***
"So you'll be staying then, since you found another lover?" Rae suggested as she sat next to Nick on the park bench while he ate the hot dog he had purchased for his meager lunch.
"I thought this was finished Rae," he snapped at her while crumpling up the wrapper and tossing it into the trash.
"It is, Nick. But the longer you stay here the larger the chance Sean finds out about us," she reasoned. Why wouldn't he just go back to Athens? Why couldn't things stay the way they were?
"There is no us, Rae. There never was an 'us'. There were just two people who got together two weeks out of the year to fornicate." He was tired of this conversation before it began. "Don't bring it up again, it's not worth discussing."
"So you'll stay here because you found someone else to fornicate with on a regular basis?" she cried softly, her voice dripped with indignation.
"Give me some credit, Rae. And leave Shelley out of this. What's between her and I is none of your business and I will not sit here and talk to you about my relationships." Just who did she think she was? "The more you dwell on this, Rae, the more likely it will be you who lets slip about your marital infidelity."
"My...my infidelity? Don't play it like you had no part..." she spat hatefully.
"Oh I know my part. I had an affair with a married woman," he replied softly. "The emphasis on had. Don't approach me again about this Rae. I'm staying and it has nothing to do with you or Shelley. I made a decision to change things in my life when I moved here and I'm following through on that, no matter where it leads."
"Don't expect me to like it," she retorted and watched as he stood to leave.
"Like it or not, that's your problem. Do not and I repeat, do not give Michelle a hard time about this. Do that, and I will make things difficult for you."
Rae gawked at his retreating back. How dare he threaten her?
Nick entered reception and waved to Norman as he passed. "Dr. Slingerland needs a consult, Dr. Kokoris. He said to meet him on three."
"Thanks Norman." He punched the button to the elevator and the door opened immediately. Just as they began closing someone called out to hold the doors. He stopped the doors and smiled when Michelle rushed in. Her head was down, reading her beeper so she was unaware who was in the elevator with her.
"Thanks," she panted and jabbed the button for the fifth floor without looking around.
"Anytime," he answered, amused.
"Nicky," she whispered.
"Ah ah ah...not at work," he joked. "I had a great time yesterday, Shel."
"So did I, Doctor," she replied as the doors opened and he stepped off the elevator.
He turned back and winked at her as the doors closed and he heard Matt call out to him. "What's up, Matt? Norman said you needed a consult."
Matt nodded. "Yeah, but first tell me that you haven't actually made progress with Nurse Michelle when no one else here could?"
Nick frowned slightly before a smile spread across his face. "I don't know from progress, my friend, but Nurse Chambers is quite a lady."
Matt handed Nick the patient's chart while mentioning, "Joint and tendon pain in the wrist, hand and forearm. And that smile would lead me to believe there's something going on between you two."
"You two, who?" Jules asked, approaching the Internist and Surgeon.
"Our good Greek doctor and our Sing-Song Nurse," Matt informed her.
"Oh," Jules replied, surprised. "You're dating Michelle?" Instinctively, she glanced around looking for eavesdroppers. Rae would not like this. Not one bit.
"I would rather not discuss this, if you don't mind," he answered with a slight nod. "If you want a consult Matt, let's go see your patient. If you want to gossip, count me out." What he and Michelle had or did was none of their business. When things progressed, and he hoped they would, it would be difficult to avoid people knowing of their relationship. Until there was actually a "relationship" to discuss, he'd rather not jeopardize it.
"Go on and play, boys," Jules said, laughing. "There's a newborn with a heart murmur I must check on." With a mock salute, she left the two doctors to discuss business.
"Hey, Kokoris," Matt called, following Nick as he hurried down the corridor to the patient's room.
"Yes?"
"Really...how did you do it? I mean, I've asked her out dozens of times. I'm lucky if she even gives me the time of day. In two days you have her beaming like a lighthouse illuminating the harbor in the darkness."
Nick laughed at the description. "I do believe you are jealous, Doctor Slingerland. And I did nothing. Michelle knows her own mind. That's all I can say. Now...about this patient..."
Matt shook his head in exasperation. He had seen the look and smile on Michelle's face when the elevator doors closed after Nick had stepped off. After many failed attempts to win her favors, he had given up ever seeing that look from her. Too bad it was now directed toward another.
***