Chapter 5

I always knew you weren't over House …

Cameron could not get Chase's angry words out of her mind as she drove away from the hospital that night, but she knew in her heart that he was right about her feelings for House.

Just don't plan on running back to me when House breaks your heart … Do you get off on cranky old men that treat you like dirt? …

"Oh, don't worry Chase … I'll never come running back to you … no matter what happens with House … and how dare you call House a cranky old man …" fumed Cameron.

She had more important things to do tonight; tomorrow was her Easter dinner and as luck would have it, she would have House all to herself, thanks to Chase and Foreman's pig-headed refusals to share a social evening with House.

Cameron smiled. "I couldn't have planned things better if I'd tried."

She waited at the intersection to make her turn into the Princeton Shopping Centre. Cameron cruised up and down past rows of cars, hoping for a spot in the vicinity of McCaffrey's Supermarket. It was her favourite grocery store in Princeton and whenever Cameron planned a special dinner party she always shopped there for her food; her first dinner with House had to be perfect … nothing but the best would do.

"Good, I'm in luck …" Cameron spotted a car pulling out of a spot quite close to McCaffrey's and ducked in before anyone else could grab it.

As she walked across the parking lot, Cameron noticed that she was singing a tune she had just heard on the radio.

Well aren't we a happy camper? … I am soooo over you Chase, and it only took what? … twenty minutes …

Cameron walked into the grocery store with a contented smile on her face. She was off work for three days, House was coming to dinner and the most difficult decision she had to make tonight was which turkey to select.

Life didn't get much better than that!

o0o0o

God I hate shopping … House thought as he pushed his shopping cart around the liquor store. What were they thinking when they bought these puny shopping carts anyway … they hardly hold anything and they're so low, I look like a ninety year old geezer stooped over the handle.

House had left work early, giving himself plenty of time to run some errands. His first stop was Dean's Flowers, to order an arrangement for Cameron. House was not terribly skilled when it came to social niceties, but he knew that girls always liked flowers and Mr. Dean had never steered him wrong.

Even the flowers that he sent to Wilson this week were magnificent.

House laughed to himself when he thought of the look on Wilson's face when he received Cuddy's flowers. I'm a genius … that was soooo funny …

His chipper mood quickly soured when he arrived at the Princeton Shopping Centre and found that all of the handicapped parking spaces by the liquor store were occupied. Do I wait or do I walk? … Not being the most patient soul, House chose to walk … and now I'm paying the price … he thought, as he popped a couple of Vicodin.

Okay … now what did I come here for … oh yea, wine for dinner … let's see there will be four of us … okay I'll bring a couple of bottles of Chardonnay.

House reached for his favourite Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay when he read the sign over the display of Australian wines; "Invite an Aussie to Dinner", it read.

House grumbled, "We've already got one too many Aussies coming for dinner … hell, I'll keep these for myself and find something else." Let's see, why don't we try another commonwealth country … ah … this one's good … an Inniskillin Chardonnay from Canada.

Now, I need something nice for Cameron. This is perfect - Chateauneuf-du-Pape 'Les Sinards', France. Maybe Chase and Foreman will go home early and Cameron will share this with me. Good, that's everything.

House made his way to the front cash, via the whiskey aisle; and while I'm at it I might as well get another bottle of scotch … hmm … an 18 year old Glenfiddich would go a long way towards easing the pain in my leg …

"That will be two hundred and nineteen dollars and twenty-five cents please, Sir."

House handed the clerk his platinum Amex and loaded his purchases back into the cart.

"I'm sorry Sir, you can't take the cart out of the store." the young woman said politely.

"Excuse me?" snarked House.

"The cart, Sir … you can't …"

"I heard what you said … how, exactly, would you suggest I carry these bottles to my car?" House said, raising his cane … and his voice.

The flustered clerk looked around for her manager, her line-up growing longer by the second. "What seems to be the problem, Susie?"

Susie and her manager conferred, then looked at House as he glared back at them. The manager was not inclined to take on an angry House.

"May I offer you a carry-out Sir? Jason … carry-out please …"

"Thank you … you may."

o0o0o

House was walking to the mall doors with Jason when he stopped suddenly.

"Jason, there's my car, here's the keys … I'll wait here for you." Jason returned shortly with House's keys.

"Thanks Jason, here this is for you." House said, tipping him generously.

"Thank you, Sir."

House put his keys in his pocket and peered in the shop window …

tbc …