-Chapter Two-
Stuck with you
"Hold the elevator!"
Luka keeps the doors open with his arm I slide through them, thanking him breathlessly.
"Thanks, Luka, I gotta go back up to surgery, otherwise Romano will kill me!"
"No problem, Elizabeth."
I press the button of her floor. "Where are you going, Luka?"
"PICU, to check on a patient of mine. A little kid that was in a MVA and lost his father."
"Poor thing." I say, thinking that Ella would have to face the same sad destiny, wondering if a single parent is enough. Then I spent herself most of my time alone in a boarding school and I grew up just fine, didn't I?
"Oh, come on, why is it taking ages for this bloody lift to go up? Romano is going to be so-"
Right on cue the elevator shakes to an alt.
"Oh great, bloody great!"
Luka pushes all the buttons but the elevator doesn't move. "I guess we're stuck here, Elizabeth. Romano will have to understand and do without you."
"He was about to start a TIPS procedure, that weasel of Edson will be enthusiastic to fill in for me. Forgive my saying this, but he is nothing but a procedure whore." I say as I push the emergency button with impatience and speak into the intercom "Hello! Anybody there?"
"There's only me, Pedro."
"Would you please get this bloody elevator back going, Pedro?"
"I'm only a janitor, señorita."
"Then call maintenance, do something! Good grief!"
"There's no need to get mad at me, señorita."
"I am the one stuck in this ruddy elevator! I think I have every right to be cross, here! Pedro? Pedro you still there?"
The Latino man walked away, or so it seems.
" Oh, bollocks to him!" I exclaim, leaning back against the wall of the elevator, sliding down against it until I am sitting on the floor, my back to it.
Luka speaks into the intercom "Pedro? My name is Luka and I'm stuck here as well. I know this is not your fault but could you please call maintenance. You'll do me a big favor, because this is pretty frustrating, that's why my friend here snapped at you, she really didn't mean to."
"Of course I didn't!" I snort "He's a touchy lad, though. Tell him to bugger off!"
Luka shushes me with gestures.
"I already that, señor."
"Do it again, then, please. You're being very helpful, you know Pedro."
"I'll do it again. No problema, señor."
"See?" Luka turns to me "A few nice words will do wonders."
"I'm afraid patience isn't my strongest suit, Luka."
"What? You're a surgeon, Elizabeth!"
"We surgeons are impatient! It's a required prerogative, they always ask you that when you apply for your residency. We can't wait to cut people open, you know."
"Your operations often last hours, though!"
"It's not like we sit and watch. We're up to our elbows in a man's bowel, usually, Luka!"
"Too bad for you, I learnt patience long ago."
"When?"
"During the war. Siege of Vukovar, 1991, to be precise. When they bombed the city we couldn't get out of our houses for hours, days sometimes. You learn patience or you go mad. My children used to complain all the time because they got bored to death." Luka says, with a sad smile.
"You miss them, huh?"
"You bet, and my wife too."
"I miss Mark as well, God, the pain is so dull and ever present that it makes me feel as if he was still there. It's torture, Luka. People keep telling me it will go away, but they don't know what they're talking about!"
"I do, though. It will never fade but you'll learn to live with it. Somehow you come to terms with the pain and go on."
"When? Because when I walk down the streets and see a man, balding, tall, with that certain way of walking I have to walk up to him and make sure it's not Mark. The other day I saw one in a lab-coat. I rushed to him and it turned out he was a lab tech from pathology. I was so ashamed I wished earth would open and swallow me up. When I go shopping, then, I never buy grapefruits, because Mark doesn't like them. And when I come back home at night I can't wait to tell Mark about my day, if it was bad, like yesterday."
"Hey, you can tell me about it, Elizabeth."
"I accompanied Susan to NYC. She had to identify the body of her sister, who had ODed there. It was so hard, Susan was devastated even if only the day before she was telling me how mad she was at her sister for abandoning her daughter. It wasn't the first time, I understood."
"It is worse, losing a loved one, when you were fighting."
"Not that it is never an easy thing. . ." I whisper, tears rolling down my cheeks. "I'm sorry," I manage to say between gut-wrenching sobs "I always cry when I think of Mark!"
"Hey, it's ok, it's ok" Luka says, hugging me "Shush, come on, calm down. Breathe slowly and deeply."
I try to breath more calmly, resting my head on his shoulder.
"It's better now, thanks, Luka."
Luka raised my chin with his index and looked in my eyes "Don't even mention it, Elizabeth."
Then he kisses me . I kiss him back although I pull away abruptly.
"Look, Elizabeth, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"Don't worry, Luka, it's ok. You are a decent man and a nice guy and I think it's very flattering that you find me attractive but it's too soon for me to be involved with another man."
"I completely understand, but you really are an amazingly attractive woman."
We share an awkward smile and the doors of the elevator open to reveal a maintenance guy in front of us.
"Sorry it took me so long."
"Don't worry" Luka turns to me and winks "I had a great time."
"Me too, anytime Luka."
The maintenance guy looks at us, puzzled.
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When Luka enters the lounge he looks at me somehow amused. Maybe that's because I am barefoot, rubbing my sore feet, my shoes tossed to the side.
"My shoes are killing me. Why on earth did I decide to wear heels at work, huh?"
"To let me show you how a good shiatsu massage is done." Luka says, taking a chair and grabbing one of my feet, starting massaging it skillfully. He flashes his best I'm-the-hunk-of-the-ER smile on me.
Wow. I'm on cloud number nine. "Oh God, this is heaven" I moan with pleasure "Don't stop, Luka."
Elizabeth breezes in, smiling broadly "You're lucky I'm not one of the nurses, because the situation sounded a lot more torrid than it is in reality."
I laugh "You have a dirty mind, Elizabeth!"
She laughs as well "Caffeine withdrawal tends to have that effect on me, you know." She says as she pours some coffee from the pot.
"Luka does an incredible shiatsu massage, you've got to try it."
"Where did you learn that, Luka?"
"A Chinese law student who was doing a coast-to-coast trip through the US taught me when I gave him a lift on my boat, four years ago, or so."
"You have a boat?"
"Used to, before I settled down in Chicago. I would migrate south down every winter. You really don't know how many useful things you pick up traveling around on a boat."
"Good for you" Elizabeth said "I have a terrible back pain, you think it would work for that too?"
"It worked for Carter, he suffers from frequent back pains." I quip in.
"Sure," Luka agrees with me "Whenever you want, Elizabeth, you know where to find me." The European doc says with a mischievous smile I don't fail to catch.
"Next time we're stuck in an elevator, maybe." Elizabeth says provocatively as she walks away.
"So, what's between you two, huh?" I ask when she's out of hearing range, sniffing some good ol' sassy gossip to tell the nurses.
"Nothing" Luka replies with a mock-innocent smile, doing his best St. Luka impersonation "Why?"
"Come on, I don't buy it. I saw the sparks flying when you looked at each other!"
"Ok, I like her. She's beautiful, smart and funny. I kissed her but nothing happened."
"What?" I almost yell "You kissed and nothing happened?" Chuny is so gonna beg me to tell her everything. She's got a knack for spreading nasty rumors about Luka, after they broke up. That girl is pure devil. Must be the Latino blood. Muy caliente.
"She's not ready to get involved with a man yet. I guess she's not over Greene's death yet. Not that I could blame her for that. It's really to soon."
"But you'll wait patiently for her, right?"
"Actually, no. She's not my type, really. Dunno why I kissed her in the first place, even if I like her. I used to have this big crush on Carol Hathaway too, when she was here alone with the twins. I guess I have a thing for single moms."
I am a single mom, too, I wanna scream. Sort of. Single aunt is more like it. I can't deny I find Luka very attractive. He's handsome, sweet and caring even if a bit dark, sad and judgmental at times. I guess it only adds up to his mysterious foreigner's charm.
"So?" I ask.
"Nothing, I told you. She really isn't my type. Too temperamental, as all redheads." He says finishing the massage.
"Kerry's hair is natural, then." I laugh "Thanks a lot, Luka, I feel like I'm reborn. Never again" I declare as I put back on these hellish traps that are my shoes.
"Don't mention it, Susan."
"I'm off in a quarter of hour, thank God. Can't wait to be on the El, riding home."
"I'm off at eight too. Wanna a ride?"
"Thanks, I'm having my car serviced, it's still at the mechanic's."
"No problem, I'll drive you."
"Mmm. . . I don't know, they say it's pretty dangerous driving with you."
"I'll drive carefully, I promise." Luka says, doing the St. Luka thing again.
A quarter of hour later we are in pouring rain running to Luka's car. It's not the fast, flashy one he had before. It's a old Volkswagen.
"Told you I would drive carefully. I switched to a safer model." Luka smiles, patting the steering wheel.
"I'm glad you did."
Because of the terrible weather the traffic is really bad and we proceed slowly, in a long file of cars, slowed even more, if that's possible, by a huge pileup. Paramedics are already there and it looks like there are no critically injured, luckily enough.
"You eager to perform an emergency intubation with a pocket knife and a biro, huh?" Luka intercepts my stare.
"No, thanks I'll leave all the heroic measures to Doug Ross. He saved a kid from drowning once. Heard you did something similar once, too."
"After I had ran over a poor kid."
"Hurgh! You are dangerous behind the wheel, after all!" I pretend to be scared.
Luka plays along opening the door of the car "You can walk, then!"
"No, thanks, I'll take my chances. I don't wanna catch pneumonia." I say, watching the big drops of rain splashing on the window.
The road gets clearer and we speed a little at last. Suddenly the car jumps, as if the road was bumpy, and stops. A thick wisp of black smoke comes out of the hood.
"Great!" Luka mutters as he get out. He checks the engine with a hopeless look on his face and the rain soaks him.
"I don't understand, Herb, a distant relative of mine who sold me this car, told me it was like brand-new. I gotta call a wrecker." he takes out his cell phone. He can't even dial all the number that the cell phone switches off on its own.
"Perfect! The battery's dead."
"I forgot mine at home."
"You know what this means, then?"
"Come on," I say as I open the door "Get your ass outta here and start pushing."
Numerous huffs and puffs later, I can't feel my arms anymore and I'm soaked to the skin but we have managed to pushed the car to my place. I look at Luka, who stares at me, and we both burst out laughing. We must be quite a show, dripping water and sweaty and panting like we had been jogging or something.
"Wanna come up and call someone to pick up this crock?"
As soon as I'm in my apartment I rush into my room to get changed into a sweat-jumper and a pair of comfy, baggy pants. I rummage through my stuff, looking for something big enough to fit Luka and I find a pair of boxer I stole my old boyfriend from Phoenix and an extra-large t-shirt I usually use to sleep in. I chuckle, because the boxers have small cactuses and lassos on it. Very cowboy-like but typical of my ex. Dix was a real cowboy. Unbearable really, I don't know how I managed to put up with his crap.
"Here," I toss him the clothes "I'm sorry but I don't have any socks big enough."
"Thanks, my feet are dry, although these shoes aren't at-" he trails off looking quizzically from the boxers to me "What are these?"
I laugh "I know, I know. . .They're my ex's. He was a cowboy, what can I say? Girls can't resist that macho charm and the leather boots, big hat and the rodeos and all that stuff. . . "
"Why did you leave him?"
"I couldn't stand all his macho crap, his leather muddy boots that dirtied my floor, his silly hat and I was bored to death of all those endless rodeos!"
As he laughs he takes off his wet shirt, giving me a good peak of his nice abs. Mmm. . . that's a wonderful sight.
I try not to stare too openly "Look, you really should stay here until it stops raining."
"Thanks."
"You up for something to eat? I know a really good Thai takeaway. It's just the two of us because my niece Susie has a sleepover at her friend's Molly's. "
"I don't like Thai food much. How about pizza instead?"
"Sure, what pizza do you want?"
"Pepperoni."
"Ok," I dial Alfredo's pizzeria number "Good evening, I'd like a half pepperoni, half supreme large pizza. Yup, Susan Lewis, same address, bye."
Luka smiles.
"Pizza's on its way."
I walk up to the window "It doesn't look like this rain is about to stops anytime soon."
"Weather forecast says it will last until tomorrow morning. Looks like I'm stuck here for a while. Funny, first Elizabeth, and now you, today."
"I know you preferred Elizabeth, I'm not offended." I tease him.
"Nah, I told you, she's not even my type."
But I am, am I? I ask wordlessly. I'm behaving like a stupid teenager, I know.
"She just needed a sympathetic ear. She's still trying to get over Greene's death."
"I know, I'm trying to be there for here, too. I like her very much, she's a nice woman and a funny colleague to work with."
"Yeah, she's got a wicked British sense of humor. I think she just needed someone who knew what she's going through."
I remember some gossip about Luka losing his family in the war. It is true then. He must have loved his wife very much. He even waited marriage to lose his virginity for her. I remember him telling him she was a very religious woman. I can't understand how Abby could let Luka go, he's amazing. I wish someone did something like that for me! I doubt my boyfriend of the time, who was a horny boy of sixteen, could have done any sacrifices for me, let alone wait. Hell, he even ripped off all the buttons of my favorite blouse. I couldn't find them even if I looked all over the back seat of his car, afterwards. I was fifteen and the thing I remembered more vividly about losing my virginity was that I ruined my favorite blouse. This is pathetic. On the other hand if I waited for Mr. Right then, it would seal up, you know. . . Come to think of it Dix was the last man I had sex with, since me and Carter didn't even get that far. Sex with Dix was great, though, even if that wild cowboy loved things a bit on the rough side.
My doorbells rings. "Pizza's here."
We eat silently and quickly. The rain is still pouring down in buckets. "Looks like you're still stuck here."
"Too bad it's just the two of us, we could have played Pictionary. I love that game."
"We could play scrabble, though."
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"Ah-ah! Appendicectomy! That makes. . . thirty-six points! I'm crushing you, Luka!" I say triumphantly as I put down the letters on the table.
"Hey, cut me some slack, will ya? English isn't my first language after all!"
"You've lived here for years, come on! And you made a lot of long, complicated words that come from Latin!"
"I speak Italian, too, but right now all I can come up with are Croatian words!"
"Good for me!"
"You don't have a very good sportive spirit, you know, Susan?"
"When I play I gotta win!"
"That's childish of you!"
"Who's pouting here because he is losing, huh? Talk about childish!"
"Look!" Luka says pointing out of the window "It stopped raining. I can leave you alone now."
"Someone here is making excuses to leave because can't stand to loose!"
"You're right, you happy now? I'll go before you humiliate me even more!"
"Can't stand losing to a girl, huh? You have a big, macho ego, don't you? "
"Don't you have a bit of pity for this ego of mine?"
"No. I'll let you go, though. Feel free to visit me again, if you feel like playing scrabble and losing again."
"Thanks for everything, Susan."
"I had to pay you back for that shiatsu massage, remember?" I say as I walk Luka down the corridor to the door. A noise comes from the wall. It is familiar and I know what it is. Luka looks at me, puzzled.
"Was that an animal scurrying in the walls?"
"Yup, the mice are friendly and keep me good company. Apartment with pets, for free." I joke.
"Goodnight Susan." Luka say and gives me a friendly kiss on the cheek.
"See you tomorrow, Luka. I had a good time."
"Me too, bye."
I close the door after him but I could smell his musky, masculine scent long after he's gone.
A/N: I didn't mean to turn this into a series but last night I couldn't sleep and I wrote this chapter, so hope you liked it! Let me know, please! Feedback! This goes to all the people who encouraged me to write a sequel, both on ff.net and ERFanfictionZone, you know you are! Thanks!
"Hold the elevator!"
Luka keeps the doors open with his arm I slide through them, thanking him breathlessly.
"Thanks, Luka, I gotta go back up to surgery, otherwise Romano will kill me!"
"No problem, Elizabeth."
I press the button of her floor. "Where are you going, Luka?"
"PICU, to check on a patient of mine. A little kid that was in a MVA and lost his father."
"Poor thing." I say, thinking that Ella would have to face the same sad destiny, wondering if a single parent is enough. Then I spent herself most of my time alone in a boarding school and I grew up just fine, didn't I?
"Oh, come on, why is it taking ages for this bloody lift to go up? Romano is going to be so-"
Right on cue the elevator shakes to an alt.
"Oh great, bloody great!"
Luka pushes all the buttons but the elevator doesn't move. "I guess we're stuck here, Elizabeth. Romano will have to understand and do without you."
"He was about to start a TIPS procedure, that weasel of Edson will be enthusiastic to fill in for me. Forgive my saying this, but he is nothing but a procedure whore." I say as I push the emergency button with impatience and speak into the intercom "Hello! Anybody there?"
"There's only me, Pedro."
"Would you please get this bloody elevator back going, Pedro?"
"I'm only a janitor, señorita."
"Then call maintenance, do something! Good grief!"
"There's no need to get mad at me, señorita."
"I am the one stuck in this ruddy elevator! I think I have every right to be cross, here! Pedro? Pedro you still there?"
The Latino man walked away, or so it seems.
" Oh, bollocks to him!" I exclaim, leaning back against the wall of the elevator, sliding down against it until I am sitting on the floor, my back to it.
Luka speaks into the intercom "Pedro? My name is Luka and I'm stuck here as well. I know this is not your fault but could you please call maintenance. You'll do me a big favor, because this is pretty frustrating, that's why my friend here snapped at you, she really didn't mean to."
"Of course I didn't!" I snort "He's a touchy lad, though. Tell him to bugger off!"
Luka shushes me with gestures.
"I already that, señor."
"Do it again, then, please. You're being very helpful, you know Pedro."
"I'll do it again. No problema, señor."
"See?" Luka turns to me "A few nice words will do wonders."
"I'm afraid patience isn't my strongest suit, Luka."
"What? You're a surgeon, Elizabeth!"
"We surgeons are impatient! It's a required prerogative, they always ask you that when you apply for your residency. We can't wait to cut people open, you know."
"Your operations often last hours, though!"
"It's not like we sit and watch. We're up to our elbows in a man's bowel, usually, Luka!"
"Too bad for you, I learnt patience long ago."
"When?"
"During the war. Siege of Vukovar, 1991, to be precise. When they bombed the city we couldn't get out of our houses for hours, days sometimes. You learn patience or you go mad. My children used to complain all the time because they got bored to death." Luka says, with a sad smile.
"You miss them, huh?"
"You bet, and my wife too."
"I miss Mark as well, God, the pain is so dull and ever present that it makes me feel as if he was still there. It's torture, Luka. People keep telling me it will go away, but they don't know what they're talking about!"
"I do, though. It will never fade but you'll learn to live with it. Somehow you come to terms with the pain and go on."
"When? Because when I walk down the streets and see a man, balding, tall, with that certain way of walking I have to walk up to him and make sure it's not Mark. The other day I saw one in a lab-coat. I rushed to him and it turned out he was a lab tech from pathology. I was so ashamed I wished earth would open and swallow me up. When I go shopping, then, I never buy grapefruits, because Mark doesn't like them. And when I come back home at night I can't wait to tell Mark about my day, if it was bad, like yesterday."
"Hey, you can tell me about it, Elizabeth."
"I accompanied Susan to NYC. She had to identify the body of her sister, who had ODed there. It was so hard, Susan was devastated even if only the day before she was telling me how mad she was at her sister for abandoning her daughter. It wasn't the first time, I understood."
"It is worse, losing a loved one, when you were fighting."
"Not that it is never an easy thing. . ." I whisper, tears rolling down my cheeks. "I'm sorry," I manage to say between gut-wrenching sobs "I always cry when I think of Mark!"
"Hey, it's ok, it's ok" Luka says, hugging me "Shush, come on, calm down. Breathe slowly and deeply."
I try to breath more calmly, resting my head on his shoulder.
"It's better now, thanks, Luka."
Luka raised my chin with his index and looked in my eyes "Don't even mention it, Elizabeth."
Then he kisses me . I kiss him back although I pull away abruptly.
"Look, Elizabeth, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"Don't worry, Luka, it's ok. You are a decent man and a nice guy and I think it's very flattering that you find me attractive but it's too soon for me to be involved with another man."
"I completely understand, but you really are an amazingly attractive woman."
We share an awkward smile and the doors of the elevator open to reveal a maintenance guy in front of us.
"Sorry it took me so long."
"Don't worry" Luka turns to me and winks "I had a great time."
"Me too, anytime Luka."
The maintenance guy looks at us, puzzled.
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When Luka enters the lounge he looks at me somehow amused. Maybe that's because I am barefoot, rubbing my sore feet, my shoes tossed to the side.
"My shoes are killing me. Why on earth did I decide to wear heels at work, huh?"
"To let me show you how a good shiatsu massage is done." Luka says, taking a chair and grabbing one of my feet, starting massaging it skillfully. He flashes his best I'm-the-hunk-of-the-ER smile on me.
Wow. I'm on cloud number nine. "Oh God, this is heaven" I moan with pleasure "Don't stop, Luka."
Elizabeth breezes in, smiling broadly "You're lucky I'm not one of the nurses, because the situation sounded a lot more torrid than it is in reality."
I laugh "You have a dirty mind, Elizabeth!"
She laughs as well "Caffeine withdrawal tends to have that effect on me, you know." She says as she pours some coffee from the pot.
"Luka does an incredible shiatsu massage, you've got to try it."
"Where did you learn that, Luka?"
"A Chinese law student who was doing a coast-to-coast trip through the US taught me when I gave him a lift on my boat, four years ago, or so."
"You have a boat?"
"Used to, before I settled down in Chicago. I would migrate south down every winter. You really don't know how many useful things you pick up traveling around on a boat."
"Good for you" Elizabeth said "I have a terrible back pain, you think it would work for that too?"
"It worked for Carter, he suffers from frequent back pains." I quip in.
"Sure," Luka agrees with me "Whenever you want, Elizabeth, you know where to find me." The European doc says with a mischievous smile I don't fail to catch.
"Next time we're stuck in an elevator, maybe." Elizabeth says provocatively as she walks away.
"So, what's between you two, huh?" I ask when she's out of hearing range, sniffing some good ol' sassy gossip to tell the nurses.
"Nothing" Luka replies with a mock-innocent smile, doing his best St. Luka impersonation "Why?"
"Come on, I don't buy it. I saw the sparks flying when you looked at each other!"
"Ok, I like her. She's beautiful, smart and funny. I kissed her but nothing happened."
"What?" I almost yell "You kissed and nothing happened?" Chuny is so gonna beg me to tell her everything. She's got a knack for spreading nasty rumors about Luka, after they broke up. That girl is pure devil. Must be the Latino blood. Muy caliente.
"She's not ready to get involved with a man yet. I guess she's not over Greene's death yet. Not that I could blame her for that. It's really to soon."
"But you'll wait patiently for her, right?"
"Actually, no. She's not my type, really. Dunno why I kissed her in the first place, even if I like her. I used to have this big crush on Carol Hathaway too, when she was here alone with the twins. I guess I have a thing for single moms."
I am a single mom, too, I wanna scream. Sort of. Single aunt is more like it. I can't deny I find Luka very attractive. He's handsome, sweet and caring even if a bit dark, sad and judgmental at times. I guess it only adds up to his mysterious foreigner's charm.
"So?" I ask.
"Nothing, I told you. She really isn't my type. Too temperamental, as all redheads." He says finishing the massage.
"Kerry's hair is natural, then." I laugh "Thanks a lot, Luka, I feel like I'm reborn. Never again" I declare as I put back on these hellish traps that are my shoes.
"Don't mention it, Susan."
"I'm off in a quarter of hour, thank God. Can't wait to be on the El, riding home."
"I'm off at eight too. Wanna a ride?"
"Thanks, I'm having my car serviced, it's still at the mechanic's."
"No problem, I'll drive you."
"Mmm. . . I don't know, they say it's pretty dangerous driving with you."
"I'll drive carefully, I promise." Luka says, doing the St. Luka thing again.
A quarter of hour later we are in pouring rain running to Luka's car. It's not the fast, flashy one he had before. It's a old Volkswagen.
"Told you I would drive carefully. I switched to a safer model." Luka smiles, patting the steering wheel.
"I'm glad you did."
Because of the terrible weather the traffic is really bad and we proceed slowly, in a long file of cars, slowed even more, if that's possible, by a huge pileup. Paramedics are already there and it looks like there are no critically injured, luckily enough.
"You eager to perform an emergency intubation with a pocket knife and a biro, huh?" Luka intercepts my stare.
"No, thanks I'll leave all the heroic measures to Doug Ross. He saved a kid from drowning once. Heard you did something similar once, too."
"After I had ran over a poor kid."
"Hurgh! You are dangerous behind the wheel, after all!" I pretend to be scared.
Luka plays along opening the door of the car "You can walk, then!"
"No, thanks, I'll take my chances. I don't wanna catch pneumonia." I say, watching the big drops of rain splashing on the window.
The road gets clearer and we speed a little at last. Suddenly the car jumps, as if the road was bumpy, and stops. A thick wisp of black smoke comes out of the hood.
"Great!" Luka mutters as he get out. He checks the engine with a hopeless look on his face and the rain soaks him.
"I don't understand, Herb, a distant relative of mine who sold me this car, told me it was like brand-new. I gotta call a wrecker." he takes out his cell phone. He can't even dial all the number that the cell phone switches off on its own.
"Perfect! The battery's dead."
"I forgot mine at home."
"You know what this means, then?"
"Come on," I say as I open the door "Get your ass outta here and start pushing."
Numerous huffs and puffs later, I can't feel my arms anymore and I'm soaked to the skin but we have managed to pushed the car to my place. I look at Luka, who stares at me, and we both burst out laughing. We must be quite a show, dripping water and sweaty and panting like we had been jogging or something.
"Wanna come up and call someone to pick up this crock?"
As soon as I'm in my apartment I rush into my room to get changed into a sweat-jumper and a pair of comfy, baggy pants. I rummage through my stuff, looking for something big enough to fit Luka and I find a pair of boxer I stole my old boyfriend from Phoenix and an extra-large t-shirt I usually use to sleep in. I chuckle, because the boxers have small cactuses and lassos on it. Very cowboy-like but typical of my ex. Dix was a real cowboy. Unbearable really, I don't know how I managed to put up with his crap.
"Here," I toss him the clothes "I'm sorry but I don't have any socks big enough."
"Thanks, my feet are dry, although these shoes aren't at-" he trails off looking quizzically from the boxers to me "What are these?"
I laugh "I know, I know. . .They're my ex's. He was a cowboy, what can I say? Girls can't resist that macho charm and the leather boots, big hat and the rodeos and all that stuff. . . "
"Why did you leave him?"
"I couldn't stand all his macho crap, his leather muddy boots that dirtied my floor, his silly hat and I was bored to death of all those endless rodeos!"
As he laughs he takes off his wet shirt, giving me a good peak of his nice abs. Mmm. . . that's a wonderful sight.
I try not to stare too openly "Look, you really should stay here until it stops raining."
"Thanks."
"You up for something to eat? I know a really good Thai takeaway. It's just the two of us because my niece Susie has a sleepover at her friend's Molly's. "
"I don't like Thai food much. How about pizza instead?"
"Sure, what pizza do you want?"
"Pepperoni."
"Ok," I dial Alfredo's pizzeria number "Good evening, I'd like a half pepperoni, half supreme large pizza. Yup, Susan Lewis, same address, bye."
Luka smiles.
"Pizza's on its way."
I walk up to the window "It doesn't look like this rain is about to stops anytime soon."
"Weather forecast says it will last until tomorrow morning. Looks like I'm stuck here for a while. Funny, first Elizabeth, and now you, today."
"I know you preferred Elizabeth, I'm not offended." I tease him.
"Nah, I told you, she's not even my type."
But I am, am I? I ask wordlessly. I'm behaving like a stupid teenager, I know.
"She just needed a sympathetic ear. She's still trying to get over Greene's death."
"I know, I'm trying to be there for here, too. I like her very much, she's a nice woman and a funny colleague to work with."
"Yeah, she's got a wicked British sense of humor. I think she just needed someone who knew what she's going through."
I remember some gossip about Luka losing his family in the war. It is true then. He must have loved his wife very much. He even waited marriage to lose his virginity for her. I remember him telling him she was a very religious woman. I can't understand how Abby could let Luka go, he's amazing. I wish someone did something like that for me! I doubt my boyfriend of the time, who was a horny boy of sixteen, could have done any sacrifices for me, let alone wait. Hell, he even ripped off all the buttons of my favorite blouse. I couldn't find them even if I looked all over the back seat of his car, afterwards. I was fifteen and the thing I remembered more vividly about losing my virginity was that I ruined my favorite blouse. This is pathetic. On the other hand if I waited for Mr. Right then, it would seal up, you know. . . Come to think of it Dix was the last man I had sex with, since me and Carter didn't even get that far. Sex with Dix was great, though, even if that wild cowboy loved things a bit on the rough side.
My doorbells rings. "Pizza's here."
We eat silently and quickly. The rain is still pouring down in buckets. "Looks like you're still stuck here."
"Too bad it's just the two of us, we could have played Pictionary. I love that game."
"We could play scrabble, though."
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"Ah-ah! Appendicectomy! That makes. . . thirty-six points! I'm crushing you, Luka!" I say triumphantly as I put down the letters on the table.
"Hey, cut me some slack, will ya? English isn't my first language after all!"
"You've lived here for years, come on! And you made a lot of long, complicated words that come from Latin!"
"I speak Italian, too, but right now all I can come up with are Croatian words!"
"Good for me!"
"You don't have a very good sportive spirit, you know, Susan?"
"When I play I gotta win!"
"That's childish of you!"
"Who's pouting here because he is losing, huh? Talk about childish!"
"Look!" Luka says pointing out of the window "It stopped raining. I can leave you alone now."
"Someone here is making excuses to leave because can't stand to loose!"
"You're right, you happy now? I'll go before you humiliate me even more!"
"Can't stand losing to a girl, huh? You have a big, macho ego, don't you? "
"Don't you have a bit of pity for this ego of mine?"
"No. I'll let you go, though. Feel free to visit me again, if you feel like playing scrabble and losing again."
"Thanks for everything, Susan."
"I had to pay you back for that shiatsu massage, remember?" I say as I walk Luka down the corridor to the door. A noise comes from the wall. It is familiar and I know what it is. Luka looks at me, puzzled.
"Was that an animal scurrying in the walls?"
"Yup, the mice are friendly and keep me good company. Apartment with pets, for free." I joke.
"Goodnight Susan." Luka say and gives me a friendly kiss on the cheek.
"See you tomorrow, Luka. I had a good time."
"Me too, bye."
I close the door after him but I could smell his musky, masculine scent long after he's gone.
A/N: I didn't mean to turn this into a series but last night I couldn't sleep and I wrote this chapter, so hope you liked it! Let me know, please! Feedback! This goes to all the people who encouraged me to write a sequel, both on ff.net and ERFanfictionZone, you know you are! Thanks!