Chapter 3
A few minutes passed without either of us speaking. My tears were slowing and the only thing I could hear was the beating of his heart. It is such a comforting sound. Carter didn't need to say a word; his heart knew what to say. I found the courage to lift my head up and I caught myself looking deep into his eyes, a way I haven't looked before. There was something I saw in John, the loving and compassionate side. I've seen it before but only in the proximity of the hospital.
Our faces grew closer without even realizing it, our mouths just inches away. This seemed like deja vu, flashback to that Christmas night.
"Wait, John. We shouldn't do this." I can't believe I just said that, but I know that's how it must be. The ever infamous Resident/Med Student dating rule.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." He pulled away, looking a little disappointed.
The clock in Carter's room moved it's hands to 12 o'clock. There is only 6 hours before I have to be at work. "I better get going." I stood up and headed for the door, getting ready to thank Carter for his help tonight.
"You shouldn't be alone tonight. Why don't you stay here?" He asked wearily. The expressions on my face must've been bad, enough for Carter to make a joke. "You don't have to sleep with me, unless you want to, of course." He smiled.
A laugh came out of my mouth. He could always make me laugh. "Oh, really? I think I'll just take the couch." He smiled and went to the closet to get a blanket and pillow.
"You know, Carter, I really need to thank you for tonight." I picked up the half-eaten ice cream cartons and placed them in the little refrigerator sitting against the wall. "I'd probably be losing it by now if I was by myself. Thank you for everything."
Carter came back from the closet with a big, fluffy, white blanket and a pillow to match. "It's no problem, really. I'm sure you would've done the same if I were in your position."
We laid the blanket on the couch and placed the pillow at the far end. "Yeah, I would've. You're a good friend to me."
I laid down on the couch and wrapped the blanket around me. It was so warm, the same kind of warm from John's hands. My head hit the pillow and I closed my eyes. I could see the light still shining in the room through my eyelids until a moment later when Carter turned off the light switch. I heard his footsteps shuffle across the floor and go into the room where his bed was.
"Susan?" He said, obviously in a different room. His voice was smaller and distant, but loud enough so I would be sure to hear him.
"Yeah?"
"I'll only be a med student for another few days. I'm graduating next week, remember?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Carter, shut up and go to bed!"
"Goodnight!" he screamed.
"Night."
Thoughts entered my mind about Susie. 'Is she ok?' 'Is Chloe taking care of her?' 'Does she even know who she's with?' Susie barely knows her mother any more than she knows strangers. I miss her so much already, but tonight did take my mind off of missing her for a while. The only way I'm going to get through this is if I have somebody to lean on. John Carter will be my shoulder to cry on, my therapy, my remedy.
With that thought I felt as if I can get through all of this. My head was now clear for the day and I entered my dream for the night.
A few minutes passed without either of us speaking. My tears were slowing and the only thing I could hear was the beating of his heart. It is such a comforting sound. Carter didn't need to say a word; his heart knew what to say. I found the courage to lift my head up and I caught myself looking deep into his eyes, a way I haven't looked before. There was something I saw in John, the loving and compassionate side. I've seen it before but only in the proximity of the hospital.
Our faces grew closer without even realizing it, our mouths just inches away. This seemed like deja vu, flashback to that Christmas night.
"Wait, John. We shouldn't do this." I can't believe I just said that, but I know that's how it must be. The ever infamous Resident/Med Student dating rule.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." He pulled away, looking a little disappointed.
The clock in Carter's room moved it's hands to 12 o'clock. There is only 6 hours before I have to be at work. "I better get going." I stood up and headed for the door, getting ready to thank Carter for his help tonight.
"You shouldn't be alone tonight. Why don't you stay here?" He asked wearily. The expressions on my face must've been bad, enough for Carter to make a joke. "You don't have to sleep with me, unless you want to, of course." He smiled.
A laugh came out of my mouth. He could always make me laugh. "Oh, really? I think I'll just take the couch." He smiled and went to the closet to get a blanket and pillow.
"You know, Carter, I really need to thank you for tonight." I picked up the half-eaten ice cream cartons and placed them in the little refrigerator sitting against the wall. "I'd probably be losing it by now if I was by myself. Thank you for everything."
Carter came back from the closet with a big, fluffy, white blanket and a pillow to match. "It's no problem, really. I'm sure you would've done the same if I were in your position."
We laid the blanket on the couch and placed the pillow at the far end. "Yeah, I would've. You're a good friend to me."
I laid down on the couch and wrapped the blanket around me. It was so warm, the same kind of warm from John's hands. My head hit the pillow and I closed my eyes. I could see the light still shining in the room through my eyelids until a moment later when Carter turned off the light switch. I heard his footsteps shuffle across the floor and go into the room where his bed was.
"Susan?" He said, obviously in a different room. His voice was smaller and distant, but loud enough so I would be sure to hear him.
"Yeah?"
"I'll only be a med student for another few days. I'm graduating next week, remember?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Carter, shut up and go to bed!"
"Goodnight!" he screamed.
"Night."
Thoughts entered my mind about Susie. 'Is she ok?' 'Is Chloe taking care of her?' 'Does she even know who she's with?' Susie barely knows her mother any more than she knows strangers. I miss her so much already, but tonight did take my mind off of missing her for a while. The only way I'm going to get through this is if I have somebody to lean on. John Carter will be my shoulder to cry on, my therapy, my remedy.
With that thought I felt as if I can get through all of this. My head was now clear for the day and I entered my dream for the night.