The ride was also quiet, though Elizabeth would occasionally give instructions or reminders to the team about what to look for and how to handle the samples that they took. Ava felt that the reminders were more for Elizabeth herself than the rest of the team, but she listened intently, regardless. She found Elizabeth’s mind fascinating; it almost seemed like she could think about several things all at once. She would point out interesting things in the landscape and ask questions, then almost immediately she was focused on the virus again.
They drove as far as possible, but the last couple of miles were only traversable on foot. Ava was well aware that Sandra liked to get as far away from the lights and sounds of civilization as she could—that was part of why she was so good at what she did. If the group was prone to accidents or problems, she wouldn’t be able to take them that far out into the wild.
Elizabeth had been acting strangely since they left Lavender’s, and Ava tried to chalk it up to a lack of sleep, but suddenly she seemedalmost stand-offish, which was certainly a far cry from last night when she had complimented her on her appearance and this morning when she was inquiring about Ava’s love life. Elizabeth was walking a few feet ahead of Ava as her eyes trailed toward the woman. Elizabeth was not as tall as Ava, though she wasn’t short. The lines of her face were beautiful, as though they had been curated by an expert on graceful aging. Her stature was strong and graceful with full hips and slightly muscled arms. Her skin was a warm tanned color as though she was naturally sun-kissed. She wore khaki pants and a sleeved shirt that fit well around her curves.
Ava felt her cheeks color when Elizabeth turned to look over her shoulder and found Ava watching, though she could have sworn that Elizabeth smiled slightly. The air was crisp and refreshing this early in the morning, and Ava quickened her pace to catch up to Elizabeth.
They found themselves on a slight ridge looking down into a small alcove where Sandra’s class had set up their camp. Small, simple tents sat in a circle around a firepit that had not been lit, personal effects were scattered around as they had not finished setting up completely before emergency services had to be called in. Ava’s heart sunk in her chest as she looked at the area, Sandra would be kicking herself for leaving the place like this even though she had not had a choice in the matter.
Before making the slight descent to the campsite, the team put on protective gear, masks, gloves, the works. They didn’t know what they were up against, so it was better to be over-cautious.
Elizabeth directed one of the technicians to go and take a sample of the water from the spring, though the group had reported that no one had yet gone near it. They quickly located Sandra’s tent and focused their search there before expanding outward.
At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Ava noticed Elizabeth standing and looking out through a gap in the mountains where the landscape could be seen for miles. She approached her, noting the tightness around Elizabeth’s eyes.
“Hard to believe something like this could happen out here,” Ava said, trying to soundnonchalant. Elizabeth’s eyes glistened as she glanced back at Ava over her mask.
“It is beautiful,” Elizabeth said, her voice almost reverent.
“I know,” Ava answered. “I missed it so much when I went to medical school, I guess it’s just… part of me now.”
“You went to Emory?” Elizabeth asked, though it was more of a statement.
“Yes,” Ava was surprised again at how much Elizabeth knew about her. “I heard you did your undergraduate there, too.”
“I did,” Elizabeth nodded but didn’t look at her.
“Then you had a residency with Johns Hopkins,” Elizabeth said, again it felt like a statement, like she was trying to figure out a puzzle.
“I did, yes, worked with some amazing doctors,” Ava answered. Her eyes narrowed on Elizabeth; she had an inclination that she knew where this line of questioning was leading.
Elizabeth gave her a sidelong glance. “I have to ask, Ava, why?”
Ava blinked in surprise. “Why what?”
“Why are you here, there are so many placesthat wanted you, so many hospitals and research teams, why did you want to stay here in Phoenix Ridge?”
Ava opened and closed her mouth a few times behind the mask. She wasn’t sure how to take the inquiry. On the one hand, she was flattered that Elizabeth knew so much about her and her career; on the other, she felt almost as though she was being judged. It wouldn’t be the first time.
“I mean no offense,” Elizabeth said as she noticed Ava’s discomfort. “I’m just curious.”
“I would love to say none taken, but I’m not sure that’s true,” Ava answered and narrowed her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Elizabeth said quickly. “I shouldn’t have asked, it’s none of my business.” She turned and walked quickly away leaving Ava confused and flustered.
Ava stood there for a minute trying to process what had just happened. Did this woman really think less of her because she wasn’t at some fancy metropolitan hospital or research lab? She knew that she didn’t need to defend herself to anyone, but this was something that she’d dealt with before, and for some reason it stung that Elizabeth would slight her like that. She thought they had made a connection, but maybe she had misread the situation.
With a huff, Ava stalked off. She took some of the equipment from one of the bags that the tech had brought to the site and started to collect some soil and plant samples to bring back to the lab. Elizabeth watched her for a minute, her lips pressed together in contemplation. She looked like she had something more to say, but Ava didn’t want to hear it. Her life choices were none of Elizabeth’s business, and if she thought she had a right to judge her on them, well, that was Elizabeth’s problem, not Ava’s. She threw herself into the work, refusing to acknowledge it any further.
Ava couldn’t help but watch as Elizabeth set up a grid for the site. Each sample they collected was logged and labeled with its location and information. Watching Elizabeth work was like a class on research methodology and, much to Ava’s annoyance, she found it inspiring. She started to wonder if maybe Elizabeth was on to something when she asked why Ava was still in this city. She immediately shut down the line of thought. She had been given many opportunities and had been questioned by many different people why she would choose to stay in Phoenix Ridge, even told that it was irresponsible, that she could contribute so much to medicine if she would just find a bigger, better, hospital. Ava didn’t believe that, though. She had done so much for her community, and for the medical community at large, from the comfort of her home. She loved everything Phoenix Ridge stood for. Its feminism, its women in power, its super positive environment for sapphic women like her.
Ava loved everything about Phoenix Ridge. She actually thought the rest of the world could learn a lot from the way they did things in Phoenix Ridge.
She was happy here, so why did she feel so defensive about it?
She couldn’t quite figure out why Elizabeth’s comments had bothered her so much. Ava was comfortable with the choices she had made in her life. She knew better than anyone how many hospitals and research facilities had recruited her after graduating; she had done her internships and residencies at some very prestigious organizations. Elizabeth had no right to judge her on her choices.
Phoenix Ridge had one of the best hospitals in the nation, and that wasn’t just because Ava was biased. Some of the research and patient care that happened at that hospital was known worldwide. Ava herself had found many neurological treatments alongside the doctors and staff at that hospital that were revolutionary. Elizabeth had to have known that. She seemed to know everything else. Ava huffed at herself, she was being petulant and she knew it.
