This is possibly one of the longest chapters that you will find in this
story. It's also one of my favorite chapters. Hehe. This chapter will be
posted Thursday morning, because I don't want to get moving too quickly by
posting while I'm writing this Wednesday night. I'm really looking forward
to tonight's episode! I keep hoping Maggie will somehow find out about
Carter and Abby either by calling early in the morning and Carter answering
the phone or Maggie showing up while Abby is brushing her teeth and Carter
is in his boxers (this was my sister's fantasy who just wants to see Noah
Wyle in boxers). Well whatever happens, I'm sure it'll be good. Enjoy
this chapter! Look for the next one either late Thursday night or early
Friday morning.
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Another week has passed and I am sitting in a room full of people who I
don't know. They are also known as Michael's family. I've only met his
parents and his brother, so the rest of these people are total strangers to
me.
"Honey, this is my aunt Rita." He is introducing me to yet another aunt. I smile and shake her hand and gasp as she pulls me into a hug.
"I'm just so happy for the two of you." She smiles and she's on her way. Michael wraps his arm around my shoulder and kisses the top of my head.
"You okay?" God, has he noticed it too?
"Of course." I force a smile.
"I love you."
"I know." I sigh and pray this night will be over soon and it will be two days from now and this wedding will be over with.
"Come on. I have to introduce you to my two favorite cousins."
"I thought the last two were your favorites?"
"No, I only tell them they're my favorites. Marco and Carla really are the best." Forty-five minutes later I am totally overwhelmed until I finally see a familiar face appear at the entrance to the restaurant.
"Susan, thank god you're here." I say, and rush over to her.
"I got here as fast as that damn cab driver could get here. Those people aren't the drivers they used to be. I need a drink." We walk back into the main room and Michael comes walking over to us carrying three drinks.
"My hero!" Susan says as Michael hands her one of the glasses.
"Only the best for the maid of honor." Michael leans down and kisses her on the cheek.
"Carter was in a really bad mood. I've been trying to get out of that damn hospital for nearly two hours." Susan downs the liquid. "Oh, and he said to tell you he wouldn't be able to make it on Saturday. You didn't tell me you invited him."
"Yeah, it was sort of a last minute decision." I look up at Michael who is giving me a questioning look. "He's one of the doctors at the hospital. I've known him for a long time but I wasn't sure about inviting him."
"Oh. Well it's your wedding too, you can invite whoever you want."
"Michael, you have single guys in your family right?"
"A few. You want me to hook you up?" Susan nods and I know she's going to be falling down drunk by the end of the evening. Michael lets go of me and leads Susan off to introduce her to the eligibles. I watch them walk away and then I feel a tapping on my shoulder. I turn around expecting to find another one of Michael's cousins wishing us luck, but instead it's my mother.
"Hey Mom." I hug her.
"I want to talk to you."
"Right now?"
"Yes. It'll just take a minute." I let her lead me outside onto the veranda. We sit down on the small bench there.
"I can't believe my baby's getting married." Maggie starts.
"I have been married before." I feel the need to point out.
"I know, but I wasn't there that time. I just want to tell you no matter what that I love you."
"No matter what?"
"No matter what. I don't care about Michael, or Richard, or Luka, or even John. I only care about you and I love you and I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."
"Why doesn't anyone think I'm happy?"
"Everyone's just trying to look out for you. For your well-being."
"What is it? Do you not think Michael's good enough for me?"
"Oh honey, you know that's not true. I adore Michael, just like I adore anyone you're with." We have both started to cry by now.
"Have you ever done something you thought you regretted but then realized you never really regretted it?" I need to ask her this question and I lean my head on her shoulder and she moves a piece of my hair that has fallen into my face.
"Why?"
"I kissed John." I finally have said these three small words that haven't been uttered out loud for six months.
"When?" Maggie's hand has stopped moving.
"In May."
"Before you met Michael?"
"About a week before."
"Well what happened?" Why was this replaying the conversation that we'd had the year before?
"I got scared." That's an understatement. I totally freaked out.
"Did you talk to him about it?" I shake my head which causes me to start crying again.
"Did you tell Michael?" I shake my head again.
"Did you tell anyone?" I shake my once more.
"Do you have feelings for him?"
"I don't know. I didn't, but then I did, and then I got confused. We were locked in the hospital during a smallpox outbreak and."
"Honey, you need to stop, take a break and take a step back from your life."
"What do you mean?"
"You need to think about what he means to you."
"John or Michael?"
"Both. Do you have feelings for John?"
"I don't know."
"Because if you do you need to tell Michael because it's not fair to him to lead him on. Or you can just forget about those feelings and marry Michael anyway and be happy with him." I wipe away my tears and look up at my mother and I'm about to tell her the truth but someone comes through the doorway and interrupts us.
"Hey, I thought someone said they saw you come out here." Michael grin fades when he sees me wiping my eyes. "What's wrong babe?"
"Uh, nothing." Maggie saves me by standing up and going over to future son- in-law. "We were just having a little mother-daughter talk."
Maggie leads him back into the main room as I relax back down onto the bench. I guess this is supposed to be my "alone thinking time." How am I supposed to decide something like this? It's not just like choosing what flavor coffee to buy. I was never blessed with good decision making skills. That was definitely proven by Richard. What I need is a sign. An intervention from someone watching over me letting me know what to do. I look into the sky hoping that maybe that will inspire something. Good going Abby.
"Oh my god." I whisper in amazement just as a little white flurry floats tenderly down and lands on my nose. I hadn't realized how cold it was. It seemed like it had been sunny and warm not but just a few hours ago. It would probably be a good idea to get my jacket. I finally stand up and walk back into the party. The music is blaring some nameless tune. I catch Michael's eye as I walk towards the entrance and in a matter of seconds, he is by my side.
"It's starting to snow outside."
"It's not even November yet."
"Yeah. It's going to be a cold year."
"Where are you going?" Michael only just seems to notice that I have my coat on and I'm walking towards the front door.
"For a walk."
"What about everyone here?"
"Just tell them I wasn't feeling good."
"What's going on with you?"
"Nothing, just jitters, Really, I'm fine."
"Well I'll go with you."
"No. Go back in there and be with your family. I just need some air." He accepts this and leans down to kiss me on the lips. For some reason, my body turns my head so that instead he catches my cheek. I don't need to look at him to know that I have hurt him.
"I'll call you later okay. And I'll see you tomorrow." I attempt to break this tension by smiling, but this doesn't seem to help Michael. I shove my hands in my pockets and grimly nod before walking down the steps and starting down the street. About fifteen minutes later I hear a car coming and I turn to the left to see if it's either Michael coming after me or if it's a cab. Unfortunately, it's not either of these things. It's actually a black limo whizzing along. I follow it for a couple of blocks and see it stop at an apartment building. A man steps out with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He has a traditional tuxedo on. This makes me think of one thing. I hear a car noise again and I turn and thankfully this time it is a taxi. I run into the street and flag it down. As I breathlessly open the door and sit down, the driver asks me where I want to go and there's only one place that comes to mind.
"County General."
"Honey, this is my aunt Rita." He is introducing me to yet another aunt. I smile and shake her hand and gasp as she pulls me into a hug.
"I'm just so happy for the two of you." She smiles and she's on her way. Michael wraps his arm around my shoulder and kisses the top of my head.
"You okay?" God, has he noticed it too?
"Of course." I force a smile.
"I love you."
"I know." I sigh and pray this night will be over soon and it will be two days from now and this wedding will be over with.
"Come on. I have to introduce you to my two favorite cousins."
"I thought the last two were your favorites?"
"No, I only tell them they're my favorites. Marco and Carla really are the best." Forty-five minutes later I am totally overwhelmed until I finally see a familiar face appear at the entrance to the restaurant.
"Susan, thank god you're here." I say, and rush over to her.
"I got here as fast as that damn cab driver could get here. Those people aren't the drivers they used to be. I need a drink." We walk back into the main room and Michael comes walking over to us carrying three drinks.
"My hero!" Susan says as Michael hands her one of the glasses.
"Only the best for the maid of honor." Michael leans down and kisses her on the cheek.
"Carter was in a really bad mood. I've been trying to get out of that damn hospital for nearly two hours." Susan downs the liquid. "Oh, and he said to tell you he wouldn't be able to make it on Saturday. You didn't tell me you invited him."
"Yeah, it was sort of a last minute decision." I look up at Michael who is giving me a questioning look. "He's one of the doctors at the hospital. I've known him for a long time but I wasn't sure about inviting him."
"Oh. Well it's your wedding too, you can invite whoever you want."
"Michael, you have single guys in your family right?"
"A few. You want me to hook you up?" Susan nods and I know she's going to be falling down drunk by the end of the evening. Michael lets go of me and leads Susan off to introduce her to the eligibles. I watch them walk away and then I feel a tapping on my shoulder. I turn around expecting to find another one of Michael's cousins wishing us luck, but instead it's my mother.
"Hey Mom." I hug her.
"I want to talk to you."
"Right now?"
"Yes. It'll just take a minute." I let her lead me outside onto the veranda. We sit down on the small bench there.
"I can't believe my baby's getting married." Maggie starts.
"I have been married before." I feel the need to point out.
"I know, but I wasn't there that time. I just want to tell you no matter what that I love you."
"No matter what?"
"No matter what. I don't care about Michael, or Richard, or Luka, or even John. I only care about you and I love you and I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."
"Why doesn't anyone think I'm happy?"
"Everyone's just trying to look out for you. For your well-being."
"What is it? Do you not think Michael's good enough for me?"
"Oh honey, you know that's not true. I adore Michael, just like I adore anyone you're with." We have both started to cry by now.
"Have you ever done something you thought you regretted but then realized you never really regretted it?" I need to ask her this question and I lean my head on her shoulder and she moves a piece of my hair that has fallen into my face.
"Why?"
"I kissed John." I finally have said these three small words that haven't been uttered out loud for six months.
"When?" Maggie's hand has stopped moving.
"In May."
"Before you met Michael?"
"About a week before."
"Well what happened?" Why was this replaying the conversation that we'd had the year before?
"I got scared." That's an understatement. I totally freaked out.
"Did you talk to him about it?" I shake my head which causes me to start crying again.
"Did you tell Michael?" I shake my head again.
"Did you tell anyone?" I shake my once more.
"Do you have feelings for him?"
"I don't know. I didn't, but then I did, and then I got confused. We were locked in the hospital during a smallpox outbreak and."
"Honey, you need to stop, take a break and take a step back from your life."
"What do you mean?"
"You need to think about what he means to you."
"John or Michael?"
"Both. Do you have feelings for John?"
"I don't know."
"Because if you do you need to tell Michael because it's not fair to him to lead him on. Or you can just forget about those feelings and marry Michael anyway and be happy with him." I wipe away my tears and look up at my mother and I'm about to tell her the truth but someone comes through the doorway and interrupts us.
"Hey, I thought someone said they saw you come out here." Michael grin fades when he sees me wiping my eyes. "What's wrong babe?"
"Uh, nothing." Maggie saves me by standing up and going over to future son- in-law. "We were just having a little mother-daughter talk."
Maggie leads him back into the main room as I relax back down onto the bench. I guess this is supposed to be my "alone thinking time." How am I supposed to decide something like this? It's not just like choosing what flavor coffee to buy. I was never blessed with good decision making skills. That was definitely proven by Richard. What I need is a sign. An intervention from someone watching over me letting me know what to do. I look into the sky hoping that maybe that will inspire something. Good going Abby.
"Oh my god." I whisper in amazement just as a little white flurry floats tenderly down and lands on my nose. I hadn't realized how cold it was. It seemed like it had been sunny and warm not but just a few hours ago. It would probably be a good idea to get my jacket. I finally stand up and walk back into the party. The music is blaring some nameless tune. I catch Michael's eye as I walk towards the entrance and in a matter of seconds, he is by my side.
"It's starting to snow outside."
"It's not even November yet."
"Yeah. It's going to be a cold year."
"Where are you going?" Michael only just seems to notice that I have my coat on and I'm walking towards the front door.
"For a walk."
"What about everyone here?"
"Just tell them I wasn't feeling good."
"What's going on with you?"
"Nothing, just jitters, Really, I'm fine."
"Well I'll go with you."
"No. Go back in there and be with your family. I just need some air." He accepts this and leans down to kiss me on the lips. For some reason, my body turns my head so that instead he catches my cheek. I don't need to look at him to know that I have hurt him.
"I'll call you later okay. And I'll see you tomorrow." I attempt to break this tension by smiling, but this doesn't seem to help Michael. I shove my hands in my pockets and grimly nod before walking down the steps and starting down the street. About fifteen minutes later I hear a car coming and I turn to the left to see if it's either Michael coming after me or if it's a cab. Unfortunately, it's not either of these things. It's actually a black limo whizzing along. I follow it for a couple of blocks and see it stop at an apartment building. A man steps out with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He has a traditional tuxedo on. This makes me think of one thing. I hear a car noise again and I turn and thankfully this time it is a taxi. I run into the street and flag it down. As I breathlessly open the door and sit down, the driver asks me where I want to go and there's only one place that comes to mind.
"County General."