THE AMERICAN PATIENT

Chapter Five – Napping

She'd never been to his home before and had been very impressed. It was typically Robert on the outside, very grand and ostentatious, but the interior was tastefully decorated, homely even. She'd tried hard not to be nosy, but couldn't help peeking at his book and C.D collections – again he had managed to surprise her. He normally favoured classical music when in the O.R, but he had an eclectic mix of, well almost everything. His vast book collection consisted of medical volumes to classics to modern fiction. Open on the coffee table was a well-worn copy of Joseph Hellers' 'Catch- 22'. Then she noticed a guitar propped up against the side of the couch and remembered how well he had sung in the car the previous evening.

'Well, well Robert, you are a man of hidden talents aren't you?' she thought.

She had walked around trying to think of what he might need, feeling a little like a voyeur as she wandered from room to room. When she got to the bedroom, she was reminded of a flippant comment from years ago and looked up at the ceiling. No mirror – yet another myth shot down she mused. She had filled a bag she found in the closet and was about to leave, when on impulse she went back and retrieved the guitar before locking up and heading back.

Robert was still asleep when they got back much to Elizabeth's surprise. They'd been gone a good few hours, having been to the park to feed the ducks, pick up some groceries from the store and of course, stop by at Robert's house.

She gave Ella lunch, before putting away the groceries and stashing his guitar in the utility room. 'Save it for a rainy day, or a lull in conversation,' she thought.

"Right you, I think it's time for your afternoon nap!"

Elizabeth scooped the little girl up in her arms and carried her upstairs. After a quick story, Ella began to drift off and Elizabeth exited the child's room pausing outside the guest room door. She was bored and wanted some company.

'I'll just take a peek,' she thought and opened the door popping her head around. He was lying on his side, his back to the door and showed no sign of movement.

Damn!

Elizabeth closed the door disappointed and trudged downstairs. When she got to the lounge she sat down before getting straight back up again and walked to the kitchen intending to make a cup of tea.

Once made, she walked back to the lounge and flopped down onto the couch looking around her. She flipped the TV remote on and surfed all the channels before turning it back off. Next she picked up a magazine off the coffee table and flicked through it before throwing it back down. She took a sip of tea then stood up looking round again.

"God I'm bored," she said to the empty room.

Her eyes settled on the bag she'd filled for Robert which lay where she'd left it at the bottom of the stairs. She wandered over and picked it up, looked at the stairs then began to climb them.

Her hand on the door handle she pushed none to gently into the guest room, but he still didn't move. Elizabeth coughed loudly and when he still didn't waken she went to the wardrobe, opened it then banged it shut as loudly as she dared without having to worry about waking Ella.

Finally he roller over and she smiled to herself.

"Hey, sorry didn't mean to wake you," she lied.

"Really? If that was you trying to keep the noise down I dread to think how loud you'll be when you want to be!"

"Oh don't be so dramatic," she said smiling down at him.

"I'm not! Seriously Lizzie, a herd of stampeding wildebeest would make less noise than you!" He brought a hand up to his mouth and coughed. "What time is it anyhow?" he croaked, rubbing at his eyes.

"A little after one. You want to get up, take a shower maybe?"

"I'm guessing the right answer to that is, yes?"

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, but her smile gave her away. He sat up and winked at her. "Any chance of a sponge bath?"

She laughed and threw the bag at him, hitting him square in the chest.

"I'll take that as a no then!" he pouted.

Elizabeth chuckled, and rolled her eyes.

'This is more like it!' she thought.

He opened up the bag and started rooting around. "What'd you get me, then?"

"Wash gear, some clothes and stuff. There's some mail I picked up in there as well."

"Thanks." He looked up at her, a lewd grin on his face. "I'll go take that shower then, unless...you wanna change your mind about the sponge ba..."

"I'll see you downstairs Robert," she said cutting him off, laughing as she left the room.

888888888888888888888888888888888888

Elizabeth was curled up on the couch watching a trashy TV movie when Robert appeared. He was clean-shaven, dressed in jeans and a Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt, and looked a lot better.

He smiled and pointed to his sweatshirt. "Now they can play!"

"I wouldn't have the first idea I'm afraid. I was about to make some lunch, would you like a sandwich with me, Robert?"

He smiled wickedly, revealing dimples. "I think we're one short for that Lizzie!" he said winking at her.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. "I see you're feeling more like your old self Robert," she said trying to sound cross, but the creeping smile on her face gave her away. She loved their banter as much as he did, and they both knew it.

He continued grinning and nodded.

"Tuna okay?"

"Yeah, but let me do it," he said. "Least I can do."

Elizabeth looked at him slightly surprised. I suppose he's fed up of being treated like an invalid, she thought. She nodded and he trudged off to the kitchen, but thirty seconds later stuck his head out.

"Hey, do you want me to make some tea?"

She hesitated before answering. "Err, no water's fine."

"What's wrong with my tea?"

She wriggled herself around on the couch to face him. "I hate to tell you this but your tea is bloody awful. Every cup you have ever made me, Robert...which I can count on one hand by the way...has either gone down the sink or to the nearest pot plant as soon as you weren't looking!"

He pulled his face into a hurt expression. "You're a snob Corday, you do know that right?"

Five minutes later he carried through two plates of sandwiches and placed them on the coffee table, before disappearing again only to return with two glasses of water. Elizabeth kicked her feet to the floor and motioned for Robert to sit.

"Where's the munchkin?" he asked.

"Down for her afternoon nap." She picked up and sandwich and took a bite. 'Not bad," she said. "Thanks."

He reached for one himself and started nibbling at it.

When Elizabeth was finished she asked if he had taken his temperature.

"Yeah, I'm holding just above 100 and, yes I've taken some more ibuprofen before you ask."

She smirked. "Never said a word."

Robert put his half eaten sandwich down, and leaned back into the sofa. He closed his eyes and tried to stifle a yawn. She looked down at him; he was definitely looking better but still looked exhausted. She realised then how tired she was herself and leaned down next to him and yawned.

"Make a right pair don't we? You want to take a nap?" she asked.

Robert turned his head to look at her. Her eyes were red and she looked a little pale..

"You look whacked Lizzie." He sat up. "Look, I'm feeling a helluva lot better than I was yesterday, so I'm gonna go and leave you and Ella to enjoy your week off together. Okay?"

"No!" she said forcefully surprising the both of them. She sat up and pointed to his plate. "Look, you can't even eat a whole sandwich...you're staying – no arguments!"

She turned her face towards him and they locked eyes. Robert felt like he was back in the twilight zone and tried to search her eyes for what she was thinking. There was something there staring back at him that had never been there before. They were friendly which in itself was unusual, but there was something else that he could not quite define. For a start, she was holding his intense gaze, which is something she never did. It threw him off and he felt suddenly, incredibly uncomfortable. He looked away and tried to recover himself. "I'll stay, but only if you start looking after yourself as well Elizabeth. You look tired."

"Yeah, well I'm not used to looking after two babies," she joked.

He grinned and placed a hand over his heart. "Oh, you wound me Lizzie."

Robert turned his face back, to find her still watching him and felt himself pulled into those blue eyes once again. Time seemed to stand still and Elizabeth could feel her cheeks begin to colour as they sat gazing at one another, each trying to read the others thoughts. She wanted to look away, but his stare was intense, drawing her in more and more until it captivated her and she lost herself in those chocolaty brown pools. She felt certain he was going to kiss her. Did she want him to? Would she kiss him back? This was dangerous territory she thought and she should look away, get up, do something; but she couldn't move.

Robert watched her struggling under his gaze and watched her cheeks redden. He felt bolstered knowing she was uncomfortable too. That he was not the only one, who apparently was aware of something shifting between them. He looked fleetingly down to her lips then back to her eyes. She had seen him look but she still stayed. He smiled slyly. He wanted to kiss her, to take a hold of her and crush her to him. Did she want to be kissed? Could she want – him? After all this time, he couldn't believe that to be the case. She'd just got out of that mess with Dorsett, which had been another slap in the face for him. No – he could not, would not act rashly here. Whatever this was, if it was anything at all, well, she would have to make the first move. He looked away before he did anything stupid, and nonchalantly leant back letting out a yawn.

Elizabeth let out the breath she had been holding as Robert looked away. She didn't know what had got into her. She'd looked deep into his eyes and saw a maelstrom of emotions; naked desire, passion, lust, tenderness and, she thought love. She knew Robert had once found her attractive, he'd told her so. She suspected that was still the case, always had if she was honest...but love? – Then he'd looked away and the spell had been broken. She let out a quiet sigh and leant down beside him.

They sat together, both wondering what exactly was happening and closed their eyes...

TBC