chapter 10

A couple of hours passed Josh had made more pancakes for Ben. James was still in bed. I decided to get ready for work . Ben said he had a change of cloths at work so he didnt need to go home untill later on when he finished work. Annabel had gone back upstairs to get changed she borrowed A t-shirt of Josh. It looked baggy on her but good old Annabel could pull anything off she was very creative she had an eye for things. She should really go in to design she would make loads of money doing that. But try telling Annabel what she could do was no good she wouldnt belive you she didnt belive in herself very much.

"Looking hot Annabel give us a twirl." Josh said when she came back down stairs.

"Well I do try." Annabel replyed in a diva voice."

"Ha you dont need to try you always loook stunning." I said to boost her confidence.

"Thanks." Annabel said embarsed not beliving what we were telling her it really wound me up when she wouldnt listen.

"Right Ben are you ready to go in?" I asked as time was getting on.

"Yeah I am ready when you are."

"Right Annabel what are you doing today?" I asked not sure if i would see her when i came back.

"Well if Josh doesnt mind I will just hang round here if thats ok?" Annabel asked not sure if she was pussing it.

"Yeah fine by me I am not doing any thing grand today." Josh said pleassed that Annabel wanted to stay with him.

"Well thats that sorted I will see you when I get back then. Annabel gave Ben a hug goodbye.

"Ohh when James decideds to get up will you tell him were I have gone." I asked Josh.

"Yeah no probs I will tell him you have run away with Ben." Josh said laugthing.

"Not Funny Josh." I said trying not to Laugth. We walked out after Ben saying good bye to Josh.

"I get why James was a bit off with me when we first met." Ben said understanding why he did that.

"Yeah I told him he was being stupid but I think he really likes you now."

"Yeah I think so to he is a good guy James." Ben saying his approvel. Ben wasnt looking foward to going into work. It was going to be tougth for him every one trying to find out what happend last night. Being nosey when it was none of there buisness.

We arrived at work we signed in Ben went to go and get changed. I walked on to the ward to my suprise Dr Alex was here.

she saw my stunned face and started to walk over to me. Great I thought.

I walked into my office if she was going to start something then I wanted it to be in private. Then hopefuly Ben would find out that she was here by the nurses.

There was A letter on my desk it was from Dr Jones welcoming me back. It said that we needed to have a meeting when I came back things need to change. I unlocked the draw and put the letter in there as I shut the draw Dr Alex came in to my office.

Dont knock then I thought to myself. She looked diffrent today she wasnt wearing any makeup. she was showing her age black bags under her eyes. Good I hoped she was suffering.

"Dr O'Neil I wasnt expecting you here today." She said in a soft voice it stunned me Did she even know how to be nice? She was just standing in the door way.

"Dr Alex I think it would be best if you come in and shut the door please." I sounded really harsh. But how did i Know this could just be an act and any way she had bought it all on herself. She came and sat down on the chair I wasnt on planning to sit down I wanted to keep watch out for Ben.

"So did you enjoy yourself Lastnight at the party?" She asked ashamed.

"Well it was a diffrent lets put it that way." I couldnt be nice to her why should i. Ben walked on to the ward he was about to walk upto my office when he saw who was in here with me. He stopped for a minute shocked that she was here. Ben smilled at me he knew this was a bit difficult for me to and walked off on to the ward.

"Yes I have been very stupid." She replyed.

"I am sorry Dr Alex but I really dont see how this concerns me. Last time I looked we were not friends and never have been so i dont see why you are in here trying to get me to feel sorry for you. Beacuse I dont you bought this on yourself. You had everything A rich husband a wonderful life style and you go and take the little thing that Nurse Pool had and ruin it for her. She doesnt have a grand house or have a huge wage packet that you do. She is just a Nurse who does not earn enougth for what she does in my opinion and you take her boyfriend from her.

Yes maybe he was a nasty person but thats not the point is it. You saw something she had and you had to have it didnt you.

What i dont understand is why you felt like you needed to do that for. When you had it so good?" I was shouting now all the nurses were staring.

Ben must of heard me he was walking over to see what was happening. Ben didnt come in he just waited outside ready to step in if needs be.

"Well I am glad you didnt hold back there Frasier thats one thing i admire about you. Every one around here is being so kind but not you.

You say what you think." She said shocked that I was talking to her like that.

"I am not doing it for your benefit Dr Alex, Its my honest opinion." Ben looked over to some one who had walked on to the ward Ben smiled at me and walked off trying to look busy. All the nurses did the same. Dr Jones walked up to the nurses station the nurse on shift pointed to my office. Dr Alex looked round to see what I was looking at.

"Ohh no here goes." She said not looking foward to what was about to happen. Dr Jones knocked on the door and walked in he left the door open as it was getting cramped now I was still standing with my arms folded. Dr Alex was still sitting down looking at the floor looking ashamed. Dr Jones didnt look happy with Dr Alex as he looked at her Then he looked upto me.

"Dr O'Neil can I just apolgise I didnt get to speak with you last night I hope I didnt offend you?" Dr Jones said with meaning

"Thats ok Dr Jones I wasnt offended." I said reasuring him I wasnt angry with him.

"Yes good to hear Dr O'Neil. Did you recive my letter.?" Dr Jones said as he looked around to see if he could find it.

"Yes I did thats why I am here to sort out when I can come back to work." I said excited by the prospect of it.

"Good good well If you are free for half hour I would like to borrow you. we have a lot to talk about." Dr Jones said as he looked at Dr Alex.

"Yes I have no plans today."

"Great Well if you dont mind would it be possibble if I could borrow your Office for ten minutes I just need to talk to Dr Alex."

"Yes of course I will leave you to it."

"Thank You Dr O'Neil I will come and find you when Iam done here."

"Yes I will be on the ward covering Dr Alex while you talk to her." I said as I walked out Giving her glare.

"Ohh thank you thats very concederete of you." Dr Jones said very happy with me. Dr Alex didnt like that for a secound I saw the old Dr Alex come back. I shut the door behind me and decided I would go and find Ben.

Ben was getting himself a cup of tea from the kitchen.

"So that was a suprise I wanst expecting her to be here." Ben said as I walked in to the kitchen.

"Yeah well I have had a word with her so she knows how I feel about what she did."

"I Know I heard you shouting at her I was very amused when Dr Jones walked on to the ward looking for her."

"Yes well I just cant belive that she is here thinking that everyone is going to feel sorry for her what kind of plannet is she living on." I said annoyed by her.

"Plannet Alex by the sounds of it." Ben said laugthing Then suddenly Charles Alex III poped his head around the door. I should of expected it were ever Dr Jones was charles was by his side. it made me jump.

"Sorry Dr O'Neil I didnt mean to make you jump." Charles said

"No thats ok I just didnt expect to see you here today." I said shocked that he was here.

"Yes well If life isnt going your way you have work to look foward." He said in an upbeat tone. Ben laugthed at his point of view it made sense really.

"Would you like a cup tea or coffee?" Ben asked. Charles walked in to our kitchen and looked around at what we had. a basic kettle that was it.

"No coffee machine how do you boys servive." He said astounded that we didnt have a machine.

"Its called instant coffee Charles." Ben replyed cheekely. I looked over to ben confused he wasnt normaly this talkative around the medical cheifs.

"Well that's going too have to change you cant live off that rubbish. I actully thought they had stopped making that stuff." Charles said shocked I dont think he was even Jokeing. We both laugthed at what he was saying.

"Yes the reason why i am down here I knew you were on shift today I just wanted to see if you were ok Dr Jackson." Charles asked concerned for him.

"I am fine thank you Charles." Ben said a bit confused to why he had come all the way down here to ask that.

"Ahh good chap chin up and all that." Charles said happily.

"How are you doing Charles?" I asked stunned by how kind he was being. we really didnt know him we only knew him as Dr Alex's husband.

"Yes well I have years of wisdom on relashionhips. Well yes it's going to be tougth time for the both of us. But she decided to take that path of batrayle and yes its a shame. But you have to look foward to life and the next adventure it takes you on." Charles said full of wisdom.

"Well thats one way of looking at it." Ben said stunned by his strenth.

"Yes it helps to keep positive Dr Jackson I am sure Nurse Pool Is very upset at the moment. You need to be strong for her to help her through this." Charles said giving Ben advice.

"Me and Nurse Pool are not an item." Ben said thinking Charles had got his wires crossed.

"Ohh I know that but I have seen the way you two are together. its very magical Be patient Dr Jackson you will win her over I am sure of it." Charles said certin.

"Well thank you Charles." Ben said a bit stunnned that he was talking to Charles about relationships.

"Yes well we have one thing to thank my Wife no sorry let me correct that my ex wife for. All the damage she has done but it will all work out for the best Iam sure." It kind of scared me a little Charles seemed like he knew what was going to happen maybe i was being paranoid but it spooked me.

Dr Jones came and found us.

"Well this is were you are hiding Charles." Dr Jones said amused that he was in our kitchen.

"Martin did you know they use Instant coffee down here?" Charles asked still shocked and to say it was wrong for us to use it.

"No I didnt Know that Charles shocking stuff." Dr Jones said mocking him.

"Yes well I want a coffee machine down here as soon as possible. I cant belive the poor staff here have been treated like this." Charles said making plans to were to put it.

"Right ok Well now are little problem is sorted we can have are meeting today. Dr O'Neil is free today so we can discuss are new plans." Dr Jones said to charles.

"Great well shall we go and discuss the changes then?" Charles said in a upbeat voice. It really had taken me by suprise how Charles was taking all this I know he loved her very much they had been together a long time which suprised me when i found that out she certainly did not love him she was in it for the money and the life style. I guess he had worked that out maybe thats why he didnt seem that bothered.

i waved goodbye to Ben who was about to start the rounds.

Dr Alex was walking are direction she wasnt looking up and she bumped in to Charles.

"Well excuse me." She said in her nasty tone. She looked up she didnt realise who she had bumped into. She thought is was just a nurse or a patient.

"So thats how you talk to people is it?" Charles asked not very happy by her attitude. He had his arms crossed now.

"No of course not Charles." She said trying to sound sorry.

"Martin sort this out." Charles said as he walked off.

"Yes certainly Charles Dr O'Neil if you wouldnt mind following Charles I will be there In a moment." I just did as I was asked I didnt want to get involved in all of this i was here to do my job and thats what i wanted to do help people. we walked into Dr Jones office well it was Charles office to but Dr Jones used it more then Charles. Charles office was at the golf course thats were he was if he wasnt here.

"Right come on in Dr O'Neil make yourself at home." Charles said as he sat down at his desk. There office was huge it had great views outside. the art work on the walls were amazing. I bet Josh would have liked these it was his kind of style of art lots of colours which had meaning.

"Do you like art Dr O'Neil?" Charles asked as he had seen me looking at them.

"Well not really I dont understand it not like my Brother he loves art." I replyed getting a closer look at them.

"Yes thats I rember you telling me"

"He is at college studying art But what he draws is amazing stuff but he doesnt think it's that good." I dont know what it was about Charles I could really open up to him.

"Does he have a porfolio?" Charles asked intragued.

"He has all his work on him yes but I dont think he has put together as such."

"Well I would like to see some more of his work you seem very proud off him?"

"Yes I am he has had it tougth." I said thinking about How proud I was of him.

"Yes of course I heard about your parents accident. It can be hard to carry on when you lose the people you love. Especialy when it is so unexpected. I was married Before I met Sarah. My wife died to young to but she had a brain tuma so it was expected when she past away.

And still to this day i do some thing or smell something and all my memories come flooding back." Charles said looking out of the window.

"Ohh I didnt realise Charles I am sorry to hear that." I said trying to ease his pain.

"Yes well thats all in the past now no point in dragging it all up." Charles said looking at me it looked like he was blocking out the memories. Dr Jones came in to the office now.

"Sorry Dr O'Neil for keeping you shall we start?" Dr Jones said pointing to a chair. I went to sit down they both looked serious about something.

"Right ok well the reason we have called this meeting with you today is to sort out when you will be ready to return back to work." Charles asked

"Well I am ready to come back now." I said excited to get back.

"Great its so good to see you so infuseastic about your work." Dr Jones said.

"Yes well I like to help people." I replyed.

"We can see that in your work Dr O'Neil and thats what this hospital needs doctors like you. I must say Dr Jackson is certainly starting to impress me he is hard working he really looks up to you Dr O'Neil you are a good mentoir." Dr Jones said with passion in his voice.

"Well thank you I am glad I am doing the right thing. Yes for Dr Jacksons he is a very good doctor we are lucky to have him here." I said very proud of him he had come a long way.

"So when do you want to come back then?" Charles asked.

"The sooner the better." I replyed.

"Right ok well how about tomorrow?" Dr Jones asked.

"Yes sounds good to me." I said very happy about that.

"Well great tomorow it is. We know you mainly do the night shifts we want to change that if thats ok with you? we would rather like you to be doing the day shifts with Dr Jackson. Dr Alex will be doing the evening shifts from now on." Dr Jones said pleased that I wanted to start so soon.

"Right ok well I havent got a problem with that but I cant see Dr Alex being happy about it?" I asked.

"Yes well Dr Alex is walking on thin ice so she has to be very careful one foot out of line and that it she will be gone." Dr Jones said with hatred for her. I just smilled At that last comment I didnt want to get in involved in all of it.

"Right ok well I think we are all done here now." Dr Jones said as he looked at his watch.

"Well seeing as we are done early we should go and have a round of golf what do you say old chap?" Charles asked Dr Jones.

"Yes good thinking Charles."

"Do you want to Join us Dr O'Neil" Charles asked me.

"Sorry No but thank you for the invite. Golf really isnt my thing. Any way I have some paper work to catch up on before I start to tomorow.

"Ohh well your loss Dr O'Neil it's a good game." Dr Jones said shocked that I didnt like Golf.

"So you dont like art and you dont like golf what are you into?" Charles asked confused.

"I really havent got hobbie I have never had time for it." I said trying to make me look normal.

"Yes well you should really take time to take up a hobbie." Charles said.

"I will have to think about that one." I said laugthing. I got up and shook Dr Jones and charles hand to say good bye and thank you. As I was about to walk out Charles called after me.

" Dr O'Neil would you like to take this for your brother you seemed to be attached to this one." Charles asked.

"Ohh no Charles its to much I can not except that." I said amazed by his kindness. He was offering the painting I was looking at earlier.

" No dont be silly Dr O'Neil you can replace it for me with a drawing from your brother." Charles said seeming intreasted in Josh's art work.

"Josh is a very good artist but it might not be your thing Charles it's very diffrent from your usall artist." I said concerned that he wouldnt get Josh's art work.

"Well I think I will like it if it is any thing like the art work I saw on your partners cast very beautiful." Charles said knowing he would like it.

"Well he will love this I am sure. Thank you charles I will ask him to do something special for you."

"Thank you Yes I need a change of art iam getting a bit boared of these paintings." Charles said as he looked round at them

.I walked out with the painting and went to put it in my car. I walked back on to the ward to look for ben to tell him about how impreased Charles and Dr Jones were of his progress He needed to hear something positve maybe it would make him feel a little better. he certainly wasnt the luckiest person I knew. Ben and Dr Alex looked like they had there hands full with a regular patient who semmed to be in here a lot of the time not due to his own fault but down to other people letting him down. I waved over to ben just to let him know i was back . I walked into my office to sort out my paper work and get ready for my shift to start tomorow. Ten minutes passed by i had finished what i needed to do Ben knocked on the door and walked in.

"Hi Ben I see Jude is back in again keeping you busy?" I said knowing he could be a handful.

"Yes he hasnt been taking his meads thats why he is back in. I just cant belive social services they are rubbish." Ben said annoyed.

"Why what have they done now?" I asked knowing how rubbish they were.

"Well judes carer has gone on holiday and they havent bothered to replace her whille she is away so jude thought it would be ok not to take his meads and well i wont say what he had done. all i will say is when the police bought him in he was naked.

"Ohh no poor jude they are allways letting him down he is such a nice guy when he is on his meadication. Do you want me to ring social services for you and give them a peice of my mind." I asked I knew Ben was going to be very busy and thats the last thing he needed is to stuck on the phone to them all afternoon.

"No Its ok Dr Alex is on it suprisingly." Ben said shocked that she was helping.

"Well what Dr Jones said must of shocked her and feels like she has to behave now."

"So what did they say to you then?" Ben asked as he sat down intreigued to what was happening

"It was a bit weird actully. Charles gave me a painting to give to Josh."

"Right ok thats a bit odd?" Ben said with a confused look on his face.

"Yeah he said he liked what was on James plaster cast and wants Josh to paint him something. He said he was boared with what he had now."

"Ha-ha what it is like to be rich." Ben said amused by it all.

"Ohh before i forget they wanted me to tell you how very impreased they are with you they said your doing an excalent job."

"Wow really its good to know iam doing something right." Ben said shocked but happy by the news. Dr Alex walked into my office didnt even bother knocking it really annoyed me that she felt like she didnt need to knock like it was her office.

"Yes Dr Alex can I help you?" I asked annoyed at her.

"I just wanted to let you know Dr Jackson that they are going to send a new carer down for jude. Sorry if I inturpted you Dr O'Neil."

Dr Alex said in a soft apoligtic tone. Dr Alex left and closed the door I was stunned. was this the real Dr Alex or was it just A mask. Ben was laugthing at me now.

"I bet you feel bad now dont you?" Ben said winding me up.

"I do actuly do you think i should go and apologise to her?" I asked not sure what to do.

"No defantly not its proberly just a mask I bet she needs every one on her side at the moment. give it time she will return back to her normal horrible self." Ben said knowing he couldnt trust her.

"Yeah your proberly right ben."

"Well I better get back to it are you going to here long?" Ben asked.

"No I am just about done I think. i am going to take some of this home and work on it there."

"Ok then. when do you come back then?"

"Tomorow I cant wait" I said excited.

"Great i am on tomorow what shift you on?" Ben asked.

"Day shift suprisingly."

"Really excellant well I am on the day too." Ben said happy about that.

"Well i will see you then Ben."

"Yes say hi to james and josh ohh and to annabel if she is still there."

"Yes I will ben have a good shift wont you."

"Will do see you frasier." Ben walked out on to the ward I finished what i was doing and left I didnt bother saying good bye to Dr Alex I was still very mad with her.