Home at last.
It's late in the afternoon before I'm finally home. I made a stop on the way by the pharmacy to pick up some medication that Dr. Petersen had prescribed.
When I enter my apartment, I'm relieved to see that everything looks untouched. Apparently Catherine has been taking good care of my roaches and the tarantula. And as I walk over to the terrariums I can see that they are all in good health.
I head towards the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator and I notice that it's almost completely full. Right in the front there's a box from the deli with a note attached. It says: `Welcome home, Catherine`.
I take the box out and look at the contents. It's a pasta salad with chicken and bacon, my favourite! So it looks like Catherine has been doing some shopping. I make a mental note to remember to thank her for it.
My stomach growls. Maybe I should have the salad now. Looking at the clock I realise that it's already six thirty and I decide to go for the salad. After closing the refrigerator door I walk over to the counter where my mail is neatly stacked.
A few bills and the monthly issue of Applied Psychodynamics in Forensic Science. I can't help smiling while remembering the conversation I had with Sara during the investigation of the death of Tony Candlewell. She never really did believe me.
I grab a fork from the top drawer in the counter, and head towards my couch with the salad and my new magazine.
Maybe if I feel up for it in the morning, I could go to the lab and catch breakfast with the team. Yeah breakfast that sounds like a good idea. I might even have a chance to talk to Sara.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It's a few minutes past seven in the morning when I walk down the hall at the lab. It almost seems like ages ago since I have last been here. By the time I make it to my office I've seen no one from my team.
Well except for Greg, but I have only heard him, or should I say: His choice of music for today. I really need to have a word with him about that.
When I turn on the light in my office, I realise that despite Catherine's efforts to minimise the amount of paperwork, there's plenty for me to go on with. Two large piles are placed in the middle of my desk.
I decide I might as well take a quick look at it, to see if there's something that needs to be taken care of in the near future. Or maybe there's something I can take home with me.
To my relief Catherine has already put the most important files and papers to the side with a note attached. ´Take these first. The rest can wait another week. ` Great no time pressure there.
"What are you doing here?"
I look up to see Catherine standing in the door. "Hello Catherine, it's nice to see you too," I reply sarcastically. "And thank you."
She looks at me with a cocked eyebrow. "Thank you for what?"
"Taking care of my pets, for the groceries and this," I say while I look over the papers.
"Hey that's what friends are for." She enters my office, but leaves the door open. "But you didn't answer my question Gil."
"I just wanted to see how things are going."
She looks suspiciously. "You were bored! Couldn't stay away."
I shrug my shoulders. "You know me too well."
"What did the doc tell you?"
"The usually stuff. Less stress, remember to unwind, take the medication, you know the drill."
"Yeah, but do you plan on following that?"
"From the looks of it I don't have much choice now, do I?" I look down on my desk, hoping that she will drop the subject.
"Well then we return to the question, as to what you are doing here?"
She's not going to let me of the hook.
"Listen Catherine, despite your efforts the team has been missing a member for a week now. By the looks of it and from the piles of paper, you guys have been busy. And I am not going to drop dead while doing a little paperwork at home."
"We just worry Gil. You need to take.."
I cut her off before she gets a chance to finish her sentence. "I know, but please let me worry about that. Okay?" I need to find a new topic fast. "Now where is everybody? You're the only one I've seen so far."
"Nick is down at trace and Warrick and Sara are checking out a theory. But we have agreed to meet at the diner at eight thirty to grab some breakfast. So I should get going. You want to join us?"
"Sure, but you need to give me a hand with these." I say pointing at the papers."
She looks at me shocked. "You want both piles?"
"Of course not. I'll just take this one. I'll leave the rest for you my dear."
"Gee, thanks," she says sarcastically. "Now lets get going, I need my coffee."
We both walk out of my office with our hands full of papers and head towards the parking lot.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Breakfast at the diner was great. Nick and Warrick told me about one of the cases that they had worked on while I was in the hospital.
A 56-years-old male was found dead, face down, in his bathroom. When David had turned the body in order to put him in the bodybag, they had discovered a big tarantula under him. As Nick said: ´Squashed flat as a pancake`.
It turned out that Boris, as the tarantula was called, belonged to the victim's daughter. She wasn't allowed to let it run around the house freely, because her father was terrified of it. Autopsy showed that the victim had a stroke. So after a long and through investigation, the only explanation to his death was that he had gone up in the middle of the night to take a leak and simply discovered Boris in the bathroom. He then had a stroke from the shock, fell over Boris and killed it in the process.
Sara added to the story; "If only Boris hadn't escaped none of it would have happened. Chaos theory all over."
After an hour of talking about the latest gossips and a blow up Catherine had with Ecklie, the team starts to break up. The only one that stays is Sara. This is my chance to talk to her.
The waitress approaches our table when the others have left. "Would you like a refill?"
Sara is looking at me, waiting to see what my answer will be. The look on her face is neutral, as if my answer will make her decide on whether she wants to stay or leave.
"Yes please," I answer, while I smile to Sara.
"And what about you miss. Would you like a refill too?" The waitress asks while filling up my cup.
"Yeah that would be nice," Sara replies.
When the waitress finally leaves us alone, I take a deep breath. How am I going to tell her what's on my mind?
I know that she has feelings for me. I mean she asked me out to dinner, to see what ´this´ is. But I said no. She did say that by the time I figured out what to do it might be too late. Am I too late? I have to ask her.
I take another breath. "Sara, am I too late?"
To be continued...
Copyright © 2004 by gittedl
It's late in the afternoon before I'm finally home. I made a stop on the way by the pharmacy to pick up some medication that Dr. Petersen had prescribed.
When I enter my apartment, I'm relieved to see that everything looks untouched. Apparently Catherine has been taking good care of my roaches and the tarantula. And as I walk over to the terrariums I can see that they are all in good health.
I head towards the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator and I notice that it's almost completely full. Right in the front there's a box from the deli with a note attached. It says: `Welcome home, Catherine`.
I take the box out and look at the contents. It's a pasta salad with chicken and bacon, my favourite! So it looks like Catherine has been doing some shopping. I make a mental note to remember to thank her for it.
My stomach growls. Maybe I should have the salad now. Looking at the clock I realise that it's already six thirty and I decide to go for the salad. After closing the refrigerator door I walk over to the counter where my mail is neatly stacked.
A few bills and the monthly issue of Applied Psychodynamics in Forensic Science. I can't help smiling while remembering the conversation I had with Sara during the investigation of the death of Tony Candlewell. She never really did believe me.
I grab a fork from the top drawer in the counter, and head towards my couch with the salad and my new magazine.
Maybe if I feel up for it in the morning, I could go to the lab and catch breakfast with the team. Yeah breakfast that sounds like a good idea. I might even have a chance to talk to Sara.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It's a few minutes past seven in the morning when I walk down the hall at the lab. It almost seems like ages ago since I have last been here. By the time I make it to my office I've seen no one from my team.
Well except for Greg, but I have only heard him, or should I say: His choice of music for today. I really need to have a word with him about that.
When I turn on the light in my office, I realise that despite Catherine's efforts to minimise the amount of paperwork, there's plenty for me to go on with. Two large piles are placed in the middle of my desk.
I decide I might as well take a quick look at it, to see if there's something that needs to be taken care of in the near future. Or maybe there's something I can take home with me.
To my relief Catherine has already put the most important files and papers to the side with a note attached. ´Take these first. The rest can wait another week. ` Great no time pressure there.
"What are you doing here?"
I look up to see Catherine standing in the door. "Hello Catherine, it's nice to see you too," I reply sarcastically. "And thank you."
She looks at me with a cocked eyebrow. "Thank you for what?"
"Taking care of my pets, for the groceries and this," I say while I look over the papers.
"Hey that's what friends are for." She enters my office, but leaves the door open. "But you didn't answer my question Gil."
"I just wanted to see how things are going."
She looks suspiciously. "You were bored! Couldn't stay away."
I shrug my shoulders. "You know me too well."
"What did the doc tell you?"
"The usually stuff. Less stress, remember to unwind, take the medication, you know the drill."
"Yeah, but do you plan on following that?"
"From the looks of it I don't have much choice now, do I?" I look down on my desk, hoping that she will drop the subject.
"Well then we return to the question, as to what you are doing here?"
She's not going to let me of the hook.
"Listen Catherine, despite your efforts the team has been missing a member for a week now. By the looks of it and from the piles of paper, you guys have been busy. And I am not going to drop dead while doing a little paperwork at home."
"We just worry Gil. You need to take.."
I cut her off before she gets a chance to finish her sentence. "I know, but please let me worry about that. Okay?" I need to find a new topic fast. "Now where is everybody? You're the only one I've seen so far."
"Nick is down at trace and Warrick and Sara are checking out a theory. But we have agreed to meet at the diner at eight thirty to grab some breakfast. So I should get going. You want to join us?"
"Sure, but you need to give me a hand with these." I say pointing at the papers."
She looks at me shocked. "You want both piles?"
"Of course not. I'll just take this one. I'll leave the rest for you my dear."
"Gee, thanks," she says sarcastically. "Now lets get going, I need my coffee."
We both walk out of my office with our hands full of papers and head towards the parking lot.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Breakfast at the diner was great. Nick and Warrick told me about one of the cases that they had worked on while I was in the hospital.
A 56-years-old male was found dead, face down, in his bathroom. When David had turned the body in order to put him in the bodybag, they had discovered a big tarantula under him. As Nick said: ´Squashed flat as a pancake`.
It turned out that Boris, as the tarantula was called, belonged to the victim's daughter. She wasn't allowed to let it run around the house freely, because her father was terrified of it. Autopsy showed that the victim had a stroke. So after a long and through investigation, the only explanation to his death was that he had gone up in the middle of the night to take a leak and simply discovered Boris in the bathroom. He then had a stroke from the shock, fell over Boris and killed it in the process.
Sara added to the story; "If only Boris hadn't escaped none of it would have happened. Chaos theory all over."
After an hour of talking about the latest gossips and a blow up Catherine had with Ecklie, the team starts to break up. The only one that stays is Sara. This is my chance to talk to her.
The waitress approaches our table when the others have left. "Would you like a refill?"
Sara is looking at me, waiting to see what my answer will be. The look on her face is neutral, as if my answer will make her decide on whether she wants to stay or leave.
"Yes please," I answer, while I smile to Sara.
"And what about you miss. Would you like a refill too?" The waitress asks while filling up my cup.
"Yeah that would be nice," Sara replies.
When the waitress finally leaves us alone, I take a deep breath. How am I going to tell her what's on my mind?
I know that she has feelings for me. I mean she asked me out to dinner, to see what ´this´ is. But I said no. She did say that by the time I figured out what to do it might be too late. Am I too late? I have to ask her.
I take another breath. "Sara, am I too late?"
To be continued...
Copyright © 2004 by gittedl