"I'm knackered," Jay moaned as he collapsed onto the reception desk.
"Get a grip, you had a break an hour ago," Ruth retorted as she hurriedly scribbled down notes.
"Want to escape?" he asked quietly, looking around to check that neither Tess or Charlie were listening in. Jay had a habit of doing that, talking a little too loudly and finding someone listening in, which usually got himself into a little bit of trouble as was the case previously with 'Charlie Bingo'.
"What makes you think I'd want to do that, Mr Faldren?" she smirked, cocking her head to one side.
""Well, Dr Winters, it'll be an adventure, exciting, thrilling…"
"The vending machine?" she interrupted, sighing at Jay's predictability.
"Badoomching. Got it in one!" he exclaimed banging on the desk loudly.
Ruth stifled a laugh, "What are you, a child!" She turned around, and saw Tess in the corner of her eye, and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, Ruth nudged Jay to get his attention, which was currently on a betting sheet he'd picked up.
"Jay…"Ruth hissed.
"Wha…Ah Tess! Tessy, Tess, Tess, I was just erm…" Tess gave Jay a look which said 'I'm not amused' and 'Get back to work' all in one.
"Staff Nurse Faldren," she said sternly. "Your elderly patient in cubicles…"
"Mr Burnley, with the cut above his eye that I bandaged up?"
"Yes, Mr Burnely, he commented on how much you put him at ease and your 'exemplary people skills', his words, not mine. However, that doesn't excuse the fact you are lingering here doing nothing when there is plenty to do in cubicles."
"Oh c'mon, I need a coffee to replenish my 'exemplary people skills' these things don't come easily y'know!"
"You've only just had a coffee…" Tess replied.
Ruth smirked at Jay, as if to say 'I told you so'.
"Ruth, you're meant to stick up for me!" he moaned like a child.
"This is work Jay, we're not at the bar yet! Cubicles. Now!"
Jay wandered off like a lost puppy, turning round and glancing at Tess, giving her the 'puppy-eyes'.
"I really don't know what you see in him Ruth!" Tess teased, patting the young Doctor on the arm in a motherly fashion.
"That has crossed my mind too," she replied jokily
A couple of hours later, and once again Jay was bargaining with Ruth to go on a break.
"Ok, fine," Ruth replied. "Just while I wait for these test results so 10 minutes max," she said as she tidied away her files.
"Fab," he beamed, tapping his fingers waiting for her.
Meanwhile a middle-aged plump, red-faced man stumbled in, dragging one leg behind him, singing some kind of intoxicated rendition of Phil Collins. "I can feel it coming in the air tonight…" he slurred.
"Oi, mate!" Jay called. "Love that song!"
The drunk man hobbled over to the reception desk, Ruth giving him a wary eye. "Ready?" he mumbled.
Jay nodded and drummed on the desk, the man clapping his hands in delight.
"Keep the racket down," Zoe called. "We'll be treating them all for tinnitus next!"
"Er, sorry, can I take your details please mate?" Noel asked the drunkard.
"Like I said earlier, you are such a child!" Ruth exclaimed.
"You love it really, now let's have this break!" he said, grabbing her hand and dragging her away.
"Jay," she giggled. "We're working, at least try and maintain some professionalism!"
"Oh blah blah blah, we're on a break, we can do whatever we please," he grinned.
"Make me a coffee then?"
Jay raised his eyebrow, with a look of somewhat disgust.
"Please…?"
Jay tapped his fingers together, and looked distracted.
"Oh, come on…pretty please?"
"I made you a cuppa this morning, and so it's your turn to make me one, fairs square," he compromised.
"Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish, rubbish, you want me to come to the vending machine? Black, no sugar, thank you."
Jay rolled his eyes, "Is this blackmail Dr Winters?"
"Nope," she pouted stubbornly.
"Come on, it's your turn, you can have one after the vending machine?" he replied.
"No, no, not the eyes Jay, don't do this! I thought you said you wouldn't do the eyes after last week!"
"…" Jay carried on looking at Ruth, staring her out.
"I give up."
"Ohhh yes! One nil to Jay," he beamed throwing his hands in the air, proceeding to drag her over to the staff room.
"I wasn't aware it was a competition?"
"Neither was I until now, white, no sugar, thank you," he said mimicking her earlier words.
Ruth rolled her eyes at him and pushed open the door.
"I'll be at the vending machine, yeah?" he called.
"Ok," she replied, switching the kettle on and smiling to herself.
"Mm, God," Jay mumbled, his mouth full. "I haven't had one of these in ages!"
"That's horrible, you're spitting biscuit everywhere," she replied turning her nose up.
"Want a bit?" he offered, dipping the Blue Riband into his coffee and holding it out to her.
Ruth smiled and nodded her head and Jay proceeded to feed her the chocolate bar.
"Good huh?" Jay quizzed her.
"Public displays of affection are not appreciated within viewing distance of patients and staff, we don't want a mass vomiting crisis," Dylan retorted in his typical matter of fact way as he walked past the couple.
"Cheers, mate!" Jay said sarcastically while rolling his eyes.
"Even I have more people skills than he does!" Ruth joked, making light of her own problems.
"Babe, he makes your people skills look superhuman! Even a cabbage has more people skills than Dylan Keogh!"
Ruth snorted, "Thanks, always good to know I have more people skills than a cabbage!"
"You know I didn't mean it like that," he rolled his eyes.
"What do I have the people skills of then? A cauliflower?"
"Nahh, more of a sprout you," he grinned tapping the end of her nose.
Nick Jordan walked past the two of them, stopping a little way ahead and turning round. "Chop chop you two, work to do we haven't got all day to dither, Ruth can we have you in Resus please?"
They both sighed, "See you later," Jay replied pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.
"Mhm, later," she smiled.