Chapter Five
Melony sat at her desk, working on her computer and listening to Lady Day on her iTunes. She felt the warm rays of the sun on her back and basked in the comfort that they always gave. Her mind started to wander as the next song on the shuffle came on. It was one that had played the night that she and House had their first date. That was a little over four months ago. They had a great time at dinner, it had gone well. After that it was more dinners which progressed to hanging out at each others places, movies, monster trucks and then they were "a couple". It wasn't always easy, House was always going to be moody but she accepted that about him. She had baggage herself that he accepted as well.
Melony was so deep in thought that she didn't hear that House had walked in. "Hey. Care to buy me some lunch Sexy?"
"House! I thought that we had agreed that we'd stay professional here at the hospital and address each other as everyone else does. So it's either Dr. Davis or Davis when I'm here."
"Ah that's no fun!" House responded with a pouty face.
"When we're at your place or mine, then you can call me anything else that you want."
"Nice. I'll remember that."
"From that look of mischief in your eyes, I'm sure that you will. Now, are we going to lunch or what?"
"Lunch. You brought cash right?"
"House, I've known you for over five months now. Of course I brought cash. I always do."
They walked out the door and as they proceeded to the cafeteria, Melony thought back to their first date and the conversation that brought her to now be working at PPTH.
House and Melony had just finished their desserts and were lingering over the last of their coffee, each not wanting to end the night.
"I know that your father is in a jazz band but what about your mother? Does she work or does she travel with your father?" House asked. Melony look off into the distance for a moment before replying, "My mother is dead. She died when I was six years old. I don't have many memories of her. I do know that she loved music like my father and that she sang. She had a really beautiful voice. She sang a lot of classical music."
"How did she die?"
"Heart failure."
"I'm sorry."
"So am I. It was tough. It changed my life in a lot of different ways."
"What ways?"
"Well, the most important one would be my chosen occupation."
House gave her a confused look and said, "Singer? How would your mothers' death have any connection to that?"
"That's not what I went to school for. I'm actually a Cardiologist. I worked at Albany Med in New York."
"You're a doctor? Why aren't you practicing then?"
"That's partially another side effect of my mother's death." House gave her another confused look and she went on to clarify for him what she meant.
"See, I grew up without my mom or any siblings. I didn't have many other relatives either. So I craved a big family. Not that I didn't love my dad. He did his best to make up for it just being the two of us but I still craved more. Because of that I have always wanted a large family. So when J started to take an interest in me and asked me out I said yes. We dated for two years and then he asked me to marry him. I said yes right away. We had a lot of things in common, got along so well, that it really felt that we were meant to be together forever. It was like kismet. We were both doctors. He worked the ER. He always said that we'd change the world together. That we'd help save people and raise a big family. He told me that we would have it all. I was naïve to think that he and our plans were perfect. One day a little over a year ago, I wanted to surprise him. I decided to go into work on my day off and take him on a picnic lunch. I was so caught up with my plans that I didn't stop to ask myself why his office door would be locked during the day but it was. I had a key so I let myself in, thinking that I would wait until he got back to surprise him. Well the surprise was on me. I walked in to find him and Nurse Betty; yes her name was actually Betty, having sex on his desk. Yeah, that was definitely a surprise. I still can't decide what was worse; his cheating, his excuse that men have different needs then women and it was natural for him to have many women, or him saying that we could still have it all, that we were still meant to be together." Melony shook her head, looking tired. House just looked at her not really knowing what to say. He wanted to joke and turn this into a light moment but knew that wouldn't work in his favor. So he just let her continue without saying anything.
"After I caught him with Betty, I asked around and found out that he had slept with most of the nurses, several interns and a few of the doctors on staff and that he also had many more outside of the hospital. He was the Don Juan of upstate New York. Probably even of the Tri-state area. It galled me so much that he thought that we could actually work this out. I couldn't stand to be in that hospital or the state. I decided that I needed to take a leave of absence and my boss thought the same thing. At first I figured that a couple months would be it, but then it turned into several and then it turned into a year and now it's been almost 16months since I left. I moved here because Jess and Alex were in the area. Jessica grew up a couple towns over along with her husband. So they settled here after they got married. Alex was next to move. She had gotten the job offer not long after J and I started dating so it was four years ago. They joked that I'd have to convince J to move here so that we'd all be together. I'm glad that we never did. I can only imagine what kind of havoc he would have wrecked on suburban life. I moved here actually after a couple months when I knew for sure that I would not be able to go back to the hospital. I had gone to visit Jess and Alex right after I took my leave and I stayed a month. Then I had traveled with my dad the following month. After that, I knew that I wanted to go back to Jess and Alex. They empathized with what I was going through better than anyone else, one of the upsides of best friends. So I packed all my things up and moved out here 14 months ago. I was walking around one night, bored because Jess had a PTA meeting and Alex was working late on a case. I was trying to find a bar that did live music. It's important to have place to call your own. One that is the usual place that you go. At least, that's what I think. As I was walking, I heard the faint distant sound of a Louis Armstrong song. Whoever was singing sounded a lot like him also. There was a place that I frequented back in Albany, The Fountain, which had a band, Skip Parson's Riverboat jazz band, which performs the first weekend of every month. There was a singer in that band that sounded just like Louis also. So I followed sound and came to Murphy's. I went in and inquired about performing. I was told that it was open mic night and signed up. After that it was history. The boss man, Ray, loved how I got the crowd into my act. He could see that I would be good for business so he hired me as a regular performer. And that is how I got to be a singer."
"You know, there is an opening at PPTH for a cardiologist. My boss is still taking applications. She does have one in mind but he's a complete moron. You should apply."
"I don't know. I do miss the medicine but I don't know if I could go back just yet."
"Think about it."
"Okay, I will."
Melony broke from her reverie to find that not only had she and House reached the cafeteria but they had their food and were sitting down at a table. Seeing the confused look on her face, House informed her, "You were so deep in thought that I figured I'd leave you to it and got the food and lead to the table. You were really deep in thought. Thinking about what a "mighty good man" I am?" Melony smiled back at him and said, "I was thinking about our first date. I still can't believe that I was as comfortable as I was with you to tell you about my baggage."
"Oh you know me, the caring listener, here to help."
"I'm surprised that you got that out with out laughing or getting hit by lightening for that matter."
"I'm hurt. How could you put me down like that? Especially since I bought you lunch and made sure that you didn't bump into anything when you were deep in thought." Melony just eyed him for a moment and then reached for her purse. She took out her wallet and looked inside. "House, there's a twenty missing. You didn't buy me lunch. You used my money."
"I handed it to the cashier didn't I? So I bought you lunch."
"I don't know why I am still surprised by the things you say and do." Melony said, shaking her head.
"I'm still trying to figure that one out myself. So, thinking about our first date huh. I was definitely not expecting you to tell me that you were a doctor."
"I'm sure that you weren't."
"I am glad that you took this job. Your timing on telling me that you're a cardiologist was impeccable. That other guy that Cuddy was thinking about hiring was a terrible choice. Not as sexy as you, that's for sure." Melony laughed and said, "I should hope not. I am really glad to have gotten back into medicine. I missed it and it is ridiculous to let the situation with J make me leave it for as long as I did." She then started to eat the burger and fries that House had gotten for her. They ate in a comfortable silence, each enjoying their food, for several minutes before speaking again.
"This burger is so good! I have messed solid food! I am so glad that I'm over the flu."
"Yeah it was tough here without you last week. I had no one to take my sexual harassment. The ducklings are finally starting to get over being mad at me but they still aren't taking my ribbing like they used to. So that's no fun. And Wilson has been so busy lately with all those dying people. It hasn't been the same without you. I was sooooo bored!!"
"I've only been working here for a few weeks. It can't have been that much different than it always was before I came. You're such a whiner."
"Whatever. You know, you did miss meeting that new doctor. His orientation was last Tuesday. He's a pretty boy, even more than Chase believe it or not."
Melony laughed in spite of herself. "Why can't you be nice to your team? I'm surprised that they have put up with your attitude all these years. I know that you can be nice, charming even. Can't you show a little compassion at work?" Melony saw the look on his face and corrected, "Okay, so you can't. Forget I said anything. So moving on, what's this new doctor like. Besides being a pretty boy that is."
"He works in surgery. Can't remember where he's from. Cuddy will probably have you meet him today."
"Yeah, she is. She sent me an email about it. Well, I'm done. Ready to walk me back to my office?"
"Sure, as long as I get a reward." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"We'll see."
They got up, threw their garbage out and walked back to her office. When they entered, House looked out the door and then went to kiss Melony.
"Mmmmm….my kind of dessert." Melony said.
"Wait until tonight."
House had just taken a step back from her when Cuddy and a tall blonde man in scrubs walked into the room.
"House." Cuddy said nodding at him before turning to Melony. "Dr. Davis, nice to see that you are feeling well again. I wanted to bring our new colleague in to meet you since you were out last week. I know that I sent you that email about doing this later this afternoon, but we both had time and figured that it would be best to see if you were available now. Dr. Davis this is Dr. Jordan Montgomery." Melony looked at the man in front of her in shock. He took a step forward and said, "Hey Mel. Good to see you again."
"J? What are you doing here?"
Cuddy looked at them and asked, "You two know each other?"
"Dr. Davis and I worked together at Albany Med."
Melony stared at him and then caught a slight movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked over at House and saw the anger in his eyes and knew that she'd have to get Jordan out of the room before something bad happened.
"Yes, we did. I am sorry that I have to cut this short but I need to do a consult. I promised that I'd go when I got back from lunch. If you would excuse me, I better be going."
"Certainly Dr. Davis. We can continue this at a more opportune time. We don't want to keep you." Cuddy said before turning and motioning for Jordan to follow her. He gave one more look at Melony and said, "We'll have to get together for coffee sometime soon and catch up." For lack of a response that wouldn't have gotten her in trouble with her boss, Melony just nodded. After Cuddy and Jordan left, she turned to House.
"I know that this isn't good but please promise me that you aren't going to do anything to hurt him. He can fend for himself pretty well and I don't want to see you get hurt."
"And I don't want to see you get hurt either. I want to knock his teeth down his throat for starters."
"Greg." Melony said in a warning tone.
"Fine. I won't do it. Here that is. I can't promise that if I saw him in the street that I won't let him have it."
"Please promise me that you won't do something stupid. I can do my best to deal with him here. I probably won't even have to see him that often."
"We'll see."
House then started for the door. He stopped when Melony called him back. He turned and she approached him. She reached up and gave him a slow, deep kiss.
"That's to last you till tonight, Stud." House relaxed some and winked at her and replied, "Can't wait" before walking out the door. Melony then turned back to her desk to get a file and then go to her consult trying to get her mind to stay on her work and not to stray to the fact that now she was going to have to work at the same hospital as Jordan again and hoping that she'd not have to see him that often.