Tuesday, 7:24 AM

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Molly rolled over and looked at the clock. Arrgh. I had better get moving, or I’m going to be late, she thought to herself. She turned off the alarm. She certainly didn’t want to be late.

7:53 AM

"Carter! CARTER!" Kerry called. She had been calling him for twenty minutes. She banged on the door. "Carter! How many times do I have to tell you, I’m not your mother! Get an alarm or something." There was still no answer. She banged on the door again. "CARTER!!" No answer. "Fine, I give up. I’m going to be late. When he tells me to wake him up, he should remember that it never works."

8:03 AM

God, I’m late, Molly thought as she pulled up to Doc Magoo’s. She turned off the car and ran to the door. She walked in the restaurant and scanned it looking for Carter. Good, he’s probably running late too. She sat down at a booth and ordered a cup of coffee.

8:48 AM

Molly was beginning to get worried. She had been sitting, waiting for forty-five minutes. After all that time and four cups of coffee, he hadn’t showed. She paid her bill and decided it was time to go to work. He would have to track her down there if he needed to.

11:56 AM

"Hey Molly," Carol said.

"Hi. You just get on?"

"Yep. So, how did your talk with you-know-who go today?"

"I’d rather not talk about it."

"Bad?"

"No, it’s just . . .I don’t know. Anyway, I don’t think I was thinking straight last night, so . . .put it this way, I guess everything worked out for the best. So, just forget about it alright?"

"Molly, can you take the patient in two?" Kerry said, interrupting them.

"Sure," Molly said.

"We can talk later, okay?" Carol said to Molly.

"Great," Molly said walking to exam room two.

1:35 PM

Molly sat in the lounge sipping her Diet Coke. Maybe it was meant to be. It’s probably better this way, she thought to herself. Someone broke her silence.

"You off?" Kerry said.

"No, just taking a break."

"Yeah, me too," Kerry said, pouring a cup of coffee. "Tough day?"

"Not to bad," she said. She looked up at Kerry, seeing that her face showed concern. "Why?"

"Don’t know. You just look kinda disappointed about something today. You okay?"

"Yeah, just . . .personal problems," Molly responded.

"Oh. Well, if you want to talk . . ."

Molly decided against it. She had already told two colleagues about her Carter troubles and didn’t need to alert any more. Also, he did live in her house. "Nah, I’m fine. Thanks anyway," she said, smiling at her.

"Okay. I better get back out there."

"Okay. Thanks again," Molly said. God, Molly, get over it, she thought to herself. Even Kerry was recognizing something was wrong. Try and pull yourself together. It’s not the end of the world, she reassured herself even though her heart felt different.

2:27 PM

Carter finally woke up. God, what time was it, he thought to himself. He looked at the clock, and then panicked. Molly! He had slept through it! He was in so much trouble. She must think I hate her, he thought. She must hate me. What time did she say she was on until? Only three. He had just over half an hour to get to the ER. What am I just doing sitting here, he thought. I’m going to miss her! He grabbed some clothes to change into and ran to the bathroom.

3:01 PM

"See ya tomorrow, guys," Molly said.

"Bye, Molly," a few scattered people said.

She walked out to her car. All she wanted to do is go home, take a nice, warm bath, and watch TV the rest of the afternoon. And forget about the morning.

Stupid accident! You’re making me late! There had been a car wreck. Carter only hoped that Molly would get tied up for some reason.

3:28 PM

"Carol!" Carter called out to the first person in sight. "Is . . . is . . ." He had to slow down to catch his breath.

"Is what?" Carol asked.

"Is Molly still here?"

"No, she left a half-hour ago. Why?" she asked, seeing his saddened expression.

"Shit. Okay, thanks," Carter walked away.

Carol ran out of the ER. "Carter?" He turned. "What . . .what happened this morning?"

"This morning?"

"Yeah, Molly told me, but I’m sworn to secrecy. So, what happened? She wouldn’t tell me."

"I, uh, I overslept."

"Carter!"

"I didn’t mean to! I had just pulled two long shifts in a row."

"Well . . .that explains a lot."

"What?"

"She just seemed, I don’t know, sad or something earlier. I was just wondering."

"Oh, great. She hates me. I just know it."

"Carter, calm down."

"What am I going to do? She’s never going to speak to me again."

"Carter!" Carol said. "Listen . . .you’ll find her. Don’t you have her address?"

"Yeah, at home," he groaned. "I better go get it."

"Carter?"

"Hmmm?"

"You’ll be okay," Carol said, smiling at him.

Molly grabbed her bowl of pasta and sat down on the couch. She turned on the TV finding only boring talk shows, after-school cartoons, or confusing soap operas. She finally settled on watching open-heart surgery on The Learning Channel. She was starving, never getting breakfast, except for her coffee, or lunch. Ah, the joys of working in an ER. She had eaten about three forkfuls when she heard the doorbell. Now, who in the world could it be? "Coming," Molly called to the mystery person at the door. She turned off the TV and set down her food. She then walked to the door and opened it, only to find none other than Carter. "Carter?" she said.

"Hi. I don’t mean to intrude like this or whatever, but . . ."

"Nonsense, um, come on in," she said letting Carter in. She then realized that she was wearing her bathrobe. "Just, ah, give me a minute to get dressed. Be right back," she said disappearing down the hallway. Carter had always wanted to look in the room that was at the end of that hallway. Her room. It was a mystery or something. Carter, behave yourself, he told himself. He sat down on a chair. Molly walked back out, now fully dressed, and sat down on the couch.

"I’m sorry," Carter said.

"For what?"

"For, um, oversleeping this morning. I just woke up an hour ago. I had two twelve hour shifts in a row."

"That’s alright, I understand."

"And for yesterday."

"Yesterday."

"Yeah, it was totally uncalled for and-"

"No, that’s as much my fault too. I shouldn’t have freaked out."

"You wouldn’t have freaked out if I didn’t do it."

"You wouldn’t have done it unless you wanted to." Whoa. She had got him there. "I always have the last say, Carter," she said smiling. "It’s my fault too though. I, well, don’t trust men much in the relationship area."

"Why?" Carter asked. Carter, it’s none of your business.

"Well, ah . . .my last boyfriend, um, how can I put this nicely? He raped me. That’s where my two darling children came from."

"Wow, sorry I brought it up," Carter said.

"I don’t know why I freaked out you know? I mean, he’s dead, so I don’t have any reason to be afraid of every man I see."

"Dead?"

"Yeah. When I told him that I was going to report it, he was afraid of what his mother would think and drove his car into a canal. Real nutcase if you couldn’t tell. Anyway, enough of that."

"Yeah. Um, so, what now?"

"Well, I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Well, I hope I didn’t ruin our friendship with that kiss."

"So, you want to just stay friends then?"

"No . . .I mean, yes! I mean . . .I don’t’ know what I mean."

"Aww, poor Carter’s confused?" Molly said, smiling.

"It’s not funny!"

"You’re not looking at your face," she said, trying to contain her laughter. "I’m sorry," she said laughing. "It’s just that you didn’t see your face."

"Hey! It’s not that funny!" Carter said. "I’ll get you for that."

"What are you going to do?" Molly asked, still laughing.

"You know, you told me where you’re ticklish," Carter said walking over to the couch.

"Carter, stay away! Stay away from my feet Carter. Carter!" she said still laughing.

"Not until you say you’re sorry," he said laughing with her.

To his surprise, she leaned over and kissed him. As they broke away, she whispered, "Sorry."

"Forgiven," Carter said as he moved closer. Their lips met again. All of the sudden, the telephone rang. "Ignore it," Molly said as Carter began to unbutton her shirt. The telephone rang again. And again. "Maybe you should get that," Carter whispered. Molly got up from the couch and cursed the caller for interrupting her and Carter. She also cursed her answering machine for not working.

"Hello? Jerry, what do you want? No . . . no, I won’t Jerry . . . Jerry, I won’t come in . . . Jerry, I have to go. Tell them to call someone else, I’m busy . . . I did my time . . . yeah, all right. See ya Jer," Molly said hanging up the phone. "I thought he would never leave us alone. So . . . where were we?" Molly asked sitting down on the couch.

"I think right here," Carter said, finding her lips with his.

"You know, maybe we should continue this in my bedroom . . ." Molly whispered in his ear.

"Lead the way."

Tuesday, 9:49 PM

Molly smiled to herself as she looked at Carter. He looked so peaceful sleeping next to her. She leaned up and kissed his forehead. Just as she settled back down to sleep, the doorbell rang. Molly grabbed her bathrobe from the chair close to the bed and ran to the door. What now?

She opened the door to find who else but Jack, Mady, and Caitlyn. A strange look crossed her face. "Hey guys . . . weren’t you getting back tomorrow morning?"

"We came back early! Did you miss us?" Mady asked.

"Of course. Shh, calm down, people are sleeping. Guys, it is way past your bedtime. You can tell me about everything in the morning. I’m really tired, so guess what time it is?"

"Bedtime?" Jack asked.

"Bingo. In you go. Goodnight, see you in the morning."

Jack and Mady headed to their room. "So? How was your vacation?" Caitlyn asked.

"Fine. Now, if you don’t mind," Molly said, pointing to the door.

"Aww, come on. I can’t stay a few minutes?"

"I’ll give you three."

"Why are you so tired? Were you on a long time?"

As perfect timing as it was, Carter walked out wearing only his boxers. Not seeing her sister, he said, "Molly, what are you doing? Come back to-" Carter stopped when he saw the company they had.

After a slight pause, Molly said, "Well, this is embarrassing."

"Okay, well, I got my answer," Caitlyn said walking to the door. Molly followed her, and Caitlyn said, "Do you want me to take the kids to my house so you-"

"Goodbye, Caitlyn," Molly said interrupting her. Molly shut the door behind her. "Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance," she told Carter, smiling.

"Sorry about that. Can you ever forgive me?" Carter said, returning the smile.

"Ah, well, maybe. You’d have to prove yourself worthy of forgiveness first."

"And how would I do that?"

"Why don’t I show you . . ."

Wednesday, 12:53 AM

Molly smiled as she watched Carter sleep. She found it very enjoyable. As she lay her head back upon his chest, she thought back over the day’s events, the surprises she had encountered. She had never liked surprises very much before today, but today’s had been very likable. She only hoped any surprises to come would be just as wonderful.