Chapter 11

Love and Monkeys

"Lucy why do I have to where a bow in my hair?" Ruthie complained as Lucy tried tightening the little red bow on the little girls head.

"Because, sweetie, we are celebrating your daddy going back to work on Monday," Lucy sighed getting down to her height.

It had been 4 months. 4 long months since the accident and they were now at the end of January, the days getting nearer and nearer to the anniversary of the day Jessica died.

"Why do we have to celebrate? I'm not happy daddy's going back to work!" Ruthie protested.

"I know honey but we have to be happy for him. This is what he wants," Lucy smiled and left the little girl in her room to pout. Over the course of the last 4 months, John had tried very desperately to become independent again with taking care of the kids. But somehow Lucy always ended up back where she started. At the Carter residence. When she answered the phone it was feeling more and more comfortable to pick up and be able to say 'Carter residence. This is Lucy'.

Lucy Carter. She had felt extremely guilty when the thoughts first entered her head. But as the days went by, as she continued looking after Carter and his little ones the guilt steadily began to go away. One night, when all the kids had already fallen asleep, John was in excruciating pain. His shoulder had become infected the week before and he was on stronger antibiotics. Without really thinking Lucy had acted quite quickly to rid him of the mental pain that was making the physical pain seem so much worse. She had gently placed her fingers on his temples and made steady circles while she had hummed him to him any random tune that popped into her head. Soon the sobs that had escaped him quieted and he stopped shaking from the agony. Before Lucy knew it she was cradling his head in her lap where he soon fell asleep.

This was only one of the many nights Lucy found herself comforting John. Shielding him as best she could from his mental pain. But when about the third time rolled around where Lucy found herself holding him and whispering to him that everything would be okay she realized it wasn't only the doctor in her coming out but the mother and nurturer as well. "Someone's got the hots for Dr. Carter." Malucci's words were meant to get her going but now the denial never crossed her mind. The words that Dave spoke weren't just banter any more. They were words Lucy felt in her heart. She was in love with John Carter.

"JUMP! JUMP! JUMP!" Gabriel and Adrian cried in unison as they hopped up in down on Paige's bed.

"Liz, I don't understand. When Dad goes back to work then that means he'll be back to the 'get home whenever I get home' schedule. I hate that," Paige sighed uneasily.

"It's not fair. Especially now since...," her voice trailed off before she could remind herself again that her sister had still died in the accident.

"I know Paige but things are different now so someone will always be at the house with you and Ruthie when Dad's at work," Liz assured her as she continued brushing the girls long brown hair.

"Like who?" she asked curiously gripping the arms of her chair and looking at herself in the mirror.

"Well like me or Lucy or Carol or Doug or Dave," Liz named a few co-workers off the top of her head.

"Nah-uh. No way. Dad promised he wouldn't have Malucci baby-sit ever again. That is who you mean isn't it? The Malucci Dave?"

"Yes," Liz laughed. "What do you have against Malucci Dave?"

"Besides the obvious? The guy can't even make toast without practically burning the house down," Paige exclaimed.

"Well Dave has to come with some benefit," Liz said putting Paige's hair up in a ponytail. She had always pictured Dave as like a 'cool uncle' type.

"I guess. He does play by the rules and he loves to wrestle. Like me," Paige smiled. Liz smiled.

"Like it?" she asked referring to her hair.

"Love it. Nobody can make a ponytail like you Lizzie," Paige agreed turning to the boys who were still jumping up and down on her bed.

"Liz," she complained. "I need my personal space!"

"Nana! Jump! Jump!" Adrian cried slightly out of breath.

"It's okay little monkeys. Come on let's go see daddy," Liz said. The babies were too lost in their own little world to notice.

"Monkey's?" Paige questioned.

"Yeah. Let's sing Paigey the song Abby taught us." Adrian and Gabriel continued jumping as Liz started to rhyme. "2 little monkey's jumping on the bed. One fell off and broke his head. Momma called the doctor and the doctor said...,"

"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!" Adrian cried laughing and giggling as he fell over on the bed and Liz started to tickle his tiny belly.

"1 little monkey jumping on the bed," Paige giggled at Gabriel who still jumped up and down.

"No more monkey's on the bed!" Gabe cried jumping to the end just so Liz could catch him.

"No more monkeys," Liz agreed tickling Gabe and then scooping him up in her other arm.

"See you at dinner Paige!" Liz smiled as she carried the two over stimulated toddlers out of the room. Paige sighed and flopped over on her bed. There were little faded stars on her ceiling that used to glow in the dark. John had put them up when she was a little girl and afraid of the dark. When Ruthie got scared she would climb into bed with him. Paige sighed again this time as she spotted an old photo album in her bookcase. She promised herself she would go one day, just one day without thinking about Bella.

So far she hadn't kept her promise.