The Right Match
Part Five - Rules Are Made to be Broken
By Lisa Brown
ERDrLewis@aol.com
"John? What’s going on?" Roxanne asked impatiently.
"C’mon, Roxanne, let’s step outside a moment . . ." Carter said, noticing that he couldn’t ask Lucy to step out of the room, since she was only wearing one of his old shirts.
They walked out the front door. "So, John, is this what I think it is?"
"Umm . . . well, what do you think it is?"
"John, you are fully capable of figuring out what I’m thinking of."
"Well . . . kinda . . . let’s take a walk," Carter said. He couldn’t just break up with her. He was going to have to go about this carefully.
That little bitch! He was so worried about hurting her feelings, and then he had found this out! It turned out that there was no conference, she was just off having a little fun with someone she had been . . . well, "having a little fun" with for the past two weeks. He was ancient history. He certainly didn’t feel bad about what he and Lucy did now. Hey, at least they’re both happy, Carter thought as he walked back to the apartment. And at least she’s gone.
Lucy nervously waited back at Kerry’s. What was he telling her? Was he finally going to tell her the truth that he really wanted to be with Lucy? Or was that just what Lucy thought? Maybe last night meant nothing to Carter . . . she hoped not. It had meant something to her. Oh, god, what was Lucy going to do? She turned the stove on. She was going to make herself some breakfast even if Carter might not want any anymore. She was just confused.
"Lucy?" It was Carter. Was this good or bad?
"Hmm?"
"Hey," Carter said, walking up behind her.
"Hey. So, where’s Roxanne?"
"Gone."
"You . . . umm . . ."
"Break up with her? I’m not sure if I broke up with her or she broke up with me . . . but the point is, she’s gone."
"Good . . .no offense."
"None taken."
"You still want eggs?"
"Sure," Carter said. He smiled. Lucy smiled back. There was an awkward silence. Both were trying to figure out what should happen next. Lucy walked over to the cupboard and got out two plates.
"Here you go," Lucy said, putting the eggs on the two plates. She turned the oven off. "So . . ."
"So . . . what now?"
"You read my mind," Lucy said. "Well . . . I was hoping for a relationship of some sort . . . but if you want something else," Lucy said quickly, seeing the look on his face.
"No! That’s what I was hoping for too . . ."
"But what about the rules?"
"Well, you know what they say, Luc, rules are made to be broken." They both laughed. "We’ll just have to be really careful, if that’s alright with you," Carter said, smiling.
"We can be careful . . . you want the rest of the eggs?" Lucy asked.
"Nah, you have them."
Lucy reached from her chair for the pan with the eggs and dropped it. The pan landed right in Lucy’s lap. "Owww!" Lucy yelped.
Carter grabbed the scalding pan from Lucy and ran to the refrigerator and got out an ice pack. "Here, put this on where it burned. You going to be alright?"
Lucy winced as Carter put the ice on her upper right thigh. "Yeah, I’ll be alright."
"You better have me take a look at that."
"Yes, doctor," Lucy said as she smiled. Carter smiled back and leaned over to place a kiss on her cheek.
"Let me see . . ." Carter said, examining her leg. "Wow, that looks pretty bad. Keep the ice on it. When are you on?"
"Two hours . . . you?"
"One and a half. Your psych rotation going okay?"
"Yeah. Did you hear about the kid I saw?"
"Yes, Miss Psychiatrist you! Good job. You coming back to the ER soon?"
"Yeah. I only have two more days in psych. Then I’m back with you guys."
"Good. We missed you down there." There was a pause.
"So . . . " Lucy said. "I guess ‘careful’ will just have to be my middle name."
"Mine too." Carter smiled at Lucy. "You on long?"
"Only ‘til eight . . . why?"
"Well, I’m off at eight thirty and if you aren’t doing anything, I was kinda hoping we could get together."
"And what did you have in mind for us to do?" Lucy asked with a smile.
"Well . . . I’m sure we could figure something out . . ."
Lucy had been back in the ER for a week now. The two of them had kept their relationship under wraps so far. Carter hadn’t told Kerry of his breakup with Roxanne, so Kerry didn’t suspect anything. Jerry did though. They hadn’t given any signals to prove him right, he just thought something was going on between them ever since the incident in the ER. It was about one AM and they were both on. They hadn’t seen much of each other all night though.
"Jerry?" Carter asked.
"Hmm?"
"What exam room is open? I’m going to try to get a little sleep."
"Uh, two is, I think."
"Thanks," Carter said walking off. A few moments later, Lucy came up.
"Lucy, you look a little tired. You can try and get some sleep. We’ll let you know if we need ya," Mark said.
"Thanks. I think I’ll take you up on that offer. What room’s open, Jerry?"
Jerry smiled. "I think two is Lucy."
Lucy gave him an odd look and then proceeded to two. She opened the door only to find none other than Carter. She was very tempted to hop in that small patient bed with him, but she remembered where she was. She pulled herself together and walked out. "Jerry, Carter’s in exam two. What else is open?"
