Chapter 22 – Bad Timing
"I feel so ecstatic!" Carter shouted with joy.
Abby laughed, she wiped the tear away from her eye. Carter leaned over to give her a kiss and pulled away to look into her eyes.
"Did you decide to go ahead to see if you were pregnant?"
"No way, I had so much going on that I forgot to get the pill and when I remembered, it was already too late"
"I suppose it was meant to be" He chuckled, and then something had dawned on him that wiped the smile off his face.
"What is it?" Abby frowned.
He stood there in silence for minute.
"Carter! What's wrong?" Abby asked in a worrying tone. "It's ok, I am keeping the baby, I'm not going to get rid of it, this is my only chance to have a child, oh sod the fear that it might inherit my family's condition, life is all about taking risks"
"Huh I don't know how I'm going to say this"
"Say what?"
"The timing's wrong again!" He said, turning away and puts his hand on his forehead.
Abby is standing with her hands on her hips, tilting her head and blinking hard trying to listen to what he had to say. She can feel her heart pounding hard against her chest, sensing this is not going to be good news.
"I was going to announce something to everyone at the end of the shift, when we have our little Christmas party in the lounge" He smiled nervously looking down at his hands. "I've handed my notice in, I'm leaving the County for Africa"
Abby started to hyperventilate at the shocking news and she stepped away from Carter shaking her head in disbelief. He stepped forward to her and puts his hand on hers, but Abby whipped her hand away from him.
"Don't touch me!" She growled with tears welling up in her eyes and they flashed with anger
"Abby!"
She scoffed "Huh! I am so fucking please that I followed my own instincts, by not getting emotionally involved with you. Do you know why?"
Carter shook his head to signal her that he does not know the answer.
"Cos I knew you would go and shit on me again!"
"This time it wasn't intentionally, I thought I have no future and no love here, and I didn't think you were bothered about me, so I decided to move on"
"Obviously I haven't tried hard enough…" Abby said walking away, heading back to the doors of the ER, "It's ok, I don't need your help with this baby, and I'll manage on my own thank you!"
Inside the ER
Abby strutted through sliding doors wiping her eyes, she then paced to the admit desk and picked up a file. She fumbled about with the paperwork, not paying attention what she is doing; she is wholly distracted by Carter's news. Abby threw the pen on the counter, stuck her tongue out to blow a 'rasp' and walked off. She started to feel woozy and light headed, next thing Abby is on floor and she has passed out.
"Oh my god Abby!" Susan shouted, she runs to her fainted colleague and squatted down to support her head. "Abby can you hear me?"
Luka and Haleh rushed to their sides whilst everyone in the ER looks on by, chattering and murmuring.
"Lets get her into a exam room" Luka said, lifting Abby on to the gurney with a little help from Susan and Haleh. "We better run some tests on her, I have never known Abby fainting"
"It's ok Luka I know why" Susan nodded pushing the gurney
"You do?"
"Look, I'll deal with her, she's my patient now"
"But I want to know why…"
Carter walked to the admit desk and notices Abby being pushed away on the gurney. He runs to catch up with them.
"Hey! What's going on?" Carter asked, catching his breath
"She just passed out on the floor" Susan replied.
"Oh? Yes… erm… that might have happened because she was very upset with me a minute ago"
"Oh great you got her all worked up, why is she upset with you?" The blonde asked, she has a good idea what might of happened, but surely if she told Carter, he'd be over the moon.
"Well she told me some news" Carter said putting his hand in his pockets "but in return I told her some bad news"
"Will somebody tell me what's going on here?" Luka asked with frustration, feeling he's outside the loop
"So Carter, she did… erm… tell you the news?" Susan asked subtly without revealing too much.
"Oh you know?" He said, looking surprised
"Well yes I was there when she took the test"
Luka raised his brows finally he has worked out what they were on about.
"Is Abby pregnant?" He asked in his thick accent.
Carter and Susan both smiled that the tall smouldering Croatian doctor.
"Oh?" He laughed "Well at least Sam and Abby can be pregnant buddies to go through it together, like shopping and stuff" Luka couldn't think of the English phrase of what he had said.
"Mmm ooh" Abby groaned and lifted her head to look where she is; the only view she has is Susan, leaning over close to her face.
"Abby are you ok? You have just passed out" Susan said in her trademark grin and then she can see Luka standing over on her right nodding his head, then looked to the left, Carter. Abby looks away closing her eyes, feeling hurt; she can't look him in the eye.
"Yes I'm fine Susan, I'm fine" The brunette replied sitting up right.
"Do you want to go home?" Susan nodded.
"No, I'll stay"
"Ok you take it steady, why don't you do the light duties" The blonde puts her hand on Abby's shoulder and winks "Perhaps you can help me set up the party in the lounge"
"Ok…"
"Where do you want me to put these Dr Lewis?" Jerry asked carrying a crate of drinks.
"Put them on that table in the corner" Susan said standing upon a chair, pointing in that direction.
Abby is opening packets of chips and placing them into bowls on the table. She looked at Susan wobbling trying to balance on the chair reaching for the ceiling, trying to stick balloons up.
"Is that the new dance Susan?" Abby laughed at her boss. She walked to her and watched with her arms folded.
"Don't make me laugh or I'll fall off!"
Susan over-stretched her reach that caused her to lose her balance and tumbled off. Abby reached her hands out to catch her. It happened so quickly instead Susan collided into Abby, which had broken her fall. Abby stumbled back against the wall from the weight of her friend. Susan is positioned in front of Abby, literally pinned against her. With both hands on each side of her head with their noses barely touching each other. They look at each other; wide eyed in shock at the position the fall had put them in.
"I guess it would do some people good to move on" A woman's voice said, coming in through the door.
"Well, yes suppose" A man's voice replied.
Weaver and Carter who came into room and paused on the spot when they see Abby and Susan, especially the position they are in. Weaver's jaw dropped and the side of her mouth tweaked a little smile. It was definite eye-candy for Kerry Weaver! Carter did not look impressive at all. They both walk backwards out of the room and shut the door after them.
Abby and Susan watch them leave quickly. They looked at each other with their mouths open. They both burst out laughing.
"Should have seen their faces!" Abby laughed hysterically
"Oh god, that will get them talking" Susan said also in hysterics.
"Oh let them be, they haven't got anything better to gossip about"
"I'm sorry about that"
"No worries" Abby patted her friend on the back and jokingly said "Jesus! Carter will definitely not come back now!"
Susan chuckled. "Hey yeah Abby, what happened earlier, why did he upset you?"