Chapter 3- Déjà Vu and Pie
Abby stepped out of her bathroom, greeted by insistent knocking at her door.
"Just a minute!" she called, walking to her bedroom to change. She dressed as slowly as she could, knowing that soon, she would have to face her mother. Soon, the knocking began again.
"I'm coming!" she barked as she pulled her shirt over her head and walked to the door.
Angrily, she threw open the door. Carter stood before her, a boyish smile played on his lips, but he looked more than apologetic.
"Should I leave?" he asked, backing further into the hall.
"Carter?" Abby asked, mildly surprised.
"Huh?"
"I thought you were Maggie," she explained as she stepped aside, indicating that he should enter.
"Oh…why?"
"She said she was going to come," Abby said, leading Carter to the living room.
Carter sat down on the couch, and placed a box and a white paper bag on the coffee table. "That's bad?" he asked.
Abby eyed the items on her table. Had they been there when she answered the door?
"So, why didn't you want your mom here?" Carter repeated.
"What's that?"
"Dinner. So, why didn't you want your mom here?"
"What did you bring?"
"Abby."
"I'm hungry. I haven't had a thing to eat. Couldn't we just talk while we eat?" she said, trying to sound whiney.
Carter nodded, "I haven't either."
"So what did you bring?" she asked, picking up the bag.
"Chinese, and pie," he said.
"I knew there was a reason I liked you. Chopsticks?"
Carter proudly held up two sets of chopsticks. "You want to start with the food not the pi?"
"Just once. Want something to drink?"
"Sure."
"Water?"
"I'll help."
They quickly got their drinks and sat down to eat.
"Ok, why don't you want Maggie here?" Carter asked, after a short amiable silence.
"Mmrmph."
"Excuse me?" Carter laughed, shoving and egg roll into his mouth.
Abby swallowed as quickly as she could, downed some water, and said, "She always finds the most inopportune times to show up," she explained, "like when I found ou- never mind. Or now when when we're starting something, and I don't want her to ruin it."
Carter listened intently. He wondered what Abby had found out, but decided against asking.
"I wouldn't leave if your mom showed up acting like a depressed werewolf," he consoled.
Abby scrunched up her face, "What?!" she snorted.
Carter shrugged. "First thing that came to mind."
"Anyway, how are your parents?"
"Your mom's coming to see how you are with the lockdown and all, right?" Carter asked, after a slight nod, he said, "Both my parents were too busy to see how I was. They each sent me an email though." His pout was fake, and comparable to that of a four-year-olds', but Abby knew he had tried to be apathetic and joke, yet he was still upset.
She went along with the joke. "You poor baby."
"Don't need 'em," he said, finishing his lemon chicken and reaching for the pie.
"You're still hungry?" Abby asked incredulously.
Carter nodded, and offered a plastic fork to Abby who accepted.
"First date and I get a fork. Not flowers, but a fork," she joked. Stupid, yes, but lack of sleep can do that to a person.
*****
"What time is it?" Abby asked, unable to eat more, she put her fork down
Carter glanced at his watch. "Seven."
"She left at ten," Abby stated.
"Maybe the train was delayed," Carter suggested.
"That's what I thought, two hours ago," Abby's brow was furrowed with worry, to Carter, she looked much like when they were in the trauma room being contained, scared and vulnerable.
"You should call."
"No."
"Why?"
"'Cause, she's not there."
"You're so stubborn," Carter reached over the arm of the couch and grabbed the phone. Then, handing it to Abby, he said, "Just dial her number, maybe it will switch to a cell phone or something." Again, very much like in the trauma room when she wanted him to take his temperature, he noticed. Only now the roles were reversed.
Abby dialed the number and held the phone up to her ear, waiting impatiently for the answering machine. After four rings she said, "See, I told-Mom?"
"Cell phone?" Carter mouthed, smugly.
"Where are you?" Abby asked into the receiver. After a pause, she said, "Oh, that's fine, don't worry…Yeah, see you later…love you too."
"Well?"
"She's at home. She couldn't make it," Abby explained, dumbfounded.
"Is that good?" Carter asked. He couldn't quite read her expression.
Abby nodded. "Why?"
"Oh, I was just thinking," he said mysteriously. "Remember this morning when we woke up together?"
"At the hospital or at the train station?"
"Hospital."
"Yeah."
"It was nice," he said lamely.
Abby smiled at his reddening face. "I liked waking up next to you…I wasn't scared," she said, remembering a previous conversation.
Carter leaned forward, his lips brushed Abby's, but she too leaned forward to deepen the kiss. She wrapped her arm around his neck, and he planted soft kisses down her nose and along her jaw line.
"Not yet," They breathed in unison. Instead, Carter leaned against the arm of the couch, feet resting on the cushions. Abby leaned against Carter, she was closer to the opposite end, but her feet barely reached the arm. They fell asleep in each others arms, surrounded by Chinese food boxes and half eaten pie, but neither cared, they were together.