Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 1, it's much appreciated.
Chapter 2: Make it easy on me.
Abby and Mike rounded the corner into the ambulance bay. Out of the corner of her eye, Abby caught a glimpse of Carter playing basketball. She hoped he didn't turn around and see her with Mike. She didn't want him to know but she didn't know why. Maybe because he'd be happy for her and she would know that he had moved on. Maybe because he'd be upset because he hadn't. Maybe just because she hated the way he had control of her emotions and feelings without even knowing it.
"Thanks for walking me to work" smiled Abby and planted a goodbye kiss on Mike's cheek.
"The pleasure's all mine" he replied and kissed her forehead. She started to move when he gently pulled her back towards him.
"One for the road?" He said and she grinned.
Carter stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Abby and Mike standing on the corner. He didn't want to look obvious but he couldn't help but stare. As Abby started towards the ER, Carter quickly turned to shoot a hoop as if he hadn't been watching but he completely missed. The ball rebounded off the wall and Abby caught it.
"Here" she said as she handed the ball back to Carter.
"Thanks" he replied, in an unappreciative tone. "So were you ever gonna tell me?" He blurted out before he could even realise what he had said.
"What?" Said Abby defensively, a puzzled expression on her face.
He thought for a minute. He couldn't think of an excuse. There wasn't really a way out of it now; he'd started so he better finish.
"Well?" Said Abby, starting to get impatient.
"About Mike? You're infamous boyfriend I've heard so much about?" He said in a spiteful manner. He didn't mean for it to come out like that and he knew it. He didn't know what had gotten into him lately.
"What?" She said once again, this time sounding slightly more surprised. Why did he have to do this now? Her shift hadn't even started and he had to put a damper on her spirits. She hated the way he could do this to her.
"Well, were you ever gonna tell me?" He said again. Why was he doing this, he thought to himself? Why did he care? He couldn't stop her seeing other men.
"You never asked" retorted Abby, angrily. She knew this wasn't the real reason she hadn't told him but she just didn't want to, and even if she did she didn't know how.
"Well, how come everyone else knows." He didn't know this was true but he wanted to make her feel guilty for not telling him.
"Oh get over yourself Carter!" She was hurt by what he had just said. The only person she had told was Susan and she promised not to tell. At that moment Luka came out of the ER.
"There's a GSW on the way, 5 minutes out" he said. Abby took this as a sign to dive inside. Carter lobbed the basketball hard at the net in anger.
"What was that all about?" Asked Luka as he handed Carter a gown and some gloves.
"Nothing" Carter stated.
"Didn't look like nothing to me"
"Well, it was so just leave it, OK?"
"OK" Luka said. He had been friends with Carter long enough to know not to push it any further. He would open up when he was ready.
"Mike." Carter mumbled.
"Wha...?"
"It's about Mike." Cutting Luka off mid-sentence.
"Who's Mike?" Luka asked.
"I'm such an idiot. Why did I have to go and say anything?"
"Carter you're not making much sense" Luka said.
"She doesn't make it any easier on me." He was clearly talking to himself now.
"Carter, are you OK?" Luka questioned, worried that his friend was going slightly mad. He had seemed rather stressed of late. The ambulance screeched round the corner and snapped Carter out of it.
"Oh, yeah fine. Just fine." He mumbled, unconvinced.
"Did you tell Carter about me and Mike?" Abby asked Susan as they prepared the trauma room.
"No."
"Are you sure?" Abby pleaded. She knew Susan wouldn't lie to her but she needed reassurance.
"Yeah I promised. Scout's honour, remember." She smiled, holding up a three fingered salute.
"Well, he knows and he seems angry."
"Are you sure?" Susan asked as she passed a gown to Abby.
"Well, he just had a go at me in the ambulance bay." She replied, pulling on her gloves.
"Jerk" said Susan, rolling her eyes.
"Why does he have to make it so hard?" Abby knew the only person with the answer to that question was Carter but she sure as hell wasn't going to ask him. Not after the little outburst she had just witnessed. Susan was about to say something when the trauma doors swung open and Luka and Carter wheeled the gurney in.
"Later" Susan said to Abby as she left the room.
"Yeah, later." Abby mumbled to herself.