He had fled from the office and out into the car park. I ran after him. Whatever he had heard he had obviously taken it as the fact that me and Ash were together.
To be honest he was right. But I didn't want him to know that.
As he entered the car park he was nearly hit by the oncoming ambulance.
"Adrien Fletcher." I shouted at him. "You get here right now!"
The other people in the car park were staring at us now.
"Yes mother," he replied timidly. I knew he was trying to make the whole situation funny but I wasn't in the mood for that right now.
"My office. Hurry!" I said simply pointing inside.
I watched as Fletch walked inside with his head down, then I followed him.
Once we were both in my office I slammed the door behind me. I could see that Sam, Tess and Charlie were staring after us, unsure of what Fletch had done.
"What did you hear?" I asked over the top of Fletch's lame excuses.
"Not much. Just that you and Dr. Ashford seem to be meeting each other later and you don't remember much of last night. Plus you don't know where his clothes are." Fletch admitted keeping his head low, avoiding eye contact with me.
"You will forget you heard that and will remember not to listen to my conversations in my office again. Have you got that?" I asked.
"Yes Dr. Hanna." he mumbled looking at the floor.
"Sorry, I didn't hear you."
"Yes Dr. Hanna." he said louder this time and looking into my eyes.
"Good. Now when you go out there people will ask you what you were sent in here for. What will we tell them?" I asked, slouching into the chair behind my desk, regretting that I had made such a scene out there.
"That you had caught me running around by a wet floor sign?" he suggested.
We then came up with different suggestions but none of them seemed good enough.
"What about telling them that you were cross with me because I had left your door open when I was calling Ash, yes I did come in to call Ash in here, and someone had stolen your keys or something?"
"That's a whole lot better than any other excuse we have so what do I say when people look for my keys?"
"Give them to me and I'll hide them without anyone noticing. Then we can blame it on one of the drunken lads and you won't press charges. Sound ok?"
"Great. You can go now." I said handing him my keys.
"Sorry Zoe." he said leaving the office. I knew it was for the effect of the others but they didn't know that.
The whole ED was different after my shouting match at Fletch. To be fair to them it wasn't really a match and it was mainly me shouting at him. They looked at Fletch with simpathy and kept well away from me for the rest of the day.
When my shift was due to end I went looking for Fletch again and the rest of the staff didn't want to help me find him, fearful of what I wanted him for. I eventually found him in cubicles.
"Where's my keys?" I demanded.
"What you haven't found them yet?" he replied laughing.
"I haven't been looking for them I gave them to you to hide." I said annoyed. "I need to get home."
"To see Ash?" he answered cheekily.
"No so I can get changed and wait for my niece to arrive. Give me my keys"
"They're in your office. I dropped them behind the bin on my way out." he said more seriously now.
"Thanks Fletch now I'm going to look really stupid." I said crossly.
"No problem Zo." he said walking off.
"Oh Fletch. Get me a pair of large scrubs will you?" I said remembering Ash would need some.
"Sure. Why?" he asked curiously.
"None of your business thanks." I said turning away and walking to my office to find my keys."
Fletch came into my office a few minutes later carrying two pairs of scrubs.
"Here you go Zoe." he said placing the scrubs on my desk before quickly retreating to the door, just before he got there he said, "I thought you and Ash could match." then he legged it out the room.
I was angry with him but he already had the whole office on his side as I shouted at him earlier. So I put the scrubs in my bag and gathered my things up before leaving the ED. I waved bye to Tom and Sam who were in the locker room kissing each other and laughing. I said bye to Tess and went to my car.
As I got to my car I found that Fletch had been in it with my keys and put a fluffy pink heart shaped frame on my passenger seat. As I looked at the photo in the frame I realised it was one of me and Ash. Well two really because they were separate photos that had been put together. I was so angry and made a mental note to have a word with him tomorrow but for now I would just get in my car drive home let Ash get changed, drop him back to his, return to mine and babysit. Great evening.