Coming Home
Disclaimer: Ok, ok, they don't belong to me. But if they did........
Abby sat on her sofa; dejectedly staring at the door Carter had just slammed in her face only moments earlier. She absently turned the keys he had just given her in her hand, thoughts running her head like a swift moving river.
She had just asked her boyfriend of a year for her apartment key back. She knew their relationship was in trouble even before he left for the Congo but she never expected that it could end so quickly. He didn't even act like he cared before he left, despite the effort she made to have a civil and caring conversation.
Snippets of their last exchange ran through her head:
........"Did you have a bad shift?" ........."You're going aren't you, to the Congo? ........."Its not here."
After his return, things were better for a short while, but he began to again grow distant. They no longer shared any laughs, held hands or made love. Abby was sick of this lack of communication and affection. They tried to work it out, but to little or no avail. That afternoon, Abby asked for her key back and requested that Carter not come around anymore. It was one of the hardest decisions for her to make but she knew it was for the best.
She rested her head on the cushion and flipped the TV on to the cartoon network. Her eyes began to drift closed, the lull of the Bugs Bunny Show easing her into slumber. Suddenly, the piercing ring of the phone jolted Abby off the couch. She grabbed the receiver and saw the number for County General Hospital flashing on the call display. Groaning, Abby clicked the ringer off and dragged her afghan into the bedroom. She collapsed on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
* * * FOUR HOURS LATER * * *
Abby awoke to a very bizarre sound being emitted throughout her apartment. She thought she was dreaming but realized that the tune of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" was actually playing in the normal silence of her apartment. She quickly remembered that Carter had changed the ring-tone of her cell phone to the annoying song and she jumped swiftly out of bed to retrieve the offending device from her side bag.
"Hello?"
"Abby?" Susan Lewis asked, "I need you to come to the ER as soon as you can."
"Huh? Susan what is going on? I'm not scheduled today." Abby sighed in annoyance, she just wanted to stay away from the bustling ER, even if for a day.
"It's Luka."
"What are you talking about? Luka is still in the Congo. Carter said that he was going to stay there for a while and help out wherever he could, he isn't supposed to be back until next month."
"I know, but Abby, authorities in the Congo just called us. Luka was found with a group of refugees in the forest, he is very ill. They are bringing him back to Chicago so he can be seen by doctors here in the states."
Abby sank into a chair at the kitchen table. "What do you mean ill? Is he okay?"
"We don't know much about his condition, but they are allowing him back into the states. That is a good sign, though. In order to be permitted entrance back into the states, health authorities overseas would have to rule out anything like Ebola before he could even come home."
"Susan, that doesn't mean anything! People can be dying of illnesses here in Chicago that aren't Ebola." Abby felt her pulse begin to race. "When is he coming back? Are we going to be treating him at County?"
"He is already in a plane heading home. The air attendants onboard said they were stalled in New York because of unfavourable weather conditions but they will be ready to fly back to Chicago in the next hour or so."
Abby glanced at the clock; 11:46pm. "I'll be at the hospital in the next 40 minutes."
"Ok Abby, but be prepared, we don't know how he is doing. We have a bed ready for him up in the ICU."
Abby hung up the phone and hurriedly pulled her coat on over her pyjama top and tied her shoes. Within ten minutes she was boarding the EL heading in the direction of County General.
Disclaimer: Ok, ok, they don't belong to me. But if they did........
Abby sat on her sofa; dejectedly staring at the door Carter had just slammed in her face only moments earlier. She absently turned the keys he had just given her in her hand, thoughts running her head like a swift moving river.
She had just asked her boyfriend of a year for her apartment key back. She knew their relationship was in trouble even before he left for the Congo but she never expected that it could end so quickly. He didn't even act like he cared before he left, despite the effort she made to have a civil and caring conversation.
Snippets of their last exchange ran through her head:
........"Did you have a bad shift?" ........."You're going aren't you, to the Congo? ........."Its not here."
After his return, things were better for a short while, but he began to again grow distant. They no longer shared any laughs, held hands or made love. Abby was sick of this lack of communication and affection. They tried to work it out, but to little or no avail. That afternoon, Abby asked for her key back and requested that Carter not come around anymore. It was one of the hardest decisions for her to make but she knew it was for the best.
She rested her head on the cushion and flipped the TV on to the cartoon network. Her eyes began to drift closed, the lull of the Bugs Bunny Show easing her into slumber. Suddenly, the piercing ring of the phone jolted Abby off the couch. She grabbed the receiver and saw the number for County General Hospital flashing on the call display. Groaning, Abby clicked the ringer off and dragged her afghan into the bedroom. She collapsed on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
* * * FOUR HOURS LATER * * *
Abby awoke to a very bizarre sound being emitted throughout her apartment. She thought she was dreaming but realized that the tune of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" was actually playing in the normal silence of her apartment. She quickly remembered that Carter had changed the ring-tone of her cell phone to the annoying song and she jumped swiftly out of bed to retrieve the offending device from her side bag.
"Hello?"
"Abby?" Susan Lewis asked, "I need you to come to the ER as soon as you can."
"Huh? Susan what is going on? I'm not scheduled today." Abby sighed in annoyance, she just wanted to stay away from the bustling ER, even if for a day.
"It's Luka."
"What are you talking about? Luka is still in the Congo. Carter said that he was going to stay there for a while and help out wherever he could, he isn't supposed to be back until next month."
"I know, but Abby, authorities in the Congo just called us. Luka was found with a group of refugees in the forest, he is very ill. They are bringing him back to Chicago so he can be seen by doctors here in the states."
Abby sank into a chair at the kitchen table. "What do you mean ill? Is he okay?"
"We don't know much about his condition, but they are allowing him back into the states. That is a good sign, though. In order to be permitted entrance back into the states, health authorities overseas would have to rule out anything like Ebola before he could even come home."
"Susan, that doesn't mean anything! People can be dying of illnesses here in Chicago that aren't Ebola." Abby felt her pulse begin to race. "When is he coming back? Are we going to be treating him at County?"
"He is already in a plane heading home. The air attendants onboard said they were stalled in New York because of unfavourable weather conditions but they will be ready to fly back to Chicago in the next hour or so."
Abby glanced at the clock; 11:46pm. "I'll be at the hospital in the next 40 minutes."
"Ok Abby, but be prepared, we don't know how he is doing. We have a bed ready for him up in the ICU."
Abby hung up the phone and hurriedly pulled her coat on over her pyjama top and tied her shoes. Within ten minutes she was boarding the EL heading in the direction of County General.