By Didi
Disclaimer: I don't own so please don't sue.
Timeline: Let's face it, we've moved well beyond the time frame set forth by the show. So I'm not going to do this timeline thing from now on. Not that there's much more to this story anymore.
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: To make one scene work, please ignore the usual rules of architecture. Most doors in main hallways swing inwards to avoid collision. (Though I have seen a few built backwards that's cause plenty of trouble.)
Summary: What would you do in the name of love? A lot more than you realize.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Fifteen~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"May I just say that only you, baby sis, could find yourself in such an implausible situation such as this."
"What does that mean?" Jules asked setting her head on her desk and wondered why she thought a call to her sister would be helpful considering the chaos Jenna managed to create in less than an hour.
"It means," shifting the phone over to the other shoulder as she attempted to toss salad and talk at the same time. "Most single women that find themselves in an interesting way would have to fight tooth and nail to get child support from the fathers of their out-of-wedlock children… if they were lucky enough not to have to do the whole DNA testing thing to prove that the babies belong to whoever it is they say they belong to." The blue cheese crumbled in her hands and she hoped to god her husband doesn't notice that she practically mutilated the lattice again. One of these days, she's going to have to get one of those salad spinners. "And here you are, not even pregnant yet and already the father of your baby, and let's not argue about the whole title of 'fatherhood' thing at the moment, is practically salivating to become part of your baby's life. And he didn't even get to sleep with you!"
Biting her tongue, "That's not the point."
"Then what is?"
"I don't want him to take responsibility for anything!" she yelled into the phone. "The whole problem started cause I wanted him to be like all the other useless men out there that won't pay child support."
"Well then you shouldn't have picked a good man to give you sperm," Jenna pronounced wholly unsympathetic.
"Hey, whose side are you on here?"
"There's a side?" she asked, drizzling vinegar and oil into the greens.
"Jenna!"
"What?"
"You are not helping me here."
"I'm supposed to help?" '
"JENNA!"
"Jules, what is the problem?" finally putting down the salad utensils and concentrating on the phone call. "You call me to tell me that a brilliant and good looking doctor wants to take care of you and help you raise your child. Not only that, he also tells you that he's in love with you. What exactly is it that you want me to say? That you should run for he hills?"
Feeling slightly ridiculous after that little title wave of speech, "Something like that."
Jenna sighed heavily into the phone. Her morning had not gone well; the hospital had a semi black out and hospital reports were behind. They had to reschedule a consultation with the doctor for tomorrow morning, leaving her anxious for another night. "I like him, Jules. I think he'd be good to you."
Having nothing to say to that, Jules merely beat her head softly against her desk wondering at what point did she lose control of her life in this manner.
"Jules? You still here?"
"Yeah, I'm here."
"You know what you're problem is?"
"I'm sure you're just dying to tell me," she replied sarcastically.
Ignoring that comment, "You're too independent. But then again, you've always been just a little too self-replying for your own good. What's the harm in letting someone take care of your once in a while?"
"Because they will always, by some means or other, manage to disappoint you."
Making a noise of absolute exasperation, "That is so cynical. When did you turn into such a cynic and didn't inform your sister?"
"Oh sometime between…"
"Shut up," Jenna said with a laugh. "Listen, baby sis. You can fool the rest of the world but you cannot fool me. I know you better I know David, and that's saying quite a bit. You like him. And I'm not talking about the kind of like that involves friendship and helping each other out by being back up dates for each other. I'm talking about like-like him. And if you say 'what does that mean,' I'm going to fly up there and kick you in the shin. Don't be playing dummy with me, girl."
Swallowing the tight feeling that sudden closed her throat up painfully, she allowed her sister's words to wind itself around her thoughts for a moment. Okay, it's true that she did enjoy Slingerland's company more than was healthy for someone that's attempting to sever his rights to her would-be children. And it's true that last night had been the first time in a long them that she felt safe enough to…to… to just let loose. And yes, she had to admit to some fondness for the stupid idiot that's managed to make a complete mess of her perfectly planned out life. And it would certainly serve him right if she were to just pack up and move to… She was honest enough with herself to admit that she'd have regrets if she were to just up and leave. And Matt Slingerland would be among those regrets.
"Hello? Earth to Julia? Anyone home?" Jenna called as the silence from the other end became slightly unnerving.
"Tell me something, Jenna. If you were me and I were you and we weren't such a holy mess, what would I be telling you right now?"
"Besides jump the guy cause your… I mean, my love life seem to be somewhat lacking of late," Jenna advised cheekily. "Serious, when was the last time you actually managed to go out at night that didn't involve benefit functions and fundraiser and other such goody-two-shoes things like that?"
Deciding that she would never hear the end of it if she told her sister about last evening, "So you're saying that I should give this a try?"
"I'm not saying anything other than that I like this Slingerland guy. I think he's just charming enough and devilish enough to keep you on your toes." She grinned at the phone and wiggled her fingers at her returning husband who leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "If nothing else, I think he could bring you some excitement into your life."
"I don't need nor want excitement right now, it's hardly good for me," she informed her and sighed. "I can hear David moving in the background so I'm going to let you go."
"Don't think that you're going to get off that…"
"Good night, Jenna. Kiss your boys for me," then hung up while her sister was still busy protesting. Another two minutes with Jenna and she might be ready to declare her love….
A gasped escaped her lips before she could complete the thought to its full explanation. Love? Did she just use that horrible "L" word that everyone dreads having to say? Oh dear god, how the hell did this happen? When did… how did… why did…. Grabbing her head, she shook it physically to see if she could knock something loose and get some of that infamous rationale back into play. The last thing she needed now as the complications of being in love with someone.
Then again, he did declare his love for her last night and … What was she saying?
With a groan, she thumped her forehead on her desk.
Oh, why couldn't life be simple?
~~~~
"But Matthew…"
"No Mother," Slingerland interrupted firmly. "You will stay as far away from Jules as you are now until I get things settled here with her. No interference from either of you."
Millicent pursed her lips and sighed dramatically. Her son was too much like her husband in moments like this. When his foot came down, a tracker won't be able to budge it. "We were only trying to help you dear. No need to become so indignant about it."
"Mother, your help almost cemented the permanent separation of myself and Jules. I will have you know that that was never my intension in a million years. And now that I've managed to talk my way back into her life, and repair some of the damage already inflicted by your 'help,' I will not have it thwarted again."
"You sound awfully fond of the girl," Millicent pointed out suspiciously. Her mother's heart clinched at the thought him going through another bout with heartache as his experience with the last one did. She will never forgive that wretched girl for treating her boy in such a shabby manner. "Has she been around lately, dearest?"
"We work together, Mother, of course I'm going to see her everyday if that's what you're asking. And yes, I am very fond of her."
"Oh dear," came the murmured distressed.
"Now mother…"
"You always were quite soft hearted where women were concern, and strangely naïve about them despite your experience with them."
"Mother!" feeling himself blushing hotly under his collar. Sex was simply not a subject you discussed with the woman that gave you life. Matt knew it had been a bad idea to pick up the damn incoming call when he had been on his way out the door to meet up with Jules. The evening had been planned and he was eager to get to it, even if he knew it wasn't going to end the way he wanted it to but hey, one cannot have everything in life.
"Your father is…"
"A nuisance in this matter," he growled. "I will not have him or his attorneys badgering Jules, Mother. And that's final."
"I hear you son," she muttered annoyed with his tone. "But you have to understand that your father and I are merely looking out for you and your best interest. We hardly wish for you to go through another episode."
"Episode?" he groaned and leaned back in his chair. He really wished his innate politeness would allow him to hang up the damn phone on his own mother. But as it was, he's been taught too well. "Is there anything else you wish to regale me with, Mother?"
"Yes," Millicent replied cheerfully. "I received a lovely invitation to Andrew Rademacher's wedding. Do you plan on attending?"
Slingerland sat up in his chair. He had forgotten about the elaborate and gilded invitation he had received in the mail two weeks earlier. His best chum from his boarding school days found himself a woman he fondly refers to as his angel. The three gushing conversations he's had with Drew over the past three months, since the man fell like a ton of brick at first sight, had been filled with overly flowery descriptions of the woman's charm, style, beauty and all other aspects of her supposed perfection. The last conversation had more than blatantly hinted at Drew's desires to see Matt as his best man at the wedding.
"I've been invited, Mother but I have yet to decide if I wish to attend."
"When will you know dearest?"
"Why?"
"So we know whether to RSVP or not, darling, don't be obtuse."
Matt blinked. "What does my going to the wedding or not have anything to do with you and father's attendance?"
"Well we can hardly go if you do not. He is after all, your best friend."
He turned and stared at the receiver end of the phone for a moment. "You've known the Rademachers longer than I've been alive, Mother."
"Yes darling but David Rademacher and your father are currently in a business struggle that is becoming quite person in nature. And you know how I could never stand that silly Charlene. What a horror! The woman positively reeks of social climber."
Feeling like he was in the Twilight Zone, Matt put his head down for a moment while his mother rehashed thirty odd years of disapproval of Charlene Rademacher. He hadn't really thought about the wedding lately, not with everything else in his life running in circles at the moment, but it had been his intention to go simply out of wanting to see his best friend finding some happiness. "All right, Mother. I will go."
"Oh good," Millicent respond in mid-tirade on the evils of low class women. Her delight in his attendance made him rather suspicious. But she proceeded to make him forget all about that with the next question. "Shall I arrange an escort for you darling?"
"NO!" he was quick to reply as he nearly dropped the phone at such a suggestion. The last woman his mother deemed worthy of his company turned out to be a brainless, doll-faced daughter of a wealthy associate of his father's. The extent of her conversational skills included giggling and asking exceedingly stupid questions. "I'm sure I'm more than capable of find my own escort for the event. No need to worry about yourself over such things, Mother."
"Well if you're sure…"
"I'm sure," vowing not to go rather than put to up another date from Barbie land. "Thanks for calling, Mum."
"I do enjoy hearing your voice once in a blue moon, dearest," Millicent said sweetly, cradling the phone. "I do wish you would come home more often. Or better yet, move home. It's been so long since you and I have been on the same continent for more than few weeks at a time."
Matt almost decided to express his wishes that it stayed that way but managed to reframe from hurting his mother's feelings. "Mum, you know that San Francisco is my home now."
There was great and much-put-upon sigh from the other end that made Matt wince. No one poured on the gravy boat of guilt than a mother. "Well, maybe someday…"
"There's always hope," Matt said as cheerfully as he could. "Mum, I have to go now."
"Oh all right, darling. Have a good… hum, it is night over there yet?"
"Yes."
"Good night, dear. Get more rest. You were looking positively haggard the last time we saw you."
"Good night, Mother," he managed to with a groan then hung up as quickly and carefully as he could. These conversations with his mother were becoming increasing frequent and more taxing with each round. He had to briefly wonder what was going through his mother's head.
The knock on then door pushed Slingerland over the edge of his patience and he threw the nearest object, luckily it was a pen, into the wall. "Come in!" he snapped.
"Someone's day went down hills fast," Kokoris pointed out as he stepped through the door and shut it behind him. Turning his head to note the long black mark on the pristinely white wall, he raised a brow. "Shall I approach or do you plan on aiming for a moving object this time?"
Rubbing his face with his hands, "What do you want, Nick?"
"A signature would be nice," handing him forms clipped to a chart. "Davidson is doing the elective surgery after all. You recommended him, right?"
Looking around for a pen, and realizing he threw away the only one he's managed to keep track of all day, he made a face as Nick handed him with smug smile. "When is the surgery?"
"The OR is booked through next Monday. I'm hoping for next Wednesday as the target date."
"Do you want me to observe?"
"Do you need to?"
"Not really, pretty routine given you experience," marking off all the neatly tagged areas, Matt handed the chart back with a sigh. "Are we done? Can I go?"
"Are you asking for permission?" Nick asked laughingly.
The glare Dr. Slingerland was emitted at the moment was hot enough to melt paint off walls. "I'm exhausted and frustrated and I'm not going to be getting any tonight. Don't mess with me!"
It was with a considerable amount of concentration and self-discipline that Nick didn't laugh in Matt's face. Nodding his head in acknowledgment, he took back the chart and handed Slingerland notes on another case. He scrambled to pick up his stuff as Matt headed toward the door. Slingerland was obviously leaving for the day. "Home for you?"
"No," he replied distracted as he glanced down at the notes in his hands. Kokoris was one of the few doctors he knew that didn't feel the need to make other doctors read their chicken scratches. Kokoris typed all his notes up. "Dinner with Jules."
Raised brows and amused smile, "Really?"
Because the tone demanded, he glanced up. Matt didn't trust that look. "Yes. Why? What have you heard?"
"Nothing," he said a little too quickly.
"That wasn't a nothing look. Tell me."
Nick's lips curved within the nest of his peppered beard. "Only that our esteemed Dr. Keating had a visitor while at an appointment with Dr. Lenning this morning."
"Bloody nurses," Matt muttered darkly, pulling his office door closed. "Gossip should be outlawed, I tell you."
"But if they did that, we'd never find out anything," Nick said with just a hind of whining to be amusing. "After all, you and Dr. Keating are notoriously tight lipped about your activities."
Matt glared at him again, this time more annoyed than ever. "You are not helping one whit."
"Did I say that I would?"
There was an un-dignifying urge to kick the Greek in the shin. "Remember this oh-so stimulating conversation when there comes a time where there are words drafting about these hollow halls in regards to your life."
"Never happen," he assured the irritated doctor. "My life isn't nearly as interesting."
Almost giving into that urge to kick like a mule, Matt glared and almost walked into an opening door to the stairway. Hands that shot up in time to stop the door from breaking his nose, Slingerland sighed and resigned himself to these moments. Peeking around the door, Dr. Brennan and Dr. Colette raised twin brows at the gentlemen. Jackie's lips curled mischievously. "Oops."
"Thanks a lot, ladies," Matt muttered, ignoring Nick's guffaws, and pulled the door wider and nearly tripped over Dr. Keating.
"Ouch!" hopping on one foot and clutching the other, the one with the crushed toe from where Slingerland managed to put all his weight on. It help has if her big toe was on fire now, rapidly spreading upward.
Both Rae and Jackie were quick to catch Jules's arms before she could fall backward into the stairwell and accidentally down the stairs. From what little snip-bits they've both managed to obtain through the usual grapevines, a fall now would cause more damage than just broken bones and ugly bruises. "Easy, easy," Rae advised as she held her friend steady. "Don't hop around like a bunny."
"Yes," Slingerland agreed and took Jules's arm from Jackie. "And don't jerk about like that either."
Jules threw him a dirty look. "I wouldn't be except someone just tried to separate my toe from my foot with Italian loafers."
"I will have you know that these were made in Germany," Matt informed her before putting his long arm around and guiding her toward a nearby seat. "Let me have a look."
Making whimpering sounds, she allowed him and removed her soft-soled shoes and Hello-Kitty printed sock. He carefully examined the red toe, twisting it this way and that. "Looks bruised but not broken." He looked at her anxious face. "Want me to carry you?"
Yanking her foot from his hold, "No," then proceeded to put her shoes back on, minus the sock. "And you're late."
"I know," he said apologetically. "I was on the phone with my mother then he showed up," jerking a thumb at a smirking Kokoris. "A thousand apologies for making you wait."
Nick rolled his eyes and said nothing while Rae and Jackie traded looks of sheer amusement. This was better than the movies and a lot more interesting.
"What did your mom quiz you about?"
"Besides the usual?" helping her to her feet. "Where's your coat?"
"I didn't bring one this morning, remember?" she reminded him then almost slapped herself for being so careless. The triple set raised brows didn't help the matter at all. Neither was Matt for that matters.
"Oh right, I forgot," with a nod to himself. "You wore mine. I suppose I should get another then," and draped his around her shoulders before heading toward his office once more. "I'll be back in a moment."
Closing her eyes to the speculative looks she was now on the receiving end of, "Don't even ask."
"Did he spend the night?" Jackie couldn't help herself. What Bridge in radiology told her certainly did sound like Dr. Slingerland had not returned home the night before and came into work straight from wherever he was last evening.
Glaring at her through parted fingers still covering his face, "I said don't ask."
"You didn't say I couldn't ask."
She made a face and refused to answer, knowing anything she said now would only make it worse. Though she doubted her silence would be any better. It was a damned if you do, damned if you don't kind of situation at this point.
"Well?"
Continuing to glare at Jackie, she avoided Rae's usually penetrating gaze. The thought of having to explain herself like some randy teenager being caught by her parents making out in the back of a car wasn't one that she cared to entertain. And why she felt that she needed to explain was well beyond her mental capacity at the moment. But it was a question she'll ponder at another time. She was going to need all her mental powers for the night ahead of her.
"All right," swinging another coat over his shoulders, Matt seemed completely oblivious of the crowd around them. "Let's go."
Because she didn't have anything to say that will quash the already rise in rumors concerning her usually non-existent social life, Jules shook her had let Matt take her arm as they headed toward the stairwell… or at least that where she thought they were headed until he tugged her along and punched the down button on the elevator. "Won't the stairs be faster?" she asked noting that the elevator appeared to be currently stuck on the fifth floor.
"I don't want you bouncing about the stairs like you are wont to," he replied cheerfully then turned to scold at a grinning Kokoris. "Is there something you want?"
"Yeah," Nick asked and glanced suggestively at Jules for a moment just to see if he could get a reaction. He wasn't disappointed. Slingerland looked ready to put his lights out. "My notes," pointing at the sheet still in Matt's hands.
Glancing down at the forgotten crumbled sheet in his hand, he stared at it stupidly for a moment before handing it over. Dr. Kokoris was smart enough not to laugh. Dr. Colette wasn't so nice and earned herself a whack in the arm by the blushing Dr. Keating. "Shut up," she told her than stepped into the elevator as it tinged open to let several giggling nurses out. "What are we having for dinner? I'm starving."
The nurses stopped and turned to stare.
"Well, I hope you Italian," Matt replied conversationally as he followed her in, ignoring the rest of the crowd and feeling more relaxed by the moment. The night was still young and he had plenty of plans to woo Jules over. "Because that's what we're having."
"I don't even get a choice?" she asked mildly as she rummaged through her purse for her gloves.
"You told me to pick," he reminded her.
"True," she conceded. "Good thing I like Italian."
"I knew that," waiting for the door to close even as the thong of people pressed closer, so close that Matt was afraid they were going to get into the elevator with them, to hear. "Would you excuse us?" shooing them back as one nurse's toe stopped the doors from closing.
The little crowd attempted to move back only enough to get out of the elevator's sensors but well within hearing range, much to the two exiting doctors' annoyance.
"How did you know that?" Jules asked as the door finally began to close.
"You sister say you did two summers aboard in Italy during college. And you Italian is excruciatingly bad," he informed with a grin as the door finally closed.
Rae and Jackie, along with the nurses that had been on their way to do rounds, stood there still pondering over what's going on as Nick chuckled to himself and left. This game just keeps getting better by the minute.
~~~~
"Um… Matt?"
"Just a second luv," he muttered and pressed the correct button this time. One of these days he will learn the left button locks and the right button unlocks. "One would assume after having this damn man-killing contraption for over a year, one would know the operations of it." He pressed the ridiculously tiny button - he will definitely need to consider writing to the manufactures about making buttons for men's hands - a little harder and listened for the beeping of the car's locks and alarms to come to life. "Oh how I long for the days when all it takes is a turn of the key to lock the damn door," he muttered as he pressed the button again with a little more force.
"You still can you know," Jules informed him as she snatched the keys out of his frustrated hands. Glancing briefly at the buttons, she pointed the auto-controller at the car and depressed the lock button. The fancy German car chirped happily. Tossing him the keys, "Now, would you care to tell me where we are? 'Cause this certainly doesn't look like any restaurant I've been to before."
Staring at the traitorous keys then at its seemingly grinning companion, he shrugged and turned toward the woman who was tapping her feet impatiently for an answer. He smiled at her because she did look so annoyed with him. Then taking her arm, he guided her toward the steps of the elegant townhouse situated in the pleasant neighborhood. "Well of course not. How did you expect to have any kind of meaningful discussion with waiters and people scampering about? Don't trip on the frog," then had to catch her when she did exactly that.
Jules glared down at the comically sweet ceramic frog on the first step to the townhouse. "Where the hell are we? And why is there a frog here?"
"It's a gift from an old friend," he said, patting the frog's head with affection. "And this is my place."
"Your place?" pulling back a little.
"Yes," digging out his keys again. One of these days, he will be master and commander over the metal trinkets that ruled his life.
"Your place?" she looked about dubiously.
"Yes, my place," finally getting the door open. He turned to find Jules staring up at him wearily. A grin than can only be described as devilish flashed across his face. "Come on, I don't bite… normally. Though I have been known to take a nip or two for the fun of it."
"If that's supposed to reassure me…"
"It's not," he said, holding one hand out for her. "Call it a forewarning."
"Oh now that feel so much better," she muttered and took his hand anyways. "I'm know I'm going to regret this," and allowed him to lead her in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be continued….