Chapter 5 – Elevator Music
Grace enjoyed two glorious days off. She slept nearly all of the first day and did some Christmas shopping the day after. Most of her family lived in Detroit, so she needed to get their gifts shipped off before it was too late.
She felt rested and refreshed when she walked back into the hospital for her next shift. Convinced her fainting episode was a one off, she tried to put it out of her mind, and made a mental note to stop skipping meals. She arrived a few minutes early, so she could run upstairs before her shift started.
"Hold the elevator!" Grace yelled just in the nick of time as she saw the door beginning to close. "Thanks," she said as she approached the open door and then noticed Romano was standing inside.
"Going down, Grace?"
"No, up actually."
"Perfect, so am I."
She didn't say anything for a moment as the doors closed and she noticed they were going to the same floor. Suddenly the elevator lurched and she lost her footing, nearly falling down. They both held onto the railing until the elevator came to a full stop.
"I knew I should have taken the stairs." Grace said.
"Perfect!" He yelled. "I have a bowel perforation scheduled in 10 minutes." Romano grabbed the elevator phone and tore a strip off the poor soul on the other end. "So, what brings you up to my neck of the woods, Grace? Eager to do more of my charts?"
"Hardly. I was coming up to see Brenda. She found the earring I lost upstairs the other night."
"You know, if you were looking for an excuse to come back up and see me, you could have left something a little more personal behind in my office." He baited her.
She refused to answer him, and averted her eyes. She stared up at the speaker in the ceiling instead. Nervously fidgeting, she finally broke the silence. "The worst part is having to listen to this god awful elevator muzak."
"And here I thought you'd say it was being stuck in here with me."
"Well, that's already a given." She said, finally looking at him.
"How's your head? Have you had anymore fainting spells?" He said, reaching up to take a look at her wound as she backed away.
"No, I'm fine. But it's your fault I was so tired and dehydrated after being up all night doing your bloody charts."
"Some lessons are more painful to learn than others, Grace."
"Well, maybe, but it was still satisfying telling you to…well, you know. Next time I'll just think it, instead of saying it." She smiled at him.
"Next time? Like right now?"
"Yes, like right now." She grinned.
Romano approached her like a stealthy predator. As she backed up, he took hold of the elevator railing on either side of her, so he was nearly touching her from all angles. "So, Grace. When are you going to stop playing games and admit you want me?"
With a small jolt, the doors suddenly opened to the surgical floor. "Saved by the bell." He said, staring at her for one last moment before rushing off towards the OR. "Enjoy the reset of your day, Gracie."
After retrieving her earring from Brenda, she worked a fairly typical shift in the ER. She was enjoying a coffee and chatting with Luka in the lounge when Romano burst in.
"Hey Igor, Weaver's looking for you. Something about a sexual harassment charge." As Luka left, he shot Grace a supportive glance and instead of rushing away, she stayed seated, drinking her coffee, and continued to flip through a magazine. She refused to be intimidated by him and ignored her first reaction to leave. It was a rare occasion when Romano missed an opportunity at a snide comment and she knew he wasn't really in there for coffee.
"Catching up on the latest issue of Cosmo, Grace? I hear there are a lot of great stories in it about how to please a man."
"No, actually, it's a medical journal. I'm reading about a new study that shows how small-statured men constantly feel the need to antagonize others in a pathetic attempt to make themselves feel adequate. I'm sure you'll find it fascinating." She said, passing the magazine to him, as she stood up from the table. He stood in front of her, trying to make it difficult for her to get past him as she tried to leave. "I know what you're doing." She said, calling him out.
"Funny how you keep turning up wherever I am." He said, his piercing eyes staring straight into hers.
"I think you've got it the other way around." She corrected.
"You mean like a 69?"
Lydia came in for a coffee and Grace took her opportunity to leave. God this man was infuriating she thought and tried to get him out of her head. Much to her chagrin, now all she could think about was the position Dr. Romano had suggested to her for the rest of her shift.
After Grace had left the lounge, Romano glanced at the magazine she had been reading. It was indeed this month's copy of Cosmo, open to an article about the top 10 ways to drive your man crazy in the bedroom. God, how he loved being right all the time.