I had decided that today was going to be a good day and that I would not let myself be pushed into a corner as in the past weeks. Luka was away for the day on a staff meeting somewhere downtown. And today was my day. It's with a happy smile and my arms full of goodies that I entered ER.
- "Hello everyone , I brought coffee and doughnuts," was my entering line. My happy feeling didn't last very long.
- "Are you crazy? This is far too heavy for you." Morris rushed at my side, snatching the cups and bags from me.
- "Relax, Luka is not around. You can treat me as any normal R2 today!" I only half-joked, but I heard most of the staff laugh at my little barb.
- "Hey, I resent that! What are you implying?" I decided to just innocently smile at him.
- "We could have sent Ray, it was his turn, but thanks for the gesture. It's appreciated." Pratt added, patting me on the shoulder.
- "You said coffee? Didn't you bring any tea?" Neela was checking the cups , looking for her extra strong espresso. I crunched my brows.
- "Since when are you drinking tea, Neela"
- "It's not for me, it's for you"
- "I don't drink tea!" Did I really have to say that to Neela? She knows I love coffee. Okay let's be honest I like tea too, but once in a while…
- "Well you should. I have heard that coffee was bad for pregnant women." Frank added while reaching for the cinnamon and sugar coated doughnut.
- "I didn't know that you were so knowledgeable about pregnancies. And for your information as I feel that you're dying to know more, I assure you that a cup once in a while is okay. I checked it with my OB."
- "So why don't you drink coffee when Luka is around?" Sam took her cup and sipped right away.
- "Oh come on Sam, you know how he is. I would have to discuss so long that the cup would be cold by the time I made my point"
- "Yeah exactly what I meant! You wouldn't do it." With this final sentence she left.
- "It would be useless and… Hey where is my cup of coffee? I brought an extra one! Who took it? I want my cup back. I only have today to drink one. Please… I haven't had one in weeks, months, I think I forgot how it tastes."
I'll never bring coffee again. I can't believe they did that.
- "Then you can't miss it. There is a patient for you in suture room. She fell and has an ugly gash on her knee. Can you take care of that?"
Chuny was all smiles, so what am I supposed to answer to that. Not missing for not having it? Since when is that logical? Not in my perfect world. But I started to wonder if I was actually there.
- "Yeah sure… No coffee, no real patient, it's funny that you still allow me to stand here. Haven't you go a chair for me to sit and wait until something really boring happens?" I took the way of the suture room. I guess that in a week or two I could put my name on it : "Abby's sewing parlor".
- "Oh come on Abby. Don't you like to be pampered from time to time?" Haleh had her sweetest smile.
- "Yeah from time to time… When I'm off-duty… Or when I'm ill… I'm neither. I'm just an old, pregnant doctor who feels completely useless. You weren't like that with Susan, nor with any other pregnant doctor here. Why me? It's unfair. And don't look at me like that. I'll waddle my way to my new private kingdom. I know where it is, as I have spent most of the last 4 weeks there." I could feel myself pouting. Well that's very adult.
- "Don't be so cranky. We only try to make it easier for you. It's not our fault if nothing earth shattering has happened lately"
- "Well a headshot would make it easier too. At least I would be out of my misery." This is not how today was supposed to start. This was going to be my day.
- "Is something not okay? Do you have any pains? Should I call Coburn?" Haleh worried right away.
- "Oh come on. That was supposed to be a joke. I can't even get that right with you guys"
- " Well young lady, that was not funny…" Well Haleh scolding me wasn't funny either.
- "Yeah whatever," was my only answer. As I was ready to enter suture room, I suddenly froze when I heard Frank's question.
- "Do you think she is depressed? Normally it only starts after the birth, you know post-partum, but I read some women get that early… Maybe we should tell Kovac"
- "I heard that, Frank! If any of you is telling one of those nonsense stories to Luka, you're dead. I'll kill you myself with one of those suture needles." I entered the room where a rather shaken woman was waiting for me. The hell with them! The next trauma will be for me.
- "Man, she has good ears. How could she possibly have heard that? Do you think she is cranky, because she doesn't get any anymore?" Frank asked while looking at the closed door.
- "How would you know that?" Jerry asked.
- "Well Kovac is cranky too and he behaves like she is made of glass. Believe me the action is over for now. All I'm saying is that I can't wait for this kid to be born."