Chapter 41

Sunday, July 5, 1987- Morning

The following morning, Julie woke with yesterday's outfit still on, a foul tasting dryness in her mouth and her head aching. Feeling lethargic and weak, she slowly sat up on the couch. Pain radiated through her chest cavity. She remembered skipping last night's dosage of Tylenol Three's and padded into the kitchen.

Fumbling through a collection of prescription bottles, she found the pain reliever. After downing a couple pills, she made a quick trip to the bathroom. When she passed by Donovan's bedroom, she saw him lying in his queen-sized bed, partially covered with a blanket. Watching the rise and fall of his chest, and listening to his soft snoring brought back the memory of lying next to him with her ear pressed against his chest. She remembered the longing she felt last night as she leaned against him, watching fireworks. She scolded herself for feeling that way, and yet just being that close to him she'd felt like they'd reconnected. She knew, in spite of all the light-hearted teasing, their friendship was just as strong as it was before. Donovan really did care about her, but not excessively like Steve, and she respected him for giving her space to think and to heal.

Her head starting to throb again, she returned to the kitchen then sat at the table, and rubbed her temples.

Donovan came in a few minutes later and poured himself a glass of water.

"You have a headache too?" Julie guessed. "You can have one of my pain pills."

"I'm fine." He turned around to face her.

She stared at him then took a drink of her own glass.

"You sleep okay?" he asked.

She couldn't remember going to bed. Strange, he'd let me fall asleep without making me change my clothes. Maybe he was drunk too.

"Must have." She shrugged. "I don't recall coming home from the park."

Donovan chuckled and filled the coffee decanter with water.

"Is that funny?" Julie asked.

"You couldn't walk. I helped you in."

"Then put me to bed with my clothes on?"

"You did." He put one scoop of coffee in the filter. "Want some?"

Thinking about the way her words had come out, as though he could have taken her clothes off for her, she apologized. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I thought you tried anything. You've been a perfect gentleman and I'm grateful for that."

Snickering, he pushed the coffee pot's power switch. "You're welcome."

Julie gave him an incredulous stare. "What?"

"Oh… nothing." He smiled.

His sudden burst of humor bothered Julie. He was acting as if he knew something she didn't.

"You were a gentleman, weren't you?"

"Of course."

Another thought occurred to her she didn't care for. Maybe I acted inappropriately.

"Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"Was I a gentlewoman?"

He paused for a few seconds before answering. "Your lips got a little busy."

"Did I say something?"

With an empty coffee mug in his hand, he turned to her. "That too."

"What else is there?"

The percolator stopped and Donovan poured his cup.

"Mike?"

"Do you have to use the restroom? I need to shower and shave. Sean called earlier. They gave him an extra hour to spend with me."

She knew he'd deliberately changed the subject.

"Did we do anything?" She thought a blunt question would get a direct answer.

"Drank a little, watched some fireworks."

"Did we… sleep together?"

"No."

"Nothing happened between us?"

"No, nothing happened."

Although she suspected he was lying, she didn't want to accuse him of trying anything when she couldn't remember herself.

Donovan put his mug on the counter. "I'll be home around three. I've got a little surprise for you, if you'll feel up to it."

She hoped the headache would disappear sooner than that. "A surprise? Are we going somewhere?"

"Nope. Just be ready."

"Ready for what?"

He winked then exited the room.

"Donovan?" she called after him, but he didn't respond.

#

Julie's lethargic feeling hadn't left by early afternoon. In spite of the headache, she'd sat behind her computer screen, pouring through data on several experiments which she'd helped supervise. Scientific formulas stared back at her.

Ross called and said Steve flew back from Seattle this morning. Again, Julie reminded him not to let Steve call her, that she'd contact him when she was ready. Then Ross informed her that one of a pair of twins up in Seattle, had passed away after developing an infection in his lungs.

Julie felt like crying. The more she considered the whole situation, how much she cared for those babies and their parents, it frustrated her. Ross' horrific report made Julie want to talk to Steve, and she told Ross to send Steve over for lunch tomorrow. This meant she wouldn't have her walk with Donovan at the park. She wondered if he'd be disappointed, or if he'd make himself absent while Steve visited.

Donovan's car door slammed outside. Julie went to greet him.

#

Donovan returned from O'Brien Center in a mixed mood. He'd had another successful visit with Sean then drove to his ex-sister-in-law, Cathy's house, near Long Beach where they engaged in a discussion about Sean's future. As Margie's only surviving relative, Cathy wanted visitation rights with Sean. Donovan was hesitant to give them to her. He'd told her if she wanted to spend time with Sean, she could visit every other weekend. Cathy insisted Sean should stay with her those weekends. Donovan wanted to wait and see if Sean's behavior had improved. Cathy threatened to sue for her rights if Donovan didn't cave in and grant her wish.

As Donovan placed the key in his front door, the handle turned. Julie stood before him, her hair drawn up in a bun and glasses perched on her nose.

"Welcome home," she said.

He wondered if she'd finally figured out what went on between them last night.

"Good afternoon." He walked inside and saw the computer was on. Julie had scribbled a mess of scientific notes in a steno notebook. "I see you've been busy."

"Mike, I want to talk to you."

From the tone in her voice, he expected a confrontation. He checked the time. Maggie and Chris were due to drop CJ off soon, and Donovan hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"Yeah?"

"I want to know what you meant when you said, my lips got a little busy. And be honest with me. I've been wracking my brain all day trying to figure it out."

"No you haven't." He grinned. "You've been working." He walked into the kitchen then opened the fridge door.

Julie pushed it shut, folded her arms over her chest and stared at him.

"C'mon, I'm hungry," Donovan said.

"No." She leaned against the fridge door.

Tucking his hands under her armpits, Donovan lifted Julie from the floor and put her down a few feet away from the fridge.

She giggled. "What happened to, I'm the boss?"

"That was last night. This is today, and I'm famished. Besides, you forgot I have a surprise for you."

"Does it have anything to do with what happened last night?"

"No." He unscrewed the lid to the mayo.

"So you admit something did happen last night?"

Ignoring Julie's question, Donovan slathered the dressing onto a piece of bread.

"C'mon," she pleaded. "Don't tease me."

"You've got about ten minutes before your surprise comes so—"

"You didn't invite Steve over, did you?" She sounded angry. "Ross said he got back this morning."

"No," he answered, sitting at the table with his sandwich. "Do you have anything you need to do during the next ten minutes? Maybe I can eat in peace, huh?"

"If you can look me in the eye and tell me again nothing happened between us last night."

He had a hunch she wouldn't believe him anyway. So he got up, figuring it was his chance to find out whether or not she'd meant what she'd said last night.

"Okay, Ms. Smarty pants, I'll show you." He took her by the hand then grabbed his keys from his pocket. He led her to the front door, out to his car and opened the driver's side door.

"You're going to be me, and I'm going to be you," he said.

"What?"

"Get in the car."

"Ummm… you know I can't drive yet."

"Just get in."

Once she was seated, he went around to the passenger side.

Julie reached over and unlocked the door. Donovan climbed in and sat down, smiling wildly.

"Oh, Mike," he whined. "I can't walk. I need you to carry me in."

Julie laughed. "Shut up, I did not!"

"Mm hmm." He nodded, chuckling. "Now come around to my side."

Giving him a puzzled look, she slipped out of the driver's seat and walked around to the passenger side door. Donovan pushed the door open.

"Now carry me in the house," he said.

He weighed just over two hundred pounds.

She laughed again. "You're out of your mind, buddy."

He stepped out of the vehicle, scooped her up. "Okay. I'll carry you in again, but just remember I'm supposed to be you, and you're supposed to be me."

Julie put her arms around his neck as she had the night before, but didn't hold on so tightly.

She stared at him as he looked at his watch again.

"We've got to make it quick." he said. "Company's on the way."

"Quick like we used to on the couch at headquarters?" She asked, holding his gaze.

Warmth surged to his cheeks.

A horn blast startled them.

Donovan turned to see Maggie's Civic pull up to the curb.

He placed Julie on the patio and watched her face light up when she saw Chris put CJ down on the sidewalk. The toddler stayed close to Chris's legs.

"Go on, CJ," Chris said.

As Julie walked down the driveway, Maggie got out of the car, joining Chris and CJ.

"CJ!" Julie called.

CJ stared at Julie as if he didn't recognize her. He turned to Maggie, wanting to be held. Maggie obliged by picking him up.

Donovan approached and stood behind Julie.

Shoving a diaper bag at Donovan, Chris said, "The stuff he need's all in there. We'll be back around eight."

"We get to keep him?" Julie asked with excitement in her voice.

"Happy surprise, eh?" Donovan asked her. "Want me to carry him?"

Maggie approached Donovan, trying to get CJ to go to him. CJ refused, shaking his head.

Maggie and Chris followed Donovan and Julie inside the house.