Disclaimer: They belong to them, not to me.
Author's Note: This next chapter is rather poorly written. Just a warning to all of you peeps looking for great Pulitzer Prize winning literature. I'm just letting the dialogue speak for itself.
Chapter 7
THE NEXT DAY (after the last chapter…)
"Ba buh buh Ba Ba," Carter hummed to himself, tapping his pen in time with his inner beat. He stepped behind the front desk and studied the board. "Hmm…I think I'll take the leg wound…"
"No, I called dibs," Malucci said, picking up the file.
Carter shrugged his shoulders. "Fine by me," he surveyed the board again, "Chest pain then…don't tell me you've got that one, too."
Malucci laughed, "No way. Eh, I can't believe you didn't fight me for the leg wound."
"Why would I?" Carter took the respective file and began humming again, swaying back and forth.
The nurses were watching him from a distance.
"What has gotten into Carter?"
"I don't know, but today, he insisted he do all the 'nurse duties' himself and told me to catch a break."
"Whatever it is, it's weird."
"Yeah, almost as weird as Benton cracking a smile."
"Tell me about it."
"Look at the way he's moving…"
"It must be the love bug."
"Or just plain psychosis…"
"Hey, Abby, you know him best. Why don't you go ask?"
"Nuh-uh, it's none of our business really."
"I know, let's start a pool."
Beat.
"Hmm….I'll give it a shot. New girlfriend – younger and sexier than Rena."
"Definitely drugs."
"Sex. One night stand."
"Oh, come on, doesn't that fall under girlfriend?"
"Nope, just plain old sex."
"Crazy."
"Weaver died."
"Very funny. Then Malucci would be having the love fest, not Carter."
"Whatever," Haleh said, turning to Abby. She nudged the girl in Carter's direction.
Abby gave them all a death glare, and heaving a frustrated sigh, walked over to Carter and started talking to him.
"You think she's gonna get it out of him?"
"You know how Carter feels about Abby. One bat from her pretty brown lashes and he's out."
They were still talking. "Doesn't seem like he's telling her."
"Hey, you guys, whatcha looking at?" Deb said, walking up to the huddled group.
"Pool, Why Carter's so damn happy today. I mean, it's raining and icky outside, and he's running around being Mr. Sunshine. How he managed that I know not."
"Hmmm…sounds interesting. Maybe I'll give it a whirl. What's been said already?"
"New girlfriend. Drugs. Sex. Psychosis. Weaver died."
Deb laughed. "Let's see…I'd have to say…hmm…that he went bowling last night, ate lots of unhealthy, greasy food, drank lots of beer, and listened to lots of swing songs."
The nurses gave Deb a weird glance. "That's just random…"
"Whatever. I just came up with whatever seemed like Carter. Oh my gosh, are you guys seeing what I'm seeing?"
"Hell yeah, and I'm definitely pooling on the psychosis one."
Carter had just grabbed Abby by the arm and was swinging with her. Abby was laughing nervously, hoping that no one would notice the rather odd spectacle. The dancing couple. Unfortunately for her, all eyes were on them. Even the patients in chairs were watching the funny couple dancing a really bad jitterbug in the middle of County General. The nurses were aghast. Deb was laughing. And Carter was oblivious, goofy smile plastered on his face, leading Abby from one step to the next, swinging her from one side to another, twirling her under his arm. It was a Carter like no other. Finally, he let go of Abby and practically skipped off to Exam Room 3 to check on his Chest Pain Guy, amidst the scattered applause of the ER. Abby sauntered over to the huddled group, still a little dizzy from all the whirling.
She giggled, half-embarrassed, half-amused. "Whoa! That was really something."
"Tell us about it."
"I haven't done swing since seventh grade."
"Ah, who cares about swing? Why's Carter so crazy today?"
"It's not what any of you suspected."
"Then what is it?"
"He went bowling last night, ate lots of junk food, drank lots of beer, and listened to lots of swing songs." Everybody turned to stare at Deb who was laughing again.
"Stop gaping like that…now, let me take my money," she said, digging into the jar Haleh was holding to remove her spoils. "What a lucky guess!"
Abby chuckled. "You got it?"
Haleh narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, practically exact words."
"Hey, how did you –" But Deb had already split with her money before anyone could question her. Abby left to help Kovac who was calling to her. After she had gone, the whole group burst into a frenzy.
"Don't tell me…either Carter told Chen first or…"
"Or she was there with him last night…"
"Like a date?"
"Oh my gosh…"
"Yeah, but I thought…"
"Abby. Yeah, I know…so it's can't be a date…"
"But I don't know…"
"After that swing thing, nothing will surprise me."
"Nope, not at all."