Chapter Two – The Night Before
The night before…
Abby sat at the admit desk, doing paper work, she looked up and sees an unhappy Carter walking towards the board.
"Hey! You ok?" Abby asked reaching over to put file in a tray.
"Yeah so-so" Carter replied, rubbing his name off and turn to her "erm… are you doing anything after work?"
"Not really, why?
"I was wondering if you like to grab a drink on the way home," Carter smiled nervously hoping that she says yes.
"Yeah why not, maybe we can catch up on stuff, haven't seen much of you lately"
"Yeah well I've been trying to sort things out in my life" Carter shrugged and gave a forced smile "and I erm… just needed someone to talk to"
Abby busily filling in a discharge form, looked up, raised her brows and pursed her lips "You know that I'm always here for you John, ok?" and walked away in to a treatment room.
It was the end of the shift, Abby just getting her coat from her locker. Carter walked in.
He asked "You ready?"
"Yes I am" Abby answered, untying her hair, letting it down and gave him a smile.
They leave the ER together, walking out to the Ambulance bay; the cold Chicago air hits them.
"God! It's freezing" Abby commented, wrapping the scarf round herself. Carter laughed, shivering. They enter the main street and stood outside the bar next door Ike Ryan's.
"You want to go here?" Carter asked.
Abby gave that look clenching her teeth trying to fight the cold "Err… no, maybe we should go to that bar nearer you? I've not been in there a while"
"Ok" Carter nodded in reply.
Abby knew that fact Jake would be there with other med students. It would make things awkward especially no one knows the fact she's sleeping with him! They both climbed the stairs up to the EL. One just pulled up in time for them to step on. They spent the journey in silence; Abby spent most of it looking out of the window while Carter looks at her in admiration thinking Damn! Why did I break up with her?
The EL arrives at Carter's stop, they both step off, walk down the steps to a busy street and headed to the nearby bar. Carter opened the door for Abby and they go in.
The bar was half empty, music playing, not too loud, and perfect. Makes a change as the place is normally packed out like if it were on a weekend night, they wouldn't be able hear each other talk.
"I'll get the drinks, what do you want?" Carter asked.
"A beer please" Abby replied, Carter shook his head in refusal.
"A beer Carter! If you're not gonna get me one, I'll get it myself" Abby frowned and bit her bottom lip. "What's your problem, John? You asked me if I like to join you for a drink and you refuse to get me one" she put her hands on her hips and nodded "Oh I get it! You are worried I'd go into relapse…"
She walked off "I'll go get us a table"
Abby found a table. She sat down and crossed her legs. She started tapping her foot on the table leg mumbling to herself "Uh! You really piss me off… who does he think he is?" She knows that he is very protective but sometimes he acts as he really thinks that he owns her…
Abby puts her hand in her coat pocket, to remove her cigarettes, pulled one out, placed the packet on the table and lights up. She then puts her hand in to the other pocket and pulled out her cell phone, flipped it open. She took a long draw of her cigarette as she looked at it.
'12 missed calls & 1 text message' – they were all from Jake, Text message reads "Abby, where are you? I've called by your home, you're not there, call me, Jake xx"
"Here…" Carter said, seated in front of Abby and placed the drinks on the table. Abby shoved her phone back in her pocket. Carter smiled at Abby but she doesn't smile back. "Look, I'm sorry I've shouldn't have done that"
"No you shouldn't have…" Abby snapped and her eyes scanned around the bar "This place hasn't changed one bit" She looked at him again and started smirking at him. "So what's eating you Carter?" she asked picking up the bottle to take a sip.
"Oh this and that" He replied.
They chat about work, their family members, funny memories, Kem leaving him, losing the baby and rebounding with Wendall… Their drinks were flowing like their conversations...
Few hours later…"You want to come back to my place for coffee? Well it is nearby," Carter asked.
"Err. Sure I'll have a quick one" Abby rose up and loses her balance touching her head "Whoa… one too many!" They grabbed their coats and left the premises.
"Thanks Abs" Carter smiled as they both walk across the road to another street.
"What for?" Abby replied looking puzzled
"For listening and a good night"
"S-s-sure no worries"
During the walk to his place, they never spoke a word, only thing was Abby can see in the corner of her eye is Carter kept looking at her on numerous occasions. She kept giggling about it; it's the drink that made her feel silly. They arrived at his home. Carter gets his keys out, unlocks the door and they entered the building.
"Hmm I'm surprised you haven't got you self a big mansion instead of here, rich boy?" Abby commented shedding her coat and started to giggle.
Carter chuckled at her "Why would I want one now? I'll get one when I marry the women I love and have six kids with her!" Nowwho would be that woman - Kem, Wendall or Abby?Abby winced at the thought of six children!
Abby made her way to the lounge and looked around. Carter goes in the kitchen and makes the coffee. She walked in to the kitchen and commented about the newly done décor.
"About time you got this damn place a makeover" Taking the mug from Carter.
"I wanted to make Kem feel at home," Carter answered with an embarrassed smile because of his relationship with her had failed. "But she didn't feel that way since that day we arrived in Chicago"
They both walk in to the lounge…