Abby stared at Carter as he turned and saw her for the first time in over
six months. 'Why did he have to show up now?' She thought to herself. What
she hadn't seen was the woman on his other arm. Malik was at her side
telling her about eh patient she had to go and see. "Okay, where is he
again?" She asked as her eyes caught sight of the woman by Carter's side.
Abby felt her heart squeeze and her stomach jump. She couldn't believe it.
But staying professional, she walked past him with her head held high. She
could just see Susan out of the corner of her eye. Susan was watching her
to make sure she was okay. Abby gave her a nod letting her know.
After finishing with her patient she headed towards the ladies bathroom. She hadn't spoken to anyone who knew what was going on. Malik hadn't even seen them, let alone talk to him. She was desperate to be on her own. Entering the bathroom she realised she wasn't on her own. Another stall was occupied. Abby hoped that the person would be quick and leave. Entering her own stall, she lowered herself down on to the toilet. She didn't even need, which was something. She just needed somewhere to sit and be alone. She wasn't exactly sure how she was feeling. She had just seen the love of her life again after six months. She had never stopped loving him while he was away, no matter what he felt for her. She had spent many nights alone, crying herself to sleep, wishing he had been in bed beside her. Having people over at night didn't help either. Susan had been great, not pressuring her in any way to talk. Nights had been spent in silence between the two of them, watching movies. But somehow she knew that Susan knew exactly what was going on. And that she could thank her for. Sam had been wonderful too. The three had become fast friends, friends that could be all girly when watching movies or shopping. But also friends that knew when not to ask questions.
Abby exited the stall forgetting someone else was still in the bathroom. The woman was standing by the washbasins. She was young and pretty, her skin the colour of chocolate. Abby smiled to her and she smiled back. "Hi." The young woman eventually spoke.
"Hi." Abby replied as she washed her hands. "Are you here seeing a doctor? Abby inquired.
"No." The woman laughed. "My boyfriend and I have just arrived here from Africa. He wanted me to have the best possible treatment during my pregnancy."
It was in that moment that Abby realised who she was talking to and what had just been said. She was Carter's new girlfriend, and pregnant at that. "That's nice." Abby faltered. She couldn't believe it. He had another girlfriend who was pregnant. Her world was starting to crash down round about her.
"Well, I better get back to him, he'll be wondering where I am." The woman spoke again. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself, I'm Kem Likasu."
"Abby Lockhart." Abby reached her hand out and shook Kem's. She physically wanted to be sick. Kem left the bathroom and Abby made her way back into the stall. Emptying her stomach contents was easy, stopping was the hard part. She heard the door to the bathroom open again.
"Abby." Susan's voice was full of concern. "Abby you in here." Susan could here the vomiting coming from the stall. She pushed the door open and found her best friend on the floor, expelling lunch from her stomach. "Hey, it's okay." Susan rubbed small circle on Abby's back getting her to calm down. The vomiting stopped and was overtaken by sobbing. Abby glanced up to Susan, who could see the tears building in her eyes. "Come on, let's get you out of here." Susan helped Abby to her feet. Supporting her by the shoulders, Susan guided Abby out of the bathroom. Out in the hallway, Abby could see Carter standing with Kem having a conversation with Kerry. They seemed very animated, hands moving telling stories of the Congo. Abby averted her eyes trying to find something else to focus on.
"Abby!" A young voice cried from the other end of the corridor. Abby looked up to see Alex running towards her.
"Hey buddy." Abby hugged the young boy to her. He had really become her sanity in these last few months.
"Are we going to finish the nursery today?" He asked bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"That we are Alex, just give me a minute." Abby told him.
"Are you okay Abby?" He started sounded concerned and when he did that he sounded like his mother.
"I'll be okay." She told him leading him past where Carter & Kem stood. Carter tried to stop her and talk to her but she brushed past him, without saying a word. Susan was so proud of her.
Back in her apartment Abby and Alex set about finishing the nursery. Alex came over twice a week to help. They had painted the walls and built the crib. Alex was so pleased with himself for everything that he had done. Abby loved watching his face when he achieved something new. The baby inside of her was going to have an honorary big brother whether it liked it or not. The task for that afternoon was to build up the changing table and hang the curtains. Alex started laying out all the pieces of wood and got the toolbox ready to start. Abby had gone into her bedroom to get the curtains she had bought. When she hadn't appeared back after five minutes, Alex went to investigate where she was. The door to her bedroom was closed but when she put his ear up against the wood he could hear her crying. "Abby are you sure your okay?" His little voice sounded so sweet to Abby. It made her cry even harder. "I'll be fine Alex, I promise, I just need five minutes okay." "All right." Alex reluctantly went back to the nursery. He didn't want to start building it without Abby so he sat on the bed. He didn't feel right leaving her in there crying on her own. He hated listening to his mom cry, but she was his mom so she hardly ever cried. He slowly walked up to Abby's door and pushed it open. He could see her lying on the bed, her shoulders shaking. He walked up to the side of the bed and climbed in beside her. "It's all right Abby, I'm here, and nothing will happen to you, I promise." He leaned over and tried to wrap his arm around her, but in her present state that couldn't happen. Abby sighed, Alex had used the same phrase she had told him when he had first stayed the night with her. She turned over and wrapped him in her arms, his head resting on her chest. "Thank you Alex, that's just what I needed to hear."
After finishing with her patient she headed towards the ladies bathroom. She hadn't spoken to anyone who knew what was going on. Malik hadn't even seen them, let alone talk to him. She was desperate to be on her own. Entering the bathroom she realised she wasn't on her own. Another stall was occupied. Abby hoped that the person would be quick and leave. Entering her own stall, she lowered herself down on to the toilet. She didn't even need, which was something. She just needed somewhere to sit and be alone. She wasn't exactly sure how she was feeling. She had just seen the love of her life again after six months. She had never stopped loving him while he was away, no matter what he felt for her. She had spent many nights alone, crying herself to sleep, wishing he had been in bed beside her. Having people over at night didn't help either. Susan had been great, not pressuring her in any way to talk. Nights had been spent in silence between the two of them, watching movies. But somehow she knew that Susan knew exactly what was going on. And that she could thank her for. Sam had been wonderful too. The three had become fast friends, friends that could be all girly when watching movies or shopping. But also friends that knew when not to ask questions.
Abby exited the stall forgetting someone else was still in the bathroom. The woman was standing by the washbasins. She was young and pretty, her skin the colour of chocolate. Abby smiled to her and she smiled back. "Hi." The young woman eventually spoke.
"Hi." Abby replied as she washed her hands. "Are you here seeing a doctor? Abby inquired.
"No." The woman laughed. "My boyfriend and I have just arrived here from Africa. He wanted me to have the best possible treatment during my pregnancy."
It was in that moment that Abby realised who she was talking to and what had just been said. She was Carter's new girlfriend, and pregnant at that. "That's nice." Abby faltered. She couldn't believe it. He had another girlfriend who was pregnant. Her world was starting to crash down round about her.
"Well, I better get back to him, he'll be wondering where I am." The woman spoke again. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself, I'm Kem Likasu."
"Abby Lockhart." Abby reached her hand out and shook Kem's. She physically wanted to be sick. Kem left the bathroom and Abby made her way back into the stall. Emptying her stomach contents was easy, stopping was the hard part. She heard the door to the bathroom open again.
"Abby." Susan's voice was full of concern. "Abby you in here." Susan could here the vomiting coming from the stall. She pushed the door open and found her best friend on the floor, expelling lunch from her stomach. "Hey, it's okay." Susan rubbed small circle on Abby's back getting her to calm down. The vomiting stopped and was overtaken by sobbing. Abby glanced up to Susan, who could see the tears building in her eyes. "Come on, let's get you out of here." Susan helped Abby to her feet. Supporting her by the shoulders, Susan guided Abby out of the bathroom. Out in the hallway, Abby could see Carter standing with Kem having a conversation with Kerry. They seemed very animated, hands moving telling stories of the Congo. Abby averted her eyes trying to find something else to focus on.
"Abby!" A young voice cried from the other end of the corridor. Abby looked up to see Alex running towards her.
"Hey buddy." Abby hugged the young boy to her. He had really become her sanity in these last few months.
"Are we going to finish the nursery today?" He asked bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"That we are Alex, just give me a minute." Abby told him.
"Are you okay Abby?" He started sounded concerned and when he did that he sounded like his mother.
"I'll be okay." She told him leading him past where Carter & Kem stood. Carter tried to stop her and talk to her but she brushed past him, without saying a word. Susan was so proud of her.
Back in her apartment Abby and Alex set about finishing the nursery. Alex came over twice a week to help. They had painted the walls and built the crib. Alex was so pleased with himself for everything that he had done. Abby loved watching his face when he achieved something new. The baby inside of her was going to have an honorary big brother whether it liked it or not. The task for that afternoon was to build up the changing table and hang the curtains. Alex started laying out all the pieces of wood and got the toolbox ready to start. Abby had gone into her bedroom to get the curtains she had bought. When she hadn't appeared back after five minutes, Alex went to investigate where she was. The door to her bedroom was closed but when she put his ear up against the wood he could hear her crying. "Abby are you sure your okay?" His little voice sounded so sweet to Abby. It made her cry even harder. "I'll be fine Alex, I promise, I just need five minutes okay." "All right." Alex reluctantly went back to the nursery. He didn't want to start building it without Abby so he sat on the bed. He didn't feel right leaving her in there crying on her own. He hated listening to his mom cry, but she was his mom so she hardly ever cried. He slowly walked up to Abby's door and pushed it open. He could see her lying on the bed, her shoulders shaking. He walked up to the side of the bed and climbed in beside her. "It's all right Abby, I'm here, and nothing will happen to you, I promise." He leaned over and tried to wrap his arm around her, but in her present state that couldn't happen. Abby sighed, Alex had used the same phrase she had told him when he had first stayed the night with her. She turned over and wrapped him in her arms, his head resting on her chest. "Thank you Alex, that's just what I needed to hear."