Jo & Lise xx
Part Eight
Abby smiled happily to herself as she restocked the drug cupboard. Today had turned out pretty good. The conversation with Maggie last night had eventually been quite friendly, and she felt a lot better after talking about John for a bit. Then she'd rung Susan and had a long chat about everything. Not really talking about John or Africa much, just about girly things, and having a laugh. She'd had a good night's sleep for the first time since he'd left, and woken up relatively happy with her life.
This morning she had come into work with a positive attitude, ready for whatever the day threw at her. As it had turned out the ER had been relatively quiet, although busy enough to keep herself occupied. She hummed quietly to herself as she worked.
"You sound happy today," Susan said, entering the drug cupboard.
"Yeah, I think everything's going to be okay." She reached up to the top shelf, placing a few boxes of haldol on it.
"I told you." Susan grinned, pleased with herself, as she took the drug she needed off the shelf. "See, you should always listen to Auntie Susan." Abby laughed loudly.
"Don't get carried away with yourself." She turned to her friend, having finished stacking the shelves. "Last night I thought about going over to his house and getting the engagement ring. It feels right you know? I want to marry him."
***
The sun was setting in the distance, casting a purple glow between the lip- locked couple...she ran her hands through the back of his dampened hair, tickling the back of his neck.
He turned slightly, sending the i-pod crashing to the dry floor with a clatter. The noise seemed to bring the pair back to reality, in Carter's case the enormity of what he just did came crashing down on him like a mob of rowdy Mai-Mai.
Abby. What about Abby? She doesn't want to marry you! She does, I know she does... Then why did she refuse, go on big shot, tell me that! His conscience battled inside him, trying to rationalise the moment, trying to calm the panic descending upon him.
In her unblinking, unquestioning way Debbie knew this, it was as though she could read his deepest thoughts, just by a blink of her eyes.
"I'm sorry...that really shouldn't have happened..." he began, stuttering slightly.
"I know." She replied matter of factly. "Its kind of testing if the grass is greener on the other side? And I'm taking it the grass is dried and brown..."
"Debbie...it's not that I'm not attracted to you, because I am."
"Hey John, forget it. I already have."
She turned to leave, throwing her hat back on once more.
"Oh by the way...get some sleep, I'm going to wake you up early. We'll take the Rover over to Kanese with a couple of the Mai Mai while everybody else loads the trucks. See what we can find out..."
***
"Anyone know a good restaurant?" Abby asked as she leant against the admit desk.
"Depends what you're looking for," Lydia responded, standing in a similar position.
"Something nice. I thought I'd take Carter out for a meal when he gets back from Africa."
"That's sweet."
"Isn't the guy supposed to take the girl out?" Randi added. "Besides, doesn't he have all the money?"
"Yeah, but I wanted to do something romantic for him for once. He's always doing all sorts of romantic things for me, I want to do the same for him."
"I have an idea!" Chen exclaimed, excited. "Don't take him out, this is what you're going to do..."
***
The hurriedly set up camp was in darkness now, Carter was vaguely aware he should be taking advantage of this rare peace and sleep... but he couldn't be further from it.
He remembered the exact moment that their lips had touched, it had excited him, he felt a powerful emotion throughout him, which he now identified as guilt, not passion.
He played it over, and over, and over again in his mind...eventually the woman who he had kissed hadn't been Debbie, but Abby.
There had been so many reasons, empty excuses keeping them from being together...
The addictions. She tried to battle it, and he knew she would do it... he had. It was just helping her do it without being seen as though he wanted to "fix" her, as she so often accused.
Their families. His wealth, her mother, definitely her brother, combining the two at his Grandmother's funeral. He lost sight for a while after she died, he believed no-one could come close to giving him the love he had received from Gamma, although Abby had already exceeded that.
He tried to roll over and sleep, but these thoughts mounted on his brain, like coiled springs keeping his eyes wide open.
In a last attempt to get some sleep before going to Kanese to recover Luka, the real issue at hand, he summoned a happy memory...
The Lockdown. They were ok then, and he was pretty sure he was going to make it ok now, too.
***
"What's this I hear about you cooking for Carter?" Susan asked as she and Abby stood outside the hospital, waiting for an incoming trauma.
"It was Deb's idea. For when he comes back, to show him I can do sweet romantic things too."
"And does Deb know what your cooking's like?"
"Hey!" Abby hit her friend on the arm playfully. "She said she'll help. And I'm sure you'd love to give me a hand too."
"No thanks, I don't fancy being burnt to a cinder." Abby gave her a sarcastic smile, returning her attention to the road up to the ambulance bay. "Okay Abby, you're really starting to scare me now. What happened to our old cynical Abby?"
"I threw her away," she laughed, and Susan joined her, shaking her head. "I just thought, what's the point? Why do I keep telling myself that he'll get himself killed, I may as well just look forward to getting him back. Let that keep me going. And why do I keep thinking he'll meet someone else? I realised last night how stupid I am: he loves me, I love him. That's how simple it is."
***
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