Who Am I
Part Three - New Year's Promises
By Lisa Brown
ERDrLewis@aol.com

This is the third in the "Who I Am" series.  The whole series can be found at http://www.dreamwater.com/divette

Normal disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm not making money off of this, so everyone at Warner Bros. and their whole
menagerie of people over there can just leave me alone. No season six spoilers either. Although this takes place in the future, it doesn't give anything away from the new shows. Thanks a ton to my editor, Michelle.  

Feedback is always appreciated at ERDrLewis@aol.com

Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Another year has gone by
And I'm still the one by your side
After everything that's gone by
There's still no one saying goodbye
Though another year has gone by

-- Celine Dion, "Another Year Has Gone By"

27 December 2010, 12:00 p.m.

Christmas came and went.  New Year's Eve is five days away and Lucy and I are going to a party hosted by a doctor Lucy knows. I'm not too thrilled; New Year's is my least favorite holiday. Too bad I don't have to work. I'm sure it will be fine though. Although my perfect New Year's involves going to sleep before midnight, I can make an exception for Lucy. I'm mature enough.  

I was working the six a.m. to six p.m. shift today and we've been busy all morning. Lucy is supposed to stop by on her lunch break so we can grab a bite to eat somewhere. There's a good deli around the corner. It's no Doc Magoo's, but hey, this is New York. It wasn't that great there anyway.

I almost wish that I hadn't gone home for Christmas. It's made me quite homesick again. Although, I probably would have got homesick anyway. Almost everyone from County sent me a Christmas card and it made me miss the place. Roosevelt is great, but there's nothing like County.

Things were finally beginning to slow in the ER, and I was glad for that. I had barely been able to breathe since I got on. We had nine -- yes, nine -- traumas so far, a whole day camp who got upset stomachs from donuts they ate this morning, and a doctor I had to show around. They're interviewing him for the new ER chief position and decided I was the guy to show him around. So, that's what I did in my free five minutes.   

I looked around the admit desk for Mr. Parker's chart. He had slipped on some ice and twisted his ankle. He was all fixed up, but I couldn't find his chart to sign off on him.

"Hey, John. You ready to go?"

I turned around and saw Lucy. "One sec," I replied. "Karen, have you seen Mr. Parker's chart?"

She wordlessly handed it to me.  I signed my name at the bottom. "Karen, will you do me a favor and tell him he can leave?"

"Sure."

"Thanks so much.  I'll be at Nick's, page me if you need me."

"Hectic morning?" Lucy asked as we walked out into the cold.

"Totally insane. We've had nine major traumas already. I haven't had a second to sit down all morning. How has your morning been?"

"Not too bad. At one, I'm going to meet with that doctor again.  I think she'll start next week."

"That's great. What's her name again?"

"Kate Jacobs."

"This is the one from North Carolina, right?"

"Yep," Lucy said as we walked into Nick's Deli. We sat down at our table and soon after someone came to take our order.

"Okay, so who's house are we going to New Year's?" I asked.

"James McTeering's. His wife, Jennifer, is real nice. I'm not sure if the kids will be there or not. They have two teenage boys. But, all of the other people in our group will be there, and whoever else he invited. I don't think he's invited too many others. I doubt there'll be more that twenty-five people."

"Small is good. Have I met him before? I don't think I have."

"I don't either. I have to run by JFK Memorial Hospital tonight to check on a patient and I should be done around six. Do you want me to come by and walk home with you? Maybe we can get something to eat afterwards."

"That would be great.  It's better to walk home with you," I said, smiling.

The waiter brought our food and we begin to eat. I was about halfway done, when my beeper went off. I looked at it. "Damn," I said.  

"Go," replied Lucy. "I'll get the check."

I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and ran out the door. The fun continues.



A tour bus crashed into a semi. Luckily, everyone turned out okay I think. The drivers of both vehicles were sent up to surgery but they both had a good prognosis, so I'm positive they're fine. The rest escaped with minor cuts and bruises. One woman fractured her wrist. That's about it.

"Dr. Carter, can you take the girl in four? She fainted twice today," Susan asked.  

"Sure," I said, grabbing the chart from the nurse. "Laura, you want to help me?" I asked her.

"Of course!" the eager med. student replied.

We walked into exam four and found the fifteen-year-old girl sitting on the bed. "Hi, I'm Dr. Carter and this is Ms. Bradstreet.  So," I said, quickly looking at the chart, "Grace, it seems you fainted today?"

She nodded. "I was cleaning up the house this morning and fainted while I was vacuuming. Then when I was shopping with my friends I fainted again. They brought me in here, but they had to leave."

"Is there anyone you want us to call? Your parents?"

She shook her head. "My parents are out of town. Could you call my sister?" she asked.

"Sure," Laura replied handing her a piece of paper and a pen.

"This is her work number. I wrote her name down too, Heather Hersey."

"Okay, great. We'll call her as soon as we check you out. What have you eaten today?" I asked.

"I had eggs and toast for breakfast, but I haven't had lunch yet. We were on our way when I fainted."

"So, you aren't on any medications?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

I let Laura continue with the exam and after we left I asked her, "What do you think is wrong?"

She thought for a minute. "Bulimic? The enamel was worn away a little bit on some of her teeth."

"That's what I'm thinking. We'll wait until her labs come back for confirmation, but what should we do in the meantime?"

"Start her on an IV? Get some nutrients to her."

"Good thinking. You want to start the IV? I'll go call her sister."



"Susan, you can give Mrs. Thomas some Tylenol and tell her she can leave. Her labs came back okay," I said, signing the chart.

She nodded. "Will do."

"Dr. Carter, phone for you," the desk clerk, Ron, said.

"Thanks," I said, taking it. "Hello?"

"Hey." It was Lucy. "Everything okay over there?"

"Yep, how was the rest of lunch?"

"Not as good as when you were there. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to have to cancel for tonight. I have to go out to dinner with that new doctor."

"That's fine. I understand."

"I hate to cancel on you. I'm sorry about it. I have to go, we're packed here."

"Okay. Call me when you get home," I said.

"Will do. Bye, handsome."

"Bye," I said.  

"Dr. Carter? Those labs are back on Grace Hersey," Laura said, handing them to me.

"Hmm," I said, looking at them.

"I think her sister's here too."

"Okay, we'll go talk to her. I don't necessarily want to talk to the sister before we talk to her."

"Dr. Carter, an ambulance is pulling up now. MVA versus pedestrian. We get the pedestrian. It'll be here any second now."

"Okay, let's go."



We talked to Grace and her sister. Grace claimed it was only so she could fit into her New Year's Eve dress. She hadn't been doing it that long. Heather blew up at us and said we were making a big deal over nothing. She stormed out with Grace. You can't help all of them.

It was after six o'clock and I was signed out. I was just putting my coat on, when Dan Parker came into the lounge.

"Hey, Carter. You off?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Do you have any plans tonight? A few of us are going out to get a drink and you're welcome to join us."

I suppose I'll feel more at home here if I make some friends. "You know what, Dan? That would be great." I replied.



"So, what are you wearing tonight?" Kerry asked. It was New Year's Eve and Kerry and I were having another one of our phone conversations.

"The shirt you got me for Christmas and my khaki pants," I replied.

"That'll look nice. We're going over to Michael's sister's place. They've found a baby-sitter to watch Sophie and the other kids there. Sophie's so excited."

"Are the kids going to stay up until midnight?" I asked.

"If they can. Sophie will probably pass out before, but she might surprise us."

I heard Sophie saying in the background, "I want to talk to John! I want to talk to John!"

We both laughed. "I'm going to put her on, okay?"

"Hi John!" I heard a few seconds later.

"Hey, Sophie. How are you?"

"Good. Guess what? I'm going to a party tonight!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, and I'm wearing my new blue dress. Oh, guess what? I got to make my bear."

"Yeah?"

"Umm-hmm. He's brown and his name is John, like you. Mommy said you and Lucy are going to a party tonight too."

"Yep. We're going to one of her friend's houses."

"John, I miss you."

"I miss you too, Sophie."

"Mommy says I have to go. Bye-bye, John."

"Bye, Sophie. Have fun tonight."

After hanging up the telephone, I looked at the clock. It was a little after five and we were going to leave at seven-thirty. It would take a little while to get there and the party started at eight. I sighed and gathered up some towels so I could take a shower.



"Thank you for coming, John. I know you aren't fond of New Year's," Lucy said. We were in the cab on the way to the McTeering's.

"Hey, no problem. It'll be fun," I said. "They're going to have food, right?"

"Yeah, dinner is at eight-thirty."

"Well, you know everything, now, don't you?"

She smiled. "It's up here on the right," Lucy said to the driver. We got out of the cab and paid the driver.  

"Nice house," I said.

"They're rich as heck.  Jennifer's a successful lawyer and he's a doctor, so they have a good amount of money.

"Ah," I said, as we walked to the door. Fun. Rich people. One of the things I didn't like about Chicago.



"So, like, sometimes they bring people in who are gushing blood and everything?"

"Uh, yeah," I said to Brian, the McTeering's fourteen-year-old son. He must be in the gory stage.

"Brian, quit bothering Dr. Carter. Aren't you and your brother leaving soon?" James McTeering said as he walked up.

"Yeah, Jack is changing his shirt again and then we're leaving," Brian said of his sixteen-year-old brother. "He wants to look nice in front of Diane's parents."

"So, they're definitely going to be at the party?"

"Yes, dad. I'm going to go get him," Brian said, rushing up the stairs.

"Sorry about that. He thinks your job is so much cooler than mine," James said.

"That's okay," I said. "Kids are like that."

"So, Lucy tells me you work over at Roosevelt?"

"Yep, I'm an attending in the ER over there. I just moved here from Chicago a month and a half ago, so I'm still adjusting a bit."

"Is it busier here or in Chicago?"

"About the same. A little less. Roosevelt is a small hospital though."

"Yeah, it is. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go see if Jennifer needs any help with the food."

At least they're nice rich people. I looked around the room trying to spot Lucy. I saw her over on the other side and decided to go join her.



"Thank you so much for coming tonight," Lucy said as we walked down the hallway to her apartment.

"No problem," I said, giving her a smile. She looked at me. "What?" I asked.

"Admit it, you had fun."

"Okay, so I had fun. Shoot me," I said, grabbing her around the waist. We had reached her apartment. "Happy New Year, Luce."

"Happy New Year, John," she said, placing a kiss on my lips. "So, did you make any resolutions?"

"Yeah, two. To learn to like New York and to spend more time with you."

She smiled. "I like those resolutions."

"Do you have any?"

"Not to stress out about work as much. And spend more time with you," she added, smiling.

"Copycat," I said.

"I do want to spend more time with you," she said before she yawned.

"Well, I think you should go to bed. You've spent enough time with me tonight. You look like you're going to fall over."

She smiled and kissed me. "Okay. Talk to you tomorrow. No wait, later today," she joked.

"Goodnight, Luce," I said, smiling. I watched as she went in her apartment and then walked back to the elevator. I hope that this year will be better than the last. I pushed the up button. Here's to 2011.

Another year has gone by
And I'm still the one by your side
After everything that's gone by
There's still no one saying goodbye
Though another year has gone by

End of part 3.