Post-01x04


"What'd you do today?"

Gina opened and closed her mouth at Henry's question. They all sat around Kerry's kitchen table, apple pie with just a bit of vanilla ice cream in front of them. It was going to be dinner, but then Gina had a surgery that had gone over, and so it was desert. Gina glanced over at Kerry, who just nodded. "I- ah- operated on a young boy still in his mother's womb. He had hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He should be okay."

"Wow- that's cool. Mama?"

Kerry ruffled her son's hair, "Well, nothing as exciting as Gina's not yet born heart surgery. I did sew back on three quarters of a young man's thumb."

Henry seemed to like that one just a bit more, "Oh man- that's even better."

"Mmm... perhaps not for the young man who nearly cut it off."

Henry blushed a little as he finished off his desert, "Um... yeah. Right. Sorry." He paused, "I'm gonna go finish my homework. Kay?"

Kerry nodded, "You're excused."

"Bye Gina."

"Ah, yes, good night young man."

Henry left Gina and Kerry at the table. Kerry frowned at Gina and reached for her hand, "What's wrong?"

Gina gave a short shake of her head as she pulled her hand back just a bit. "Nothing, I'm simply tired. Aren't you?"

Kerry got up and started putting the dishes in the dishwasher. "My son does his own homework, pees on his own, choses his own clothes, can walk unassisted, and can fully understand the English language. I have more free time than I know what to do with... although..." Kerry smirked and turned back towards Gina, "I have some ideas..."

Gina stood and joined Kerry at the sink, "I apologize if I shouldn't have told him about..."

Kerry took one of Gina's hands in her own and kissed her palm. "He loves that sorta stuff. Right now he's looking up hypoplastic left heart syndrome on PubMed Health. The one thing I've never forced on him, anything related to Medicine, and he can't get enough of it. You're just..." Kerry raised an eyebrow, "New meat for him."

Gina smiled a bit uncomfortable and took a step back from Kerry. Kerry stepped forward and Gina went back again. "You're pulling away- why?"

Gina walked to the wall farthest from the sink and studied a framed photo of the Chicago skyline. "I'm pretty sure that Owens and Kopelson are going to kill each other."

"Gi-"

Gina shook her head, "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, I need to go."

Kerry tried to get Gina to stop, to stay, to talk, but the dark haired woman successfully escaped out the door. It's click sounding like a thunderclap to Kerry. She stared at the inside of her front door.

"Mama? Where's Gina?"

Kerry shook herself out of her own head and turned to her son, "Ah. gone. She had a long day."

Henry came up next to Kerry and put an arm around her waist. "Do you want me to totally kick her butt or something?"

Kerry smiled and draped her arm around Henry's shoulders. "Thank you Henry, but, no, so... you ready for help on your English homework, or are you okay with it tonight?"

Henry blew out a breath, "No, I need help."

"Let's go see how I can help then."

"Mama... I love you."

Kerry frowned down at her son, "I love you too Henry. But, what brought that on kiddo?"

Henry shrugged, trying to defuse the emotional moment, "Whatever. I mean. I just wanted you to know, 'cause, if Gina doesn't like you too, she's stupid."

Kerry chuckled, "Don't give up on her yet. So, what is it, your English homework?"

Henry made a face, "Shakespeare."

Kerry looked a bit surprised, "Really, but... you're eight."

"Uh, and a genius in a genius school or whatever, 'cept for I'm not a genius at English- so-"

"So- Shakespeare. If music be the food of love, play on."


November 14th, 2012