The desk clerk at County snapped her gum loudly and tapped on the counter with her long, brightly painted nails. She was a temp who filled in for Frank when he called in sick, and he was in Boston on vacation for the week.
"Could you please just find Dr. Greene for me? It's important." And exasperated woman tried to explain to Allie, the young girl.
"Look, if you want to wait in chairs, he'll be out soon. He's with a patient."
"He'll want to see me. Just tell him I'm here."
Giving up the argument which had been going on for at least 10 minutes, Allie called Abby over. "Can you get Mark from exam 2? This woman says she needs to see him."
"Sure Allie." Abby turned and walked towards the exam rooms.
She reminds me of Randi the woman thought, looking at the girl who was now answering the phone. She almost laughed out loud, but stopped herself. She tightened her grip on the hand of the 6-year old girl who was standing with her.
"Couldn't you have told this woman I was with a patient?"
"Tried it, Mark. She's not going away. Doesn't look sick though." Abby replied. She led Mark to the admin desk. As he rounded the corner, he saw a ratty old stuffed animal clutched in a child's hand. The blue and pink bear had faded to a dull gray, but it was unmistakably the cherished Mr. B. He raced in front of Abby and saw the last person he ever expected to see come into Cook County General Hospital again.
He approached the woman, drawn in by her emerald eyes. She released the young girl's hand and threw her arms around Mark's neck. Drawing back, she kissed him passionately. Abby saw it, but she pretended she didn't. Seeing it meant she had to tell Elizabeth, and she didn't want to be the one to break the news.
"ewww gross Aunt Susie!" the girl exclaimed, interrupting the moment. Mark was just glad Elizabeth had decided to start her maternity leave a few weeks earlier.
"Susan...it's been too long."
"Yeah...I missed you, Mark."
"I missed you too. And this must be Suzie! She's so big!"
"Yeah, her birthday was yesterday."
"Happy Birthday Suzie!"
"Thank you. I'm 6." She held up the appropriate number of fingers, just in case Mark didn't get it.
"You're welcome. You're getting to be quite a nice young lady."
"Thank you. Aunt Susie, who is he?"
"Your uncle Mark. Remember, I told you about him on the plane?"
"Yeah. Hi uncle Mark." Mark and Susan laughed uncomfortably at him being "uncle mark" and her being "aunt susie".
"Mark, who was that new desk clerk I saw? She's like a teenybopper version of Randi."
"Oh, it's Allie. She's filling in for the week." "What time is your shift over?"
"7, but I'm going to lunch in 10 minutes if the traumas cooperate. Want to go to Doc Magoo's?"
"Sure, it'll give us a chance to catch up."
"And Abby Lockhart, this is Susan Lewis."
"NIce to meet you."
"You too." Susan smiled as she took Suzie's hand. "I'm going to go find Doug and Carol."
"They..um, don't work here anymore."
"Really? what happened?"
"They live in Seattle, with their twin girls."
"Oh, how sweet! What about Carter? Don't tell me he's gone too!"
"No, Carter, Kerry, Benton and most of the nurses are still here."
"Great. I'm off to find Carter." She turned around, hugging Mark and then walking to the exam rooms with Suzie to find Carter.
"Mark?" Abby asked.
"I know, I know...she worked here about 4 years ago..we were in love, but she had to move. Haven't seen her since. Geez Abby, what do I DO?"
"You still love her?"
"More than ever, but that's not the point. It's not like that. What I meant was, should I tell Elizabeth?"