Catching Up
This is the scene in between where Michael invites Neela, Abby, and Lester to go for a drink at Ike's and where Neela and Abby meet Valerie.
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights or the characters associated with ER.
"So how is everything in D.C.?" Michael asks.
"Everything's great," Valerie says. "The job is great. The people are great. I absolutely love the kids." She pauses. "How are things here?"
"Busy," Michael says. "I am pretty much always at work and when I'm not at work I'm sleeping."
"So, are you seeing anyone?"
"Nope. Don't have time."
"Michael, we've had this conversation before. You're too young to be celibate. You live like a monk. You've always been like that. I'm starting to think that you don't like girls."
"Hey, wait a minute," Michael said. "I most certainly like girls. I like girls a lot in fact and I do not live like a monk."
"Ok, when was the last time you had a date?"
"A while ago, but that's not the point. I do not have time to have a girlfriend. I'm at work all the time and it wouldn't be fair to her."
"You can't be at a work all the time," Valerie said. "And before you say anything, you can't always be sleeping when you're not at work. Who do you hang out with? Do you have friends?"
"Of course I have friends. And yes, we do hang out."
"Are any of them female?"
"What?"
"Do any of them have a vagina?"
Michael was starting to get a little uncomfortable with the conversation. "I wouldn't know Val. I haven't gotten that close."
"So you're telling me that there is no one in that entire hospital that you would consider dating?" Valerie asked.
"Nope. No one," Michael lied. There was someone, but she didn't feel the same way so why bother mentioning it.
"Really?" Valerie raised an eyebrow. She knew her brother was lying. He was lying through his teeth. There was definitely someone and she knew who. "What about Neela?"
"How do you know about Neela?" Gallant balked. How did she know that?
"Because whenever you talk to Mom or me or Dad or pretty much anyone in the family you mention her. It's always 'Neela this' or 'Neela that' or 'Neela and I did this'. You talk about her all the time and from what I can tell the two of you spend a lot of time together when you're not at work."
"She and I are just friends. That's it."
"No you're not," Valerie said. "You spend way to much time together to be just friends. Either you are more than friends or you want to be more than friends. So which is it?"
"Valerie look....."
"Why haven't you asked her out? You should ask her out. I'm sure she'd say yes. I mean she obviously doesn't hate you because the two of you are always together. I think you should ask her out."
"Look, can we talk about this later? They're going to be here any minute?"
"Who?"
"Some friends."
"It's Neela. Neela is coming? I finally get the infamous Neela. The girl that you have been crushing on for months."
"Could you keep your voice down. Yes, I invited Neela tonight. I also invited a few friends. Okay."
"Who did you invite first? Neela or the few friends?"
"I don't know. It might have been Neela. She was the first one that I saw and she passed it on to Abby and Lester. No hidden meanings. Just a friend asking some friends out for a drink. That's all," Michael said hoping that it would end the conversation. Truthfully, he had invited Neela first because he wanted her to meet Valerie and he invited Lester and Abby so that she wouldn't feel uncomfortable with just he and his sister.
Valerie rolled her eyes. "Sure. Keep telling yourself that."
Michael looked at the door waiting for Neela, Lester, and Abby to show up. He hoped that the conversation would end before they showed up, but obviously he wasn't so lucky because who did he see walking into Ike's? Neela and Abby, of course and they were accompanied by Pratt.
"Shh. Shh. Here they come."
Valerie looked behind her and saw three people walking towards the table. She recognized one of them. Greg Pratt. The man who had shamelessly tried to pick her up in the lounge at the hospital. The two women she didn't recognize, but she was sure that one of them was Neela.
"Valerie, this is........."
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