Chapter 25.
House asked each of the other judges to suggest another so that House and two others would select the winners of each elimination round. The first preliminary contest was for the twelve musicians, scheduled for Thursday afternoon, and the judges for that would be House, Karl, and a payroll clerk he'd recruited, a short, dark-haired and bubbly young woman named Andrea Solerno.
Thursday morning they learned that one contestant, a nurse who was going to play the piano, had dropped out. At three in the afternoon, House, Karl and Andrea sat in the first row of one of the lecture halls, waiting for the first competitor, a Pediatrics resident named Chet Snyder, who was planning to play his guitar.
He entered, pushing an amp, his instrument slung across his back. Chet plugged his equipment in, then stood in front of them, and without hesitation began to play. But he was either nervous or inept because the sounds they heard seemed to be a very poor rendition of 'Stairway to Heaven'.
House stopped him after sixteen bars. "That's enough."
"Oh!" Andrea gushed. "I wanted to hear more" she begged.
House rolled his eyes. "OK. Go ahead." He blatantly took out a pair of ear plugs and put them in.
Chet finished the song, disconnected, and left with his equipment, knowing he hadn't made the cut.
Chase was next. House smiled when he saw the violin and took out his ear plugs. He expected the intensivist-turned-surgeon to play something classical. It was classical all right, classical blue grass. Now when did the Aussie become a hillbilly? His fingers flew up and down the fingerboard as the bow coaxed the music out of the strings, lightly and quickly, and very professionally.
Andrea's eyes were wide. She was obviously impressed, but it was up for grabs whether it was with Chase's looks, hair flopping with the music, or his musical ability.
When Chase finished there was silence in the room. He looked at House, aware that he'd really be the deciding member of this trio. His former boss nodded slightly and Chase began to smile, eliciting a giggle from Andrea.
"Thank you, Dr. Chase," House said in dismissal.
As he left, Thirteen entered carrying her French horn. House tried to keep an open mind but still wondered why she'd picked that instrument, that is, until she began to play and a smile crept across his lips. Maybe this was her real calling. Andrea actually clapped when she was done, and Karl exclaimed, "Nice!"
The next two musicians, if you were of a mind to call them that just because they showed up with instruments, a flute and a banjo to be exact, were unimpressive. The best that could be said for them was that they weren't as bad as the guitar player.
Dr. Kulik, the surgeon who'd operated on House a couple of years back, showed up with an accordion, and played the inevitable 'Lady of Spain'. Then again, when you played the accordion, it was either that or a polka. Not bad, but not in a class with Chase or Thirteen.
House called for a half-way break, and Karl and Andrea agreed.
Stu knocked on Jack's door on his way out on Thursday. He was smiling. "Colleen said she'd do it," he told Jack. "I had to sweeten the pot a little but that's OK."
"Great!" Jack said.
"Yeah. Now we just need dates. Well, I'll let you finish up what you're doing." Stu opened the door to go, then turned back. "Say, what about your secretary? What's she like?"
"She's OK," Jack replied. He wasn't going to brag that he'd had an affair with her, because he knew that, in some way, that had precipitated his break up with Dee.
"Pretty thing, isn't she?" Stu said, watching Marci as she worked at her computer in the outer office.
Jack could only nod.
"One more thing. I almost forgot," Stu said. "The tickets to this dinner are $250 a piece. Just thought you should know."
Jack watched him leave. It wasn't outrageously expensive. And it would be worth it to see the look on Dee's face when he showed up, especially if he could come up with a hot date.
"So you picked the three musicians?" Dee asked at dinner that night.
"Yes," House confirmed. "The most interesting of the last batch of competitors was a bagpiper but Karl vetoed him. Many of the contestants were mediocre to awful. Besides Chase's violin and Thirteen's French horn, we picked Dr. Stern and his acoustic guitar."
"Grandma's doctor?" Addie asked, looking up from her food at the familiar name.
House nodded.
"But he isn't a member of the hospital staff," Dee wondered.
House shrugged. "He treats patients there sometimes." That was enough for him.
"What kind of name is 'Thirteen'?" Colin asked. He'd heard it before and had been curious.
"Haven't you ever heard of anyone with a number instead of a name?" House asked, straight-faced.
Colin shook his head, a serious expression on his face.
Dee smirked at House, then looked at her son. "Colin, it's just a nickname that Uncle Greg calls her."
"Oh." He was almost disappointed that she didn't have a number instead of a name. Maybe he could get Uncle Greg to call him 'Eight' instead of Colin.
Dee had made salmon, seasoned and grilled, and was surprised that everyone finished it. Her kids never used to eat fish, but the first time they'd seen House eat and enjoy it, they ventured to taste it and found it delicious. She took away the empty plates and then brought them the cupcakes she'd picked up on her way home from work.
House had decided a week or two before that he'd never eaten as well as he was eating with Dee. He'd have to watch it, or he'd be putting on weight before he knew it.
Colin had been relatively quiet throughout dinner, and House wondered why. He didn't have to wait long to find out. After dinner, while Dee and Addie loaded the dishwasher, the boy asked in a whisper, "Uncle Greg, can I talk to you in private?"
House nodded and followed him to the family room. "What is it?" he prompted.
"She did it," Colin blurted, still barely above a whisper even though his mother and sister couldn't possibly hear.
"Who did what?"
"Abby, the girl in my class. She got a hundred on a spelling test, and then on a math quiz, too!"
House began to smile. "So, did you let her kiss you?"
Colin shook his head. "She didn't even try!" He sounded insulted as well as puzzled.
House chuckled, then stifled his laugh when he saw the hurt look on Colin's face. "You should be proud of what you accomplished."
"What do you mean?"
"You got her to study for tests."
"Well, yeah," Colin agreed. "I guess. But what do I do now?"
"You're asking me? I've never understood females. They change their minds and you never know when or why."
"You understand Mom," Colin stated.
"Most of the time, but not always. But your mother is an unusual woman."
"And a great cook!" Colin said with a grin.
House grinned back, thinking about all the other things Dee was great at.
Jack arrived home, tired from a long day at work. It was so quiet in his empty apartment. He hung up his suit jacket and loosened his tie before going into the little kitchenette. Nothing much in his refrigerator. He settled for making a ham and cheese sandwich with a bottle of water to wash it down.
He took his plate and bottle, and sat on his couch, turning on the TV. He tried to find something to distract him from thinking about how his life had changed or what he should be doing about it. The bit of happiness he'd felt talking to Stu about the dinner had been fleeting.
He was just finishing his sandwich, wishing he was home, with Dee cooking fabulous meals for him, when the phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, but didn't recognize the name or number so he let the call go to his answering machine. Then he heard the voice. "Jack, it's Lynette Stanley, um, I used to be Lynette Iverson? We were in college together?" she was saying tentatively.
Impulsively, he picked up, remembering the pretty woman who'd been Dee's friend. "Lynette. Sorry I didn't get to the phone before the machine."
"Oh, Jack," she said, sounding almost surprised. "Um, I guess Dee didn't mention running into me last weekend?" She seemed to end every sentence as a question.
"No. She must have told you that we're separated. We, um, don't talk much."
"Yes, she did mention that. It's kind of why I called you? I had a hard time finding your new number, though."
"Are you back in New Jersey?"
"Yes. My marriage fell apart, too, so I decided to move back," she told him.
He still wasn't sure why she'd called, but decided to take a chance. "Maybe we could have a drink some time," he suggested.
"That would be nice. I still don't know too many people here."
"Are you busy tomorrow night?" he asked. "Maybe we can have dinner, too." What the hell, in for a penny, in for a buck.
"Uh..." It was what she'd hoped for, but was happening too fast. She'd have to find a sitter and..."OK," she said. She had to make the most of every opportunity she got. She gave him her address and said good night, not knowing that he was smiling as broadly as she was.
Friday, the dancers and 'other' contestants had to face House, Cameron and an intern named Jae-Li Sung, who she'd recruited in the ER. The first to perform was a nurse named Cookie who brought her chihuahua Candy (or was it the other way around?) Talk about your stupid pet tricks! The judges decided early on that it wasn't the tricks that were stupid but the pet. Candy (or Cookie?) told Cookie (or Candy?) to roll over, she just stood and stared at her owner, but when the nurse said 'sit!', the dog turned over. 'Heel' caused her to sit up and beg. Maybe it was the dog trainer who was the stupid one.
The three judges got a good laugh out of the act, but decided it didn't make the grade.
Second was a jitterbug team. The man, Barry, was a large black man who worked in maintenance, and his partner, Peg, was a night shift clerk. It was hard to tell who was better, Barry or Peg, but together they were excellent. Well-matched, quick and nimble, perfect for the kind of dancing they did. The judges had another finalist.
On the other hand, a doctor who taught classes on cardiovascular diseases, told the lamest jokes, and the pretty new nurse on the surgical team was no Nastia Luiken, falling twice when she tried a tumbling routine.
Next came Kutner. House couldn't believe that the doctor who'd set one patient on fire and electrocuted another, and himself, could keep three little balls in the air at once. But Kutner easily proved him wrong. He started with three, then added a fourth without stopping and finally a fifth. But he wasn't finished. He juggled bowling pins, and large rings, then one ball, one pin and a ring. House found himself mesmerized.
"Can someone blindfold me?" Kutner asked, and Cameron gladly obliged. Even blindfolded , he never missed. House was already contemplating the possibility of having him treat patients that way.
When he was done, House wouldn't give him the satisfaction of even smiling, but he couldn't keep the appreciation out of his eyes.
Kutner was followed by a ballerina who was more dodo than swan. She was so bad that, before the next performer began, House said, "If we pick the jitterbug team and Kutner, that's three contestants already and we don't have to subject ourselves to any more."
"But that's only two acts," Cameron objected.
"Let's see the rest, and then decide if there's another good one," Sung suggested, pleased to have been included in this judging business and not ready to stop.
Both House and Cameron looked at him as if they wondered where he'd come from and how he dared to get in the way of their argument, but they both knew he was making a reasonable suggestion, and the contest went on.
A couple of step dancers were pretty good individually, but they weren't synchronized. They each might have done better with another partner.
Then the judges got another surprise with the final performer of the day. Nurse Brenda had only indicated that she was going to dance, didn't reveal what kind, when she signed up. She came out in a long, sleek red and black gown with a big flounce at the bottom. Her hair was done up with a lace mantilla and fancy combs and she carried a black fan. She'd brought an MP3 player, turned it on, and began an intricate flamenco dance.
Her feet beat out a rhythm that changed periodically as she twisted and turned her body and head. Faster and faster she danced, always with the music until it ended abruptly and so did she.
Cameron clapped until she noticed House's withering look. But she knew he was impressed too. So they had three finalist acts, consisting of four performers.
At six Friday evening, Lynette was beginning to get ready for her dinner with Jack when her phone rang.
"Lynette, it's Jack," he identified himself. "Listen, I'm stuck at work. It's been a really hectic day and I'm still tied up with a client. There's no way I could pick you up."
"Oh." She sounded very disappointed.
"I made a seven thirty reservation at La Maison Rouge. Could you meet me there?"
"Oh!" So he wasn't standing her up. "Sure!" she said brightly. "I know where it is."
She also knew that La Maison Rouge was a former mansion that had been converted to a four-star French restaurant about five years before. Jack was taking her there for their first date! She looked at the dress she was planning to wear, then took out an even better one, light blue with a plunging neckline and see-through sleeves.
Her next door neighbor, Mrs. Muller, a sixty-something widow, arrived before seven to stay with the girls. Lynette kissed her daughters goodnight and made sure Mrs. Muller had her cellphone number, grabbed her good coat and was out the door.
The restaurant was twenty minutes away. She arrived before seven thirty, hoping she wouldn't have to wait long for Jack. The maitre d' had a hostess take her to their table and promised to send Jack as soon as he arrived.
He showed up five minutes later, very apologetic. "I'm so sorry I couldn't get away in time to pick you up!"
"That's all right," she excused him, looking him over, and wondering how Dee could have given up this great-looking guy.
Jack was inspecting her, too, and he liked what he saw. She was still very pretty, and her blue dress looked great on her.
A waiter appeared and Jack asked, "Would you like some wine?"
"Oh, that would be lovely," she purred. Although she'd already read through the menu while waiting for him, she let him order for them both. It felt so good to have a man taking care of her again.
They talked a little about their respective jobs as they ate, but it was just a way to avoid talking about their failed marriages. Neither one mentioned their kids or Dee. By the time they got to dessert, Jack had decided that Lynette would be the perfect one to take to the benefit dinner.
"Are you busy two weeks from tomorrow night?" he asked.
"I..." Should she admit she was free almost every night? "...I think so."
"I'm going to a fundraiser that night and I'd like you to go with me," he told her.
Her eyes lit up. "That would be wonderful!" she said.
"Then it's a date."
Lynette just hoped that Mrs. Muller was free. Maybe she should ask her to stay over night.