The Ways That Count Part 8
Lexie studied herself carefully in the mirror. Her fingers straightened out the purple fabric of the T-Shirt she had decided to wear for her date that night. It was a simple V-neck that showed just a peak of her cleavage.
She took a deep breath, hoping the butterflies in her stomach would stop soon. She brushed her hair behind ear with her fingers. She decided to wear it down for the evening. It was rare for her to not to keep it in a simple ponytail, especially inside the walls of the hospital. But that night she wanted Mark to see her in a different light.
She wanted to look beautiful for him.
She closed her eyes. Another deep breath. She returned her attention back to her reflection in the mirror. For a second she thought about changing again, but she had already changed her outfit five and half times. She couldn't fully understand why she was this nervous. But she was. And she needed to look beautiful. "You can do this Lexie…" She muttered under her breath. "Just breathe."
"Wow Mommy you look really pretty." Ava smiled from behind her. "Can you put piggy tails in my hair?" She asked as she held out two green hair bands that matched her Tinker Bell dress that she was wearing in one hand and in the other her hair brush.
"Thank you sweet heart." Lexie lifted her daughter off the floor and to her bed, "You look very pretty too." She smiled as she brushed Ava's hair into two even pig tails.
"Dr. Mark is coming tonight?" Ava asked excitedly.
"Yes he is." She could not help but smile at the mention of his name. "He is coming over to watch a movie with us and eat pizza."
"I like pizza…We not gonna watch a kissy movie, right? I don't like kissy movies." Ava sat on the edge of Lexie's bed and started to kick her feet.
Lexie smiled, "I'm not sure what movie we are going to watch. Mark is bringing it over. I'm sure it won't be a kissy movie. Since when don't you like kisses? I thought you liked giving me kisses."
"Well you my mommy. Course I like giving you kisses." Ava stood up on the bed so she was the same height as a sitting Lexie. She smiled as she leaned over and gave Lexie a kiss on the cheek. "See?"
Lexie gave Ava a quick kiss on the forehead. "I like giving you kisses too." She smiled, "I need to finish getting ready before Mark gets here….What perfume should I wear?"
"The one that makes you smell like flowers. Dr. Mark will like that one."
"You think so?" Ava smiled and nodded. Lexie walked to her vanity and picked up the Butterfly Flowers perfume bottle and sprayed her neck and her right wrist and quickly rubbed both wrists together.
"Mommy, can I wear some to?"
Lexie nodded, "You sure can. Come here." Ava jumped off Lexie bed and ran over. Lexie kneeled down in front of Ava and sprayed the perfume on her tiny wrist. "There you go." She felt her heart jump in her throat when she heard the door bell ring. "Here's here." She jumped to her feet. "How do I look?"
"You look really, really pretty Mommy. You always really pretty." Ava followed Lexie as she walked to the front door. "How do I look Mommy?"
"Like a little princess." Lexie told her before she opened the door. She smiled at Mark. "Hi."
"Hi." He smiled back at her. He held out a small bouquet of purple tulips. "I brought you flowers….You look beautiful." In the other hand he held a popcorn bucket.
Lexie felt her cheeks blush as she took the flowers from him, "These are beautiful. Thank you. But you didn't have to bring you flowers."
He shrugged "I wanted to."
"Come on in." Lexie stepped aside so Mark could come in, "I need to get these in water." She left for the kitchen to find a vase.
"Hi Dr. Mark!"
"Hi Ava." Mark grinned down at the pint sized Lexie.
"Did you bring a kissy movie?" Ava asked, making a face, "Cause I don't like kissy movies."
"You don't have to worry about that. I brought Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc." He told her, pulling out the two DVDs from the popcorn bucket. "I brought microwave popcorn to."
"I LOVE those movies!" Ava grinned. "I love Dory. She is so funny." She laughed, "She has a terrible memory."
Lexie walked up to Mark and Ava from the kitchen. "Do you want to sit down in the living room?" She smiled, "It's much more comfortable in the living room."
"I still have to order the pizza. I was not sure what you and Ava would like on your pizza." Mark told her as he followed her into the living room. "You have a nice place."
"Thank you." Lexie sat down on the couch and motioned Mark to sit next to her. "Ava do you want to put in the movie?"
"Yep." Ava grabbed the Finding Nemo DVD box and carefully placed the DVD into the DVD player. She grabbed the TV remote and handed it to Lexie. She took her place in her bright pink child sized armchair.
"You guys hungry? When do you want me to order the pizza?"
"Can we get pepperoni? I like pepperoni." Ava stated, not taking her eyes off the previews that led to the movie.
"We can get pepperoni." Mark turned to Lexie, "What pizza places are around here?"
"We have a Pizza Hut really close. And I have coupons. Unless you don't like Pizza Hut…Then there is Marco's, Luigi's…"
"Pizza Hut is great." Mark interrupted her.
"I will grab the coupons for the number."
One pizza, an order of breadsticks, and one Disney movie later Ava was half asleep. "You ready for bed baby girl?" Lexie asked as she got stood up from the couch.
"I wanna stay up…" Ava yawned.
Lexie smiled. "Come on sweetheart." She bent down and picked up Ava. "Can you say good night to Mark?"
"Good night Dr. Mark." Ava yawned again as she rested her head on Lexie's shoulder.
"Good night kiddo." Mark smiled at Ava as he adjusted himself on the couch.
"Just give me ten minutes." Lexie told him. "It won't take me long to get her in bed. We got to brush your teeth before you go to bed."
Five minutes later Mark got up to use the bathroom. He stopped at Ava's bedroom door along the way. He could hear Lexie's soft voice through the door that was open a crack and he couldn't help but take a look inside.
Lexie sat next to Ava on her bed, stroking the small child's hair.
"Mommy, sing me a song before you go?"
"What song do you want me to sing?"
"Twinkle star." Ava whispered.
"Okay." Lexie kissed the top of Ava's head.
" Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are"
"Mommy, you have a really pretty voice."
Lexie laughed, "You think so? Come here. Give me a hug and a kiss goodnight."
Ava wrapped her arms around Lexie's neck and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I love you Mommy."
"I love you too sweetie." Lexie hugged her back, "Goodnight Baby."
Mark couldn't help but smile at the scene he just witnessed and when he saw Lexie get up from Ava's bed and walk towards the door he quickly walked to the bathroom.
"Ava is pretty lucky." Mark told Lexie as he sat down next to her on the couch.
Her brows furred in confusion. "Why do you say that?"
"She has you for a Mom. You are a wonderful Mother Lexie…" He caught her smile. "I heard you singing to her."
"Oh God. You heard me sing. I am sorry you had the hear that. I have a horrible voice."
He shrugged, "I think Ava is right. You have a pretty voice."
"Well you are lying. But thank you."
"So um…I know you mentioned you don't like talking about him…But what is the deal with Ava's father?" Mark asked, rubbing the back of his neck. He was not sure if he was allowed to ask that particular question.
"Usually I don't, but I think it is important to for you to know…You need to know the reason why I need to take things slow…"
Mark nodded, "Okay…"
"Ava's father name is Bobby. Um, Bobby Thomson. I met him during my first week into freshman year of college back in Boston. I was seventeen. He was nineteen. We fell for each other pretty hard. And despite our busy school schedules we were pretty inseparable. He was my first love. I love my virginity to him…" She confessed. And Mark nodded, "We were together for three years before he got me pregnant." She told him. "Three years…And when I told him he looked at me right in the eye and asked if I was going to keep it." She shook her head. "And when I told him I was, he said we were over. He told me the only way he would stay with me is if I got an abortion. So he broke up with me. He transferred schools and he left." She cleared her throat. "I cannot lie. When I first found out I was pregnant I thought about getting an abortion for about 28 seconds…I was applying to get into Med School…And I was not sure if I could raise a baby…It was not until I had her I knew I made the right decision. When I held her for the first time…" She smiled at the memory. "She was perfect. And know I cannot imagine my life without her."
"Has…Has Bobby ever met Ava?"
She nodded, "Yeah. Twice. Was she was about six months old he showed up. He stayed for three days and left. Then a few months after she turned two he showed up again. Stayed for four and left again. Have not heard from him since."
"Wow…This guy is a real asshole, isn't he?"
"Yeah. That is one word for it…" Lexie mumbled. "The thing is, Bobby really hurt me…And I haven't fully recovered from it yet. And I just need you to know that, because I need you to know we need to take things slow."
"It's okay. We will take things slow…" Mark paused.
Lexie smiled slightly, "You want to ask about sex, don't you?"
"Kind of." Mark admitted. "We talk about that when we get there…"
"How many dates?" Lexie asked. "How many dates do you think we should try to wait?"
"How many dates do you think we should wait?"
"I asked you first…"
"Say it at the same time?"
"On the count of three…" Lexie smiled.
"1…2…3…"
"Fifteen." Lexie said at same time as Mark said, "Five."
Lexie laughed. "Five?"
Mark raised an eyebrow, "Fifteen? Tell you what…How about we average them…"
"So ten." Lexie said, "Ten sounds good…We think there will be ten dates?"
Mark took her hand in his, "I think there will be ten dates." He cleared his throat. "You were honest with me tonight…And I only think it is fair if I be honest with you…You know how Derek and I are best friends?" Lexie nodded, "I have known him since I was five, and we have been best friends since…Except about a year ago we could not even be in the same room together. I…I slept with his wife."
"I kind of already knew that…You know how the gossip is in the hospital…"
"I was in love with her. Derek's wife. At least I thought I was. I had gotten her pregnant after Derek left her. And she had an abortion." He squeezed her hand, "I just want you to know that."
Lexie nodded, "Okay."
"I had a lot of fun tonight…" Lexie told Mark as they stood at the door. "Thank you for coming. And thank you for the pizza and bringing the movie…Ava really loved it."
"I'm glad." Mark told her. He opened the door and took a step outside. "Let me know when your friend can babysit so I can take you out to eat."
"I will." Lexie told him. Mark lingered for a moment longer, unsure if he should make a move. He didn't have to think about it very long.
Lexie grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him in for a kiss. His mouth quickly welcomed her tongue. His hands went to her waist, his finger clutching the fabric of her shirt as he pushed her against the doorframe.
If they had not needed the air both were convinced they never would have stopped the kiss. "Um…Goodnight?" Lexie smiled at Mark.
"Goodnight Lexie. I will see you at work." They said goodbye one more time and Lexie closed the door behind Mark. She sighed blissfully as she leaned against the door. She smiled as she closed her eyes.
That kiss, she thought, was the perfect ending to the perfect night.
TBC…?
Please let me know what you thought of the date. I hope you all really liked it.