Chapter 6: Truths
Three days later it arrived. The letter. Susan had remained distant both at work and around Luka since she had arrived back from visiting Joe. Susie had started school and loved it, for the first day Susan took her but after that it was arranged that Georgia would take Luann and Susie. Susan was running late on the Wednesday when the letter arrived in her box. On her way out of the apartment Susan grabbed the mail, stuffed it into her bag and hurried out to the car. She then promptly forgot about her bag and all the other mail. During her lunch break at half one Susan sat alone reading her mail. Bill, bill, junk, Mom, junk, junk. but there was another one there too, something in an oddly official looking envelope. Susan tore it open and sat with a stunned look on her face. Letting the letter drop to the table she put her head in her hands and shook with sheer disbelief. That was how she was when Luka came in almost fifteen minutes later. He sat down beside her and put an arm onto her back, in from of her on the table was a letter on headed paper reading Bristol General Hospital. "He's dead Luka. Joe died. I don't even know why it's affecting me like this." Susan mumbled. Luka said nothing; instead he continued to rub Susan's back. Gradually Susan's sobs subsided and she gathered her mail, stuffed it into her bag and left. On the way out she passed Abby who was heading into the lounge. "Is Susan okay?" She asked Luka as she poured herself a cup of coffee, no thinking to offer one to Luka. "She's just received some bad news." He told her rising to get himself a drink, moving his fingers lightly along Susan's coat and bag as he did so. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Abby asked as she watched Luka fumble with Susan's belongings. A smile tainted her lips, "you're seeing her aren't you? Luka?" There was no response from Luka who was deliberately avoiding Abby's eye. Smiling to herself Abby downed her coffee and appeared to be debating whether or not to say something. She decided not and wordlessly left Luka sitting in his own silence.
Susan saw Abby approaching before Abby spotted her. In fact, if Susan hadn't called out to her Abby probably would have walked right on by towards Doc Magoos, maybe that was where she was headed. "Abby." Susan had called out in a fairly quiet shout. "Susan, what is it?" Abby replied marching across the ambulance bay. "It's nothing really. I'm not disturbing you am I?" She asked cautiously. "Nah. I just came out for a cigarette. Thank God Carter isn't on today," Abby told her as she sat down on the bench beside Susan who threw her a puzzled look. "Oh he's on at me to quit. I love him and everything but he can't half nag." Both Susan and Abby laughed. "You got that right." Susan agreed. "So what's going on with you and Luka?" Abby asked, suddenly serious. "What. What did he. what did." Susan stammered, then seeing Abby's smirk she blushed. "Well. I guess we are umm. we kissed." She settled. "Uh huh." Abby nodded. "You don't mind?" Asked Susan, sounding almost shocked. "What? No, of course not. Why should I mind? Hah! At least I know I'm not gonna have to compete for Carter." Abby laughed, Susan joined in and for the first time since she'd opened that letter Susan felt her spirits soar. The pair were both still laughing as Abby pulled out a cigarette and prepared to light it when a car driving way too fast pulled up into the ambulance bay. "Help us! Help us please!" The man driving the vehicle screamed rushing towards Abby and Susan. "What is it?" Susan asked getting up and hurrying over to the car. Abby followed suit dropping her unlit cigarette into her pocket. Inside the car the back seat was covered in blood, a young woman was slouched across it with blood covering the right side of her chest. Beside her was a tiny baby boy wrapped up tightly and snuggly in his little car seat, he was screaming his head off and also covered in blood. "Abby! Take the baby and this man inside. Get Kerry or Luka, we need a spinal board and clear Trauma. Got it!" Susan instructed as she tried to find a pulse on the woman. "Don't let Kaitlyn die! Please don't let them die!" The man begged looking desperately between his wife and his son as Abby led them away.
Kerry had seen Abby coming and instructed Gallant to take the baby into Trauma 2 with Abby. It was there that the man gave his name as Jacob Turner; his wife was Kaitlyn and their son, three months old, Matthew. They had just been driving along when Kaitlyn's window had smashed and she screamed that she's been shot. As soon as it was discovered that none of the blood covering tiny Matthew was his own Abby sent Gallant next door to give Susan all the information Mr. Turner had given her. Next door Kerry and Susan were fighting to keep Mrs. Turner alive. The bullet had smashed a rib and caused her right lung to deflate. The woman had lost a lot of blood and was in a critical condition. Eventually the pair managed to stabilize her long enough to be moved up to the OR where it was hoped that she wouldn't crash or later die of septic shock. Thankfully Susan's shift was best part over. 'In three hours', she thought, 'I'll be picking up Susie and we can settle down to watch TV together.'
Luka saw her making her way towards the admit desk to cross Kaitlyn and Matthew Turner's names off the board and he cut across in front of her to talk. "I found some great curtains for Susie's room." He began. "We could pick them up on the way home." "Huh. mmm." Susan replied thoughtfully, as she cleaned the board. "I saw you talking to Abby. About us?" He asked taking her arm and steering her towards the lounge. "She knows, she guessed it for herself. She's not stupid Luka, and you're hopeless at keeping secrets." She smiled reading his frown. All at once Luka burst out laughing, as they opened the door to the lounge Susan pulled him inside and they shared what might be described as a passionate embrace. "Oh don't mind me!" said a sarcastic voice. "John!" Gasped Susan blushing. "I'm sorry." Luka remained silent. Carter laughed, "Don't worry, Abby told. I'll leave you two to it." He chuckled as he made his way out of the lounge. Susan and Luka stared at each other in silence for a while before returning to the powerful kiss they had been sharing only moments earlier.
Although they drove home separately both Luka and Susan met up twice on the way back to Susan's house, once at a shop where Luka had seen the perfect curtains and second at Luka's house to pick up his things. Susan had managed to get the next day off providing she pulled a double over Friday night/Saturday morning, which worked well for her because Susie was staying at Luann's house then. Once back at Susan's house Luka ordered Chinese while Susan hurried off to collect her niece. Their meal arrived and they all sat down happily, like a family. Susie settled in between Luka and Susan on the couch and Luka put his arm around them both. Susan felt so relaxed. She found herself beginning to doze, uncontrollably her eyelids began to droop and she fell into a peaceful slumber.
When she came round Susan found herself lying stretched out on the couch. She could here Susie and Luka chatting in the kitchen. Luka was the first to spot her stirring. "Hello sleepy head." He laughed dropping his tea towel on to the counter and walking forward to offer her a glass of lemonade. Susan sat up and took it before leaning round to tell Susie to go get ready for her bath. Susie skipped off to the spare bedroom, which had recently been appointed hers. "What am I going to tell her Luka?" Susan whispered softly. "What do I tell her about Joe?" Luka looked her in the eyes, kissed her gently on the lips, then brushing some hair out of her face told her "The truth.
Susan nodded and left the room to bathe her namesake. "Susie, you know when we went to see your Daddy on Saturday." Susan told the child as she sponged her. "Uh huh. He had a bad headache that made him talk funny." Susie told her Aunt as she played with the bath foam. "Well Susie. Look at me. Your Daddy got very sick - "
" - His headache got worse?" Susie interrupted. "A lot worse." Susan continued. "He was so sick that the doctors and nurses couldn't make him better." Susie stared innocently into her Aunt's eyes. "He died Susie." There was a long pause. "Oh." Settled Susie after some time. "Are you okay Susie? Honey?" "So I don't have a Daddy any more?" Susan remained silent. "So I can't ever see him again?" Susan shook her head slowly, her eyes were filling up with tears. She allowed a couple to dribble down her cheeks. "Don't cry Auntie Susan. I'm brave." Susie reached out and put two soapy hands on Susan's face. "I'm okay Susie. Really I am." She laughed tearfully brushing bits of bubble out of her nose. "Let's get you ready for bed."
Susan was just tucking Susie into bed, Luka was reading a story about a beautiful princess. It was a Croatian story he had once told his daughter (his son had hated it!), seeing the way Susie's face lit up at certain moments brought back memories. Susan patted the folded curtains that Luka had vowed to put up the next day. "Night Honey." She whispered as she kissed Susie on the forehead and moved to the doorway where Luka was standing ready to turn out the light. "Night Princess," Luka muttered, still lost in memories. "Wait!" Cried Susie, sitting up suddenly. "What is it Love?" Asked Susan. "I can't sleep here tonight" She said making to get out of bed. "And why's that?" Susan asked trying not to laugh at the determined little child. Susan sat down lightly on the bed. "If I sleep here where will Luka sleep?" Susan laughed and shot a glance at Luka who was grinning at her in anticipation of her answer. "Well I think perhaps I might let him sleep with me." She stammered. "In the same bed? Like Mommy and Daddy?" Susie asked. Susan nodded and this seemed to satisfy Susie. Susan gave the girl another kiss, tucked her in and let Luka turn off the light. Luka went on into the living room, Susan stopped in the doorway to look in on her niece. "Will you get married?" Susie's voice piped up from somewhere in the darkness. "Maybe." Susan replied leaving the room with her head spinning.
"You could have helped me out." Susan shrieked teasingly at Luka as she jabbed him playfully in the chest, automatically he grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her close for a kiss, the fee for her release. "I think you did just fine. That is, if you were telling the truth." He told her, teasing her lips. "As if I would do anything but." Susan told him conspiratorially. They shared another kiss and then snuggled close together on the couch, both knowing that tonight they would be safe in one another's arms.
Susan woke up early the next morning, the room was bathed in pre-dawn, blue- gray haze, Susie wasn't even up yet. Susan lay there watching Luka breathe gently making a feather on the pillow dance playfully. Vaguely Susan recalled the night's events. They had flipped through the TV channels until they found a film that Luka told Susan had an unlikely twist at the end. Unfortunately Susan never found out what the twist was as before the film was even half way through they were lying on the couch together. Somehow they found their way to the bedroom and Susan, lying there in the early morning dark, realized that she finally understood why Abby had said that Luka was a very passionate man. Luka began to stir so Susan tore herself away from her thoughts to watch him. He, of course, woke up and instantly realized that she'd been watching him, he could tell she had been deep in thought. "What were you thinking about?" He asked hoarsely. "You." Replied Susan without hesitation. She watched him as he appeared to melt with affection. Slowly him moved forward and gave her a passionate kiss. Just then the door swung open and there, clothed in the old T-Shirt of Susan's stood Susie. "What are you doing to Auntie Susan?" She demanded, climbing onto the bed. "I. uh." Luka looked desperately towards Susan as they both squirmed under the covers, trying to hide the fact that they were naked from Susie. Susan just smiled a look that told Luka that revenge was, very definitely, sweet. "I. umm. Your Auntie. I. your Auntie had - " " - We were kissing." Susan told Susie bluntly. "With your tongues?" Susie shrieked pulling a face. "Uh huh. Why don't you go and watch TV while we get dressed?" Susan suggested. Susie agreed and disappeared without question. "Okay, you win." Luka sighed reaching out for his underwear. Susan pulled the sheets tightly around herself, then giggling mischievously about something unknown to Luka she got off the bed leaving Luka lying there semi- naked. He instantly began to blush which caused Susan to laugh even more. "You get Susie some breakfast, I need to have a shower." Susan smiled, and reached for her bathrobe. For some time after she left Luka lay stroking the pillow where Susan had lain, inside he felt all warm and confused.
Later, when Susie was at school, Susan and Luka picked up where they had left off. When Luka left for work just after lunch Susan decided that she just had to talk to someone about what had just happened. Without even thinking she dialed the number for Abby's apartment. She got the answering machine so she tried Carter's place. "The Carter Residence." Said a lofty voice, which sounded like it capitalized every letter. "Edgar Speaking, Who Do You Wish To Talk To?" "Umm. Hi. It's Susan Lewis, is Abby Lockhart there?" There was a long pause. "Hi Susan. Is something up?" Came Abby's flustered voice, it sounded like she's just ran down ten flights of stairs, 'knowing Carter's house, she probably has', thought Susan with a smile. "Oh, no. Everything's fine. I was just wondering if you wanted to get a coffee together." Susan suggested suddenly realizing that maybe Abby wasn't the best person to see right now. "Yeah, that'd be great. I'll meet you in Charlie's on Fifth Avenue in half an hour." "Okay." Susan winced as she hung up, she knew now that she would have to tell Abby about her and Luka and how it was so much more than 'just-a- fling'. Sighing Susan replaced the receiver and wandered off to find her car keys.
Half an hour later Susan pulled up outside Charlie's, Abby was being helped out of a very large, white car. The pair walking inside chatting cheerfully and Susan secured a table while Abby ordered the drinks. "How's things going with Susie?" Abby asked casually. Susan laughed and told her about what Susie had come out with that night. She realized that now she had to finish it and explain what happened between her and Luka. "And did you?" asked Abby when Susan got to the part about sharing a bed with Luka. Blushing enormously, Susan nodded, "Uh huh." There was a long silence broken by a laugh from Abby. "We must sound terrible." She chuckled, "hooking up with each others exes/" Susan laughed too, After about an hour of giggly, girly-gossip Abby and Susan went their separate ways. As she got into her car and turned on the ignition Susan thought about how lucky she was but she couldn't help be wonder how much longer she and Luka would last.
Three days later it arrived. The letter. Susan had remained distant both at work and around Luka since she had arrived back from visiting Joe. Susie had started school and loved it, for the first day Susan took her but after that it was arranged that Georgia would take Luann and Susie. Susan was running late on the Wednesday when the letter arrived in her box. On her way out of the apartment Susan grabbed the mail, stuffed it into her bag and hurried out to the car. She then promptly forgot about her bag and all the other mail. During her lunch break at half one Susan sat alone reading her mail. Bill, bill, junk, Mom, junk, junk. but there was another one there too, something in an oddly official looking envelope. Susan tore it open and sat with a stunned look on her face. Letting the letter drop to the table she put her head in her hands and shook with sheer disbelief. That was how she was when Luka came in almost fifteen minutes later. He sat down beside her and put an arm onto her back, in from of her on the table was a letter on headed paper reading Bristol General Hospital. "He's dead Luka. Joe died. I don't even know why it's affecting me like this." Susan mumbled. Luka said nothing; instead he continued to rub Susan's back. Gradually Susan's sobs subsided and she gathered her mail, stuffed it into her bag and left. On the way out she passed Abby who was heading into the lounge. "Is Susan okay?" She asked Luka as she poured herself a cup of coffee, no thinking to offer one to Luka. "She's just received some bad news." He told her rising to get himself a drink, moving his fingers lightly along Susan's coat and bag as he did so. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Abby asked as she watched Luka fumble with Susan's belongings. A smile tainted her lips, "you're seeing her aren't you? Luka?" There was no response from Luka who was deliberately avoiding Abby's eye. Smiling to herself Abby downed her coffee and appeared to be debating whether or not to say something. She decided not and wordlessly left Luka sitting in his own silence.
Susan saw Abby approaching before Abby spotted her. In fact, if Susan hadn't called out to her Abby probably would have walked right on by towards Doc Magoos, maybe that was where she was headed. "Abby." Susan had called out in a fairly quiet shout. "Susan, what is it?" Abby replied marching across the ambulance bay. "It's nothing really. I'm not disturbing you am I?" She asked cautiously. "Nah. I just came out for a cigarette. Thank God Carter isn't on today," Abby told her as she sat down on the bench beside Susan who threw her a puzzled look. "Oh he's on at me to quit. I love him and everything but he can't half nag." Both Susan and Abby laughed. "You got that right." Susan agreed. "So what's going on with you and Luka?" Abby asked, suddenly serious. "What. What did he. what did." Susan stammered, then seeing Abby's smirk she blushed. "Well. I guess we are umm. we kissed." She settled. "Uh huh." Abby nodded. "You don't mind?" Asked Susan, sounding almost shocked. "What? No, of course not. Why should I mind? Hah! At least I know I'm not gonna have to compete for Carter." Abby laughed, Susan joined in and for the first time since she'd opened that letter Susan felt her spirits soar. The pair were both still laughing as Abby pulled out a cigarette and prepared to light it when a car driving way too fast pulled up into the ambulance bay. "Help us! Help us please!" The man driving the vehicle screamed rushing towards Abby and Susan. "What is it?" Susan asked getting up and hurrying over to the car. Abby followed suit dropping her unlit cigarette into her pocket. Inside the car the back seat was covered in blood, a young woman was slouched across it with blood covering the right side of her chest. Beside her was a tiny baby boy wrapped up tightly and snuggly in his little car seat, he was screaming his head off and also covered in blood. "Abby! Take the baby and this man inside. Get Kerry or Luka, we need a spinal board and clear Trauma. Got it!" Susan instructed as she tried to find a pulse on the woman. "Don't let Kaitlyn die! Please don't let them die!" The man begged looking desperately between his wife and his son as Abby led them away.
Kerry had seen Abby coming and instructed Gallant to take the baby into Trauma 2 with Abby. It was there that the man gave his name as Jacob Turner; his wife was Kaitlyn and their son, three months old, Matthew. They had just been driving along when Kaitlyn's window had smashed and she screamed that she's been shot. As soon as it was discovered that none of the blood covering tiny Matthew was his own Abby sent Gallant next door to give Susan all the information Mr. Turner had given her. Next door Kerry and Susan were fighting to keep Mrs. Turner alive. The bullet had smashed a rib and caused her right lung to deflate. The woman had lost a lot of blood and was in a critical condition. Eventually the pair managed to stabilize her long enough to be moved up to the OR where it was hoped that she wouldn't crash or later die of septic shock. Thankfully Susan's shift was best part over. 'In three hours', she thought, 'I'll be picking up Susie and we can settle down to watch TV together.'
Luka saw her making her way towards the admit desk to cross Kaitlyn and Matthew Turner's names off the board and he cut across in front of her to talk. "I found some great curtains for Susie's room." He began. "We could pick them up on the way home." "Huh. mmm." Susan replied thoughtfully, as she cleaned the board. "I saw you talking to Abby. About us?" He asked taking her arm and steering her towards the lounge. "She knows, she guessed it for herself. She's not stupid Luka, and you're hopeless at keeping secrets." She smiled reading his frown. All at once Luka burst out laughing, as they opened the door to the lounge Susan pulled him inside and they shared what might be described as a passionate embrace. "Oh don't mind me!" said a sarcastic voice. "John!" Gasped Susan blushing. "I'm sorry." Luka remained silent. Carter laughed, "Don't worry, Abby told. I'll leave you two to it." He chuckled as he made his way out of the lounge. Susan and Luka stared at each other in silence for a while before returning to the powerful kiss they had been sharing only moments earlier.
Although they drove home separately both Luka and Susan met up twice on the way back to Susan's house, once at a shop where Luka had seen the perfect curtains and second at Luka's house to pick up his things. Susan had managed to get the next day off providing she pulled a double over Friday night/Saturday morning, which worked well for her because Susie was staying at Luann's house then. Once back at Susan's house Luka ordered Chinese while Susan hurried off to collect her niece. Their meal arrived and they all sat down happily, like a family. Susie settled in between Luka and Susan on the couch and Luka put his arm around them both. Susan felt so relaxed. She found herself beginning to doze, uncontrollably her eyelids began to droop and she fell into a peaceful slumber.
When she came round Susan found herself lying stretched out on the couch. She could here Susie and Luka chatting in the kitchen. Luka was the first to spot her stirring. "Hello sleepy head." He laughed dropping his tea towel on to the counter and walking forward to offer her a glass of lemonade. Susan sat up and took it before leaning round to tell Susie to go get ready for her bath. Susie skipped off to the spare bedroom, which had recently been appointed hers. "What am I going to tell her Luka?" Susan whispered softly. "What do I tell her about Joe?" Luka looked her in the eyes, kissed her gently on the lips, then brushing some hair out of her face told her "The truth.
Susan nodded and left the room to bathe her namesake. "Susie, you know when we went to see your Daddy on Saturday." Susan told the child as she sponged her. "Uh huh. He had a bad headache that made him talk funny." Susie told her Aunt as she played with the bath foam. "Well Susie. Look at me. Your Daddy got very sick - "
" - His headache got worse?" Susie interrupted. "A lot worse." Susan continued. "He was so sick that the doctors and nurses couldn't make him better." Susie stared innocently into her Aunt's eyes. "He died Susie." There was a long pause. "Oh." Settled Susie after some time. "Are you okay Susie? Honey?" "So I don't have a Daddy any more?" Susan remained silent. "So I can't ever see him again?" Susan shook her head slowly, her eyes were filling up with tears. She allowed a couple to dribble down her cheeks. "Don't cry Auntie Susan. I'm brave." Susie reached out and put two soapy hands on Susan's face. "I'm okay Susie. Really I am." She laughed tearfully brushing bits of bubble out of her nose. "Let's get you ready for bed."
Susan was just tucking Susie into bed, Luka was reading a story about a beautiful princess. It was a Croatian story he had once told his daughter (his son had hated it!), seeing the way Susie's face lit up at certain moments brought back memories. Susan patted the folded curtains that Luka had vowed to put up the next day. "Night Honey." She whispered as she kissed Susie on the forehead and moved to the doorway where Luka was standing ready to turn out the light. "Night Princess," Luka muttered, still lost in memories. "Wait!" Cried Susie, sitting up suddenly. "What is it Love?" Asked Susan. "I can't sleep here tonight" She said making to get out of bed. "And why's that?" Susan asked trying not to laugh at the determined little child. Susan sat down lightly on the bed. "If I sleep here where will Luka sleep?" Susan laughed and shot a glance at Luka who was grinning at her in anticipation of her answer. "Well I think perhaps I might let him sleep with me." She stammered. "In the same bed? Like Mommy and Daddy?" Susie asked. Susan nodded and this seemed to satisfy Susie. Susan gave the girl another kiss, tucked her in and let Luka turn off the light. Luka went on into the living room, Susan stopped in the doorway to look in on her niece. "Will you get married?" Susie's voice piped up from somewhere in the darkness. "Maybe." Susan replied leaving the room with her head spinning.
"You could have helped me out." Susan shrieked teasingly at Luka as she jabbed him playfully in the chest, automatically he grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her close for a kiss, the fee for her release. "I think you did just fine. That is, if you were telling the truth." He told her, teasing her lips. "As if I would do anything but." Susan told him conspiratorially. They shared another kiss and then snuggled close together on the couch, both knowing that tonight they would be safe in one another's arms.
Susan woke up early the next morning, the room was bathed in pre-dawn, blue- gray haze, Susie wasn't even up yet. Susan lay there watching Luka breathe gently making a feather on the pillow dance playfully. Vaguely Susan recalled the night's events. They had flipped through the TV channels until they found a film that Luka told Susan had an unlikely twist at the end. Unfortunately Susan never found out what the twist was as before the film was even half way through they were lying on the couch together. Somehow they found their way to the bedroom and Susan, lying there in the early morning dark, realized that she finally understood why Abby had said that Luka was a very passionate man. Luka began to stir so Susan tore herself away from her thoughts to watch him. He, of course, woke up and instantly realized that she'd been watching him, he could tell she had been deep in thought. "What were you thinking about?" He asked hoarsely. "You." Replied Susan without hesitation. She watched him as he appeared to melt with affection. Slowly him moved forward and gave her a passionate kiss. Just then the door swung open and there, clothed in the old T-Shirt of Susan's stood Susie. "What are you doing to Auntie Susan?" She demanded, climbing onto the bed. "I. uh." Luka looked desperately towards Susan as they both squirmed under the covers, trying to hide the fact that they were naked from Susie. Susan just smiled a look that told Luka that revenge was, very definitely, sweet. "I. umm. Your Auntie. I. your Auntie had - " " - We were kissing." Susan told Susie bluntly. "With your tongues?" Susie shrieked pulling a face. "Uh huh. Why don't you go and watch TV while we get dressed?" Susan suggested. Susie agreed and disappeared without question. "Okay, you win." Luka sighed reaching out for his underwear. Susan pulled the sheets tightly around herself, then giggling mischievously about something unknown to Luka she got off the bed leaving Luka lying there semi- naked. He instantly began to blush which caused Susan to laugh even more. "You get Susie some breakfast, I need to have a shower." Susan smiled, and reached for her bathrobe. For some time after she left Luka lay stroking the pillow where Susan had lain, inside he felt all warm and confused.
Later, when Susie was at school, Susan and Luka picked up where they had left off. When Luka left for work just after lunch Susan decided that she just had to talk to someone about what had just happened. Without even thinking she dialed the number for Abby's apartment. She got the answering machine so she tried Carter's place. "The Carter Residence." Said a lofty voice, which sounded like it capitalized every letter. "Edgar Speaking, Who Do You Wish To Talk To?" "Umm. Hi. It's Susan Lewis, is Abby Lockhart there?" There was a long pause. "Hi Susan. Is something up?" Came Abby's flustered voice, it sounded like she's just ran down ten flights of stairs, 'knowing Carter's house, she probably has', thought Susan with a smile. "Oh, no. Everything's fine. I was just wondering if you wanted to get a coffee together." Susan suggested suddenly realizing that maybe Abby wasn't the best person to see right now. "Yeah, that'd be great. I'll meet you in Charlie's on Fifth Avenue in half an hour." "Okay." Susan winced as she hung up, she knew now that she would have to tell Abby about her and Luka and how it was so much more than 'just-a- fling'. Sighing Susan replaced the receiver and wandered off to find her car keys.
Half an hour later Susan pulled up outside Charlie's, Abby was being helped out of a very large, white car. The pair walking inside chatting cheerfully and Susan secured a table while Abby ordered the drinks. "How's things going with Susie?" Abby asked casually. Susan laughed and told her about what Susie had come out with that night. She realized that now she had to finish it and explain what happened between her and Luka. "And did you?" asked Abby when Susan got to the part about sharing a bed with Luka. Blushing enormously, Susan nodded, "Uh huh." There was a long silence broken by a laugh from Abby. "We must sound terrible." She chuckled, "hooking up with each others exes/" Susan laughed too, After about an hour of giggly, girly-gossip Abby and Susan went their separate ways. As she got into her car and turned on the ignition Susan thought about how lucky she was but she couldn't help be wonder how much longer she and Luka would last.