Author's Note: Well, this is a happier chapter, since it's Easter and I'm
in a good mood (the Easter bunny brought lots of chocolate to my house this
morning). I really appreciate all the reviews I've gotten so far- the more
feedback, the better. Keep that in mind after you read the chapter :)
Enjoy!
***
"Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-b-" The incessant beeping of the alarm clock stopped when Elizabeth finally found the snooze button. Slowly opening her eyes, she rolled over to look at the alarm clock. 6:45. Elizabeth groaned and threw back the sheets. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and slid her feet into her slippers. Reaching for her bathrobe, she walked into the bathroom.
Elizabeth lazily unwound her thick hair from the braid she slept in. Holding it back with one hand, she wet a washcloth with the other and wiped her face. The cold water woke her up a little bit. She filled a glass with cold water and drank it before leaving the bathroom to go downstairs.
When she passed her daughter's room, Elizabeth paused and quietly pushed open the door. Ella was standing up in her crib, and when she saw her mother, she began to bang on the sides. Elizabeth laughed as she crossed the room and lifted Ella out of the crib and onto her hip. "We're going to have to get you a big-girl bed soon, darling." Ella smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
Now with Ella in tow, Elizabeth went downstairs and knocked on the half- open door to the guest room. There was no response. Elizabeth pushed the door open all the way. Robert lay on the bed, wrapped up in the sheets. He looked so peaceful when he slept- there was no pain on his face or in his eyes. Elizabeth put Ella on the ground. "Go into the living room, sweetheart. I'll be right there." Ella ran off, and Elizabeth silently entered the room.
Cautiously avoiding the lifeless arm that was propped up on a pillow, Elizabeth gently shook Robert's shoulder. "Robert? It's ten minutes to seven."
Robert's eyes opened. He was surprised to see Elizabeth at first, but the memories of the previous night soon came rushing back. He sat up in bed. His arm ached, and his head throbbed, a constant reminder of the night before. "Good morning."
"Good morning, Robert. How are you feeling?"
"Fine," Robert said, looking Elizabeth straight in the eye. Her crystal blue eyes asked him doubtful questions, and Robert looked down. "Not so fine."
"How's your arm?"
"Still hurts like hell."
"Do you want something stronger than Tylenol?"
Robert shook his head. "No. Tylenol is fine."
Elizabeth nodded. "I'll get you some." She left the room and went into the kitchen, where she kept a bottle of Tylenol in one of the cabinets. As she shook two caplets out of the bottle, Elizabeth glanced into the living room. Ella was sitting on the floor, looking at a picture book. When she saw her mother, she jumped up and ran to her.
"Mommy!"
Elizabeth scooped her up in one arm and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Ella."
"Where are you going?"
"Mommy's friend had to stay here last night, and his arm hurts. I'm going to bring him some medicine."
"Can I come?"
"Of course, darling." She walked into the guest room again and placed the pills on the nightstand.
"Ella, this is my friend." She paused, not sure how to introduce Robert.
"Robert," Robert finished quickly. "How are you, Ella?"
Ella buried her head in Elizabeth's shoulder. Elizabeth laughed. "She's still a bit shy around strangers. She'll open up in no time, I can guarantee that." She sat down on the bed. "So, do you think you're up for work this morning?"
Robert paused. He really didn't want to go into work. Spending twelve hours in the busy ER would not make his headache any better. But he was tempted to go anyway. He didn't want Elizabeth to think he was weak.
He looked at Elizabeth, ready to tell her, against his better judgment, that he would go into work. When he saw her eyes, he suddenly changed his mind. She already knew that he was weak- she didn't care. She also already knew that he was in no condition to go to work. He took a deep breath.
"No. Those incompetent ER hooligans will just have to fend for themselves today."
Elizabeth smiled. "I'm glad you're not going in today. You look like hell."
"Thank you, Lizzie, I really appreciate that."
Elizabeth laughed. "Well, you do."
Robert smiled. "As opposed to who? You? The morning breath is very attractive."
Elizabeth self-consciously brought her hand up to her mouth. "I need to brush my teeth."
Robert laughed. "No, it's really not that bad, Lizzie."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Can I get you some coffee?"
Robert nodded. "I've got to go to the bathroom anyway. I can't remember, is there a shower in there?"
"Yes. There are some towels hanging on the rack behind the door, and there should be some soap in there."
"Thanks, Lizzie," Robert said, as he got out of bed, grabbing his clothes from the night before.
"Here, let me get you a clean shirt, Robert."
"Thank you." Elizabeth went upstairs to find a shirt, and Robert walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.
***
Twenty minutes later, Robert emerged from the bathroom. Elizabeth poured him a cup of coffee, and continued cutting up a banana for Ella. Robert sat down at the kitchen table across from Ella, who was eating Cheerios.
"How are those Cheerios, Ella?"
"Good," Ella said, shyly.
"You know, I could use some Cheerios about now." Robert said, hinting to Elizabeth.
"Robert, would you like something to eat?"
"I'll have what the young lady is having," he said, winking at Ella. Ella giggled.
Elizabeth poured two bowls of Cheerios and sat down at the table between Robert and Ella. "Do you want milk on your cereal, Robert?" He nodded. "Okay, I'll get you some."
"You know, I'm a grown man. I'm perfectly capable of getting milk out of a refrigerator and pouring it on my cereal. In fact, since I'm such a gentleman, I'll even pour some on your cereal if you so desire."
Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and smiled as Robert got the carton of milk out of the refrigerator and poured some on her cereal. He looked much better this morning. A bruise was beginning to form around his eye, but he seemed much cheerier.
"So, Lizzie. Are you working today?"
"I have a meeting at two, and I have to catch up on some paperwork. I don't have any surgeries scheduled, though. And speaking of work, Robert, you should call in sick. They'll be expecting you soon."
Robert nodded. "Where's the phone?" Elizabeth tipped her chair back and grabbed the cordless from the kitchen counter. Robert punched in the number for the County ER desk and waited for someone to pick up. After three rings, he finally heard a voice on the other end.
"County General emergency department."
"Jerry, I hope you pick up calls from dying people faster than you picked up mine."
On the other end of the line, Jerry sighed. "Dr. Romano. How are you on this fine morning?"
"Not so great, Jerry, but thanks for the fake enthusiasm. I'm a little under the weather today, so I won't be coming in. Call up to Weaver's office and tell her to get her ass down there to help you out."
"Okay, Dr. Romano. I hope you feel bet-" Jerry was interrupted when Robert hung up.
"I now have the day off," Robert said.
"Well, why don't you stick around here this morning, and I'll drop you off at your house on my way in to work?"
Robert took a sip of his coffee. "Sounds like a plan."
***
"Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-b-" The incessant beeping of the alarm clock stopped when Elizabeth finally found the snooze button. Slowly opening her eyes, she rolled over to look at the alarm clock. 6:45. Elizabeth groaned and threw back the sheets. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and slid her feet into her slippers. Reaching for her bathrobe, she walked into the bathroom.
Elizabeth lazily unwound her thick hair from the braid she slept in. Holding it back with one hand, she wet a washcloth with the other and wiped her face. The cold water woke her up a little bit. She filled a glass with cold water and drank it before leaving the bathroom to go downstairs.
When she passed her daughter's room, Elizabeth paused and quietly pushed open the door. Ella was standing up in her crib, and when she saw her mother, she began to bang on the sides. Elizabeth laughed as she crossed the room and lifted Ella out of the crib and onto her hip. "We're going to have to get you a big-girl bed soon, darling." Ella smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
Now with Ella in tow, Elizabeth went downstairs and knocked on the half- open door to the guest room. There was no response. Elizabeth pushed the door open all the way. Robert lay on the bed, wrapped up in the sheets. He looked so peaceful when he slept- there was no pain on his face or in his eyes. Elizabeth put Ella on the ground. "Go into the living room, sweetheart. I'll be right there." Ella ran off, and Elizabeth silently entered the room.
Cautiously avoiding the lifeless arm that was propped up on a pillow, Elizabeth gently shook Robert's shoulder. "Robert? It's ten minutes to seven."
Robert's eyes opened. He was surprised to see Elizabeth at first, but the memories of the previous night soon came rushing back. He sat up in bed. His arm ached, and his head throbbed, a constant reminder of the night before. "Good morning."
"Good morning, Robert. How are you feeling?"
"Fine," Robert said, looking Elizabeth straight in the eye. Her crystal blue eyes asked him doubtful questions, and Robert looked down. "Not so fine."
"How's your arm?"
"Still hurts like hell."
"Do you want something stronger than Tylenol?"
Robert shook his head. "No. Tylenol is fine."
Elizabeth nodded. "I'll get you some." She left the room and went into the kitchen, where she kept a bottle of Tylenol in one of the cabinets. As she shook two caplets out of the bottle, Elizabeth glanced into the living room. Ella was sitting on the floor, looking at a picture book. When she saw her mother, she jumped up and ran to her.
"Mommy!"
Elizabeth scooped her up in one arm and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Ella."
"Where are you going?"
"Mommy's friend had to stay here last night, and his arm hurts. I'm going to bring him some medicine."
"Can I come?"
"Of course, darling." She walked into the guest room again and placed the pills on the nightstand.
"Ella, this is my friend." She paused, not sure how to introduce Robert.
"Robert," Robert finished quickly. "How are you, Ella?"
Ella buried her head in Elizabeth's shoulder. Elizabeth laughed. "She's still a bit shy around strangers. She'll open up in no time, I can guarantee that." She sat down on the bed. "So, do you think you're up for work this morning?"
Robert paused. He really didn't want to go into work. Spending twelve hours in the busy ER would not make his headache any better. But he was tempted to go anyway. He didn't want Elizabeth to think he was weak.
He looked at Elizabeth, ready to tell her, against his better judgment, that he would go into work. When he saw her eyes, he suddenly changed his mind. She already knew that he was weak- she didn't care. She also already knew that he was in no condition to go to work. He took a deep breath.
"No. Those incompetent ER hooligans will just have to fend for themselves today."
Elizabeth smiled. "I'm glad you're not going in today. You look like hell."
"Thank you, Lizzie, I really appreciate that."
Elizabeth laughed. "Well, you do."
Robert smiled. "As opposed to who? You? The morning breath is very attractive."
Elizabeth self-consciously brought her hand up to her mouth. "I need to brush my teeth."
Robert laughed. "No, it's really not that bad, Lizzie."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Can I get you some coffee?"
Robert nodded. "I've got to go to the bathroom anyway. I can't remember, is there a shower in there?"
"Yes. There are some towels hanging on the rack behind the door, and there should be some soap in there."
"Thanks, Lizzie," Robert said, as he got out of bed, grabbing his clothes from the night before.
"Here, let me get you a clean shirt, Robert."
"Thank you." Elizabeth went upstairs to find a shirt, and Robert walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.
***
Twenty minutes later, Robert emerged from the bathroom. Elizabeth poured him a cup of coffee, and continued cutting up a banana for Ella. Robert sat down at the kitchen table across from Ella, who was eating Cheerios.
"How are those Cheerios, Ella?"
"Good," Ella said, shyly.
"You know, I could use some Cheerios about now." Robert said, hinting to Elizabeth.
"Robert, would you like something to eat?"
"I'll have what the young lady is having," he said, winking at Ella. Ella giggled.
Elizabeth poured two bowls of Cheerios and sat down at the table between Robert and Ella. "Do you want milk on your cereal, Robert?" He nodded. "Okay, I'll get you some."
"You know, I'm a grown man. I'm perfectly capable of getting milk out of a refrigerator and pouring it on my cereal. In fact, since I'm such a gentleman, I'll even pour some on your cereal if you so desire."
Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and smiled as Robert got the carton of milk out of the refrigerator and poured some on her cereal. He looked much better this morning. A bruise was beginning to form around his eye, but he seemed much cheerier.
"So, Lizzie. Are you working today?"
"I have a meeting at two, and I have to catch up on some paperwork. I don't have any surgeries scheduled, though. And speaking of work, Robert, you should call in sick. They'll be expecting you soon."
Robert nodded. "Where's the phone?" Elizabeth tipped her chair back and grabbed the cordless from the kitchen counter. Robert punched in the number for the County ER desk and waited for someone to pick up. After three rings, he finally heard a voice on the other end.
"County General emergency department."
"Jerry, I hope you pick up calls from dying people faster than you picked up mine."
On the other end of the line, Jerry sighed. "Dr. Romano. How are you on this fine morning?"
"Not so great, Jerry, but thanks for the fake enthusiasm. I'm a little under the weather today, so I won't be coming in. Call up to Weaver's office and tell her to get her ass down there to help you out."
"Okay, Dr. Romano. I hope you feel bet-" Jerry was interrupted when Robert hung up.
"I now have the day off," Robert said.
"Well, why don't you stick around here this morning, and I'll drop you off at your house on my way in to work?"
Robert took a sip of his coffee. "Sounds like a plan."