Disclaimer: I do not own these characters
Setting: Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Chapter 4: The Christmas Gift
"Excuse me. I was wondering if you could help me." Nick glanced up from the file he was reading while sitting behind the reception desk.
"What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if Dr. Lu Delgado might be in today." The woman answered.
"Sure, she's here." Nick answered. "I believe she is in her office. I'll give her a call. Whom should I say is here?"
"Anna Matthews." Nick picked up the phone and dialed the extension to Lu's office.
"Yeah?" Lu said when she picked up the receiver.
"Lu, Anna Matthews is here to see you." Upon hearing the name, Lu paused.
"Lu?"
"Uh....yeah, Nick. Send her in." Nick hung up the phone.
"She said to go on in. Her office is right down there." Nick pointed down the hall towards Lu's office.
"Thank you." Anna said softly as she headed down the hall. Nick stared after her for a moment, wondering where he had seen her before. And something in Lu's tone when he had told her that she was here had concerned him. Why had she hesitated? Nick shook his head. He just couldn't place this woman. He knew he had seen her before, and he knew it had been right here at the RWHC.
Lu took a deep breath as she opened the door to her office. "Hi Anna." she said as the woman approached.
"Hi Lu. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute."
"Of course." Lu answered, standing aside to let Anna into her office.
"I...I was sorry to hear about Mickey." Anna began, speaking softly. Anna's husband Joey had been Mickey's best friend, also a firefighter. Joey had died a few months before Mickey, in the line of duty when a mall had collapsed. Lu and Anna had been introduced to each other only the day before Joey's death. "I wanted to go to his funeral...but I just couldn't."
"I understand." Lu answered softly. "How are you doing?" Anna shrugged.
"It's been rough. The boys miss their daddy. But we're doing okay. Christmas will be hard, though. It's hard not having him here."
"I know what you mean." Lu replied. Anna reached into her purse and brought out a small package attached to a card.
"This is for you. It's...it's from Mickey."
"What?" Lu questioned, staring at the package that Anna held out to her.
"Mickey gave it to Joey to keep for him. Joey said that Mickey wanted him to keep it for him until Christmas. I had forgotten about it until the other day when I was going through some of Joey's things and found it." With a trembling hand, Lu took the package. She stared at the neatly wrapped box and her name written on the envelope that accompanied the package.
"Th...thank you, Anna." Anna smiled slightly.
"I know how hard this must be for you, Lu, to get this now, after he's gone." Lu nodded. She knew she couldn't open the package now. Not yet.
"I..." Lu started, but the lump in her throat wouldn't let her continue. Anna could see that she was having a difficult time.
"I need to get going. I know you're busy. I just wanted to make sure you got this."
"Thank you, Anna." Lu managed. Anna smiled.
"You're welcome, Lu. Maybe we can get together sometime."
"I'd like that." Lu watched in silence as Anna left the office, then she closed the door as she stared at the package she still held in her hand.
"Hey, you going to eat that or just play with it?" Lu glanced up from her lunch tray.
"Hey Nick."
"Mind if I join you?" Nick asked. Lu shrugged.
"Yeah, sure." Nick sat down across the table from her.
"You okay, Lu?"
"I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Lu asked.
"I don't know. You just don't seem like yourself, that's all." Lu sighed heavily.
"Nick, I am fine. I don't see why you keep asking. How many times do I need to say it? I am fine. Nothing is wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Without another word, Lu got up from the table and hurried from the cafeteria. Nick glanced at her tray, which obviously had not been touched. Nick shook his head. He knew something was bothering her. Did it have something to do with the visit from that woman a short time earlier? Her mood had seemed to change after the woman had left.
Lu took a deep breath as she sat down at her desk. It had been a hectic day at the clinic, and she was exhausted. But it was Wednesday, and she had all night clinic. She glanced at her watch. 10:30pm. She opened her desk drawer and took out the package that she had received earlier, still unopened. She bit her lip as she toyed with the bow that was on top of the small package.
She jumped slightly at the sudden knock on her door.
"Yeah?" She quickly put the package back in the drawer as the door opened.
"Hi Lu."
"Dana. Hi. What are you doing here?" Dana walked in and sat down on the couch.
"I thought I might talk to you, since you didn't return my calls earlier today."
"Sorry. I've been busy. You know what Wednesday's are like around here."
"I remember." Dana answered. "So I thought that since you didn't return my calls, I would come down here and talk to you."
"So what's so important that you came all the way down here at this hour?" Lu questioned.
"Lu, I think you should take a couple of days off for Christmas." Lu sighed.
"You and everyone else. And I'm going to tell you the same thing I told them. I need to be here for my patients. I can't just abandon them, Dana. You should know that, after working with me for almost 3 years."
"But it's Christmas, Lu. It won't hurt you to take a break. And from what I've heard, you could use one."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Lu asked.
"I had supper with Nick last night. He mentioned that you've been working more than usual lately," Dana lied, not wanting Lu to know that Nick had told her about her relationship with Mickey and his tragic death.
"It's my job, Dana." Lu said, feeling a bit exasperated.
"Lu, listen to me for a minute. I've been thinking. Why don't you come out and spend Christmas with us? We'd love to have you. It'd give us a chance to catch up on things. We have plenty of room. It'd give you a chance to get to know the girls. Noone should spend Christmas alone." Lu was silent for a moment as she considered her former partner's generous offer, then she slowly shook her head.
"Thanks, Dana. But really, I can't."
"Why not? Look at this place, Lu. There is noone here. It wouldn't hurt to close the clinic just this once." Dana persisted.
"I can't, Dana. My patients expect me to be here all night on Wednesday's. I don't want someone to show up and me not be here." Lu argued.
"That's why we have the ER. Come on, Lu. You could use the time off."
Lu knew Dana was right. She could use a couple of days off. And things were unusually slow tonight. But still, she resisted.
"Look, Dana. I appreciate the offer. Really, I do. But I can't." Lu said for the third time. Dana took a deep breath, wondering what she could say to convince Lu to take the much needed time off and spend Christmas with her and her daughters. Lu was strong willed, and not usually one to give in easily in any given situation.
"You sure won't change your mind? We really would love to have you join us for the holidays. Noone should spend Christmas alone." Lu smiled.
"Thanks, Dana. But I'll be fine. I've got plenty to keep me busy around here." Dana stood to leave.
"Okay, Lu. But if you change your mind, just give me a call. You have my cell number. We really would love to have you."
"Thanks, Dana. I'll keep that in mind." Dana opened the door to leave, then turned around, just in time to see Lu quickly wipe a tear from her cheek.
"Merry Christmas, Lu."
"Yeah. Merry Christmas, Dana." Lu watched in silence as Dana left her office. She sat down at her desk and picked up the picture of Mickey as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Merry Christmas, Mickey. I love you." Lu said softly, her voice trembing.
