The Right Match
Part Four - Do Friends Do This?
By Lisa Brown
ERDrLewis@aol.com
I love you, please say
You love me too, these three words
They could change our lives forever
And I promise you that we will always be together
Till the end of time
Carter was sitting at a booth at Doc Magoo’s. He was on in twenty minutes-no, nineteen, and he was just getting a quick breakfast. A bagel and coffee. He was sitting at a booth, all by his lonesome, when Lucy walked in. I do need to talk to her, Carter thought. Maybe then I’ll be able to get some sleep.
Lucy walked up to the booth. "This seat taken?"
"Nope."
The both started to talk at once. They realized it and laughed. "You first," Lucy said.
"OK. I’m really sorry about the way I acted the other day. I was kinda a jerk," Carter told her.
"Ditto for me. Sorry about blowing up on you."
"Friends?"
"Friends." Lucy replied. Friends. Nothing more, nothing less. "So, where’s Roxanne? Don’t you usually have breakfast with her?" Lucy asked, changing the subject.
"She had to go to some insurance conference in Boston. How about Dale? Why are you alone?"
"He went to his brother’s wedding. Why?"
"Well, since we’re both alone, how about getting dinner tonight? As *friends*. Or are you busy?"
"Friends can do that," Lucy said as she smiled. "No, I’m not on. I pulled my long shift over the weekend. Dinner sounds great!"
"No problem. My treat."
"Hey! Okay, then-where are you taking me?" Lucy said, grinning.
"Surprise. Wear something somewhat nice," Carter replied, grinning back. "What time are you off?"
"Eight."
"Okay, I’ll meet you out at the front of the ER around then? I have to go now though, I’m on. So, see you soon," Carter said.
"Parking lot at eight. Bye!"
Carter walked out of Doc Magoo’s. There. He asked her out. Although, she thought that they were only friends, he had still done it. Anyway, he did want to still be friends with Lucy. At least that wouldn’t get him fired.
I must be crazy now
Maybe I dream too much
But when I think of you
I long to feel your touch
To whisper in your ear
Words that are old as time
Words only you would hear
If only you were mine
Carter was only on until six, so he went home and took a shower. Kerry had told him that she wouldn’t be home until late. That was good. She wouldn’t wonder where he was. She knew that Roxanne was out of town. He thought.
Just friends. They were just friends. He had to keep telling himself that, for fear of what would happen if he didn’t. Because he wanted them to be more. So, they were just friends. Friends. Gosh, he thought, trying to change the subject, I had better get going or I’m going to be late.
Where is he, thought Lucy. Well, he’s only five minutes late. Damn it, why did they have to be "just friends"? It drove her nuts. Why? Why when she knew that they both wanted so much more? Even if he wouldn’t admit it, she knew from that kiss they had in the exam room. She could tell. Damn it! Before she could continue the conversation with herself, she realized that she had forgot she had left her keys in her locker. She didn’t want to have another fiasco with her keys again, so back she trudged, up to the surgical floor to get her keys.
Hmmm, despite the fact that he was ten minutes late, it seemed that Lucy was too. He picked up his car phone. He dialed the number to Zucarelli’s. Zucarelli’s was a nice little Italian restaurant that a family friend owned.
"Hey, Dan. It’s John. Yeah, I just wanted to check on the reservations I made earlier. Yep, eight-thirty. Okay thanks!" Whew. At least they would eat. What was keeping her? If Benton was making her stay late, he would have his head later on.
Lucy decided to go out the ER. It was quicker than any other route.
"Hey, Lucy, hot date?" Chuni asked. "I thought Dale was out of town." Chuni smiled, thinking that she knew where Lucy was going.
"I’m just going out to dinner with a friend, Chuni. Don’t get your hopes up!"
"Hey, the sooner you break up with Dale the better. I just think he’s a creep, no offense."
"None taken." Lucy was only still with Dale for one reason-it made Carter jealous. Heh. The more jealousy, the more likely for Carter to give in. She was going to break up with Dale sooner or later anyway. "Bye, Chuni," Lucy said. She had better get going or she would be late.
Where was she? Carter drove around the parking lot again. Then he saw her. She looked…like she wanted to be more than friends too. The words of his tenth grade health teacher were ringing in his ears, "You must learn how to resist temptations!" Carter recalled he must have been absent that day. She was wearing a flowered skirt and a white blouse. She looked very irresistible.
"Hey! You look nice. So, where are we going?" Lucy asked as she got in the car.
"Thanks. You look nice too. You like Italian food?"
"One of my favorites!"
"Good…."
I wish I could go back to the very first day I saw you
Should've made my move when you looked in my eyes
'Cause by now I know that you'd feel the way that I do
And I'd whisper these words as you'd lie here by my side
Carter had to admit he had had a good time. They had ate dinner, talked, and, well, been friends. Now they were just sitting and drinking coffee. It was almost ten.
"What time are you on tomorrow?" Carter asked.
"Not until the afternoon. You?"
"Same," Carter replied. He paid the bill and they walked out. The restaurant was on the pier.
"Hey, you want to take a walk? I don’t necessarily want to go back to my dorm now," Lucy said.
"I’m not in a hurry to get home either," Carter confessed.
So they walked around some more. Finally, Lucy said, "Carter, I have to tell you something."
"Hmm?"
"Okay….you know what we were talking about earlier, about the just friends thing? I don’t know if I can do that. I mean, that kiss we had, I felt something there, and I know that we could get in trouble-Carter? Carter, are you listening?"
Carter had been collecting his thoughts. He wasn’t quite sure what to do.
"Carter? Say something."
Carter just leaned over and drew Lucy towards him. Their lips met as they stood in silence. As they broke away, Lucy said, "But, hospital policy-"
"Screw hospital policy."
They kissed again. Carter sure hoped no one they knew was around. But that thought was soon pushed from his head.
"Is Kerry still at work?" Lucy whispered.
"Yes…I think that we better go back to her place…soon."
"I agree."
"I have a question Carter," Lucy asked when they got in the car. "Do friends do this?"
Carter just turned and smiled.
Carter couldn’t remember a time when he had driven so fast. He sure hoped that Kerry hadn’t gotten home early. That would present a problem.
Well maybe I, I need a little love yeah
And maybe I, I need a little care
And maybe I, maybe you, maybe you, maybe you
Oh you need somebody just to hold you
If you do, just reach out and I'll be there
Kerry came back bright and early in the morning. She was humming to herself as she walked in.
"Carter?" No answer. Probably still downstairs. Kerry wasn’t on all day and was thrilled to have it all to herself, no work. All of her charts were done.
She was in a great mood and decided to make some breakfast. She went to the fridge and got out some eggs. Ah ha! She could make her famous French toast. She had just enough eggs in case Carter wanted some. She decided that she would go down and ask him. She turned the oven on and walked down to the basement stairs.
She opened the door and saw not only Carter, but a blonde head of hair lying next to him in the bed. She quickly left. She could have sworn that Roxanne was out of town. Maybe she got back early. Oh, well, more French toast for her!
Carter woke up and heard Kerry clamoring around in the
kitchen upstairs. He hoped that she hadn’t come down there.
He leaned over and kissed Lucy gently on the cheek.
"Hey, good morning," she responded.
"Good morning to you too," Carter said. He smiled. "I’ll be right back. I hear Kerry up there and I don’t want her to walk in."
"Good morning Carter! How are you this morning?"
"Great. Yourself?"
"Couldn’t be better! Did Roxanne come home early?"
"Hmm?"
Kerry turned to him and gave him a sheepish look. "I, um, walked in earlier and saw the two of you asleep. I just assumed that she was back."
"Oh…yeah, she got in last night. She got in late, so she’s still asleep. You got anything left?"
"Sorry. I used the last of it. Actually, I think I have two or three eggs left, but you can’t cook anything anyway, if I recall."
Carter laughed. "Yeah, you’re right. Are you off all day?"
"Yep! I’ll try and stop by the store later and pick some stuff up. When do you get on?"
"Six tonight."
"Okay, well, I’ll do the dishes later too. I’m off. I have to do a few errands. See you later. Take Roxanne out for breakfast," Kerry said.
"I will," Carter replied. He watched her leave and waited a few moments to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.
He walked down to the basement. "The coast is clear. She left."
"Ah. C’mere," Lucy said as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him down on the bed. "How about a double take of last night?"
"I could go for that…."
"Hey, what can you do with three eggs?"
"You’d be amazed. Let me use the bathroom and I’ll meet you upstairs in the kitchen."
Carter walked upstairs. He was getting the three eggs out of the fridge, when the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find none other than Roxanne.
"Hey, you! Surprise! I came back early! You’re not on till tonight, right?"
"Uh, yeah, Roxanne we have to talk…."
"What is it?"
"Hey, Carter, where do you keep the-" Lucy trailed off when she saw Roxanne.
"Lucy? Is that you? John, you have some explaining to do. I’d do it pretty fast too."
"Um, like I said Roxanne we need to talk."
I love you, please say
You love me too, these three words
They could change our lives forever
And I promise you that we will always be together
Till the end of time
