THE AMERICAN PATIENT
Chapter XII - Waking (Part III)
Elizabeth woke up feeling warm and loved. He was spooned into her, an arm thrown over her stomach. She reached for his hand and squeezed it linking her fingers with his. He stirred slightly, but did not waken. Memories of last nights love making flooded her mind, made her smile and she snuggled her bottom into him. That woke him up.
"Hey, now that's an alarm call I could get used to." He whispered from behind and kissed her hair.
"Good morning." She said rolling over in his arms to face him. They grinned at one another before kissing slowly. The kiss deepened into a passionate one as they pulled each other closer, their hands beginning to wander.
"Mooommy" Ella cried out.
"Damn....now that Robert is an alarm call that you will get used to..." She climbed out of bed and reached for her robe, before looking down at him. Romano winked at her before lying back, his hands behind his head a big satisfied grin on his face.
"Well it might be a strain but I'm sure I'll learn to cope." He said to her back as she left the room.
He looked dreamily up at the ceiling.
Damn is this really real?
He thought of last night and licked his lips. He could taste their morning kiss from moments ago. Oh, yes this was real all right.
"Robert, you decent?"
He sat up and ensured he was covered.
"For once."
Elizabeth walked back into the room holding Ella, wearing an apologetic smile.
"She's hungry, I'm going to get her some break...."
"Wobut!" Ella shouted excitedly, before escaping her mother's arms and propelling herself at Romano, who managed to sit up and catch the flying toddler haphazardly.
"Ella!" Elizabeth shouted.
"S'okay I got her." He laughed but then broke into a huge coughing fit. She walked over and scooped Ella aside before stroking his back until he finished. Then she put a hand to his head.
"You're warm, you think you might have over done it yesterday?"
"What can I say, a crazed nympho kept me up all night." He grinned.
"Nothing to do with running round the park like an idiot then? How do you feel, and don't bother lying to me."
Robert looked at her sheepishly, "I'm still a bit achy and the headaches back with a vengeance."
"Right; well you're staying put today. I'll fetch you some tea up in a minute... are you up to toast?"
He nodded his head in reply. Elizabeth bent down and kissed him lingeringly on the lips, before picking up Ella and leaving.
Romano lay back down and closed his eyes. He felt groggy again, but nothing was going to dampen the euphoria he felt. He'd finally bagged the woman of his dreams and could not believe his luck. All thanks to the flu he laughed, before coughing again and closing his eyes.....
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Elizabeth re-entered the bedroom and found him dozing. She watched him from the doorway and smiled as she studied his face. He'd rolled onto his side and was curled up like a baby; he looked adorable she chuckled to herself. She sighed contentedly; it all seemed so natural, to have him lying there in her bed. She shook her head in wonder, before walking over and waking him with a kiss.
"Hey you."
"Oh, I dropped off huh?"
"Yeah. Here drink this, take these and eat that." Elizabeth said, holding out tea and pointing at the plate of toast and ibuprofen she had brought up.
"In that order?" he smirked.
"So long as you do all three I'm not bothered. But you better do all three and get some rest cause I have plans for you later!" she smirked back.
"Now that's a bedside manner to be proud off Lizzie!"
She arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms still smirking. Robert took the hint and swallowed the pills, sipped some tea and reached for the toast. Elizabeth patted him on the cheek patronisingly, "Good boy."
He mock saluted her and she laughed before exiting the room, closing the door gently behind her.
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A couple of hours later a knock at the door interrupted her play with Ella. She got up off the floor and went to answer it. Her mouth dropped open slightly when she saw who was standing there.
"Susan....what are you doing here?"
"You invited me.....brunch......we arranged it last week remember?......you know catch up, girly chat brunch." Susan smiled, "You'd forgotten hadn't you?"
"I'm so sorry....yes, it err slipped my mind completely." Elizabeth stammered.
"Is that 'cause you maybe have some distractions?" Susan said knowingly, a huge smile on her face.
"Pardon?"
Susan turned her head to the road, "Isn't that Dr Romano's car?" she smirked.
"Oh, erm yes, he's err....."
Susan clapped her hands and laughed with glee, "Soooo, you two finally started reading off the same page huh?"
Elizabeth just stood and stared.
"Soooo, do I get to come in or are you ditching me for a man?"
"Oh, I'm sorry come in..." She moved aside.
"Thanks." Susan walked in and waved at Ella, "Cause I want details." she continued smirking.
"Right, you err want coffee?"
"Yes please." Susan sat down with Ella and started playing whilst Elizabeth went out to the kitchen.
Oh, God how could I have forgotten about this?
Elizabeth carried through the drinks and sat down, as Susan looked up at her from where she sat on the floor with Ella.
"So is he here?"
"He's upstairs sleeping."
"Tired him out already huh?" Susan said suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows.
"No, he's not well actually...."
"Relax I'm just teasing you. I'd heard Anspaugh sent him home with the flu; it's like carnival season at County at the moment, let me tell you!"
Elizabeth laughed at the mental image of an ongoing party celebrating their fearful leaders absence.
"So come on then.....how long have you two been, you know.....?"
"It's all pretty new actually, and it's kind of hard to explain.....but it's good."
Susan smiled at her friend. "I'm happy for you."
"Really, you don't think that I'm mad?"
"Who cares, you're happy and that's what counts right. Look he can be a pain in the ass, but I've seen some of his lighter moments, usually when he thinks no-ones looking. He's not so bad and it's obvious to everybody he worships the ground you walk on Elizabeth....So...no I don't think you're mad."
"Thank you, but I suspect you will be in a minority."
"Who cares Elizabeth? If this is what you want go for it and screw what everyone else thinks!"
Elizabeth smiled. "You're right."
"Hey I didn't know you played the guitar." Susan said looking over to the sideboard where Elizabeth had put it out of Ella's reach.
"I don't, it's Robert's."
"Romano plays the guitar! Wow. You'll be telling me he sings next!" Susan exclaimed impressed.
Elizabeth laughed and nodded her head, "He's very good!"
"Noooo......Really?"
"He's a man of many hidden talents, shall we say. Anyway that's not why you're here.....give me the dirt from work then."
"Oh, you'll never guess who's seeing......................"
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Robert woke up and thought he heard laughter coming from downstairs. He swung himself out of bed, and wandered off to the bathroom. His clothes were still there where he had folded them last night. Picking them up, he carried them to the guestroom where he pulled on a pair of sweatpants, before wandering off to find the source of the laughter. It had stopped now and all he could hear was Ella shouting excitedly. He went downstairs and walked into the lounge stopping in his tracks, as a smiling Susan Lewis gloated up at him.
"Surprsie!!!"
"What the hell!"
"Oh, Robert....you're up!" He turned to find Elizabeth walking out of the kitchen holding a plate of sandwhiches. "Erm, you might want to put a few more clothes on."
He looked down at himself, barefoot and bare-chested before racing back upstairs as laughter erupted behind him.
"It's amazing what scrubs can hide!" Susan laughed naughtily.
"Hey eyes off, he's mine!" Elizabeth chuckled and smiled inwardly at her own choice of words.
Robert reappeared a minute later fully covered. He smiled at Elizabeth, "Thanks for the heads up to company there Lizzie."
She giggled and shrugged her shoulders.
"And why aren't you at that hellhole Lewis?"
"Day off for good behaviour...came round to fill Elizabeth in on the gossip and walked into some much juicer material!" she crowed.
"Yeah, well if you value a quiet life, you'll be the very soul of discretion about this."
"Oh shut up Robert, she's just teasing you."
"Even so......I hear about this and I'll"
"You'll what?" Susan cut him off smirking.
He folded his arms across his chest and smirked back, "I'll put your name down for my next Polar Bear Club dip and I'll throw you in myself!"
Susan painted a look of horror on her face and held her hands up in surrender, "Okay, my lips are sealed."
"Good." He said triumphantly before sitting down next to Ella and joining in her play.
"You two want to go out or something? I can watch Ella." He looked up.
"My God you've got him house trained as well!"
Romano shot Susan an evil stare that she studiously ignored.
Elizabeth thought about it. She couldn't remember the last time she had just gone out for a coffee or shopping without Ella. The idea was definitely tempting.
"Are you sure Robert? I mean, how's your headache?"
"I'm fine Lizzie. Besides, I'll get more rest with you two hens clucking away someplace else!"
"Well, I suppose Ella's due a nap so she shouldn't be too much trouble. How about it Susan, you want to go spend some money?"
"Always up for that, let's do it."
"Right, well just give me a minute to get changed." And she raced off up the stairs.
Susan sat grinning at Romano who was helping Ella with a puzzle. He felt her gaze and looked up.
"What?" he snapped.
"I promise not to tell." She said smugly.
"You already did that."
"No, I promised not to tell about you and Elizabeth."
"So what else do you think you've got over me?" he asked curiously.
"I promise not to tell anyone that you're a nice guy."
Romano snorted, "No-one would believe you anyway." But she saw him smile as he went back to helping Ella.
Susan watched the pair of them playing together and could not help but smile. Romano said something and she saw Ella gaze up at him, with what could only be called hero worship; he went back to the puzzle as he chuckled at her. She thought of Mark fleetingly, and wondered what he would have had to say about the union of his wife and daughter with a man he had not cared for in life. She hadn't seen Elizabeth looking so happy in ages, and after that 'hiccup' with Dorsett she was still a little worried for her friend. Another setback would crush her.
"Hey Robert." She started in a serious voice.
"What?" he said, his head still down concentrating on the puzzle.
"You'll look after her right?"
Romano's head snapped up annoyed at that. He scrutinized her face before meeting her intense gaze. What he saw was only a friends concern for another friend; she was being genuine and was ready to go a round with him, if she thought for one minute that he wasn't serious about Elizabeth. He decided in that instant he liked Susan Lewis more than he ever thought he would. He'd always had a bit of a soft spot for her; after all she was the only competent doc in the E.R and she was spunky enough to say what she thought. He'd actually had some halfway decent conversations with her. But here she was ready to take him on, if she thought he was messing with her friend.
If he were to be in Lizzie's life, he couldn't very well go and upset her friends. It dawned on him, that this relationship business would require him to stop and think his actions, and he shuddered to use the word compromise. It would be a lot easier if he actually got along with her best friend.....He decided honesty was actually called for here and decided to break one of his own golden rules; he'd open himself up to her. So it was, he looked her right in the eye and broke into a warm, sincere, genuine smile. When her mouth dropped open slightly, he knew he had her full attention.
Wow he has teeth AND dimples!
"You don't need to worry about Elizabeth or this little one here," he said tossling Ella's hair. "I love them and I intend to keep on loving them for as long as they'll let me. So in answer to your question Susan, 'yes' I'll look after them. Okay?"
Susan was taken aback by such open sincerity from him and returned his warm smile. He'd understood her concern, and instead of going on the attack at her insinuation he had opened himself up to her. It spoke volumes of his love for her friend.....She approved of him there and then, and decided she wouldn't mind getting to know him better herself.
"Good cause I'd hate to have to kick your butt!" she joked.
He laughed then, "Don't be so sure I'm told it's quite a cute one."
Susan laughed, and the two of them exchanged a look that both recognised as a step up the ladder, from mere colleagues to friends. Romano winked at her and she smirked back.
Elizabeth reappeared. "Right then, ready?" she looked at Susan who nodded and stood.
"Right sandwiches are there, give her half an hour once she's finished before you put her down okay?"
He nodded.
"And you try and eat something yourself , then go back to bed as well." She carried on.
Robert tutted and rolled his eyes, as Elizabeth frowned at him and folded her arms across her chest.
Susan, watching the entire exchange burst into laughter. "This is brilliant.....Rocket Romano being henpecked.....people would pay money to see this."
He'd had enough now and started pushing the pair of them to the door. "Right that's it! Go....leave!"
He opened the door and playfully shoved them both out.
Elizabeth turned around though and gave him a huge smile, which he returned before she grabbed him and planted a passionate kiss on him.
Susan started singing loudly, "Robert and Elizabeth sitting in a tree, K. I. S. S. I. N. G......"
Robert glared at her. "Polar Bears are calling your name Lewis!"
She stopped and put on a serious face and he kissed Elizabeth again, before whispering, "Go, have fun." Then he closed the door.
"Hey Elizabeth did you know he has dimples!"
"Yeah, he's kind of cute..." she replied a little dreamily.
Susan smiled at her friend and they wandered off arm in arm towards the EL.
To be continued....R&R!!