Chapter 11: Goodbye
Susan told Abby , Neela and Sam she's pregnant again.
"This is great, Susan!"
"What is great, honey?" – John asked, giving a brief kiss in his wife.
"Oh, Susan is pregnant"
"Oh yeah? Congratulations"
"Thanks"
John put the chart on the counter and slammed his hands on it.
"When are you off?"
She looked at her watch.
"Two minutes ago"
"Great. Luka's covering for me"
"Why? What you're gonna do?"
"We're seizing our last but one day here" – He grabbed her by her hand and started running.
"John. John, wait. John"
"C'mon"
He remembered she was pregnant and slowed down a little.
"You surprise me every single day"
One smiles to the other one.
"So, where we going?"
"Many places, but it's a secret"
He looked at her and made him smile.
"I made a list"
He cups her face and kisses her.
"Are we going to ski?"
"Yeah"
Her face lighted up with a smile.
"I know you love snow and skiing"
"Yeah, I do. But not as much as I love you"
"I love you too. So much. We stay apart for like 5 seconds and I already miss you"
She puts her hand on his face and runs her hand gently.
"John…"
"But that's what happen when you're completely in love. You change and don't even notice"
"I changed you?"
"Yes. You don't know how much. And I changed you?"
"Yes, totally. Why you think I want to have kids?"
He smiled and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.
"We better get going"
"Yeah. I love you"
He put his arm around her waist. And soon they arrive at the skating court.
"Why there's no one here?" – She looked at him – "You bought this for us, didn't you?"
He smiled.
"Oh my God, John! You shouldn't have done that!"
"But I did. For you"
She stood and started skating.
"C'mon. I want to see if you can reach me"
He gave a big smile and chased her. And quickly he reaches and drops her.
"Ouch"
"You ok?"
"Yes"
He leaned over and kissed her.
"C'mon, let's go"
"Where?"
"You'll see"
"John…"
But she doesn't finish. She loved the way he surprised her and that made her love him more. He took her to a hotel.
"What happened to you today, John? You're just too romantic!"
"I just want to seize this last day here with my wife. Any problem?"
"No, not at all. Actually, I loved"
"Good to know"
He walks her to the room.
"Wow!" – She sighed – "I guess this is one of the advantages of marrying a rich guy"
She laughed sarcastically and he smiled weakly and she noticed.
"I didn't mean that. I love you in spite of that"
She walked towards him and put her hands on his face.
"You know, right? You know I love you"
"Yes"
And with that their lips lock in a passionate kiss, which led to may others and they began to take each other's clothes off and quickly he drops her on the bed and lays over her, not stopping kissing. Meanwhile, at County…
"Melissa Shepard. 11 years. She was in the car when her mother fell sleep on the driver's seat"
"Hum, get Carter"
"He's not here"
"What? Where's he?"
"He left with Abby"
"That's great! I lost two doctors! Melissa, I'm Dr. Lewis. I'm gonna take care of you. Jerry, page Carter and tell him to come immediately"
"Yes"
John and Abby are still kissing and warming the thing up when his page begins biping. She pulls him away to breathe.
"Are you answering it?"
"And interrupt my perfomance? No way" – He whispered and smiled.
And they went back on kissing. At County…
"Jerry, did you page Carter?"
"Yes, but he didn't answer"
"That's wonderful! We're running out of doctors and these two disappear"
"I wonder what they're doing"
Jerry makes a face and Susan slaps him with a chart.
"Stop it!"
"What? They're alone and probably on their house. You really think they're not doing it?"
Susan thought for a moment.
"But they… you know what? What they do or don't do it's not my business"
And she leaves. Abby has her head leaned against John's chest and he's caressing her hair with one hand and resting on her belly the other one.
"That was… amazing"
She sighs.
"Yeah" – She takes a deep breath – "You think we were too noisy?"
"Who cares? We don't live here anyway. And they will still have to stand the second round"
He smiled and then leaned over and kissed her. She threw her arms around him and they kiss more passionately.
"Nothing yet?"
"I tried again but he's too busy being over Abby"
"Jerry!"
"Did I said something wrong?"
"Well, cut it out"
Susan laughed. She had to admit it was quite funny. Abby and John were laying facing each other and he was caressing her face.
"It's over?"
"Yeah"
"Too bad" – She sighs – "I can't believe we're leaving tomorrow"
"You want to stay? Cause we can…"
She interrupted.
"No, I want to go. It's just… it's been three years, you know? It's tough to move and leave everything behind. Work, friends… family"
He wiped away her tears.
"I know it is. But we have our own family now. And we're gonna be ok"
She smiles and they kiss.
"Thank you John. You made me feel better"
He wraps his arms around her and brings her closer to him. In the next day, Abby is on the lounge picking her things.
"Where the hell were you yesterday? Jerry paged Carter several times. We were running out of many doctors"
"Yeah, well… he took me to many places. He said Luka was covering for him"
She noticed that Abby was putting her things on a box.
"What are you doing?"
"John didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"We're moving"
"What?"
"Yeah, he's coming with Phoebe to pick some of his things and then we're going"
"But this sudden?"
Abby looked at her.
"No. We'd decided a month ago. We just didn't tell anybody"
Susan couldn't believe.
"Well, you could have at least told me before. I'd have time to find doctors to replace you two"
Abby closed her locker and looked at her friend.
"Susan… you can cry if you want to. You've been an amazing friend. I only have to thank God for meeting you. I'm gonna miss you so much"
Abby opened her arms with her eyes full of tears and Susan ran and hugged her.
"Oh Abby! I love you so much. I don't know what I'm gonna do without you"
"I'm pretty sure you'll be just fine"
"Well, but I'm not"
Abby closed her eyes as she ran her hand over her friends' back, who was sighing continually. John walked in County with his daughter in his arms and was greeted by Luka and Sam.
"Hey"
"Hey. Hi, my little girl. How are you?" – Luka picked her up.
"Great. She started walking a few days ago"
"She's big"
"Yeah. Have you seen Abby?"
"Yeah, I think she's in the lounge with Susan"
"Thank you"
He picked his daughter and headed to the lounge. Through the window, he saw the two women hugging and crying. He knocked and opened the door.
"Am I interrupting?"
"No" – Susan said, wiping her tears.
Abby turned and walked to John. They kissed briefly and she picked their daughter.
"Hi, my angel. Mommy missed you"
Susan sat in the couch.
"Man, I can't believe you're leaving"
Both John and Abby looked at Susan and then to each other. But she quickly looked down, controlling herself not to cry. He looked at Susan again.
"Yeah… we decided this was the best to do"
John felt his eyes water when he took his things from his locker for the last time. He finished picking his things and gave a long and sad look at the door of his locker. Abby lifted her head and looked at him.
"Hard huh?"
"Yeah. It's been 9 years, you know? It's not that easy"
"We can stay"
"No, we're going"
He ran his hand through his locker and then turned to her.
"Ready?"
"Yeah"
He puts his arm around her and they walk to the admitting area.
"Well, I guess this is it"
"Goodbye"
They were leaving when they heard someone talk.
"You thought you would just leave?"
They turn and see all doctors and nurses. Abby can't control her tears and runs to hug everyone.
"I really want to stay, but I have to go if I want to be with the man I love. And I do. It was very nice spending this time with you guys. See you some day"
And with that they leave County forever. 4 months later…
"Dr. Lewis, there's a letter for you"
"Thanks"
She opened the letter and saw a picture of Abby with John after the babies were born.
'Dear Susan,
The babies were born today. The doctor took this picture. Phoebe is 13 months old now. London is beautiful, but it's not Chicago. We really miss you guys. You need to come down here. We'll try to go there as soon as possible. We don't want to miss our godson's deliver.
Oh yeah… John doesn't know I wrote this, but he passed out when the doctor cut my belly.
Love, John, Abby, Phoebe, Matt and Emma'
Susan smiled and wiped her tears. Then she put the letter on her pocket.
The End.