Chapter 2
"neela take miss davis the patient you worked with the other day .Ray patient with hypertension."Pratt gave out charts to them.
"hi miss davis.how are you today?"Neela asked as she walked into the room.
"im fine but I think my baby's coming soon."she replied."could you please call the baby's dad he told me to contact him when the baby's coming he doesnt want to miss it.Ok ill get my colleague to do that i am going off shift.you take care ok?"
"yup.thanks dr.rasgotra."
Neela just smiled at her."um ray could you help miss davis please.call her baby's dad get from her the number.i have to go."she said.
"but im on my break."
"i covered for you many times before."
"ok fine.cheez i thought you always stayed here until your patient was fine. Now you run off like a teenage girl who can't wait to meet her boyfriend."
Neela smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.What the hell was that?She thought to herself."um im sorry"
"no its ok"he said.
" im in a rush so i really don't know what the hell im doing."she said to 'justify' her action.
"its ok neela."ray said.
With that she left.im such an idiot.why did i do that?it was an accident and its not like i kissed him on the lips.thank god i didn't.She thought.you're going to meet your boyfriend neela keep your freaking cool.it was an accident.she told herself.
Ray took the phone number from Miss Davis to call her baby's father who she did'nt want to refer to as ex-boyfriend or boyfriend.
"whats his name?"
"jeff."
Neela met jimmy at the bar where they met for the first time."hey,you're early."He said.
"yeah i told ray to take my patient.She is pregnant and her boyfriend left her for someone else."
"i see."He replied to that.
Ray had to go for a gig so he left the phone number with abby.
"but i have work to do now ray."
"i know you can call once you're done."
"fine."Abby said to him and he left.
Neela and Jimmy were having some drinks and talking.
"so neela have you thought of getting married again?"
"thats far from my mind right now."
"i see."
Ray and his band were setting up.He saw Neela and Jimmy sitting at the front seat laughing and talking.
"so-"before Jimmy was interrupted by his cellphone ringing.
"excuse me i have to take this."he said
"ok."neela said.
Ray introduced his first song and started playing it.Neela recognized his voice and looked at him and smiled at him.
Jimmy came back to the seat."Hey look ive got a important business meeting.i really have to go.Is it okay if you catch a ride on your own?"
"yeah sure."Jimmy gave her quick kiss on the lips and left.Neela didn't feel like leaving.She ordered herself something else.
"hey roomie.wheres your um 'perfect' guy?"
"he had to go for a business meeting.you can call him jimmy you know and stop teasing me with the perfect guy thing you wanker."
"sorry.so you need a ride home?"
"don't you have to bring home a red head today?since you brought home a brunette yesterday and a blonde the day before."
"nope not today."
"okay fine then."
When they got into the van ray turned on the radio.
"so did you call davis's ex?"
"i got the number down and left it with abby to call."
"just like you.is it so difficult for you to pick up the phone and dial a number?"
"i was late for my gig."
"whatever."
"this is what i get for passing on a red head and taking you home?"he said jokingly.
Neela just rolled her eyes looked out the window and smiled.Things were getting back to normal or better.She herself didn't understand why she was angry at him of all people for the past 6 months.He is the annoying ray barnett that she knows and loves.that she knows.thats what she told herself she meant.When they got home Neela went to make a call to Jimmy.
"god you are obsessed with this guy."Ray says.
"im not obsessed with him ok he's my boyfriend."
"well you were never not yourself before.now you're like a obsessed teenage girl.i've never seen you like this before.what happened to the tough chick?"
"so you've been observing my behaviour?"she asks him.
"well im sure everyone else has too,you know they just did'nt wanna say anything."
"yeah sure."she said and got back to dialling jimmy's phone number and he just walked into his room and closed the door.
She had tried twice but Jimmy wasn't answering the phone so she gave up and went to bed.
The next morning,she got ready and left for work when she reached county she went straight to Miss davis's room to talk to her.
"hey."
"hi."
"did your boyfriend come?"
"ex."
"yeah sorry your ex."
"yup he did.he said he had work so thats why he was late.he told me that he would come and see the baby when he is delivered he since its a boy and he's always wanted a son ."
"well then why doesnt he want to stay together with you?"
"because of this other woman.he uses women he used me for money and then got me pregnant.god knows how many more."
"well he is a jerk and you don't deserve him,you deserve better."
"thanks dr."
"well you take care ill come and see you later."
Abby had just come out of examining a patient and met Neela at the front desk.
"so how's your love life going?"
"great so far i guess.hers however is heartbreaking."She said looking at davis's chart.
"oh yeah her ex came over yesterday."
"yeah she told me."
"i saw him taking some money from her."
"he's still using her?"
Abby just shrugged."so how are you and ray?"
"ok.why ask me that?"
"well you both were weird around each other for a while.and yesterday he was watching your every move."
"what?"
"yeah he was looking at you as you tripped,pushed the chart down and how excited you were about this jimmy."
"well he suddenly has become a observer of the human behaviour,he did that at home too."
"well speak of the devil"abby said when ray walked in.
"hello to you too abby."ray said."you two talking about me?"
The both of them just kept quiet a while.
"yeah abby was telling me how you watch my every move."
"well yeah you started acting really differently ever since you met jimmy and may i add crazy."
"you know, i have to agree with him on this one."Abby said.She took her chart and left.
"can't a person be happy without being labelled crazy?"Neela asked and walked away,following behind Abby.
Neela was on a break so she tried to call jimmy again but was out of luck again.
"what the hell is wrong with him?"
"boyfriend not answering again?"Asked abby.
"nope.its been 2 days."
"maybe he eloped with someone else."Abby said jokingly with a smile but her smile faded when she saw that Neela wasnt smiling.
"im sorry it was just a joke.maybe he's just busy with work.im sure he'll call you soon."
"i don't wanna get my hopes up.Gallant told me he will write to me when he is free but all i got was news of his death."Tears filled her eyes.
Abby looked at her for a while and just gave her a hug."look i'll be right back."abby said.She dialled ray's number when she reached the desk phone.Ray had left an hour earlier to go home.
"hello?"
"ray its abby."
"lockhart whats up?"
"jimmy hasn't called neela in 2 days she is really upset and i have to work and i wanted to take her somewhere to cheer her up.can you please do that?"
"yeah sure ill be right there."
"Neela, ray is coming to pick you u-Neela?"Neela wasn't in the loacker room.
"damn.where did she go?why the hell is she so upset over some guy not calling?thats not like her.Why the hell am i talking to myself i should call ray."
Ray had gotten the call from abby and went to the place he was hoping she'd be,the bar.She was there sitting at the counter drinking.
"Neela what the hell has gotten into you?he didnt call you for 2 days so what?"
"what are you talking about?"
"jimmy?abby told me to take you out and cheer you up.you just left.Neela this is not like you.I know Gallant's death made you different but not that much until this jimmy."
"would you just leave me alone ray?"
"not like that im not.you're a trainwreck right now lets go home."
"no!"
"Neela you're drunk and this is a bar for god's sake there are alot of weirdos here who would take advantage of a drunk chick."
"why do you care so much?"
"because i"he paused for a while "am your friend neela ok come on."He pulled her by the hand and brought her to the van.
When they got home he her walked over to the couch and went to get her some water..
"here take this."
"why?why didnt he call me?"
"i don't know."
"look neela take a rest ok?there's no use wondering im sure he'll call you if he doesnt then he's the loser.an-"
Before he could finish she fell asleep.
The next morning when Neela woke up she saw Ray in the kitchen making some coffee.
"wha,what time is it?
"morning roomie its um 7.30."
"im late for work."
"um i don't think you can go to work like this."
"but-"
"no buts you take a rest today ill cover for you and we'll go out for dinner tonight."
"ok."
He just smiled at her and got ready to leave.
"ray?"
"yeah?"
"thanks."she said with a smile.
"no prob."He replied.
"ray?"Abby caught up with him as he was walking in.
"hey."
" where's neela?"
"im covering for her.she's resting at home."
"oh ok."
Neela was at home still trying to call Jimmy.She was about to go ino her room,when she heard the doorbell ring.
She went to open the door."Jimmy?"
"hey."He gave her a hug but she was not as thrilled as she thought she would be.
"i tried calling you for two days."
"i know i just got another from you i was busy.i wanted to surprise you."
"yeah.you did."
"well you don't seem very happy Neela."
"well i thought you left me too i was so upset and now you expect me to jump for joy that you're here."
"im so sorry."
"yeah its ok just don't ever do this to me again Jimmy."
"i won't."
"let's go for dinner."
"its too early for dinner."
"i know i meant tonight i have to work now."
"um actually i've got plans for dinner.maybe tomorrow."
"plans?with who?"
"ray."
"i see."
"well he wants to cheer me up you know for the way i was."
"the way you were?"
"he found me at the bar last night.i was partially drunk."
"ok.tomorrow then."
"yeah see you."
"see you.bye."
Neela didn't say anything she just watched him leave.he did'nt even ask me why i was such a wreck.she thought to herself.
"hey i bought some dinner home instead of us going out."Ray said as he walked into the apartment.
"um yeah its fine.so how was your day."
"well doing all your work it wasn't a ball.how do you do it?"
"it just comes naturally."
"naturally.interesting.so how was your day?"
"ok i guess.jimmy stopped by?"
"what?"He asked in surprise.
"he said he was busy for the past 2 days and he wanted to take me out for dinner tonight."
"then why didn't you go?"
"i told him that you and i were having dinner."
"its ok you should have gone."
"its too late now besides he said we can have dinner tomorrow."
"ok.so uh lets eat."
"yeah."
Neela met abby for coffee the next day before work.
"so let me get this straight you chose to have dinner with ray barnett over your boyfirend."
"yeah i know he didn't mind and its not like it meant anything."
"you sure?"
"about what abby?"
"that you choosing ray over jimmy didn't mean anything."
"ok i didn't choose ray over jimmy i chose to have dinner with ray instead of jimmy ."
"ok sorry.calm down.don't need to be so defensive."
"im sorry i just thought you were getting somewhere with this.were you?"
"no.i think we'd better get to work."Abby said and grabbed her bag.
On their way there Neela thought why did i do that?why did i choose to have dinner with ray over jimmy,my boyfriend?"