Chapter 22
AN: Its been a while, but I'm back home and enjoying time with family. I'll be posting a little more infrequently with all of the upcoming holidays. Enjoy!
The visit of Madam Corday had gone smoothly thus far. Her first few weeks were spent preoccupied with lecture and events planned by the university. Robert had very few interactions with his future mother in law, and they were almost always in the evenings when she had a martini and Gretel to focus on.
Gretel the traitor as far as Robert was concerned. Isabelle had turned out to be such a fan of Gretel, that three days into the visit Robert discovered that Gretel had taken to sleeping, not just in the guest room, but in the guest bed. Both Gretel and Isabelle were very much aware of the no dog on the furniture policy, and yet it was blatantly ignored. What's worse, was that no support came from Lizzie, who informed him that nights in the Corday household growing up were frequently spent curled up on the sofa, The Doctor the Corgi included. Robert's protests that a Corgi on the couch was very different than a Bouvier fell on deaf ears.
It was the Bouvier that held Robert's attention at the moment, though. Gretel's bed had been moved to in front of the fire, and Elizabeth was curled up next to her sound asleep. Isabelle was sitting on the couch with a cold cup of tea. It was six in the morning, and Robert had just gotten in. What a horrible fucking day. Terrible fucking week more like it.
Robert should have known that nothing good would come of the next week when he started his weekend in the hospital for a kidney stone. How. Fucking. Embarrassing. To keel over in the middle of the OR, while patching up a misdiagnosis your fiancée made. Thanks, Elizabeth. He could have been happily in his office and been sick in private, but nooo, Lizzie had to miss an aortic graph rupture. Daughter of a cardiothoracic surgeon and she missed it. Robert was at least pleased that she stuck around throughout the night to give him a proper bedside manner. That and keep away the snickering subordinates. He got the good drugs, and a Lizzie curled up next to him in bed for all to see.
It just went to hell from there.
Robert and Elizabeth had awoken at five in the morning to Isabelle's panicked screams. Gretel was having seizures. After a terrifying trip to the emergency vet, Robert and Elizabeth had been told that the workup indicated insulinoma. A tumour. They could fix that. Not the poodle surgeon. All it took was a look between the two of them to know that the poodle surgeon was coming nowhere near Gretel when they had a perfectly good OR twenty minutes away at the County. Happy fucking Valentine's day.
The surgery had been touch and go with several smart ass comments from the staff, Shirley included. Robert still hadn't forgiven Shirley for suggesting he was going through the change during the surgery he fell ill in. Traitor. She could work nights with Weaver if that's how she was going act. Elizabeth wasn't having any of it from the team either and decided to blatantly channel Isabelle when she said to the OR nurse, 'God forbid any of your family need surgery, I'll be sure to take the day off and leave you with Edson and Carter for help. Now, will you please suction or get out.' The jokes stopped after that.
Isabelle had even come by to see how the surgery went, revealing to Robert that Mr Corday once had to operate on Elizabeth's dog when he managed to eat half of a toy. Elizabeth had been off at school as whilst Charles and Isabella and been on the outs, they both knew Elizabeth would never forgive them if something happened to the beloved family pet.
Gretel's surgery also meant they had canceled their dinner plans. Isabelle had insisted that she could manage Gretel for a few hours, but both Robert and Elizabeth weren't keen on leaving her. They decided to stay a little late and smuggled out all the supplies they needed to take care of Gretel at home rather than go out to dinner. If only being at the hospital had made a difference that night.
Lucy was dead.
They had failed her.
Isabelle had realized he was stuck in place and rose from the couch, gently taking his elbow and maneuvering him to a seated position. It wasn't until he was sipping on the tea she passed him that he realized it was spiked. Bless the woman. He shouldn't be surprised considering she was the one who taught his Lizzie how to drink. A gentle softness was being wrapped around his shoulders, and Robert's brain processed that it was Isabelle placing the throw around him. Briefly, he forgot that the redheaded woman at next to him wasn't his mother and he gulped for air, trying and failing to hold back the overwhelming emotions inside him.
Lucy was dead.
Lucy was dead, and Carter was barely stable.
They had been stabbed.
Lucy was dead.
Carter was stable.
They had been stabbed.
Over and over the string of thoughts played through Robert's mind, helpless to shut them down. How could they have failed Lucy like that? He was Rocket Romano, and she was Elizabeth Corday, never had there been a surgical team like them before. Miracles seemed commonplace in the OR when they worked together. Yet when it mattered most, they couldn't save Lucy. Ambitious and driven Lucy Knight, who in so many ways, reminded him of his Lizzie. Brave enough to show up on the Chief of Staff's doorstep and demand his help while going behind a surgeon's back to do so.
Fuck.
A plate of food had been sat in his lap. Robert looked over to see Isabelle topping off his tea with another splash of scotch. A pint of ice cream was sitting next to it.
"This isn't the first time I've had to pick up the pieces when a surgeon has had a bad day."
"Bad, doesn't even begin to describe it."
"No, it doesn't. But I can't pretend to have the words to describe it without insulting the fact that you experienced it and I didn't."
Cherry Garcia ice cream. Not his favourite, but ice cream was ice cream in a time like this. The plate of food, however, was offensive.
"What in all your infinite wisdom made you think Cherry Garcia ice cream and Hawaiian pizza were a good combination for something like today?"
An eye roll was all the response Robert got, as his companion took on a faraway look. "It's Charles' favourite, and therefore Elizabeth's favourite after a horrible day. I've no idea how he found the combination, but it stuck. Elizabeth eventually picked up on it, and she would curl up on the couch next on him stealing bites of ice cream and pizza."
A smile threatened to form on Robert's face as he watched a sleeping Elizabeth. He loved hearing more about her childhood, and couldn't help but roll his eyes upon learning that she picked up her favourite comfort foods from her father. The hunger in him won out, and he took a bite of the pizza, surprised to find that he liked the sweet and savory combination the pineapple and ham provided. Robert was attempting to ignore the smug look on his future mother in law's face as he polished off the pizza and dug into the ice cream. It was another look that mother and daughter shared.
"Lucy. Lucy reminds me- reminded me, of Elizabeth. Intelligent, ambitious, hard-working, not afraid to get her hands dirty to get what she wanted. Especially if it was to do what she thought was the right thing by the patient. Showed up here at two am on Christmas harassing me to perform a procedure on her patient. Went around the attending she was working with to get it done."
Isabelle laughed into her tea, gently shaking her head. "That last bit does sound like Elizabeth. She went round Charles frequently, often relying on the age-old adage of better to ask for forgiveness than permission."
"Yeah but the problem is, Lizzie never asks for forgiveness. She just does what she wants and expects you to keep up." A long pause and a glance at the woman curled up in front of the fire, and Robert sighed. "She's getting better at it. Telling me her plans before she does them. It's something we work at."
"Well, I never thought I'd see that day. She adores Charles but has no problem with going around him whenever she sees fit. I think that's how she got qualified on some mechanical arm thing. Forged his signature to go off to the training. E something."
The spiked tea held in his hand sloshed around as he shook with laughter. So that's how Lizzie got certified on the E SOP.
"I never heard that story. But it's an ongoing process to try and communicate better as a team. Or that's what the therapist says anyway." He regretted the words instantly. Part of his agreement to see Dr Whittaker was that those visit stayed private, no telling someone else without mutual agreement.
"I take it you weren't supposed to tell me that." Isabelle was politely not looking at him at the mention of Dr. Whittaker.
"No. And I'd appreciate it if you forgot I said that. We live and work together . . . sometimes it's hard to not bring the work issues home, and we have a referee on call for that."
There was a long silence between them, both content to sip on the spiked tea and watch Elizabeth as she slumbered next to Gretel.
"I'm glad." It was said so quietly that Robert almost missed it. "That you've got a plan on how to manage it. It's hard when your proclivity to … be right all the time, to butt heads, outpaces your ability to communicate effectively. Charles and I have never seen her this happy." Robert turned sharply towards her at that, and it did not go unnoticed by Isabelle. "Oh, yes. He's been complaining about you for so long that it galled him to say it, but it's undeniable that the two of you are a good fit. That's probably why he's disliked you for so long."
"Oh, goody. Maybe one day the man will tolerate me."
"A London wedding will go a long way to that. And a granddaughter of course."
"Oh, I see what you're trying to do. Lizzie told you to butter me up on the wedding bit."
"But not the child bit?"
"I've already named them."
"Well, that's good to know." The dry sarcasm was accompanied by an eye roll. "You're not planning on knocking her up before the wedding, are you? We're going dress shopping this weekend and should plan for that if you are."
Dress shopping. Robert had no desire to go to something like that, but a deep-seated warmth finally overtook him at the thought of his Lizzie in a wedding dress.
It had been a god awful week. Elizabeth had taken on the lion's share of Chief of Surgery duties whilst Robert was busy dealing with…bloody hell. Bloody hell was what he had been dealing with.
And yet somehow, Robert and her mother had bonded. Ish. Ish was good. Elizabeth suspected that it had more to do with the five gallons of Ben and Jerry's her mother had purchased than any deep and meaningful connection, but for now, she would take it.
The more pressing Romano/Corday relationship to deal with was looming in front of her, however. Elizabeth and Isabelle were in the lobby of a nondescript building, waiting on Robert's mother Cara to arrive. Today they were shopping for a wedding dress, having confirmed a July wedding in London. Cara had gotten along well with Elizabeth's father and godparents, but the idea of putting two strong-willed redheaded women in the same room made Elizabeth nervous. Rightly so if her relationship with Robert was anything to go by.
Thankfully she had invited back up, although that could blow up in her face as well. Jo and Carol had been invited as firmly Team Elizabeth opinions to counteract what Isabelle would like to see and what Cara might think Robert would like to see. Both women were, unfortunately running late. Carol, she could understand with having the twins, but Jo was usually ten minutes early. Cara, however, was prompt as always and so Elizabeth spent several minutes observing the two women stare each other down. It was her own mother that cracked first, something that shocked Elizabeth.
Until Isabelle opened her mouth that is.
"You've got such lovely hair, pity your son doesn't take after you."
Fuck.
"Well, he does get his hairline from his father, who may he Rest In Peace, always claimed the hairline was from his fire helmet. Tell me, what dye do you use on your hair? It looks lovely, almost natural."
Ouch. Point Cara.
To Elizabeth's shock, her mother just laughed.
"Yes, raising Elizabeth brought out the greys earlier than I would have liked."
"I've always viewed Robert's recording hairline as penance for all the greys he and his sister caused me."
And just like that the women were friends, comparing notes on their Terrors they called children and lamenting the lack of respect shown to them. Thankfully a member of the staff came by with a glass of champagne for the bride to be, and Elizabeth was thrilled that she opted for the nicer boutique. She had nearly downed her beverage when Carol and Jo arrived at the same time. Apparently, they had fought over a parking space. Down went the rest of the bubbly.
By the end of the day, Elizabeth regretted inviting anyone with her. Cara and Isabelle were getting along whilst Jo and Carol were trying to outdo each other in the friend department. What was worse, Elizabeth realized that she hadn't told Carol that they were planning a London wedding. Carol, who had been looking forward to a very adult weekend with Elizabeth's impending nuptials, had no idea how she would manage going to another country as a single mother. Elizabeth's own mother was not particularly helpful with her suggestion to just hire a nanny.
The snide remarks had only stopped when Elizabeth came out in the last dress. It had been the first time all week that Elizabeth had felt the warmth of happiness take hold in her, and as she stepped in front of the mirror, it was radiating off of her.
"That's it!" Jo had stopped bickering with Carol in order to elbow Isabelle into paying attention. "That's the dress that's getting you laid."
"Jo!"
A snort from Madam Corday was louder than Elizabeth's exclamation. "Jo dear, most people are far too drunk and tired to have sex on their wedding night. It's the lingerie one wears to bed that, as you so charmingly put it, gets you laid the next morning." Even the dress consultant laughed at Isabelle's declaration. "There was so much alcohol, I think Charles and I drank London dry. A most excellent party."
"Madam Corday, you and I are going to be excellent friends."
"What did you just call me?"
Taking advantage of the newest round of bickering, Cara got up to stand behind Elizabeth, wrapping her arms around her in a hug. Leaning in close, Cara whispered "You look breathtaking. I'm so happy he's found you."
It had been a long and exhausting day, the group of women had eventually met Robert and Max for dinner after settling on a dress and the bickering that had presided over most of the day had mellowed out significantly with food and drink. Somewhere in between the first round of drinks being served and appetizers being brought out, Charles Cameron arrived.
"Sorry I'm late, I drew the short straw and had work today."
"Why do you look so irritatingly familiar?" Isabelle was eyeballing him over her martini, trying to determine how she knew him.
"Mrs. Corday! It's good to see you again."
Elizabeth and Robert had been trading glances at Charlie and Isabelle's interaction, trying not to snicker into their drinks as a look of horror settled onto Isabelle's face.
"No. Not another Cameron. I left you lot behind in London." She downed her martini and turned to face her daughter, who was doing a poor job of hiding her mirth. "Elizabeth, why didn't you warn me that the irritating American Cameron was going to be here?"
Charlie Cameron just stood there smiling, knowing it was safer to roll with the punches.
"Well, Mrs Corday that might be because she's marrying an irritating American and becoming an irritating American."
"Hmf. How very eloquent of you American Cameron."
"It's Charles, not American Cameron." Isabelle's lips curled at the name Charles. Petty is as petty does.
"Well then, Charles, what is it you do for a living."
"I'm a Cardiothoracic surgeon."
The table erupted in laughter as Isabelle let out a drawn-out no before grabbing hold of the waiter and asking for the bottle of gin. According to her, being surrounded by surgeons was classified as an emergency.
As enjoyable as the day had been, both Elizabeth and Robert were thrilled when it was over, and they could be curled up in bed. Settled in with a book, Robert enjoyed the warmth that a snuggled up Elizabeth was giving off. Absentmindedly stroking her hair as he read he felt her give off a heavy sigh.
"Honey, what's wrong?"
"It feels … strange. To have done something happy today. I feel like it's almost too soon to continue with life and be happy about things."
A sigh of his own, Robert knew precisely how she felt. It hadn't even been a week since Lucy died and yet they had done something that was definitively getting on with their lives. Celebrating life. Their life together. Perhaps the Jewish had it right with sitting Shiva for a week.
"I feel like we failed her Robert. As if we could have done more, done a better job."
Setting the book aside, Robert pulled her close and held her. "Lizzie honey, we did everything would could have. The only thing that could have helped us was more time. If they had been found sooner. Maybe if the OR was in the ER."
"What if it can be though. If we didn't have to wait for an OR to open or to schedule a surgery. If we had better facilities and more surgeons. An actual trauma surgery department. The Trauma Fellow at County has spent the last five years doing general surgery, and there's no senior Trauma Surgeon for him to learn from. We've got a lot we could improve on, and if we manage to get the funding to do it . . . we could make County a Level One Trauma Center."
"You've been thinking about this a while."
"I feel like there's more we could do as surgeons. As doctors."
The quiet of the room was overwhelming as Robert contemplated what she had said. Elizabeth was right, County could be a better hospital. When working as a team, Robert was confident that there was almost nothing that he and Elizabeth couldn't accomplish. Better Doctors. Better Surgeons. Better Educators. Better Administrators. Better Mentors. And better Facilities. They could do this. Together. For Lucy. For Carter. For all the people that came through their doors.
"It looks like we've got a lot of work to do then." A kiss to Lizzie's forehead and he felt her arms tightening around him. "I love you, Elizabeth."
