Romano was just de-airing the pump of the L-VAD implementation when his hip started beeping. "How insensitive. Another two minutes and we'll be closing. Michelle?"
A gloved hand reached from behind him and removed his pager. It stretched out before him and into his line of view. He glanced quickly from his own busy hands to the device's screen and then back down. He nodded letting the surgical assistant know that she could replace the pager.
"Another easy model, Rocket?"
"No such luck this time Dr. Deveraux. Granted she could be a model, but sadly there is nothing easy about her." Michelle looked to Nicole who was working as Deveraux's assistant. Once she caught Nicole's stare, she rolled her eyes in mortification over their superiors' tactlessness. "No, this one is much more high-maintenance than the Miss Mile-High that I introduced you to last week."
"Shame you have to juggle."
"Just let me know if you are ready to take someone off my hands."
Michelle couldn't hold her tongue any longer. "Wasn't that the female Dr. Corday's home number?"
Romano looked up at Deveraux and shrugged, "Yeah well, you lose some."
"You couldn't pay me enough to take her off your hands."
Romano stopped working on his patient and a precocious smile spread across his lips. "You know Deveraux. She not really that difficult. I mean, well she is. But she really isn't always that uptight."
"I figured." Deveraux answered as they both decided to close together. "I mean really. Who could be?"
"Hello?" Elizabeth spoke into the phone.
"Lizzie. I'm glad you were able to work out those buttons on the phone so soon. You must be feeling better."
"Robert. I need to know what happened last night and this morning." There was a seriousness in her tone that he didn't dare joke with.
"Elizabeth. Nothing happened. I came by to apologize. You passed out in a matter of minutes. Despite your snoring, I slept too. You woke. I left." He paused and heard her release a heavy sigh of relief. "Not to worry, your pristine reputation and sound judgement are still in check."
"I, uh I didn't mean I meant Thank you Robert."
"No worries Lizzie. Now if you'll excuse me, I did not use my sick leave today."
"Oh course Robert. Have a good evening."
"You too." He placed the phone receiver back down to its base. He scooted his chair forward to his desk and placed his arms on the dark mahogany. He clasped his hands together and leaned into his elbows. Bouncing his index fingers lightly against his lips he spoke slowly. "Didn't mean to frighten you Dr. Corday." He had definitely gotten too comfortable with Elizabeth in these past couple of days. He wouldn't make that mistake again.
Elizabeth sat down heavily to her couch. She was relived. Ever since Romano had left that morning her head had been spinning with questions. She didn't want to be insulting but her mind was put to ease in a way. She also felt a bit of disappointment. She retrieved her journal from her desk and began to write.
"could have been easier." She always started her entry with the specific thought that prompted her to reach for her book. She read through her last writing. It had been a week ago. It was dark. She looked back to her new page to her heading. Quickly she scribbled out a few pages on her first surgery back in London with Robert. She wrote about their dinner and how inviting his conversation had been. And then she reached last night.
"And now I know that nothing happened. It might have been nice though. A drunken accident. Waiting waiting for it to be right. Waiting for me to feel that ready and that sober that could take forever. I was never good at waiting."
She closed her journal and leaned her head down to the arm of her couch. She thought about her last first-time. It had been quick with Mark. Not that event itself, but the time it took for them to turn their relationship sexual. It might have been too early. She wasn't comfortable in his arms afterwards. In fact, she smiled remembering it now; they had talked about Robert.