I had been a virgin and I wondered if he’d noticed or if he knew. I had wanted my first time to be with him but I had no idea what had gotten into me that evening. I certainly didn’t think I would end up in bed with him the first time we kissed. What the heck had I been thinking. Then again, he wasn’t some random guy I’d just met. I felt like I’d known him all his life. I looked at him and he seemed pensive. I would have given anything to get a glimpse of his thoughts. He rolled on his side as I turned to look at him. “That was amazing,” he told me, his voice filled with sincerity. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted this and how many times I’ve thought about it,” he continued. I couldn’t help it. “You have no idea how perverted that sounded,” as I burst into laughter. “