It's a week later. Doug has taken vacation from work for a few days to help Carol and the girls get settled in. Since Doug already had enough furniture, the only things Carol had brought were her clothes and items that had sentimental value. Already the house had her items spread out, pictures in frames on the walls and tables, clothes in the closet next to Doug's, makeup spread along the bathroom counter. The girls had already adapted to their new environment, and Tess was already becoming a Daddy's girl.
Carol, however, was not as ready. It still wasn't quite home to her, and she knew something was missing, but what it was she did not know. She missed her mom, and her friends from work, and even work. Doug sensed this.
"Hey Carol?" Doug asked, brushing his teeth, while Carol was in the shower and the girls were still asleep.
"Yeah?" Carol called
"Have you thought about going back to work?"
"Yeah, and I'm going to. I mean I love the girls, but I can't be housewife."
"Well, if you want to work with me, I can set up a meeting, and when you get the job, you can start after the wedding."
"Okay. I sent out the invitations yesterday. It's in two weeks from today."
"Okay. I talked to the priest. He can do it. Are you sure you want to do it in the yard?"
"Yeah. We can show off where we live, as we know their going to be visiting a lot, well, some of them anyway. And, we can have the reception here." Carol said as she got out of the shower.
"Did you use the guest list we agreed on?"
"Yeah, I'm just hoping they'll all come. It's been awhile since we've seen some of them."
Don't worry, they'll all be here." Doug said as they started downstairs.
(The Guest List:
1.Mark
2.Helen
3.Elizabeth
4.Susan
5.Carter
6.Anna
7.Peter
8.Luka
9.Lydia
10.Haleh
11.Lily
12.Malik
13.Chuney
14.Doug's mom
15.Cleo
16.Abby
17.Dave
18.Kerry
19.Maggie
20.Deb
21.Jeannie
22.Lynette
23.Randi
24.Wendy
25.Connie
26.Yosh
27.Tess
28.Kate
29.Carol (DUH)
30.Doug" ")
A few hours later, Doug hung up the phone, turned to Carol and said, "You have a meeting with the Chief of Staff in one hour. He's new and I've never met him."
"Will you and the girls come, you know for moral support?"
"Of course."
Forty minuets later, Doug and Carol walked into the ER entrance of Seattle Memorial County Hospital. Doug was carrying both of the girls' carriers. As they came in, several Docs and nurses turned and said Hello to Doug. Doug quickly introduced his friends to Carol and the girls and they made their way up to the 12th floor, where the Chief of Staff's office was.
They sat in the waiting room for about 15 minuets before the receptionist called Carol's name. Doug and the girls stayed to wait while Carol made her way to the Chief's office. Going in she was about to introduce herself when she stopped. It couldn't be him. But it was.
"Carol! When I saw you're name I could hardly believe it! What happened to Chicago?" Tag asked coming around the desk to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Pulling away Carol looked up at him and said, "I quit. My fiancée works here and he set up the interview for me. After we get married, we're going to be living out here."
"It'll be great working with you again. I have to admit, I've thought a lot about what might have been over the last six years."
"Well, Tag, don't get your hopes up, because I haven't. I am engaged to a wonderful man. He loves me, and I love him, he supports my decisions, he doesn't push. He's there for me, no matter what. He's the father of my children. And he's my soul-mate." Carol said, reminding herself of her conversation with Luka.
"Wow. Kids, huh?"
"Yeah. Twin girls. They're six months old." She said taking out a picture to show him. "That's Tess on the right, and Kate on the left."
"They're beautiful. You must be engaged to a great guy. I mean, the Hathaway twins, they must be a handful."
"Their last name is Ross."
"Ross? Doug Ross?"
"Yeah."
"You're going to marry Doug Ross after all he put you through?"
"Doug's changed, Tag. He's become the guy I always knew he could be. The one that was buried deep inside, that only I had ever seen."
"Well, I'm happy for you. And you've got the job. I know your work, I trust you."
"Thank you Tag." Carol said as she turned to go.
"Yeah. And Carol," Tag called.
"Yeah?"
"Good Luck"
On the way home, Carol told Doug about her interview. He was surprised that Tag was Chief. After they got home they had dinner and put the girls to bed. Then after they watched a movie, they headed up to bed themselves. As they were getting into bed Doug turned to Carol, and asked "Carol, do you ever wonder what it might have been like if you had married Tag?"
Carol understood what he was really asking, Are you ever sorry that you got back together with me? She smiled at him and said, "Doug, I have regrets. But you aren't one of them. The only thing I regret about getting back together with you is that it took me so long to do it. I love you, so much. Surely you know that?" Carol asked climbing in to bed.
Climbing in beside her Doug said, "I don't know a lot of things, but I do know that, yes. I guess I'm just worried about what's in store for us. I'm scared."
"What are you scared of?"
"Fucking up again. I don't want to lose you Carol. Not again. I told Mark once that I couldn't imagine my life without you. But now I've lived it, and I hated it Carol. I can't do it again. For three years I've been holding my breath, waiting for something to happen. Waiting to lose you."
"Doug, we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. We just have to live life to it's fullest. You are not going to lose me. We are getting married in two weeks, and you better be damn sure this is what you want, because I'm not going to let you go again. We just have to take the hand we're dealt, and wish ourselves luck. But I can tell you now, I love, I'm in love with you, and I'm always going to love you. And I'll always be here for you. Whatever road you may travel in life, I will always be right behind you."
Reassured, Doug took Carol in his arms and said, "Not behind me. Beside me."
Carol smiled. "Beside you."
Closing his eyes, Doug whispered, "Goodnight Carol. I love you."
Following suit, Carol whispered back, "Goodnight Doug. I love you too."
And in the back of her mind she could still hear Tag whispering "Good Luck".
Coming Soon: THE WEDDING!!!