Chapter 8
Doug took Carol by the arm and brought her into the hall. He tried to calm his voice but he hated it when Carol let other people in on their problems. "So now you talk to Susan about what's bothering you instead of me?"
Carol was stunned. "And you used to not bring people into are problems either." She watched as he squeezed her arm tight, that had hurt.
He looked down, he realized he was squeezing Carol's arm tightly so he let go. The release of his grip left a red ring on her arm. He took a deep breath in. Still speaking in an angry voice but just barely at a whisper he spoke again. "Why can't you just talk to me? What's wrong with you?"
She looked at him in disbelief. "What's wrong with me?" She voiced. "Nothing Doug. Nothing is wrong with me."
'Oops,' He thought. 'That didn't come out right. I have to fix it now!'
He thought."Look, Carol, I'm sorry. " His voice was now a little softer. "But I feel like something is wrong with us lately."
'OK, better change the subject,' Doug thought.
"You want to go talk to Kerry now, or what?" Doug asked.
The next thing Carol did was slap Doug hard on the cheek. "I will not talk to Weaver right now. What you're doing is wrong. All I was telling Susan so far about are fight." She slapped Doug again. She was Angry and hurt by Doug. Carol then walked off, she needed to be alone.
'Wow, I just blew that one. Tonight is going to suck,' Doug thought.
He stood there and watched Carol walk away. He couldn't believe what he had just said. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He ran his fingers through his hair as he took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He cleared his throat as he tried to get rid of the tears that were starting to well up in his eyes. He needed to think. He needed someone to talk to.
He walked outside and tried to think of someone to call. As he sat down he realized that he really didn't have anyone to call. He didn't want to bother Carter but that was his only friend. As he put his head down by his knees he tried to figure out what was going on with him.
"Why am I trying to hurt the one person I love more than anything?" He knew he had been feeling a little depressed lately but holidays always did that to him. He couldn't talk to Kerry today, all he wanted to do is talk to Carol. He stood up and went into the elevator.
He knew Carol loved to go up there to think. Although he didn't know what he was going to say he wanted to at least attempt to fix what he had done.
What he had done was basically hurt her more then he would ever think. She left and went to the roof to think for awhile, she needed to be alone. Right now, she thought Doug was being a selfish bastard. She just stood there on the roof. Where was Doug getting this behavior of late? "Do I still love him?" She asked the wind. She wasn't certain right now.
As the elevator door opened, Doug walked outside. He saw Carol standing over by the ledge and quietly walked over to stand about 10 feet behind her. "Carol," Was all he could manage to say.
Carol heard footsteps behind her, she didn't like the sound, she knew who it was. She looked down. "Go away Doug," She said knowing it sounded cold, but she wasn't in the mood to talk to him. She needed to be alone and he wasn't letting her do that.
Carter woke up that day feeling actually a lot better. He was glad Doug had taken him to Lucy's grave the night before. He rolled over and dialed Abby's number just to talk to her. He didn't have to be at the hospital right away, yet.
Minutes later, Carter was still in bed. He had tried calling Abby, but she must of been still asleep. Since he was still not on yet, he decided to get up, grab some coffee, and then read the newspaper. All he wanted to do at the moment was be with Abby, before his shift started.
He went and dialed her number again. And again, he got her Machine. "Hey, Abby, this is... umm... John, I was wondering if we are still on for tonight? I would like to have dinner out with just you," He explained. He felt like he was blushing as he said this. Carter knew he was the only one to ever blush as a guy. In high school girls always cooed how cute he was when he was blush, but he had gotten embarrassed. "Please call me back, Abby, when you get this message. I'll be home for another half hour, and then I have to go to work," He said, the hung up the phone.
Later, Carter walked into the ER. He still hadn't heard from Abby. Yet, maybe she would call his cell soon. He didn't realize how slippery the floors were in the ER, and he slipped and fell. Then he saw four little girl eyes staring at him, and Susan above them.
"Nice way to start my shift," He said to her as he stood up, and smiled at the twins.
Susan laughed. "Are you OK John? You have to be careful!" Kate and Tess were laughing along with Susan.
"Where are Carol and Doug?" He asked. He hadn't made it to the lounge yet.
As she helped him up she sighed. "Doug and Carol are having some problems." They walked into the lounge and she continued. "Carol was telling me how they had a fight before she came into work. Then in the middle of her telling me Doug walked in and pulled her out of the room. He was speaking softly and I didn't hear what was said but...Carter, you need to talk to him. He grabbed her wrist pretty hard and their conversation ended with her smacking him in the face twice. I think she went up to the roof, he followed her shortly after she went up. I don't know John. Is Doug acting strange to you?"
Doug was so mad and upset that he couldn't think of the right thing to say. He could feel his anger rising. As he walked away he picked up a rock and threw it against the wall beside Carol as hard as he could. It shattered on contact. "Fine!" He shouted "I don't need this crap!" He picked up another rock and sent it flying only inches past Carol's head.
He walked back inside slamming the door. As he walked into the elevator he punched the wall smashing the glass and cutting his hand causing it to bleed. Downstairs, he walked quickly out of the elevator. As he rounded the corner, he ran right into Carter knocking them both down as Susan looked on. "Damn-it!" Doug yelled as he quickly got up and left the hospital hitting the glass door with his bleeding fist again as he walked out. He left a blood stain and a crack in the door as patients in the waiting room looked on.