Dreams
Part 4
By Carrie Verkman
carebear1025@juno.com

Peter Benton-The Fly.

Peter slammed down his phone. He couldn't handle another rejection anymore. The search for a new position at a new hospital was unsuccessful. He tried every hospital in Illinois and in the even in the Indiana area. Peter jumped as the phone rang. He hoped it was someone calling to tell him he had a job. "This is Dr. Benton."

"Peter, it's Cleo. Were you waiting for a call?" Cleo asked.

"Oh, no. It's just that I'm having a hard time with all this." Peter said. "I've been pleading with hospitals to jobs and on top of that figuring out daycare for Reese."

"I wish I could help. Maybe you could talk to Romano. You should give it a try." suggested Cleo.

"Yeah right. Romano is the pest of the universe. What an arrogant little prick."

Cleo laughed at his remark. But since she had to be at work early, she finished her call to Peter. Peter decided to call it a night. He settled into bed and closed his tired eyes.

A typical day in the ER. Malucci flirting with nurses, Weaver being a control freak over everyone, Mark and Elizabeth fondling each other at every free moment they had, Abby completing everyone's demands, and Carter just trying to make it through the day.

What was unusual was that Romano was nowhere to be found. It was like he had disappeared. Peter walked into the ER searching for him.

"Hey Peter! I need your help!" Mark called from the ambulance bay.

"I don't work here anymore. Have you seen Romano? I've got to talk to him to see if I can get my job back."

"Nope. But good luck though." Mark said as he headed into Trauma One.

Peter went up to the surgical floor. He saw Shirley and decided to ask her where Romano was. Shirley was battling a pesky fly.

"Geez, who let a window open? This fly has been all over me. Oh, can I help you Dr. Benton?" she said.

"Please. Where is Dr. Romano?" asked Peter.

"I have no idea. He's probably buzzing around somewhere." Shirley answered.

Peter thanked her and decided to wait in Romano's office. That annoying little fly was there again, resting itself on Romano's desk chair. Peter grabbed a newspaper and was about to smash it when he heard a tiny voice say, "Peter!"

Peter looked up. "Who said that?"

"It's me you idiot!" said the voice.

Peter grabbed a magnifying glass on the desk. "Dr. Romano, is that you?"
 
"Of course it's me!" said Romano in his tiny high-pitched voice. He sounded like he had sucked in helium. "I changed my body to a fly's so I can travel around this hospital faster."

"Um, okay. Well, anyway, I wanted to talk to you about getting my job back here at County." Peter asked.

"Oh really? Just because I'm small doesn't mean I don't have little power over you."

"I'm aware of that."

"Well Peter I like you. I like you a lot. You can kick ass in an operating room. Plus you have helped out the hospital in many ways." Romano said. "Okay, you can have your job back. But don't screw up again. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Peter thought for a moment. "Yeah, hold real still." He lifted up the newspaper that he had been hiding behind his back. Squish!! Romano had always wanted to make front page of The Chicago Tribune. He finally had his chance. Peter threw the paper in the trashcan. He left Romano's office satisfied.

Peter woke up and rubbed his eyes. He smiled at the fact that he "squished" Robert Romano. Maybe there was hope of him getting his job back. It would take some fighting, but he was ready for that. Peter then reached into his nightstand drawer. He pulled out a fly swatter, set it on the nightstand, and went back to sleep.

The End.