CHAPTER 8
A COUPLE WHITE GUYS (AND AN EAST ASIAN) SITTING AROUND TALKING
Nigel was just outside the Massachusetts State Medical Examiner's office, taking a quiet smoke break. He knew, being health conscious, that smoking was bad, but DAMN - those Chesterfields were good, though not good for you. In a matter of seconds, Bug joined in, he already had his characteristic clover cigarette lit.
"Nice of you to join in, Bug" Nigel said sardonically. "Have a seat?"
Bug sat on a battered old park bench near the main entrance. Nigel continued to lean against the outside wall. Nigel frowned as Bug took one of his heavy drags, and let out some rather pungent smoke.
"Bleedin' hell, I don't know how you can smoke those things," Nigel said.
"I could say the same for you," Bug deadpanned. "You going to the wedding?"
"If it's still on after all this pony."
Bug gave him a baffled look. "Pony?"
"Pony and trap - crap. Cockney rhyming slang. I thought you'd know that."
Bug shook his head. "No, my folks never lived in the UK. They went straight from Bangalore to Los Angeles. Hell of a transition."
"How'd you end up here?"
"I did my residency over at Boston General. The ME's office seemed like a good place to go. After all, none of your patients ever complain here."
Nigel gave a smile. "You do have a rare sense of humour, Bug. Perhaps if you were to let it bake a bit longer, it may yet be well done."
The two men shared a laugh. Neither noticed another figure coming up to them.
"May I join you?"
Nigel and Bug looked up, and saw Peter Winslow, looking a bit sheepish.
Nigel didn't bat an eye. "Sure. Feel free."
Peter leaned against the wall, at a comfortable distance from Nigel.
"I didn't think you smoked."
Peter smiled at Nigel's remark. "I don't. I just need to talk about something."
Bug said, "You can't talk to Macy?"
"No, some things you can't share with the boss. It's about the wedding."
"We heard you weren't going. Why not?"
"Because, Nigel, there's a big problem, and it's with me." Peter hesitated. How in hell do I say this?, he thought. After a pause Nigel and Bug thought went on forever, Peter finally said it, his eyes closed...
"I love Jordan. And I have since I first came here." He opened his eyes. To his surprise neither man seemed to be reacting. "Didn't you hear me?"
Nigel replied, after a pregnant pause of his own, "Sure we did. We were just wondering when you were finally going to own up to it."
"You knew?"
It was Bug's turn. "Yeah. Don't feel bad, we've all been there. I wanted her for - let me see, the first three days I was here. Nigel has been holding a torch for her for some time."
Peter frowned. "C'mon guys, this is serious."
Nigel finished his cigarette and smashed it under his foot. "I know. So are we." Nigel gave Peter a very serious look. "We all know Jordan is a very lovely, single woman. It's not hard to love her. Hell, we can't not love her. But face it - there is such a thing as being a professional about this."
Peter said, "You saying I should just ignore my feelings?"
Nigel shook his head with a little smile. "Nah. Your feelings are what they are. But hers are what they are too. She loves Woody. Woody loves her. They're a couple. Nothing you can do will ever change that."
Peter looked a little sulky, so Nigel put his hand on his shoulders in the International "Chin Up, Matey" sign.
"Look, Peter. You can go on with this Eastern European 'feel sorry for yourself' bit all you want. But look at it this way: some day, not soon, but MAYBE someday, Jordan may well fall out with Woody. These things happen. And again MAYBE, if you're still in her life in some capacity, she could feel the things about you that you feel for her. BUT - and this my friend, is a very big BUT - that won't happen if you're sulking about."
Nigel took Peter by the shoulders and gave him a very serious look.
"Go to the wedding, Peter. Give her a reason to care about you."
With that, Bug put out his cigarette, and he and Nigel left. Peter stood alone for awhile, wondering.
A COUPLE WHITE GUYS (AND AN EAST ASIAN) SITTING AROUND TALKING
Nigel was just outside the Massachusetts State Medical Examiner's office, taking a quiet smoke break. He knew, being health conscious, that smoking was bad, but DAMN - those Chesterfields were good, though not good for you. In a matter of seconds, Bug joined in, he already had his characteristic clover cigarette lit.
"Nice of you to join in, Bug" Nigel said sardonically. "Have a seat?"
Bug sat on a battered old park bench near the main entrance. Nigel continued to lean against the outside wall. Nigel frowned as Bug took one of his heavy drags, and let out some rather pungent smoke.
"Bleedin' hell, I don't know how you can smoke those things," Nigel said.
"I could say the same for you," Bug deadpanned. "You going to the wedding?"
"If it's still on after all this pony."
Bug gave him a baffled look. "Pony?"
"Pony and trap - crap. Cockney rhyming slang. I thought you'd know that."
Bug shook his head. "No, my folks never lived in the UK. They went straight from Bangalore to Los Angeles. Hell of a transition."
"How'd you end up here?"
"I did my residency over at Boston General. The ME's office seemed like a good place to go. After all, none of your patients ever complain here."
Nigel gave a smile. "You do have a rare sense of humour, Bug. Perhaps if you were to let it bake a bit longer, it may yet be well done."
The two men shared a laugh. Neither noticed another figure coming up to them.
"May I join you?"
Nigel and Bug looked up, and saw Peter Winslow, looking a bit sheepish.
Nigel didn't bat an eye. "Sure. Feel free."
Peter leaned against the wall, at a comfortable distance from Nigel.
"I didn't think you smoked."
Peter smiled at Nigel's remark. "I don't. I just need to talk about something."
Bug said, "You can't talk to Macy?"
"No, some things you can't share with the boss. It's about the wedding."
"We heard you weren't going. Why not?"
"Because, Nigel, there's a big problem, and it's with me." Peter hesitated. How in hell do I say this?, he thought. After a pause Nigel and Bug thought went on forever, Peter finally said it, his eyes closed...
"I love Jordan. And I have since I first came here." He opened his eyes. To his surprise neither man seemed to be reacting. "Didn't you hear me?"
Nigel replied, after a pregnant pause of his own, "Sure we did. We were just wondering when you were finally going to own up to it."
"You knew?"
It was Bug's turn. "Yeah. Don't feel bad, we've all been there. I wanted her for - let me see, the first three days I was here. Nigel has been holding a torch for her for some time."
Peter frowned. "C'mon guys, this is serious."
Nigel finished his cigarette and smashed it under his foot. "I know. So are we." Nigel gave Peter a very serious look. "We all know Jordan is a very lovely, single woman. It's not hard to love her. Hell, we can't not love her. But face it - there is such a thing as being a professional about this."
Peter said, "You saying I should just ignore my feelings?"
Nigel shook his head with a little smile. "Nah. Your feelings are what they are. But hers are what they are too. She loves Woody. Woody loves her. They're a couple. Nothing you can do will ever change that."
Peter looked a little sulky, so Nigel put his hand on his shoulders in the International "Chin Up, Matey" sign.
"Look, Peter. You can go on with this Eastern European 'feel sorry for yourself' bit all you want. But look at it this way: some day, not soon, but MAYBE someday, Jordan may well fall out with Woody. These things happen. And again MAYBE, if you're still in her life in some capacity, she could feel the things about you that you feel for her. BUT - and this my friend, is a very big BUT - that won't happen if you're sulking about."
Nigel took Peter by the shoulders and gave him a very serious look.
"Go to the wedding, Peter. Give her a reason to care about you."
With that, Bug put out his cigarette, and he and Nigel left. Peter stood alone for awhile, wondering.