Okay here's the latest. Not much movement but wanted to bring someone a little more into the fold. Thanks so much to CSI Encyclopedia, Bookworm, EpicStelena, lipamo, and to Shockey for the reviewage. And thanks to anyone who checked out my latest one-shot. I enjoyed writing that a lot. Anyway more to come soon. Take as you will. :)
Sitting in her room, flipping through a magazine, bored with it and frustrated in general, Carrie threw it across the room. Folded her arms over her chest as she sniffed back tears.
She and Maggie hadn't spoken since their disagreement the other day, and today was when Carrie's sonogram to learn the sex was scheduled. Maggie had promised to attend and Carrie had taken extra steps to make sure that Brody wouldn't. She'd scheduled the appointment for a morning she knew he had back to back meetings at the community center. Not wanting him to feel guilty about not being there.
Now it looked like nobody would be there and she'd be finding out the truth alone. In her overly sensitive state the thought of that made her want to curl up in a ball and cry.
Hearing a knock at the door she sat up in bed, wiped her eyes.
"Miss Mathison?" A twenty something blonde smiled, pushing her curly hair behind her ear. "I'm here to take you down for your ultrasound."
"Okay. Thanks, Kate.", Carrie smiled. She'd gotten to know most of the nurses on her floor by now and was starting to wonder if this one had developed a crush on her.
Following her out of the room, she politely smiled but kept quiet. Not wanting to encourage anything. Once reaching the right floor, Kate went to see if the doctor was ready while Carrie sat down in a nearby chair. Feeling lightheaded had felt like the norm for her lately, and the last thing she needed was to pass out in front of her adoring fan.
"Miss Mathison?", Kate chirped, approaching her. "There was an emergency with another patient, so the exam room is in use. But I can bring you back to your room if you like."
"No, it's okay. I'm fine here."
"Are you sure? I can get you your magazine from your room. Maybe some water?"
"Water would be good.", Carrie said as Kate nodded, scurried off.
Leaning back in the chair, Carrie wondered if this delay was actually to her advantage. When Kate returned with a glass of water, taking it Carrie gave her a shy smile.
"Kate, I was wondering if you could do me a favor."
"Of course, anything!"
"I want to get a hold of my sister. Do you have a phone that I can borrow? Just for a few seconds. I need to send her a text."
"Miss Mathison, I..."
"It's Carrie. You can call me Carrie."
"Carrie..", Kate corrected shyly. "It's against the rules for me to-"
"Kate, please? It's really important to me. And it can be our little secret.", Carrie said softly, giving her her most charming smile, getting a nervous one from the younger woman before she reached in the pocket of her scrubs for her phone.
"Just make it quick, okay?"
Smiling, Carrie hugged her, subtly taking the phone from her pocket and slipping it into her sweatshirt's before pulling back. Kissing the woman lightly on the cheek.
"Thank you so much."
"You...you're welcome.", Kate blushed.
Hurriedly texting Maggie, reminding her about the appointment Carrie handed the phone back to Kate who took off to make rounds.
Leaning back in the chair she drummed her fingers on the arm, then saw the time on the wall clock across the way. Chin quivering she sniffled. Her appointment was scheduled for right now and would probably take place in a matter of minutes, and Maggie was still nowhere to be found.
Quickly wiping her eyes when she heard footsteps, she looked over and saw an unfamiliar brunette pushing a cart with newspapers and candy. Thinking reading material and chocolate couldn't hurt her at this point she sat up.
"Excuse me? Hey!"
Jumping, the woman turned, frowned at her, prompting Carrie to stand up, approach her.
"How much for a newspaper? And that Snickers bar too."
Not getting an answer right away Carrie cocked her head. "They are for sale, right?"
"Yes. They are."
"Okay then, how much?", Carrie asked, reaching inside her pocket only to realize her wallet and what few bills were in it was back in her room. All she had was some loose change. "Shit. How much for just the paper?"
"It's fine. Here.", the woman said, subtly handing it over. Thanking her, Carrie went to go back to her chair but faltered, quickly braced herself on the cart.
"Are you alright?"
"Fine. I...I'm fine."
Met with an arched brow Carrie rolled her eyes, groaned.
"I'm just dizzy. That's all."
Before she could protest more the woman put her arm around the small of her back, guided her back towards the chair. "Easy...easy.", she said, helping her sit.
"Now bend over, put your head between your knees."
Rolling her eyes Carrie obeyed, took a few deep breaths.
"Any better?"
"Yeah. I'm...I'm good."
Once she was upright again the woman ran back, grabbed a water bottle and the Snickers bar. Seeing her Carrie sighed, shook her head.
"It's fine. Really. I'm-"
"Just have a few sips."
Reluctantly she uncapped the water, did so before reaching for the candy bar. Struggling with the wrapper though the woman took it back, quickly tore it with her teeth before handing it over again.
"Thanks.", Carrie smiled, but looking at the wall clock again she frowned, bit her lip.
"Is everything alright?"
"I'm fine. Not lightheaded in the least.", she snorted as the woman frowned, sat in the chair next to her. Frowning back, out of reflex Carrie gave her a once-over.
She was fair skinned, slender, medium height. Attractive with high cheekbones and clear skin, but with some laugh lines that gave her away as being older. Her auburn hair curled loosely above her shoulders, and her bangs and dark rimmed glasses slightly hid her eyes. From the dark brown shade to them Carrie could tell they were contacts, she'd worn a pair herself. But there was still a familiarity about them. She wished she knew why.
"Well you seem upset."
"I've been better.", Carrie scoffed.
"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"You can tell me who you are.", she snorted, met with a surprised look, slightly arched brow.
"Excuse me?"
"I've gotten to know pretty much all the staff who work on this floor. I'm sure I'd have seen you by now with your cart. Did you just start here?"
"Yes. I did. Just on a volunteer basis.", the woman answered in a soft, measured voice. When an awkward silence crept up, she broke it. "Are you waiting to be examined?"
"Yeah, I have an ultrasound. Just waiting for the machine to be freed up."
"How far along are you?"
"Fifteen weeks."
"Congratulations. Do you want to know if it's a boy or a girl?"
"Yeah. The father doesn't though."
"So nobody is going in with you?"
Shrugging Carrie bit her lip before speaking. "My sister was supposed to. But we got into a fight and we're not speaking."
"Did you use that young woman's phone to try and text her?", the brunette asked, getting a surprised look, laugh.
"I don't know what you mean."
"You're not a very good liar, are you?", she smiled. "It's alright. I promise I won't say anything."
"Fine, yes. I fucking borrowed it. Just wanted to remind Maggie what time the appointment was."
"Well I'm sure that she'll be here. It's an important moment. She won't miss it."
"She might.", Carrie sighed. "I can only push her so far."
"She's your older sister?"
"Yes.", she frowned curiously. "How the fuck do you know that?"
"What you just said about her. Pushing her only so far. Younger sisters tend to do more of the pushing."
Rolling her eyes, Carrie nodded. "Yeah, you don't know the half of it."
"Don't be so sure.", the woman said softly.
"What's your name?"
"Frances.", she answered, getting a laugh. "Something funny?"
"No. Nothing. Francis is just my dad's name."
"What a coincidence."
"I'm Carrie.", she introduced as Frances smiled, stared at her briefly before catching herself, reaching to shake her hand.
Shaking it back, all the while Carrie maintained eye contact, frowned curiously at the woman.
"Is everything alright, dear?", she asked coolly.
"Yes. Fine...", Carrie stammered. "I just...", Catching an odd look from her she shook her head, shook the thought off. "Never mind."
"Miss Mathison?", a nurse interrupted, poking her head out of the exam room. "They're ready for you."
"Oh, okay."
Slowly standing, with Frances' help, looking around to her dismay she didn't see a sign of Maggie anyplace.
"Miss, excuse me.", Frances asked.
"Yes?"
"Is there any way the appointment can be postponed until Miss Mathison's sister arrives?", she asked calmly, politely.
"I'm afraid not. And she's been kept waiting long enough as it is.", the nurse said.
"It's okay though. Really, I don't mind waiting.", Carrie said.
"Well Dr. Stevens will.", she said snidely as Frances' eyes went cold. Rolling hers, Carrie looked once more towards the door before shrugging, following the nurse.
"Wait. I'll go in with her.", Frances offered as Carrie turned, surprised.
"No, really. That's not necessary."
"It's not an inconvenience. I'd be happy to."
"Well if we don't make a decision the doctor will be inconvenienced the most.", the nurse snorted, met with another stone-cold glare.
"I'm sorry. The ID tag you're wearing says that you're a certified nurse, is that correct?"
Nodding, rolling her eyes the woman held it up.
"As a nurse, are you responsible for patient care?"
"Yeah."
"Then you might want to consider putting the needs of those patients ahead of your compulsive need to clear Dr. Stevens schedule. All so that he can meet you in the third floor break room between rounds and screw you.", Frances said coolly, taking the nurse and Carrie aback.
"I'll see what I can do.", the nurse said, her face beet red as she quickly reentered the exam room.
"Holy fuck. How did you..."
"I'm an observant person. And I just assumed. She wouldn't have been so interested in that doctor having some free time unless some of it was for herself.", Frances said simply.
"Well you fucking nailed her to the wall."
"Actually I think that's what Dr. Stevens plan was.", the brunette said slyly as Carrie smirked, arched a brow approvingly.
"Anyway. If your sister doesn't show up I'm more than happy to sit with you. You shouldn't be alone for this important an appointment, I-"
"Carrie?", Maggie called before spotting, making her way towards her.
"Maggie! I didn't think you'd-"
"I made you a promise. I wasn't about to go back on that.", she said, getting a hug in return.
"Thank you."
"It's okay.", Maggie assured, rubbing her back before pulling back. "C'mon, we shouldn't keep the doctor waiting."
"Okay, hang on though, there's someone I want you to...wait. Where the fuck did she..."
Frowning, Carrie looked around and didn't see a sign of Frances or her cart.
"Carrie? Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Just this woman I was talking to."
"Who was she, a nurse? Maybe I know her."
"No she's volunteering. Went around bringing magazines and snacks to patients."
"Is she a friend?"
"We were just talking before you showed up! Shit. Maybe I can try and find her-", Carrie frowned as the nurse stepped back into the hallway, motioned to Maggie.
"Carrie, c'mon. We're up. We'll try and look for her afterwards."
Poking her head out of an empty room down the hall, Frances sighed, watched and waited for Carrie and Maggie to enter the room before pushing her cart back out in the hall. Only to see the nurse she'd hassled earlier approach her. In no mood for a confrontation she shrugged, raised her hands in surrender before lowering them.
"Hey."
"I apologize for what I said. It was rude, insulting and a cheap assumption designed to embarrass you."
"Well, it worked.", the younger woman snorted. "But that wasn't what I was here for. You can go into the room with them if you want. There's no rule about one visitor only."
Nodding, Frances gave her a small smile. "I appreciate you coming to tell me that but, it's fine. My shift's nearly through and her sister's in with her. That's who she wanted."
Before the nurse could say anything more, Frances thanked her again, then moved her cart into the elevator and then onto the sixth floor. Parking and locking it up she cut over to the break room, her locker, then into the ladies room with her purse.
Seeing it was empty, shaking her head she went over to the sinks, gripped the round of the countertop with her hands. Bowing her head she took a few slow breaths, managed to get her composure back before grabbing a contact case from her bag. Fumbling to open it she swore, slammed it down before trying again.
Managing this time she moved her right hand up towards her right eye, struggled to remove the contact. "Damn it."
"Hey. Is everything alright?", another volunteer asked as Frances turned, managed a smile. "Fine. Just having some trouble with these contacts."
"You having a reaction? You're all puffy and teary eyed."
"I'm fine." Looking back to the mirror she removed the one, revealed her eye that may as well have turned purple for all the red mixed in with the blue.
"Just needed to find some solution for them. They're...painful.", she choked out softly. "Very painful."