-x- Chapter 7 -x-
As he left Connie's office he looked around the nurses station, and the cubicles area for her, but she was no where to be seen. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Louise walk towards him.
"Have you seen Duffy?" She asked him, as she carried a large urine bottle.
"I was about to ask you the same thing." Charlie replied, as he looked down at her.
"Typical." Louise replied.
"Why?" He asked, as he frowned at her.
"Mr Wetherby hasn't been able to give a sample, and he's..." Louise began.
"Have you given him plenty to drink Louise?" Charlie asked.
"He's had seven cups of water already." She sighed at him.
"You'll just have to be patient with him Louise." Charlie added.
"But he's been here two hours already, and he's holding up the cubicle." Louise explained.
"Give him another hour, and give him some space. Not every one can go when asked. We're not exactly hectic in here today Louise." Charlie advised, as gave her a look of unamusement.
"Oh you're kidding me." Louise replied, as she sighed at him.
"A bit more bedside manner wouldn't go amiss either, you know." He said, as he smirked at her.
"Fine." She sighed at him again.
"Did you see where Duffy went to?" He asked her again.
"No, why?" She replied, as she looked up at him.
"I need to talk to her." He explained.
"When I see her I'll tell her." Louise replied, as she walked away from him.
Charlie just shook his head at her, and then walked down the corridor.
He knew she'd be hiding somewhere, he peered into the staff room, no luck. Then he continued down into the waiting area. He also knew she'd either be somewhere he could find her, so she'd continue their conversation, or, somewhere he couldn't, so she could calm down. He decided on the latter, noticing his office door was closed, and there was no light on. He proceeded to walk out into the car park, and found her sat on one of the benches, drinking a cup of coffee. He sighed, as he saw she was staring down at her cup in her hand. He walked over to her, and gently sat next to her.
"You ok?" He asked, as he looked at her.
She sighed at him.
"Connie can be a bit..." Charlie began to say.
"Heartless?" Duffy added, not looking at him.
Charlie sighed, then said, "Sometimes."
"Why do you put up with it?" She asked, as she turned to look at him.
"Oh, it's taken me a long time to accept it, believe me." Charlie replied, as he looked at her.
"And you do though." Duffy replied, as she looked down at her coffee cup again.
"It's easier to, less hassle." He replied, as he shrugged at her.
"Oh, Charlie." She sighed at him.
"She's not like you Duffy, she doesn't..." Charlie began to speak.
"Think of anyone else but herself." Duffy replied, as she began to get angry again.
"Well, not exactly what I would have said. But, she doesn't like to be told she's in the wrong." Charlie replied, as he looked at her, and sighed.
"I've never felt so angry, in a long time." She replied, as she sighed to herself.
"I know." Charlie said, as he put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him.
"I told her, you only get like that if you have to, and you have every right Duffy. She crossed the line. I won't stand that from her either." Charlie replied, as he hugged her into him.
"You said that?" She asked, pulling away from him.
"Of course." Charlie replied, looking shocked slightly.
"But Charlie, what I said was..." She tried to say to him.
"What you needed to say." He added, as he smiled down at her.
"But?" Duffy said again.
"Duffy, she may be a colleague, and a friend. But, she's not you is she?" Charlie explained.
"Charlie?" She replied, as she looked up at him.
"No, one will ever mean as much to me as you do." Charlie replied, looking at her with such devotion.
"Oh, Charlie." She said, as she smiled sorrowfully at him, and reached up and caressed his cheek.
He then reached down and kissed her lightly, and rested his head on her forehead, and sighed.
Connie looked up to see Charlie and Duffy sitting on the bench together chatting, she was about to walk over and say something, but decided against it, and stood there instead. She then saw Charlie lightly kiss Duffy, and she sighed to herself. Maybe she was being too hard on them both. And maybe, just maybe, she was a little jealous of Duffy, after all. Charlie had Duffy now. He didn't need her in his life, not anymore. Not like he once did.
