It's two weeks before Cruz returns to his position at the hospital. It's nearly twelve weeks after the birth of her son, that Eleanor returns to the hospital.
Eleanor steps into her office, and flips on the light. She finds Jackie sitting on her couch, in silence.
"What are you doing in here?"
"I'm not ready to go out there, yet," she admits.
"Why not?"
"It's awkward," Jackie admits.
"You are the one who made it that way."
"I know."
"He's been back for ten weeks."
"I know."
"So, why are you hiding, in here, today?"
"Because I am."
"Do you have another drug test?"
"Not that I am aware of."
"I can't believe that they made you take a drug test every week, for four weeks."
"I can. I don't blame them."
"So how long is this going to go on, for?"
"What?"
"You, and Cruz?"
"I don't know how much longer I can keep it up. I feel like I am carrying around this big, dark secret..."
Eleanor cuts her off, "Secrets get you into trouble."
"I know."
"So when are you going to end it?"
"I don't know," she shrugs.
"You look tired," Eleanor admits.
"I feel like shit, I think I have the flu."
"Then you should go home."
"Eleanor, just about everyone here has the flu."
"Didn't you get your flu shot?"
"We can't get them for another two weeks."
"Have you talked to the..."
"No," Jackie shoots her down.
"So then, flu shots aren't part of the pillow talk?"
Without another word, Jackie leaves the room. She adjusts her stethoscope, and steps onto the floor. Within moments she's elbow deep in blood, in trauma bay one. The exchange between herself, and Eleanor are silent. It was good to be getting back to normal.
When she finally gets home, she finds Zoey passed out on the couch. She closes the door behind her.
"How did you get home before me?"
"I left ten minutes before you did," she replies.
"Why didn't you wait?"
"I didn't know whether you were coming home, or not."
"I live here."
"That doesn't mean that you were coming home. I thought that you might go elsewhere."
"What do you want for dinner?"
"Whatever you cook."
"Fair enough."
"Jackie?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we talk about it?"
"Talk about what, Zoey?" Jackie makes her way into the kitchen.
"You screwing our boss."
Jackie looks in the refrigerator, "What's to talk about?"
"How long are you going to keep it up?"
"I don't know."
"I know that you hate talking about your feelings, and shit, but..."
"But what?"
"It's a slippery slope."
"I am not having an affair."
"You are still technically married."
"I have been legally separated for quite some time. I am not cheating on my husband, and I'm not doing drugs."
"I never said that you were."
"Then what's with the judgmental tone?"
"I don't want to see you get hurt. A year ago, I wouldn't have said that, because I wasn't sure that you had feelings."
"Zoey, don't worry about it."
"What happens, when it ends?"
"Shit will hit the fan. We'll deal with it, and get back to normal."
"But Karma's a bitch."
"It wouldn't be the first time she bit me in the ass."
"So what's for dinner?"
"Cereal, with no milk."
"I was supposed to go to the store."
"So, pizza, or Chinese?"
"Doesn't matter."
After finishing dinner, Jackie's phone rings. She tosses the empty carton into the trash can, and grabs her phone off the counter. She's still in her scrubs, and she's ready for a shower. She answers the phone.
"Hello?"
"You coming over tonight?"
"I probably shouldn't, I think that I'm coming down with something."
"You were just here last night, if you have it, I probably do too."
"We can't keep doing this."
"Why not?"
"You're my boss."
"Who has to know?"
"People are starting to talk?"
"People? What people?"
"I don't know," she shrugs.
"Come on, please."
"Not tonight," she hangs up.