The Rich Man's Sorrow, part 9, "And Baby Lucy Makes Three"
While Peter followed Carter to Atlanta were Jing-Mei, Kerry and Mark discussing how to replace Carter the next three months. But what to do with Little Lucy was the biggest problem. Everyone thought of Carol but she already had two babies and didn't need a third one.
"If she took care of Lucy and we helped her 100 %?" Kerry said. It had been a hard day but they all knew they had to figure out what to do before any of them could think of going home.
Mark sighed. "I know, but I just don't want to dump everything on Carol. She's having enough to do as it is".
"What about you and Elizabeth?" Jing-Mei asked.
"Maybe. I have to talk to her first. We both work pretty much and lately we haven't had much time together. Where is she staying?"
"I think Carter's grandmother's taking her for the night, but she isn't exactly young anymore and a baby is a full time job. She wants someone else to take care of her granddaughter", Kerry said informingly.
"I'll talk to Elizabeth and Carol", Mark said. "We'll probably find a solution. But is there any other person in this world Little Lucy trusts besides Carter, it's Carol. Carter has told me how much she's been helping him".
Kerry, Jing-Mei and Mark agreed to drop it there for now.
In Atlanta was Carter checking in. Peter looked at his friend. Could this really be John Carter, his clumsy but yet dedicated student?
"What's your name?" The woman asked.
Carter felt sick. Why couldn't they just let him have a shot and a bed? Peter saw how ill Carter was and talked to the woman.
"His name is John Carter".
"Okay. He has to fill out this form".
Peter took another look at Carter. "He's pretty sick. Is there anything you can give him?"
"He needs to fill in this form first, and it has to be done by him".
"Okay". Peter took the form and gave it to Carter, who barely managed to take it. He had dark rings under his eyes and he was sweating. "Just fill this in and you'll get some help".
"I can't do it. I just want to die".
"No, you don't, Carter. Come on, fill this out. I know you can do it".
Carter managed eventually filling out the form, and it was time for Peter to return to Chicago. After he'd checked in the woman took him to the group of the addicted doctors, who all were there to say hello to the new patient. It was just so pathetic. Drug addiction, he thought. He'd ended up as Chase.
***************************
"How long has he been down?" Mark asked.
"31 minutes", Carol answered.
"Okay", Kerry said. "That's it. Time of death: 07.39"
Carol sighed. "It's not 08.00 yet and one is already dead"
She threw of her bloody glows and headed to the nurses' station.
"Hey, Carol!"
Carol turned around. "Hi, Mark".
"I need to talk to you".
"Sounds serious".
"It is".
"What is it?"
"Little Lucy".
Carol got suddenly scared. "Is she okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. It's just that with Carter being in Atlanta and everything she has no place to go".
"I know", Carol said, slowly realizing what Mark was about to ask her. "Don't even say it, Mark".
"We're desperate, Carol, and Lucy knows and trusts you. I talked to Elizabeth about it but we realized we barely have time and neither of us are very good with babies. We all know you are, though".
"Don't give me that. Rachel was a baby once".
"It's 11 years since I changed a diaper. Look, I'm not saying you're going to have all the responsibility. We'll all help as much as we can, besides we're also offering you as many days off as you want with full payment".
Carol went silent for a couple of minutes.
"Okay. For Carter and Little Lucy's sake, but if I'm dead in the morning it's your fault".
"You are a Goddess, Carol. I'll talk to Kerry about a raise".
Carol laughed. "Yeah, right!"
When Carol's shift was over later that day she realized what she'd done. Three babies. Two six-months-olds and one three-months-old. She almost wanted to tell Mark she'd changed her mind when she came up to day care. Carter's grandmother had dropped Little Lucy off there a few hours ago.
"Hi, Carol", Emma, one of the day care workers, said when she saw Carol.
"Hello". She went through the room and over to one of the playpens where Kate and Tess were laying. "Hey, girls. Are you ready to go home?"
The sight of their mother made both girls smile and they waved eagerly with their arms. Carol picked them up and out them in their stroller.
"Carol, we had a talk with Kerry Weaver earlier. She said you're taking care of Lucy Carter in the nearest future".
Carol nodded. "Yeah, it seems like it. Her father is unable to take care of her right now so….".
"Well", Emma began. "All three girls have gotten a new diaper and some food. I believe you ought to at least manage to get home before they need it again".
"Let's hope so", Carol said laughing. "Bye".
"Bye".
While Peter followed Carter to Atlanta were Jing-Mei, Kerry and Mark discussing how to replace Carter the next three months. But what to do with Little Lucy was the biggest problem. Everyone thought of Carol but she already had two babies and didn't need a third one.
"If she took care of Lucy and we helped her 100 %?" Kerry said. It had been a hard day but they all knew they had to figure out what to do before any of them could think of going home.
Mark sighed. "I know, but I just don't want to dump everything on Carol. She's having enough to do as it is".
"What about you and Elizabeth?" Jing-Mei asked.
"Maybe. I have to talk to her first. We both work pretty much and lately we haven't had much time together. Where is she staying?"
"I think Carter's grandmother's taking her for the night, but she isn't exactly young anymore and a baby is a full time job. She wants someone else to take care of her granddaughter", Kerry said informingly.
"I'll talk to Elizabeth and Carol", Mark said. "We'll probably find a solution. But is there any other person in this world Little Lucy trusts besides Carter, it's Carol. Carter has told me how much she's been helping him".
Kerry, Jing-Mei and Mark agreed to drop it there for now.
In Atlanta was Carter checking in. Peter looked at his friend. Could this really be John Carter, his clumsy but yet dedicated student?
"What's your name?" The woman asked.
Carter felt sick. Why couldn't they just let him have a shot and a bed? Peter saw how ill Carter was and talked to the woman.
"His name is John Carter".
"Okay. He has to fill out this form".
Peter took another look at Carter. "He's pretty sick. Is there anything you can give him?"
"He needs to fill in this form first, and it has to be done by him".
"Okay". Peter took the form and gave it to Carter, who barely managed to take it. He had dark rings under his eyes and he was sweating. "Just fill this in and you'll get some help".
"I can't do it. I just want to die".
"No, you don't, Carter. Come on, fill this out. I know you can do it".
Carter managed eventually filling out the form, and it was time for Peter to return to Chicago. After he'd checked in the woman took him to the group of the addicted doctors, who all were there to say hello to the new patient. It was just so pathetic. Drug addiction, he thought. He'd ended up as Chase.
***************************
"How long has he been down?" Mark asked.
"31 minutes", Carol answered.
"Okay", Kerry said. "That's it. Time of death: 07.39"
Carol sighed. "It's not 08.00 yet and one is already dead"
She threw of her bloody glows and headed to the nurses' station.
"Hey, Carol!"
Carol turned around. "Hi, Mark".
"I need to talk to you".
"Sounds serious".
"It is".
"What is it?"
"Little Lucy".
Carol got suddenly scared. "Is she okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. It's just that with Carter being in Atlanta and everything she has no place to go".
"I know", Carol said, slowly realizing what Mark was about to ask her. "Don't even say it, Mark".
"We're desperate, Carol, and Lucy knows and trusts you. I talked to Elizabeth about it but we realized we barely have time and neither of us are very good with babies. We all know you are, though".
"Don't give me that. Rachel was a baby once".
"It's 11 years since I changed a diaper. Look, I'm not saying you're going to have all the responsibility. We'll all help as much as we can, besides we're also offering you as many days off as you want with full payment".
Carol went silent for a couple of minutes.
"Okay. For Carter and Little Lucy's sake, but if I'm dead in the morning it's your fault".
"You are a Goddess, Carol. I'll talk to Kerry about a raise".
Carol laughed. "Yeah, right!"
When Carol's shift was over later that day she realized what she'd done. Three babies. Two six-months-olds and one three-months-old. She almost wanted to tell Mark she'd changed her mind when she came up to day care. Carter's grandmother had dropped Little Lucy off there a few hours ago.
"Hi, Carol", Emma, one of the day care workers, said when she saw Carol.
"Hello". She went through the room and over to one of the playpens where Kate and Tess were laying. "Hey, girls. Are you ready to go home?"
The sight of their mother made both girls smile and they waved eagerly with their arms. Carol picked them up and out them in their stroller.
"Carol, we had a talk with Kerry Weaver earlier. She said you're taking care of Lucy Carter in the nearest future".
Carol nodded. "Yeah, it seems like it. Her father is unable to take care of her right now so….".
"Well", Emma began. "All three girls have gotten a new diaper and some food. I believe you ought to at least manage to get home before they need it again".
"Let's hope so", Carol said laughing. "Bye".
"Bye".