"Out of my way, Clemente," Abby scowled. "I don't have any time for your crap today."
"Wo...the she devil has arisen," Clemente replied snidely and sidled out of Abby's way. Abby cast him a killing glance and pulled another file from the stand on the counter. She sighed and looked up at the board.
"Jerry," she scolded. "That flu guy was released an hour ago. What is he doing up on the board?" Jerry looked up from the papers he was filing.
"Uh...someone forgot take him off?" he shrugged. Abby slammed the chart onto the counter and wiped the name off the board. Jerry grimaced and backed away.
"And you go home...every night...with...that?" Jerry whistled softly as Luka approached the desk.
"Abby," Luka warned. She turned to look at him and he nodded toward the doctor's lounge door. Her face burned as she followed him. She sighed deeply as he turned to face her in the empty room.
"Well...this situation certainly has the principal's office written all over it," she said.
"What is going on here?" Luka demanded. "There have been some complaints about you today."
"From patients?" Abby demanded.
"No. From the staff," he said. "Why are you treating people like this?" Abby was silent.
"They are your friends...and they care about you." Abby rolled her eyes. "They are only trying to help."
"Luka, we have been through this before. I don't want anyone's help...or anyone's pity."
"Pity?" He was aghast. "They don't pity you. Abby, they are excited for you. Let them help if they want to." She folded her arms stubbornly and sighed.
"Take a break," Luka ordered and then turned to leave the lounge. "Sit down, relax and calm yourself."
"I don't have time to...relax," she said. "I have patients out there."
"Not any more," he said, turning back to her.
"Are you sending me home?" Abby asked incredulously. Luka sighed.
"I am telling you this ER, and everyone here, needs to work as a team. If you are not respectful of that or willing to do that, then..." his voice trailed off.
"...leave?" Abby said. She crossed her arms and looked up at him with a frown on her face.
"Take...a...break," he repeated. "And think very seriously about apologizing." Luka shook his head and left the room. Abby dropped down into a chair and sighed angrily. He was right. She HAD been out of line today and was taking it out on the wrong people. It was so frustrating to not be at the top of her game. Everyone was always trying to help...to lft things...to run for things. That's not how she worked. She was always the one who did for other people.
The door opened slightly and Ray stuck his head in.
"Is it safe to come in yet?" he asked. Abby rolled her eyes.
"I mean, you're not going to throw anything, right? I have to get my lunch from the fridge...and...a few...others."
Abby tapped her fingers on the table trying to ignore him as he carefully eased himself through the lounge door. Abby shook her head as he kept one eye on her and sidled past to the refrigerator. He opened it and took out a brown paper bag...and then a covered salad bowl...and then a red plastic lunch box...and a deli sandwich wrapped in waxed paper...
"Oh, come on, Ray," she growled. "I am not going to kill anyone if they come in here to eat their lunch."
"Promise?" he asked. She nodded sarcastically.
"The lounge is open, dudes!" he called. The door opened and ER personnel poured in. They busied themselves getting their lunches and finding a place to sit. Abby stood up.
"Okay..." she announced. "I am sorry for the way I have been acting. It's most likely a hormonal thing from being...pregnant. I promise I won't let it get to me again."
"Abby's pregnant?" Jerry said innocently. "Why didn't someone tell me?" Laughter rippled through the room. Victor Clemente sidled over to her and put his arm around her shoulders.
"My mother was pregnant," he said. 'This woman is not pregnant. This woman is...possessed." Ray jumped up.
"Oooh...like that Arnold movie..." he said and put his hand up inside his Grateful Dead tee shirt. Abby shook her head as he mimicked a puppet head forcing it's way through his shirt from his chest as people around him laughed. Her eyes met Luka's where he was standing leaning against the door frame. He winked at her.
"An alien?" Luka chuckled as he folded his dinner napkin and laid it on the table.
"But it is like some kind of alien has taken over my body," she said as sat back in her chair. 'It tells me what to eat...when sleep...when to pee..." She shook her head. "I don't like not having control." Luka reached over to touch her shoulder and Abby pulled away from him.
"Don't touch me," she said sternly. His hand dropped to the table and he shrugged.
"These feelings are very normal," he said quietly. "You know that."
"Don't patronize me, Luka, okay?" she sniped. "If I want to be a bitch, I am going to be one." Luka was silent for a long moment. Wordlessly he stood up and carried his dinner plate to the sink. He began to fill the sink with hot water and rinsed his dishes. He set them aside and then picked a medical journal up off the counter. Abby watched as he crossed the room and settled himself in a big chair next to a lamp and opened the book. She drummed her fingers on the table and then rose to take care of her own dishes. Luka watched her secretively and smiled slightly. He dropped his eyes to the open pages as she moved to the couch in front of him. She stretched out, put her feet up on a cushion and leaned back against the arm rest. She sighed and picked up her own book from the coffee table. Abby tried to read but couldn't get comfortable on the couch. The baby was kicking her fiercely. Finally she sat up straight and looked at him.
"It makes me crazy that you have answers for everything...that you've been through it before," she said suddenly.
"I haven't been through it with you," he stated without looking up from the book. "There's a difference." Luka closed the book slowly and looked at her.
"Danijela had her mother, her sisters and her friends to share things with...to talk to," he said softly. "Sometimes, I was just the...budala... who happened to be there when the baby was conceived." Abby's eyes narrowed in misunderstanding.
"Idiot..." Luka said. "It means idiot."
"Budala?" she mulled. 'I am going to have to remember that one." Luka shook his head and chuckled. Abby looked down at her belly in frustration.
"Go to sleep...would you please!" she groaned. "My back hurts." Luka studied her sympathetically. Abby glared at him darkly and sighed.
"Can I help you?" he asked carefully. Abby sighed and moved over a bit on the couch. Luka stood up and picked up a knitted shawl that lay over the back of his chair. He sat down on the couch next to her and wrapped the shawl around both of them. He snuggled her under his arm and held her close. She turned slightly and rested her head on his chest. He rubbed his hand over her belly and grinned when he felt the baby kicking fiercely.
"It's not funny..." she said. "I can't get comfortable."
"It's wonderful," he sighed happily. "Healthy and alert.'
"My back hurts," she said again and leaned forward a little. Luka chuckled and slipped his hand to the small of her back and rubbed.
"How can you even stand to be around me?" she sighed. Luka chuckled and turned her so he could massage her neck and shoulders.
"Have you talked to your mother lately?"
"No," Abby said. Luka pulled back in surprise and looked at her.
"You haven't told her yet, have you?"
"No."
"Abby..." he said. "We're having a baby in less that three months. Don't you think you need to tell her?"
"Okay...okay...fine. Hand me the telephone," she snapped. Luka took the phone from it's stand on the table and handed it to her. She sat up and scowled at him as she pushed the buttons and then waited for someone to answer. Her sneering eyes never left his face.
"Hi Mom," she said finally and took a deep breath. "Um...look...I'm pregnant...Luka is the father and we're having the baby in July. I love you...I'll call you again soon." She pushed the button to end the call and handed the phone back to him.
"Satisfied?" she asked as she settled back in the crook of his arm. Luka's mouth dropped open. The telephone began to ring and Luka reached for it.
"Don't answer that," Abby ordered.
"It might be the hospital," he said. Abby shook her head.
"They would page you," she said. 'You and I both know who is on the other end of that call."
"If you don't talk to her," he said. "She's going to get on a bus and come down here. Do you want that?" Abby scowled at him.
"Damn... I hate it when you're right," she growled. She took the phone from him and scowled again as she answered. Luka chuckled and snuggled her back against him and listened as she talked to Maggie.