The Older Woman
Part Four - What a Night
By Zoinks
ergirlz@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Yeah, they’re not mine.

Note to Politically Correct Readers: I don’t live in Chicago, so I have no idea of the names of stores you have around there, so please bear with me. Also, I do not know who else knows what a Wal-Mart is, so I’ll tell yah; it’s a big store where you can buy pretty much anything, ex. Clothes, entertainment things, school supplies, cosmetics, kitchen stuff, hair stuff, lawn and garden, toys, bikes, games, computer things, food, candy, furniture, home accessories, etc.

Comments: Please send all thoughts, comments and suggestions to ergirlz@yahoo.com I would love to hear you. Also, please visit my ER Club, "Doc Magoo’s" at: http://uk.clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/docmagoos

OK, let’s get started with the story…



Elizabeth sat silently, deep in thought. John was nervously babbling about the difference in taste between cherry Kool-Aid and cherry Wylers. It was around this time that she realized the earlier events of the night did not add up. She was the surgeon on call that night (she and Peter had switched earlier that day), and if there was such a massive trauma that two ER attendings needed to be called in, it was only logical a surgical consult would be needed. Plus, Romano had an open heart scheduled during the time these events were taking place. It was only logical that she would be called in. Then there was the whole who drives who ordeal that just didn’t make any sense.

Finally, John began to wrap up his talk on drinks, breaking Elizabeth’s train of thought. She couldn’t understand why he was so tense. His words were slurred because his speech was rapid and choppy. He laughed at inappropriate times, and his face was ten notches above a healthy pinkish hue. Elizabeth thought that perhaps he was trying to be a visual for the cherry flavoring he spoke of. Nonetheless, he finally shut-up… or so she thought. His attention was momentarily diverted by what he claimed was a dancing gorilla. It was at this time that Elizabeth decided the night was a bit too eventful for him. She stood up and announced that they would be departing. He stood and followed her through the door.

Kerry and Mark drove furiously to County. Kerry was intent on making it there for the full trauma. She stressed this so much; she almost began to believe that there was going to be a patient waiting there for her to treat. You can imagine her mock anger when they arrived to find the ER moving slower than a frozen starfish. Kerry yelled and accused. Her eyes were fierce with anger as she spouted obscenities, threatening that if she ever found the person responsible for making prank emergency calls, she would personally kick their ass, and then have them fired from County, cast out of Chicago and deported from America. She was having a wonderful time putting on her show of fake disgust. However, her party was short lived when Mark asked if he could please leave. Figuring hat he wouldn’t be going back to the restaurant, Kerry excused him. Not wanting to be stuck in a car with a ranting and raving Weaver, he hailed a cab and went to Elizabeth’s house.

Mark opened the door to Corday’s empty apartment. He expected that she would be home by now. Taking off his shoes, he plunked down on the couch, and flicked on the television.

Elizabeth and John got into the van Mark had left for them, and began their journey home. John turned on the radio, and as soon as a commercial came on, Elizabeth used it as an opportunity to change the station. She put on a rap/hip-hop station.

John looked at her curiously as she began to shrug her shoulders in sync with the music and sing the lyrics to "Back That Azz Up." John was amazed. How could an English surgeon be so ghetto? When he asked her this she laughed and simply stated that she used to date Peter. John was intrigued by the way she answered his question. The way she tossed her head when she laughed, and her snappy answers to his questions made him want to melt. Suddenly, he felt an impulse to make the night last longer. He couldn’t let her go just yet. Seeing a Wal-Mart up ahead, he decided to make his move.

"Elizabeth, cold we stop at Wal-Mart? Kerry was supposed to take me there to get some plastic pumpkins." As soon as he realized what he said, he could have kicked himself. Plastic pumpkins, he already had enough of those at home, it was a glow in the dark skeleton he really needed.

"Plastic pumpkins," Elizabeth managed to ask, interrupting his thoughts.

"I need them to decorate for Halloween."

"It’s a month away."

"Doesn’t matter, we Carter’s like to decorate early."

Because she didn’t feel like arguing with him, she pulled into the parking lot of Wal-Mart. She and John made their way through the store to the Halloween section. It wasn’t easy though, Elizabeth stopped in every aisle that had candy in it.

"You’re like a dog," John told her, "but instead of sniffing trees, you’re sniffing chocolate."

"I’m sorry, but drinking makes me hungry, and since you and Kerry took the liberty of eating all of my food, I think I’m entitled to a little snack."

"Sorry man, don’t get all worked up over it, you’re just…" John paused to prepare his next words. Using his best Sally Jesse Raphael imitation, he turned to Elizabeth, and, with a blank look on his face said, "jealous!"

"Let’s just get your damn pumpkins."

When the two finally found the Halloween aisle, they immediately began to goof off.

"John," Elizabeth said excitedly. By the gleam she had in her eye, John could tell that they were about to be kicked out of the store. "Let’s put masks on and scare people."

"Elizabeth, we’re not children," was John’s response. Inside, he hoped she insisted on this, he really wanted to participate in scaring customers.

"C-mon," she said, throwing him a monster mask, "I think I saw Abby and Luka, c-mon, we’ll go scar the shit outta them."

John sighed as dramatically as he possibly could and reluctantly agreed to her plan. Secretly, his heart was racing with excitement. <How come I never thought of anything like this?> he thought. Sure enough, Abby and Luke were in the store. Elizabeth spotted them in the cooking utensils section, and immediately threw her plan into action. To make a long story short, let’s just say that Luka screamed so loud, he and Abby were asked by the manager to leave the store. Because of the extremeness of his shriek, two different employees called the police, four called security, an elderly woman passed out and a cashier began to cry because they thought someone was robbing the store. Customers near Luka threw their wallets at Abby and dropped to the ground (they thought she was mugging him.)

Meanwhile, John and Elizabeth left the store without leaving so much as a trace of evidence that they were there. This was the first time that John clearly realized how much he actually liked her. The pair didn’t talk much on the drive to John’s house, because, "Up in Here", "Country Grammar", and "Bling Bling" all played in a row. Elizabeth sang to all of them, not missing a single word. The drive went by quick, and soon, John was home.

Kerry, who handed him a chocolate cake and a glass of milk, greeted him. The two sat at the table, each eating their own cake and discussing the night’s events.

Meanwhile Elizabeth walked into her apartment to find Mark sleeping on her couch. She walked over and kissed him on the forehead, "Wake up Sleeping Beauty," she whispered.

"Oh, hi," Mark said groggily. He stood up and followed her into the bedroom. He was dead tired, but for some reason, he had a feeling she was going to be talking a lot tonight, and though he had to fight back sleep, he was intercede in hearing about her and John’s night out. After all, he had to know if he was going to have to kick some rich boy ass the next day.

(to be continued)