Authors Note
Thank you for encouraging comments. As before the italics is a flashback. Sorry it is a little short.
Chapter 17
Carter's last words were resounding in her head as Abby let herself and Michael into their apartment. He played with a selection of toys while she packed a few bags so that they could stay with Carter until he was back on his feet.
"Michael can stay with me if you like" Carter suggested from his sick bed. Abby raised her eyebrows at his ludicrous suggestion and he added "What? I was trying to be helpful"
"You can be helpful by doing as you are told" she replied "You are barely fir to take care of yourself, so I'm hardly going to leave Michael with you"
He looked crestfallen but she knew she had said the right thing. Carter had fallen asleep before they had even left the house.
0o0
After checking on Michael who jabbered away to Abby in babble and to which Abby had replied "Really" and "Is that so" in various places in the child's conversation with her, she went to listen to her voice mail. There were three new messages awaiting her attention. Two were from Susan asking about Carter and she cursed herself for forgetting to call her as promised and the third was from Maggie. Asking or actually telling Abby that she and Eric were making the trip over to see them for Michael's first birthday at the end of next week. Abby inwardly sighed and picked up the phone to return the call.
"Mom did I wake you?"
"No Abby, it's fine I have to get ready for work anyway"
"I did wake you. Look I won't keep you it's about Michael's birthday…."
"Yes" cut in Maggie, "I've arranged to have a few days off work and booked the bus for Eric and I already"
Abby didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't very convenient Maggie sounded so happy at the prospect. Could she, Abby Lockhart cope with a grouchy and ill Carter, a lively Michael, work and Maggie and Eric all at the same time? The answer was, she had to.
"Abby! You still there?"
"Yeah sorry, I was just thinking"
"You need us to book a hotel or something?" Maggie asked sensing Abby's reluctance on the prospect of having them descend on her and Michael in her tiny apartment.
"No, that won't be necessary. You and Eric can have my apartment to yourselves. We're going to Carter's for a few weeks" The words tumbled out of her mouth before her brain registered that she hadn't mentioned John's return to Maggie.
"Carter? John Carter?" Maggie asked stunned
"Mmm, yeah" Abby mumbled
"He's back?"
"Obviously" Abby replied dryly
"And he knows about Michael?"
"He does now"
"Why are you staying with him?" Maggie asked hopefully
"He was in an accident. He needs a bit of TLC"
"And that's it?" Maggie asked wanting Abby to say there was more.
"Okay, we're kinda seeing each other, Happy?" Abby decided from Maggie's squeal that was an affirmative on the subject. "Don't go planning a wedding in your head or anything, promise?"
"Oh Abby would I do that. I'm so happy for you all though. Oh Abby I have to go Dumpy has peed on the floor. I'll see in next week, sweetheart, bye"
"Bye"
0o0
"You're late" said Susan to Abby as she came down the hall returning from taking Michael up to day care.
"Sorry. I had to go home and pick up some stuff to take to Carter's"
"How is he?" Susan asked concerned
"Not as good as he thinks he is" Abby told her. "Did you get the message I left with Frank?"
"Yeah, yeah. So it seems we'll be down an attending for several weeks then"
"What's new? We are always short staffed"
"True, but you know I kind of miss it when Carter isn't here" Susan told her and Abby smiled. "Why did you pick some stuff up, you going to stay with him?"
Abby tilted her head from side to side before saying "Yeah" she shrugged and added "Well he can hardly stay there all by himself"
"He's alone now I take it?"
"Well sure I have to work, but it makes me feel better if I know that I can be there some of the time" Susan laughed. "What?" asked Abby indignantly
"Awww you and Carter"
"What?"
"Don't what me I know you know"
"Know what?" said Abby shaking her head
"How it is between you two, deny it you may but I know and so does probably everyone else here at County" she told her before walking off leaving Abby staring after her as Susan graced her presence at the desk. Abby shrugged to herself and followed to pick up some charts and begin her working day.