Champagne
and Idle Talks
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters so don't sue me
cause I'm using them. This is for
entertainment purposes and I'm not making any money off of this story.
Author's
Note: This story is for Laura whose
pushy personality made me do this.
Sorry if you hate it dear, but you asked for it. This one is for you.
Summary: A lot can happen when you add cocktails,
boredom, and two distinct personalities.
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The
party was like any other, lot of people with money and boring as hell. Political connection was the key to the game
of big business and wealthy people.
Benefit parties are just another day in the office of most of those that
have come to smooze each other. Others
are dragged against their will kicking and screaming by their respective
influential relatives.
Jing
Mei Chen looked at her watch discreetly and wondered how much longer she's got
to play the good little daughter before she could head back her to apartment
for a much deserved hot bath and good night's sleep. Give me a lobotomy any day over this!
She
had only agreed to come due to the fact that this was a benefit for children's
cancer research. Her heart still bleed
every time she thought of her own child, the one she gave up due to….no, she's
going to stop blaming her narrow minded family and take responsibilities. Besides, deep in her heart, the part that is
still connect to that child and always will, she knows that she did the right
thing.
"So,
they dragged you to this thing too?"
Whirling
around at the very familiar voice, she saw that John Carter had the distinct
look of boredom glazing his dark eyes.
"Well, nice to see you too."
"How
do people…"
"Don't
ask, I'm ready to tear my hair out soon."
"Want
a drink?"
"Two
is my driving limit."
"Come
on, Deb. I'll dive you home if
necessary. Gives me a good excuse to
cut out." John said as he sipped the
club soda in his hand. "Who?"
"My
dad. You?"
"Nana."
Jing
Mei raised one finely sculptured brow with amusement. "Your grandmother dragged you here."
John
sighed. "She thought it would be good
for me to get out a little."
"Problems?"
"Nothing
a wife, child and a picket fence won't cure."
John said sarcastically as he looked around the room filled with
people. "For some reason the measure of
success around grandparents is the number of kids you have and the beautiful
wife you can obtain."
The
petite Asian beauty almost choked on her wine.
"Oh god, I thought that was only in Chinese cultures. If I don't produce a grandchild, I'm a
failure. Of course when I do, they
don't want it cause it's not of the acceptable….damn." She mentally slapped herself in the
face. "Nope, not going to do that."
Dr.
Carter took hold of his friend's elbow and politely escorted her toward one of
the French doors that led to a balcony.
Once out in the fresh night air, the turned to look at the young doctor
beside him with concern. "Deb, you did
the right thing."
"Did
I?"
"Only
you can answer that."
She
nodded and finished her glass of bubbly champagne in one gulp. "I did the right thing. That kid deserves better than I can give
him. He should have both parents and a
wonderful stable home and…." She thought of the eighteen hour shift that she
pulled only the day before. "And a
mother that doesn't work crazy hours."
John
hugged her then, it was the first time anyone has ever offered her comfort
without reserve and she savored it for a moment, putting her arms around his
waist. "I'm sorry Deb."
She
shook her head and sighed into the front of his tuxedo. "You are a great friend to me, John. I don't know what I would have done without
you during the delivery and afterwards.
Thank you."
"You
don't have to thank me. After all, who
caught on to my little 'problem' before anyone else did?" He smiled at the bright silvery moon. "Have another champagne and after some idle
talk with rich men that are going to look down that little black dress of
yours, I'll take you home."
She
pulled up back far enough to look up at him.
"What do you mean 'look down'?"
From
his superior height, John got to enjoy a very delightful view of nature's gift
to Jing Mei. "Oh just the usual."
With
a gasp, she pulled away and tugged at the collar of the dress. "You little…"
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Jing
Mei giggled as John Carter struggled to keep her from falling down the set of
stairs leading up to her apartment. He
cursed the fact that he kept offering her drinks to help relax her and that she
had to live on the third floor of the chic apartment building.
"Damn
girl, you are drunk!" he commented
unnecessarily as he pushed the key into the lock while trying to still keep one
arm around her to that she doesn't topple over.
"Not
drunk, just tipsy." She said with a
sweet childlike smile that he simply had to return. This was the happiest he's seen her since the night she gave her
child up. Looks like alcohol really
does put a person in high spirits. "Chinese
women in my family don't get drunk.
It's very unlady-like."
John
grinned with amusement as the door swung open and he helped the staggering
woman into the door. "Well then Dr.
Chen, you are very tipsy. Just be glad
your dad wasn't paying much attention to you tonight, or I'm going to guess he
would have blown a gasket."
She
tipped her chin up and made a face. "Oh
let him, his such a prissy prig. Some
needs to loosen him up a little and bring him into the twenty-first century. It's okay for his little girl to be a doctor
but it's not okay for her to be dating out side her race. Cause you gotta keep it puire." She wrinkled her nose. "What a pain in the ass!"
He
didn't know whether to laugh with her or to pity the strict upbringing she must
have endured. "I'll go get you some
water."
"No,
I don't need water." She said as she
flopped on to the couch on her stomach.
"I need another glass of that stuff you gave me."
"No
more champagne for you, young lady. You
need to re-hydrate your body and get some sleep. Someone is going to be waking up with a major hang over
tomorrow." He walked into he kitchen to
locate a glass and some water. The
place was neat as a pin. It was almost
scary. "You got a maid or something?"
"Her
name is Ginger and she's not my maid.
She's a very good friend that takes care of me." Jing Mei murmured into the cushion.
"Here,"
John tried to turn her over but failed.
"Come on, Deb. You need water."
"Can't
I have something else?" She groaned as
she succeeded in sitting up. "I don't
like water. It tastes funny."
"Water
doesn't taste like anything. It's
water." John explained as if to an
irritated three-year-old.
"But
it taste funny." Jing Mei
murmured. "Can't I have juice? It's just as good for the body and it taste
better."
"You
got any?"
"Yeah!" She got up but landed on her butt again as
her knees gave out. "Could you?"
"Yeah,"
he laughed. He's never seen Deb so
intoxicated. It was rather nice to see
the softer side of her every once in a while.
Malucci was right; she was beautiful when she's all soft and
touchable. Looking into the
refrigerator, John gave a bark of laugh.
"How many different types of juice do you have in here?"
"I
don't know," she closed her eyes and tugged at the collar of her dress. It was chafing her. "I should have orange, grape, grapefruit,
cranberry, cranberry-raspberry, lemon, lemon-lime, guava, passion fruit, star
fruit, apple, watermelon from my mother, carrot, some V8s and some of that
green stuff from Naked Juice."
John
decided to go with the simplest one cause he lost track of all the things she
was rattling off in her drunk….huh…..tipsy state. "Orange okay?"
"Yeah,
that's fine."
"Here,"
he put her hands around the too glass and watched as she downed it like a starved
woman. "I told you that you needed to
drink something other than alcohol."
She
wrinkled her nose at him. "Yeah, yeah,
yeah."
"Feel
better?"
"Not
really." She turned and looked at
him. "Talk to me."
"About
what?"
"Anything."
"Deb,
it's getting late." John looked at his
watch; it really was getting late.
"You
have work tomorrow?"
"No. You?"
"Nope." She glanced at the beautiful antique clock
on the wall. "It's almost
midnight. The witching hour."
John
smiled and leaned against the back of the sofa to get comfortable. "You're feeling weird tonight?"
"Yeah!" She smiled sweetly and touched his face with
light fluttering fingers that caused his breath to catch. "You need a shave."
He
pulled her hand away. "It's the middle
of the night. I'll shave in the
morning."
She
nodded her head. "Okay."
"You
should go to bed." John said softly not
really wanting to break this calming peace between them. It was nice to be with a friend.
"You
should too." Jing Mei said blinking her
eyes sleepily. "Want to come bed with
me?"
He
blinked in surprise. She could not
possibly be suggesting that…. Well, she
is drunk. "Deb, I don't think that
that would be a wise idea."
"Why
not?" she shrugged her shoulders. "The bed is big enough. I bought a wonderful king size bed. I like having a big bed to sleep in. It's got beautiful drapes too." She got up suddenly and tugged at his
arm. "Come on, I'll show you."
Not
knowing what else to do, Carter followed her to her bedroom. It was like a tribute to everything feminine
but somehow very...Deb. "Nice."
"Thank
you." She pulled him toward the bed
with a laugh. "I got these sheets in
China when I went to visit my grandmother.
It's pure silk. She thought I
would like them."
The
bed was a washed in ivory silk and looked too tempting by half to his
hormones. "I think maybe I should
just…"
"It's
lovely isn't it?" She smiled like a
child waiting for praise. Her drunk
eyes were glowing like jewels in the night.
"Come on." She climbed on to the
bed without letting go of his hand.
"It's so comfy, you're going to love it."
"Deb…"
Somehow
or other, ten minute later, Carter found himself in bed with Dr. Chen. She smiled sweetly at him. "So sleepy.
Good night, John." She leaned
over and kissed him softly on the cheek then rolled over and promptly fell
asleep.
Dr.
Carter felt slightly befuddled then decided it was a nice bed and he did need
sleep. Why the hell not? What could happen?
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Okay,
so ends my story.