Isabelle looked at the variety of snacks piled high on the table, her eyes wide with a mixture of bewilderment and amusement. "Baby, I can't handle all of this," she said, gently running her fingers over the various snacks on the table in front of her.
Rayleigh glanced up from her iPad, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why do you have so many snacks?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine puzzlement. After all, it had only been less than twenty minutes since she had left Isabelle's side.
"People gave it to me," Isabelle explained, her lips curving into a sheepish smile. "They were so kind and insisted that I try everything."
Rayleigh's expression softened as she gazed at her beloved, her heart swelling with adoration. "Would you like to bring it along with us?" She asked that, even in the midst of her hectic schedule, Rayleigh never failed to prioritize Isabelle's needs and comfort.
Isabelle's eyes lit up with excitement. "Can we do it?" she asked, her tone tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "I wouldn't want to seem impolite by rejecting their generosity."
Before Isabelle could continue, the sound of approaching footsteps caught their attention. To their surprise, Tamara, the senior nurse, appeared with a big plastic bag in her arms, her face beaming with a warm smile.
"Dr. Rayleigh, I heard you were leaving soon, so I wanted to make sure you have enough snacks for your trip!" Tamara exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine concern and a hint of sarcasm, since Rayleigh was never going anywhere but her own house and hospital and was rarely seen spending her time outside. Seeing her favorite doctor finally use her youth with the beautiful woman is thrilling for her. "Please take this with you. I insist!"
Rayleigh's face flushed bright red as she gently accepted the bag, her expression a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment. "Tamara, you really shouldn't have," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Isabelle couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her lover, Dr. Rayleigh, reduced to a flustered, blushing mess by Tamara's kindness. She moved closer to Rayleigh, wrapping a comforting arm around her waist.
"Thank you, Tamara," Isabelle said, her eyes shining with warmth. "We'll make sure to enjoy every last bite." She glanced up at Rayleigh, her lips curving into a playful smile.
Rayleigh's gaze softened as she looked at the huge plastic bag in Tamara's arms. "Yes, we can," she said, gently taking the bag from Tamara's hands and beginning to carefully transfer the snacks inside.
While Rayleigh helped Isabelle put all the snacks and chocolates inside the plastic bag, a curious expression appeared on Rayleigh's face. "Why are you all giving her so many snacks?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of amusement.
Tamara smiled sheepishly. "It's because you never accept it from us," she admitted.
Rayleigh nodded. "I want to ensure that your money isn't wasted," she explained, her tone matter-of-fact. Over the years, the young doctors and nurses had come to know this side of Rayleigh—the skilled, attractive physician who simply wanted to prevent them from squandering their hard-earned money on unnecessary treats for her.
One of the young doctors stepped forward with a mischievous glint in his eye. "But we want to, don't we?" he said, gesturing to the others, who all nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
Rayleigh nodded, her expression softening as she gazed down at Isabelle. She couldn't resist the urge to lean down and press a gentle kiss to Isabelle's forehead, her heart swelling with gratitude for the incredible woman by her side.
As Tamara took her leave and took the rest of the young doctor with her, Rayleigh and Isabelle were left alone in front of the nurse station. Isabelle couldn't help but marvel at the way Rayleigh's demeanor transformed when she was in Isabelle's presence—from the focused, no-nonsense doctor to the tender, affectionate partner she adored.
"What am I going to do with you, my darling?" Rayleigh teased, her eyes sparkling with adoration. "You've managed to collect quite an impressive snack collection." She chuckled, her arms wrapping around Isabelle's waist as she pulled her close, her lips finding Isabelle's in a gentle, passionate kiss.
"Are you done with everything?" Isabelle softly asked when they broke their kiss. Seeing someone walking to the nurse station, her finger fixed the lipstick stain on Rayleigh's lips.
"Yes, let's go meet Mona." Rayleigh smiled, her thumb gently fixing the lipstick on Isabelle's lips, and one of her hands took the plastic bag filled with snacks.
As Rayleigh and Isabelle made their way down the corridor, a gaggle of young doctors who had nothing better to do—or were simply eager to go home—followed in their wake, playfully teasing the renowned physician.
"I thought you were asexual, doctor," one of them quipped, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Or frigid," another chimed in, eliciting a round of laughter from the group.
Isabelle couldn't help but chuckle at their antics, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, she is anything but that," she retorted, causing the young doctors to erupt into laughter.
When the elevator finally arrived at the ground floor and the doors slid open, Rayleigh and Isabelle were greeted by an unexpected sight: Lauren Thompson, her face a mixture of annoyance and anger. The sight of her caused Rayleigh's expression to instantly turn cold.
"Oh! You're here, Ray." Lauren's face lit up with a smile, but it quickly dissolved into a sour expression as she noticed the woman standing next to Rayleigh.
"Hey Laur." Rayleigh's voice was clipped, barely a whisper, as she hurriedly exited the elevator and made a beeline for the lobby, where her driver patiently awaited.
"Ray! Where are you headed?" Lauren called out, but Rayleigh didn't respond, simply continuing her brisk walk, ignoring Lauren's plea. "Ray! Are you not going to respond to me?" Lauren's voice rose in desperation as she quickened her pace, determined to catch up to Rayleigh.
Just as Lauren was about to reach them, Rayleigh stopped, her voice firm and unwavering. "No, I'm not going to answer you, and I'll not be bothered by you. Please leave me alone, Laur."
Despite Rayleigh's words, Lauren managed to position herself in front of them, blocking their path. Taking a deep breath, Rayleigh introduced Lauren, her voice devoid of warmth. "Baby, this is Lauren, my friend. And Laur, I would like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Isabelle Rose."
Lauren's eyes narrowed as she stared at Isabelle, her gaze filled with a mixture of jealousy and disbelief. "Girlfriend?" she scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Since when?"
"Since forever," Rayleigh replied coolly, her arm instinctively wrapping around Isabelle's waist, a silent declaration of her love to the beautiful woman next to her.
Lauren's face contorted in anger. "But... but... you can't be serious!" she stammered, her voice choked with emotion. "What about me? You can't just throw it all away for some... some."
"Somewhat, Lauren?" Rayleigh interrupted, her voice hardening. "Some amazing woman who has shown me what true love and happiness really mean? Some woman who makes me feel alive and cherished in a way I never thought possible."
"Rayleigh!" Lauren exclaimed, her eyes wide with desperation.
"Lauren Thompson!" Rayleigh's voice boomed with authority. "Watch your tone and behave. Her name is Isabelle Rose Jenisen, and she is my girlfriend. I am dating her with the intention of marrying her. Step away, or you'll regret this, Lauren."
Lauren refused to listen, shaking her head vehemently. "No, no, she's not." She continued to cause a fuss in the hospital lobby. The other young doctors cringed because they knew that Lauren always caused problems for anyone who tried to get close to Rayleigh, regardless of their gender.
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed, her patience wearing thin. "Yes, she is. She's my girlfriend. You and I have been done since a long time ago. Take her, please." She turned to the security personnel, instructing them to remove Lauren from her presence. "Please avoid forcing me to engage in undesirable actions, Lauren Thompson. Step away."
Lauren, aware that Rayleigh's use of her full name indicated the doctor's seriousness, knew there would be dire consequences if she continued to challenge her. With a heavy heart, she stepped away, allowing Rayleigh and Isabelle to get into the waiting car. Rayleigh opened the car's window, informing the young doctors that she would treat them to coffee when she returned to work later.
"This isn't the end yet, Ray!" Lauren's shrill scream pierced the air as Rayleigh's car began to pull away from the hospital lobby.
Inside the car, Isabelle turned to Rayleigh, her brow furrowed in concern. "Is that your ex? Is she the one you were talking to me about?"
Rayleigh let out a heavy sigh, her expression hardening. "Yeah, a nutjob, apparently." She shook her head.
Isabelle reached out, her hand gently resting on Rayleigh's arm. "Hopefully she's not harmful," she murmured, her voice laced with worry.
"I can file a restraining order against her if she continues to behave in that manner," Rayleigh replied, her tone resolute. She would not allow anyone, not even her ex-girlfriend, to jeopardize the happiness she had found with Isabelle.
"That's a good idea," Isabelle agreed, nodding her head in approval.
Rayleigh moved closer to her girlfriend, her gaze softening as she drank in the sight of Isabelle's beautiful face. "Yeah?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hands start to trace the curves of her lover's body.
"Yeah." Isabelle took a deep breath, her fingers tracing the contours of Rayleigh's jaw. "You know, Mona is waiting," she reminded her gently, the mention of their friend a subtle nudge to refocus their attention.
Rayleigh chuckled, the corners of her lips curving upward in a mischievous smile. "So?" she murmured, her nose brushing against Isabelle's in a feather-light caress.
Unable to resist the pull of Rayleigh's touch any longer, Isabelle succumbed to temptation, surging forward to capture Rayleigh's lips in a passionate kiss. All thoughts of Lauren and the confrontation in the lobby faded away as they lost themselves in the warmth and intimacy of their embrace, the world around them melting away until only they existed.