Chapter 22

Friday morning. Cuddy was in her office. She was trying to catch up with the paperwork. Suddenly the door opened and Robert came in. He looked tired and he seemed to be upset. But Cuddy didn't care.

"Dr. Robert, I've told you to knock at the door."

"Sorry, I forgot. So, how was your evening?" he asked and sat in the chair in front of her desk staring at her. Cuddy could feel his anger.

"David, I'm late with all the paperwork and I don't have time to talk with you about my boring evening. So please, go and let me work." She replied without looking at him. She didn't want to argue with him now. She just wanted to make her work and then to go home to rest. Nothing else, no complication, no problem.

"Oh really, your evening was boring! That's not what the rumor says."

"I don't care about gossip. But apparently you do. So what do people say?" she replied exasperated.

"People said that you had fun." He said sarcastically.

Cuddy looked up and stared at him: "David, it was a gala, I'm the Dean and I have to play a role. Do you get it?"

"You spent a lot of time with Charles Jay. You laughed, danced, drank Champaign… People talk you know." After a few seconds, he added with a voice filled of jealousy: "You seemed to like him very much. Am I wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing."

"David, Jay is the president of the Foundation, he is one of our most generous patrons, I can't allow myself to be in bad terms with him. The hospital needs his money. I hoped you were able to understand it, I didn't expect you to behave like a temperamental child! But obviously I was wrong."

"Oh that explains why you flirted with him!" Robert exclaimed ironically.

"Dr. Robert! I didn't flirt with Charles Jay. I don't know what people said but they were wrong. I just did my job."

"Oh you just did your job! I didn't know that to be Dean of Medicine implies to flirt with people who's got money. Usually women who do that have another job." Cuddy preferred not to answer; she just looked daggers at him. And Robert added: "But you didn't find it unpleasant, did you?"

"What? How can you say that? Were you there? I thought you were on duty last night, Dr. Robert." Cuddy said angry.

"I was. A friend of mine attended to the gala and he told me what happened. That's it, don't get angry at me." Robert replied blushing like a kid who was caught red-handed. He didn't want that Cuddy learnt of his short absence at work. He knew she wouldn't forgive him.

Cuddy got up and went to Robert who got up too. She looked at him straight in the eyes and said: "And you prefer to believe your friend rather than me. I thought you trusted me, but apparently not."

"That's not what I say! He's one of my best friends and…"

"Then maybe you should change your friend!"

"Lisa!"

"I really hope you didn't quit your work yesterday." She added coldly.

"No, of course not, you know me, Lisa, I won't do that." He mumbled and couldn't hold her gaze. He walked to the other side of the room and added: "I don't care about Jay. He was not really the one who worries me."

"Oh, because you are worried. May I know why?"

"Lisa! Stop playing with me!" he shouted and turned to her.

"I'm not playing, David! I just try to understand." Cuddy replied upset.

"Who was he?" Robert asked angry, went to Cuddy and grasped her wrist violently. His face was five centimeter away from Cuddy's and his eyes were filled with jealousy and pain.

"Who… who are you talking about?" Cuddy said as she was caught short by Robert's question and vehemence.

"You perfectly know who I mean" Robert articulated and held Cuddy's wrist tight. He hurt her.

"I'm sorry but I don't know who you mean. And you hurt me, let go of my wrist." She said and stared at him. In fact, she had an idea, but she wanted Robert to admit he quitted his work last night which allowed her to find herself in a better situation.

"This man with a black cape. Who was he?"

"Dr. Robert, you lied to me. You quitted your work last night, didn't you? Tell me."

"Yes I did! I just wanted one dance with you, can you understand, one dance with the woman I love! Is that too much to ask for? I was still in the hospital if someone needed me! I don't think it was a huge mistake." Robert shouted furious that Cuddy focused on the fact that he left his work for about half an hour instead of feeling uneasy because of the way she flirted with Jay and with this man.

"It's a serious misconduct, you"

"Lisa, stop it! Tell me who this man was!" Robert kept shouting.

Cuddy was a bit afraid by Robert's violent reaction. "I… I don't know."

"Seriously?! I don't believe you. I saw how you danced with him! It was it was as if you"

"Dr. Robert! Don't say anything else or you'll regret it!" she shouted in her turn.

"After all, your Jeremy might be right. You're… you're a slut" he exclaimed.

Cuddy couldn't help but slap him violently. The door opened suddenly. It was Cuddy's assistant.

"Is everything okay, Dr. Cuddy?"

Cuddy jumped and turned to the young man. "Yes, it's okay. Nothing wrong, you can go back to work." She replied a bit tensed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes, don't worry. Go back to work."

"I'm just next door if you need me". Her assistant looked at her then at Robert who held his cheek and closed the door.

Cuddy went to the window. She needed to calm down. What happened? Why did everything go wrong? Robert felt bad, he was ashamed.

"Lisa, I… I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I'm a moron." He said and neared Cuddy. He didn't dare to touch her.

"Why does nobody believe me when I say that I don't know who the man in black is?" she finally asked still looking through the window.

"What do you mean? Who has already asked you?" Robert wanted to know. He put gently his hand on Cuddy's cheek to make her look at him.

"Jay. He was jealous." She replied and pushed his hand away from her face. She could see in Robert's eyes that he felt hurt.

"And he had reasons to be." Robert whispered.

"No! Jay is nothing to me, David. He had no reason to be jealous. Offended maybe because I didn't succumb to his charms but…"

"If you could have seen you and him, you'd understand, Lisa." Robert whispered sadly. Then he added: "You are a beautiful woman and you're smart and funny. I'm sure Jay wasn't the only guy yesterday who'd love to flirt with you like you did with this man."

"Don't be stupid, David."

"Lisa, tell me, you really don't know who this man was?"

"No." she lied. She couldn't tell him that this man was House.

"Lisa, I'm so sorry, believe me, I didn't want to say what I said, I don't know why I said it, but I don't mean it. I never wanted to hurt you, I love you. Can you forgive me?"

"You quitted your work, David. How can I trust you now?"

"I… I don't know, Lisa. I swear I won't lie to you again."

"I've already heard that" she said with a sad smile.

"What can I do to regain your trust in me?"

"I don't know."

Robert looked at her. He knew he had lost her. Just because of one mistake, one single mistake one night. It's so unfair. "Lisa, please, give me another chance, I deserve it. I'm a good guy, it's just that… that I'm so in love with you, I can't bear that other men look at you or laugh with you. So when I saw Jay flirting so openly with you and then this man dancing with you… it was too much. Can you understand me?" But Cuddy didn't answer. "No, probably not. You like me, you like being with me, we have fun together but you don't love me, do you?"

"David, I" but she couldn't end her sentence, someone knocked at the door and Barrow came in.

"Ah, Dr. Cuddy I have good news" Barrow said. "Good morning, Dr. Robert. I'd like to talk to you after I've talked with Dr. Cuddy. Can you wait for me in the hall?" Robert nodded and left with a quick look at Cuddy. Would he be able to make her love him one day? She was still under House's spell, wasn't she? The fight was unfair. He had to be patient. With time she would forget House and he would be there. Meanwhile he had to be there by her side, every day, every minute, and every night. His love was strong and he knew that Cuddy liked him and felt good with him. It was just a matter of time until she fell in love with him. Yeah, he had faith when he looked at her.

Oooooo

"How do you feel today, Dr. Cuddy?" Barrow asked once Robert had left.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"You still look very pale. Did you manage to sleep last night?"

"You said you had good news?" Cuddy replied and wanted to elude any questions about the evening.

Barrow stared at her. He wondered what happened between Cuddy and Robert. Cuddy's assistant talked about a violent arguing but as he came in, everything was quiet. He just felt the tension between the two of them and Robert seemed devastated. Maybe because of Jay's flirt with Cuddy? Finally, Barrow said: "Yes. I read your memo early in the morning and I found it very interesting, very smart and pertinent."

"Thank you. I just based my observations on the experience I had in Princeton Plainsboro."

"Well, I haven't told you but we already began to interview potential applicants for the job. And yesterday Mr. Morris, the HR Manager, interviewed a great candidate. And to my surprise, this man fits perfectly with the qualities you consider necessary to fulfill this function." Barrow looked at Cuddy waiting for her to say something but she remained silent. She had to find something to win an extension of deadline in order to give House a chance to apply for the job.

"Maybe we should wait and take the time to see other applicants" was all she managed to say. The argument with Robert added to the fact that she was ashamed of herself because of the way she treated him had drained her. She was running out of idea.

"I don't want to waste time, Dr. Cuddy. Neither the board committee. I'm sure he'll be the man for the job. I've already set a date with him today at 6.00 pm and I count on you to be with me to meet him."

"I'll be there." Cuddy hoped so to manage to throw this guy off balance and to prove Barrow that they had to interview other candidates.

"And you should take some days off. I'm sure Dr. Robert will be delighted to have a few days off too."

Cuddy didn't answer. And Barrow looked at her intrigued. He wondered what they were talking about when he came in. He obviously interrupted an argument and he'd like to know if it was because of what happened last night. Did Robert hear of Jay's shameless flirt with Cuddy by a colleague? Did someone tell him? Jay? It would be his style to act so that his opponent flipped his lid and made mistakes so to give Jay a free hand. Barrow didn't know Cuddy well, she was the Dean of the hospital, a coworker, but Robert was his friend and he could ask him. But Barrow's curiosity was aroused and he couldn't help but ask Cuddy: "Do you hear from Mr. Jay?"

"No, why? Did he tell you something last night that I should know?"

"I lied to him, Dr. Cuddy." He stared at Cuddy and added: "To protect you. And I don't want to find myself in a trick situation because of you."

"I don't remember to ask you to protect me against Mr. Jay." Cuddy replied coldly.

"No, of course not. I… I don't express myself right. When I was back at the gala, he wanted to know where you were and I told him I didn't know. Because if I told him the truth, you can be sure that he would have gone to your place and I don't think you wanted that. So I would appreciate if he ever calls you that you didn't mention the fact that I drove you home. Can you do that?"

"Yes, I guess. But do you think he will call me?"

"I don't know. But I prefer to warn you. Just in case…"

Cuddy didn't say anything, she just nodded. She was thankful to Barrow.

"Well, I wait for you at 6.00 pm. Don't be late."