TITLE: Winning the Cup
AUTHOR: Miesque
RATING: PG-15 (mild language, sexual situations)
SETTING: Season Seven (aka "Season of the Pod People") into Season
Eight.  Luka has long since broken up with Droopy McHangdog (a.k.a.,
Abby Lockhart) and is Alone Again (naturally...)
CATEGORY: Luka Kovac/cast.  Romantic/comedy/drama, vague spoof of
'Bridget Jones's Diary'...may be rather humorous, may be angsty, may
end with a nuclear bomb wiping out all of Chicago...who knows?
ARCHIVE: If you must, but please inform author. :)

SPOILERS: For Season Seven and Wishful Thinking for Season Eight
PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS: Starter Pistols and Sex Diaries; Fishin' for
the Runnin'; Heat Stroke; Grocery Store Cowboy; Cheesecake and Whine;
Times Of Your Life; I Want A Cave Man, I Want A Brave Man!; A Bigger
Mousetrap; Bless Me, Father; For I Am About to Sin; Out On A Ledge;
Have An Egg Instead; Charity; The Devil Cuts Loose; Toads and
Falsehoods; Ready to Go; Saying Goodbye; Crazy From the Heart; Danger;
Forty Black Balloons; Partied Out; Young Men Coming Aus; Price Check;
Going Once...; Check, Please; Eighteen Patients and a Dozen Roses;
Life Is Good; A Handful of Pebbles; The Horror...the Horror; Gumballs
and Gurneys; It's Not the Flu; Thud; Hvratska and Cymru Celebrate
Christmas; Snow Business; New Year's Dissolutions; Into Sisters;
Sometimes You're the Windshield; Kovac Pride; Nuptuality; The Trouble
With Harold; The Mummy-in-Law Returns; What's In A Name?; Show Me The
Way; Where Is Aruba?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to Ellen Hursh for editing and several 2AM
brain-storming sessions.



2 March 2002

9:50PM  Back from the honeymoon!  Strange to have empty pages in my
diary, but oh well.  V. tired and contented and slightly oversexed.
Have appt. Monday w/ Dr. Coburn to check progress of babies, who did
quite a bit of kicking over the past week, as their parents were v.
active.  Sex so good we NAMED it!!!  Luka invented v. interesting
Indoor Activities, I should say.

We found out, when we ventured down to the dining room one afternoon,
that Aruba is off the coast of Venezuela.  Evidently, our flight took
us somewhere near the Bermuda Triangle and it's quite amazing that I'm
here.  But otherwise a v. nice holiday and Monday Luka and I both back
to work.  But not only v. tired, but rather sleepy so shall turn in
and hope to catch up on all the gossip when Jing-Mei calls Sunday
morning.



3 March 2002

8:52AM  Getting ready for church.  Heel broke off my shoe.  Ugh.

9:03AM  About to leave.  Dressed in respectable "Pregnant
Executive"-type suit, peach-coloured and Luka says it looks smashing.
I think I look like the Giant Peach from "James and the Giant Peach".
Luka growling that if I don't come on he's going to leave me on the
kerb whether I look like a giant peach or not.

12:25PM Jing-Mei phoned and informed me that Luka and I are invited to
dinner at her flat Monday evening, where she will introduce Luka to
(the unfortunate) Michael McManness, who has already endured meeting
her parents and appears to have survived the experience without too
much mental scarring.  Luka, however, is another matter.

"It's like having a big goofy older brother," Jing-Mei said.
"Oh...and boy do I have some amazing news about Dr. Weaver!"

"What?"  Am chewing on a croissant.  Luka has collapsed into bed.  I
think he has a headcold.

"Well, that cousin of yours...Sir Gary something..."

"Sir Griffith Morgan," I correct her. 

"Yeah.  Whatever.  Well, I heard from a reliable source that Kerry was
seen leaving his hotel the morning after your wedding!  And here I
thought she was gay!"

"She's not gay.  Of that I can assure you."

"Really?  How did you know?"

Hrmph.  Like I'm going to tell anyone about *that*.  "Uh...it doesn't
matter.  I take it he's still in town?  I haven't heard from him..."

"Yeah.  He's still in town.  Dr. Weaver's been...well, her usual self,
really.  Just as micromanagerial as ever.  But she's all lit up and
looks happy."

Kerry Weaver in love with my cousin?  Hadn't thought about the in-law
angle before.  I mean, Dad's father was Griffith's first cousin.  Or
something.  I'm confused and tired and genealogical matters always
baffled me.  After regular cousin comes 1st, 2nd, 3rd cousin, cousins
removed, cousins detached, cousins-in-law, cousins we'd rather not
claim and Imagined Ties to Royal Family.  But really ought to get
genealogy in order for baby books.  Luka scribbled out some info for
me as I was trying to fill out family tree charts.  This is what I
have:

Luka Kovac, born 9 September 1962 in Sibenik, Croatia

Grandfather: Andrej Kovac, born 7 June, 1935 in Sibenik, Croatia; died
22 August 2001 in Chicago, IL, USA

Grandmother:  Natalija Novosel, born 7 September 1939 in Split,
Croatia; died 4 May 1980 in Sibenik, Croatia.

Paternal Great-Grandfather: Vedran Kovac, born 5 February 1909 in
Sibenik, Croatia; died 12 July 1944 somewhere in France (worked w/
French Resistance and was shot by Nazi firing squad)

Paternal Great-Grandmother: Jasna Miljavac, born 15 July 1913 in
Sibenik, Croatia; died 11 May 1977 in Sibenik, Croatia.

Maternal Great-Grandfather: Petar Novosel, born c. 1860 on Korcula.

Maternal Great-Grandfather: [Luka is not exactly a font of information
about
his family...muttered that her maiden name may have been Dracul, which
I did
not appreciate]

Alexandra Marie verch Thomas Morgan, born 3 April, 1973 in Ilfracombe,
Devonshire, UK (home of beach resorts, large pale men wearing Speedos
and Brannams Pottery, where I worked as a teenager and was screamed at
by a nasty French tourist)

Grandfather: Thomas Llewellyn ap Gawain Morgan, born 10 October, 1945
in Cardiff, Wales.

Paternal Great-Grandfather: Gawain ap Thomas Morgan, born 1 July 1900
in
Cardiff, Wales; died 6 February 1989 in Cardiff, Wales

Paternal Great-Grandmother: Anne verch Gwilam Morgan, born 6 January
1912
in London, died 26 October 1991 in Cardiff, Wales.

Grandmother: Althea Marie Fraser, born 9 August, 1947 in Birmingham,
AL, USA

Maternal Great-Grandfather: Jefferson Davis Lee Fraser, born 9
December 1919 in Birmingham, AL, USA; died 3 October 1999 in Biloxi,
MS.

Maternal Great-Grandmother: Alice Caroline Butler, born 11 July 1921
in Vicksburg, MS [still alive and terrorizing the staff at Green
Meadows Nursing Home in Richmond, VA]


Having great difficulty with Croatian names.  Luka in the kitchen now,
mumbling because the 'fridge is empty.  "Don't we have any grape
jelly?"

"Do you see any?"

"No."

"Then we don't have any."

He bangs the refrigerator shut, stomps into the dining room and sits
down opposite me.  "What are you doing?"

"Writing."  [hide diary under baby book]

"What?"

"Genealogy."

"Ah."

"I can't spell half of the names you gave me."

"What's so difficult about Grgr Strjpenic?" he says, drumming his
fingers.  He seems testy.  Then I notice he has that *look* in his
eyes.  The unrepentant goat.

I rolled my eyes at him.  "Very funny.  And I'm not going that far
back, thank God.  But apparently, Croatia suffered from a tragic vowel
shortage in the thirteenth century and never recovered."

"All our vowels left Croatia and migrated to Hawaii."

That made me start giggling.  "And don't forget Wales.  Ever heard of
the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch?"

"What the hell?!"

"In Welsh, it means 'The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white
hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio's of the red
cave'."

"Good God!"

"You are correct.  Or weren't you listening during services this
morning?"

He grins at me and gives me a peck on the cheek.  "I have a terrible
cold," he said miserably.  "I think I'll camp out on the couch, so you
won't catch it."

"Silly.  Oh, by the way...we really should start looking for a new
car."

"Bloody hell!"

"What?"

"I know what you'll want.  Something racy and in red.  No way.  We'll
be getting a nice, safe, sturdy car with all kinds of safety
features."

"In red, at least?" I giggle.  "Come on, Luka.  We aren't Middle-Aged
Farts *yet*.  We'll go car-shopping this week.  How about it?"

Luka grumbles for a moment, knowing that we're going to have a Serious
Battle.  But I can tell he's looking forward to it.  I have to give
the man *some* fun, after all.  And I can already see a gleam in his
eyes.  What is it about men and cars?  Perhaps he will want a
Babemobile.  Yet it's strange that I'll want something flashy and
exciting and he'll want something sensible and *safe* (that is,
*boring*).  I know!  We'll buy a model of the Batmobile!  All kinds of
safety features and...

Oh never mind.  Luka snoring on the couch.  His cold really has gotten
bad.  It's settled in his head.  He's been bleary and grumpy all day.
The flight back home really didn't help, the poor thing.  Shall make
him a hot toddy, even though it is unfortunate that he cannot hold his
liquor well and he'll be asleep 'til tomorrow.

I'm at waddling stage now.  Quite depressing, as my back aches and my
ankles hurt and I'm getting an interesting set of veins on my legs.
But it's interesting to waddle.  I'm trying to learn how to waddle in
a dignified manner, or at least a way that does not elicit laughter.
Going to practice my technique.  Luka said yesterday evening that it
would come to me.  Writing as I walk about.

10:40AM  Oh.  My.  God.

10:45AM  Am utterly stunned.  Dave and Steve brought home a *girl*.
Closed windows, pulled down blinds.  Why would they go and destroy a
beautiful homosexual relationship with a tawdry three-way?

I suppose I am rather old-fashioned.  But Dave didn't exactly strike
me as the "constant" sort.  Oh my.  Shan't tell Luka about this.  He's
already got a pounding headache and bad cold.  Horrifying revelations
really not a good thing for a man with a virus.  Get out Automobile
and Real Estate sections from newspaper and begin poring over
listings.  Ooo...a Corvette!  Can just hear Luka growling, "When hell
freezes over!"  Also spotted an advert for a four-bedroom house in
suburbs that really should be looked at, as a starter.  This flat
getting v. cramped and when twins are born it will be even *more*
cramped.



4 March 2002

8:15AM  Was on time for work!  Fully expected some kind of Day of
Remembrance being declared ("Dr. Alexandra Morgan arrived at work on
time, prepared, fully awake, alert and coherent.")  Was greeted with a
smile by Jing-Mei and even by Dr. Carter, who asked me kindly how my
honeymoon had gone.  Informed him that all went v. well, which seemed
to please him.

9:12AM  My first patient of the day.  A man with strange scars on his
penis, and none too pleased to have a woman treating his condition.
Ask him what the problem is.  He won't answer.
"Mr. P-, how did you get those scars on your penis?" I ask him several
times, until finally he answered.

"My wife tried to...uh...you know.  Ever heard of John Wayne Bobbitt?"

"Your wife is John Wayne Bobbitt?" I asked, confused.  "I don't..."

"No...Lorena Bobbitt.  She cut off her husband's...you know."

"Oh."  Oh dear.  Must be only British woman alive who has little
interest in tabloids.  Barely knew Princess Diana was dating Dodi al
Fayed, for God's sakes.  Only knew because Alice is royalty mad and
reads everything about Windsors.

"So she waited 'til I was asleep and...well, I woke up in time.  She's
outside waiting...she's really pissed, you know?"

"Why did she try to...uh..."

"Is it that important?"

"Well, no."

Just then, door to exam room bursts open and a shockingly small blonde
woman hurled herself at him, screaming.  "You bastard!  I swear I'm
gonna *kill* you!"

Well, at least she's not going to cut off his penis *before* she kills
him.  But I call security anyway.  He must have done something
*really* bad.  Then she starts ranting.  "I was gonna cut it off!  I
really was gonna cut it off, you filthy bastard!  Only I was gonna do
a better job that Lorena Bobbitt...I wasn't going to make the mistake
she made.  I was gonna make sure the police wouldn't be able to find
it...you cheat on me and you pay for it!!!"

Quite an interesting woman and I felt sorry for her.  Mr. P- refused
to answer further questions, and I actually feel bad for him, too.
I've dealt with men who have serious problems in That Area, and
usually I defer to male doctors out of a sense of decency and
sympathy.  Really...what man wants to talk to a woman about being
impotent or other problems like that?  And when your wife tries to cut
your penis off, do you really want to talk to a female doctor about
it?

Sadly, Mr. P-'s situation will only get worse.  He won't be able to
screw for at least a few more months.  But he is going to *get*
screwed in divorce court.

Called for security to take Mrs. P- away, and for psych consults for
both of them.  Narrowly avoided tragedy...or embarrassing situation
that later would result in Mr. P- having brief career in porn films
and being "15 Minute National Laughingstock".



Luka arrived at work Monday morning to a strange scene.  Two men, one
dressed as a pig, the other as some kind of fish, were fighting just
inside the ambulance bay.  Wondering why no one had called security
yet, Luka gingerly stepped around them and headed up to the desk,
where he was greeted enthusiastically by Chuny.

"Hey, Dr. Kovac!  How was your honeymoon?"

"Rainy."

"Did you ever leave the hotel room?" Haleh asked, winking at him.

"Well...uh...hey, what's with the fish and the pig?"

"Contract dispute," Carter said as he whizzed by, grabbing a chart and
heading into exam three.

"Wait...don't tell me...they're fighting over who gets to be the
hospital mascot, right?" Luka asked, looking back out to see the Pig
sitting on the Fish's back, beating him with what appeared to be a
rolled-up posterboard.

"Don't ask," Haleh shook her head.  "We're just lettin' 'em fight.  No
use interfering.  Security never comes 'til somebody's already been
shot anyway."

"Of course!" Luka said as he signed in.  "Not like security is ever
supposed to be on the ball around here...but have a trauma room ready,
anyway.  Where's Kerry, by the way?"

"In her office, last I knew."

Luka wanted to ask how she was doing, but decided against it.  He
would find out soon enough, he supposed.  As for the fish and the pig,
he gave them another glance, then walked away toward Kerry's office,
muttering about contract disputes and the price of a bush hog on the
hoof.



It was almost three o'clock before Luka saw Kerry.  She was crutching
after a man who had escaped from exam two and was running naked down
the hall.  "Mr. Pomeroy!  Mr. Pomeroy, dammit, the nurse didn't even
touch you with the needle!  Come back here!"

Luka had already tolerated enough craziness from his patients.  Fish
had finally flattened Pig with a solid punch in the nose (fin to
snout?), and Luka had been tending to him when an MVA came rolling in
on the rig and he'd been forced to rush out to deal with that.
Returning, he'd found Pig playing with the medical
instruments...including doing something incredibly disgusting with a
speculum.  After berating the patient and throwing the speculum away,
Luka headed back out to the admit desk and was treated to the sight of
the naked Mr. Pomeroy racing down the hall, Kerry hot on his heels.

"Afraid of needles, is he?"

"Dammit!" Kerry snapped, banging her crutch against the front of the
desk.  "He was getting a simple tetanus shot."

"I don't think he's gonna get it today," Luka muttered.  "And it's
good to see you again, Kerry.  How've you been?"

She straightened her blouse self-consciously, then looked up at him.
"Fine."

"Really?  Glad to hear that."

"Yes.  Uh...can we talk later?  Mr. Pomeroy is currently flashing the
emergency department..."

"Oh...yeah.  Sure."

Kerry crutched away quickly, and Luka wondered what was going on.  He
didn't have time to speculate, because he was spotted by Jing-Mei, who
rushed over and hugged him enthusiastically.  "Oh, it is *so* good to
see you again!" she laughed.  "We've all missed you."

"Yeah.  So I hear.  Any big news?"

"News?" she said, eyeing him warily.  "Alexandra didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Kerry...well...uh...she's..."

"What?"

"Well, she's not gay."

"I knew that."

"You did?!"

"Of course I did."

"She *told* you she's not gay?!"

"Not in so many words..." Luka said, cursing under his breath.  "But
she's doing all right?"

"Oh, she's fine.  Learning Welsh, if the rumors are correct."

"Welsh?  Why would she be learning *Welsh*?  I'm the one that needs to
learn...wait a minute, did something happen while I was away?  Are you
telling me that she and...I mean..."

"I'm not telling!" Jing-Mei said.

"Oh, that's nice.  Give me a little...teaser and then leave me
hanging.  I can always count on you for that, *Mulan*!"

"Teaser?  Hey, only a truly unscrupulous and dishonest person would
take inside information and use it to display their own superiority
and make others feel lousy.  You know...the whole, 'Ooo, look at me, I
know what's gonna happen and you don't, neener neener neener!'.  And I
am no such person...people like that are obnoxious blowhards.  You'll
find out soon enough, anyway.

"When?  From who?  Kerry "My Private Life Is Just That...Private!"
Weaver?"

"She's gonna be at dinner tonight.  With...oh, damn, I'm being
*paged*!"

"Sure you are!" Luka snapped.  "I really hate it when you do this to
me, Jing-Mei.  You know that I care about Kerry and I want her to be
happy...so just *tell* me, dammit!"

"Nope."  She flashed him a brilliant smile, then dashed away,
giggling.  The rumors had been going around the hospital all week.  No
wonder Kim Legaspi had left for...where was that again?  San Diego?
Anyway, Dr. Legaspi had apparently heard the rumors very soon after
the affair between Kerry and Griffith had begun and was gone within
*days*, with hardly a good-bye.  Jing-Mei had actually seen Griffith
and Kerry together and had marvelled at the chemistry between
them-they always seemed to be touching each other, sharing glances and
little smiles.  And that had just been a brief moment Saturday
morning, when Griffith had dropped Kerry at the hospital.
But it had been obvious that Kerry Weaver was in very deep smit, at
the very least.

Luka watched Jing-Mei skitter away, groaned and headed after Kerry,
determined to get the information out of her.  He didn't need any
surprises today.  When you walk into work and see a fish and a pig
fighting outside the door, and then a naked man racing down the hall,
you don't need any more shocks to your system.



3:25PM  Jing-Mei and I ate late lunch at Doc Magoo's, looking in
newspaper at real estate ads.  Luka has circled several listings and
all look good.  Next weekend we shall go house-hunting.  Luka has
already hired an estate agent and set a price range.  V. excited about
possibility of owning property in America.  Immigrant Makes Good.

"This one looks nice," she says, pointing at an ad for a 5 BR, 3.5
bath, fnshd bsmnt Vict. wth wrprnd prch in 'burbs.  "Five bedrooms.  A
nice *starter* home."

"Very funny."

"I'm telling you, Alex.  You and Luka are going to have a whole *herd*
of kids.  It's inevitable.  And they're going to be so beautiful.
With Luka's eyes and your colouring...God.  Your daughters'll be tall
and willowy and dark, and the boys will be lady-killers."

"Luka will, no doubt, put his daughters in convents until they're
thirty."

"Wouldn't surprise me."

"A big house with a big back yard and a deck so you can have friends
over for barbeques.  Just make sure Luka does the grilling..."

I whack her on the head with the newspaper, and she laughs.  "I am
very certain that I can barbeque a steak...some day."

"Really, though, Alex.  What's it like, being married?"

"Okay.  Lovely, really.  He's a wonderful husband.  I'm not going to
talk about it...I'm too shy."

She rolls her eyes, and we collapse into fits of giggles. 

I am not, by nature, a philosophical person, or even a "deep" person.
But marriage is a v. serious committment, and I have every intention
of being the best wife and mother I can be.  I will make mistakes.  I
will say/do the wrong things.  I will do dumb things and get yelled at
by my husband.  I will try to remember that he is also human with
foibles and that he is not perfect (though he is perfect for me).  We
will argue, misunderstand each other, disagree on various things, but
I know he is sort who mates for life.  His first wife died.  I am his
second wife, and I have every intention of being his last wife.  I
made a vow a week ago and will keep it 'til my dying day.  There's no
going back on this vow.  No changing my mind.

Did not tell Jing-Mei the "name" we gave it.  Not really a name.  Just
a reference.  Only Luka and I know what it is, and sometimes I'll use
the reference and when I re-read this diary, years from now, I'll
count the number of times we won the Cup.



Kerry was too busy to call Griffith at five, as she'd planned.  She
kept looking at her watch during the meeting with Romano and Anspaugh,
anxious to get away but aware of the fact that these kinds of meetings
could drag on for an entire ice age.  Especially when Donald got into
a heated argument about finances with Robert.  Expenditures, budgets,
the cost of *meat* for the cafeteria.  She wished they'd just kiss,
for God's sake, and get the sexual tension over with, already, and
that made her giggle to herself.  Perhaps she was channeling Luka
today.  Kerry felt suspicious when Romano suggested getting meat from
a company she'd never heard of.  A company that imported meat from
*Australia*.  "Brumby's Meat Co."?   Kerry's stomach had lurched.
Brumbies? Aren't those wild horses in Australia?

Her watch was brand new-made with Italian intaglio glass, with a
crystal quartz and a soft black velvet band.  She fingered it
gingerly, delighted with the design.  Griffith had given it to her as
a "just because" gift.  The thought of him made her smile to herself,
and she was still smiling a little...goofily when Donald cleared his
throat.

"Kerry, did you hear my question?"

"Hmm?  Oh.  No.  I'm sorry, Donald, I was distracted..."

"By the time?" Robert snapped.  "I'm running late for a karate lesson.
 Donald was asking you about further ways of improving emergency
department efficiency."

Firing you? Kerry thought.  But she kept a tight rein on herself.
"Oh...well, Dr. Kovac did have an excellent idea a few months ago...I
told you about it, Donald.  That the med students could work with a
different resident and attending every week, thus giving them a wider
scope of experience.  I was thinking we could implement that idea when
the new med students come in September.  We already have a few
attendings and residents that have agreed to try it with the students
already here, and it seems to be working very well."

"Yes, that was a good idea," Donald nodded.  He had not worked with
Kovac a lot, but he had found the Croatian doctor competent,
intelligent, and-best of all-very serious about his work and
compassionate toward his patients.  Four things Anspaugh appreciated
most in a doctor.  He glanced at Romano, realizing that while Romano
was competent, intelligent, and serious he was totally lacking in the
fourth category.  "What do you think, Robert?"

"Whatever increases efficiency is fine with me," Romano muttered.  He
wished he'd thought up the idea himself, but he was willing to give
Luka the credit.  "I like efficiency."

Kerry remembered Luka's comment to her about the Nazis liking
efficiency, too.  She had been upset by it then, but now she realized
how truly amusing it had been.  Luka had a way of saying things
sometimes that made her laugh in spite of herself.  It still amazed
her how she was able to communicate with Luka in an almost telepathic
way.  She *rarely* had to ask him what he was going to do during a
trauma, and he almost never had to ask her.  From the start, they had
just clicked along like clockwork, never stepping on each other's
toes.  With Benton, Carter, Mark and the other doctors, she had to
snap out orders and ask questions.  With Luka, it was as if she'd
found a perfect working partner.

Glancing up at Robert, she briefly imagined him in a black SS
officer's uniform.  Give him a monocle and a cigarette holder, and
he's a shorter version of Colonel Klink, she thought.  "Well, if
that's all," she said.  "I have work waiting downstairs."

"Yeah, that's all," Robert said dismissively.  Kerry stood up, grabbed
her stack of papers and folders, and headed out into the hall.  She
punched the elevator button and waited, struggling to keep from
laughing.  The doors opened, and she came face-to-tie with Luka Kovac.
 He stared at her for a moment, then smiled.

"Hi."

"Oh.  Hello, Luka.  Did you have a nice honeymoon?"

"Yes.  It was...Jing-Mei said there was some important news about
you...I figured I should ask you first instead of standing around
getting tangled up in grapevines."

"Oh.  Yes.  I'm...uh..."  She stepped into the elevator and stood
beside Luka, nervously glancing up at him.  He was turned toward her,
and she had to tip her head back to look up at his face.  "I'm seeing
Griffith Morgan."

"Seeing?"

"Well...uh...yeah."

"How much of him are you seeing?"

"Luka, you're a married man!" she snapped.  "Why should this matter to
you?"

"I'm a married man who cares a lot about you," he said sincerely.  "I
don't want to see you hurt...again."  She saw a flash of guilt on his
face, and just like always, he lowered his head and started rubbing
his palm with his thumb.

"Luka...I'm grateful for your concern.  But I'm very much past
the...uh...hurt.  I'm moving on with my life.  And I think I've really
got a good shot at some kind of happiness with Griffith.  Maybe even
real happiness, instead of just a reasonable facsimile.  He's a very
good man.  I'm not lonely any more."

"You didn't like him at the reception," Luka said glumly, stuffing his
hands in his pockets.  They were almost at the emergency room floor.

Kerry grinned.  "I was playing hard to get."

"Oh, so that's how it's done!" Luka rolled his eyes.  "I should take
lessons."

"Too late.  You're already married and your wife is expecting twins.
'Hard to get' is out of the question for you now.  Oh.  By the way.
Alexandra asked me to be their godmother."

"Yes.  You'll do it, won't you?  We both really want..."

"I told her I'd do it."

"Good."

Kerry smiled up at him, and the doors opened.  Dave Malucci was
standing there, sucking on a lollipop.  The resident grinned at them,
wondering what was going on *here*.  Surely Kovac couldn't be back
from his honeymoon and already flirting with the ladies!

"Dr. Malucci, why are you getting on this elevator?" Luka asked.
"Aren't there patients in chairs?"

"Yeah, but I was headin' upstairs for a-..."

"Nope.  Get to work," Kerry shook her head, giving him a warning
glance before heading off to the desk.

"Already enjoyin' extracurricular female company, Dr. Kovac?" Dave
grinned.  "And only married a week!"

"Dave," Luka said, smiling sweetly, but with an icy tone.  "Do you
want to spend the rest of the year in traction?"

Malucci frowned.  He couldn't remember a lot about the bachelor party,
but what little he did remember was that Kovac was a formidable
fighter...he had, after all, taken on an absolutely gigantic biker,
then had been the only one with a cool head during a shootout.
Plus-and this was the true selling point for Dave-Kovac had killed a
man with his bare hands.

"Yeah.  I do seem to have a lot of patients in chairs.  See ya."  Dave
swaggered away, and Luka shook his head.  Dave was full of surprises.
Most of which Luka didn't really want to know about in the first
place.



11:30PM Recounting dinner at Jing-Mei's.  Interesting affair.  Felt
like spy, listening in on conversations, especially the one between
Luka and Michael.

We arrived on time (7:30PM) at Jing-Mei's, and we were greeted at the
door by Jing-Mei, who was gorgeous in a green dress, her hair swept
up.  She looks happy.  Am happy for her, too, as she deserves a nice,
sensible boyfriend.  Michael v. sensible.

Luka introduced to Michael and I watched for murder in my husband's
eyes.  Luka eyed him suspiciously, and I have premonition that any boy
dating a daughter of ours will go through hell.  They retire to the
living room and sit down, and I hang around in the dining room,
setting the table, getting everything ready, and eavesdropping.

"So," Luka said (their voices vaguely muffled, so I'm filling in gaps
sometimes).  "You're from Chicago?"

"No.  I'm actually from Inglewood, California."

"California, huh?" Luka's voice has an interestingly scratchy quality
when he's unhappy.  "What brought you to Chicago?"

"Umm...I-90?"

I could just imagine Luka's expression hardening.  He has a way of
striking terror into the hearts of med students and residents.  No
doubt he will be terrifying this man.

"You like Chicago?"

"Yes."

"How long have you been dating Jing-Mei?"

"A couple of months."

"Oh."  Sounds like Luka is standing up.  I glimpse him moving to
Jing-Mei's little wet bar, where he begins pouring drinks.  "That's
nice.  Would you like a drink?  If you hurt Jing-Mei, I'll break your
leg.  Is gin all right?"

"Huh?"

"I said, is gin all right?"

"Umm...yes.  Gin will be fine."

"Do you drink a lot?"

"No!"

"Do you get drunk often?"

"No!"

"So you do get drunk sometimes?"

"No!"

"Which is it?"

Feel I should step in before he asks Michael if he's stopped beating
Jing-Mei.  God.  "Luka?  Perhaps you could come help Jing-Mei with
dinner?"

"You help her."

"Are you sure you want me to help her?" I ask sweetly.  He glowers at
me for a moment, then heads into the kitchen.  I look at Michael, who
is ashen-faced.

"Who the hell is that guy?  A KGB interrogator?"

"Oh, no.  Just a big, over-protective guy in Daddy Mode."

"I'd pity his daughters!"

"I would too."

The doorbell rings and I rush to answer it.  Jing-Mei pokes her head
out the kitchen door.  "That'll be Kerry and Griffith."

Luka looks at me, then at Jing-Mei.  "They're coming too?"

"Yeppers," Jing-Mei nods, giving him a 'Behave or I'll Kill You With
These Chopsticks' look.
Luka glares at her, then heads into the foyer, where he stands, hands
on his hips, waiting like a gladiator about to face a tiger and
feeling not the least bit worried about who would win the battle.
He's adorable.  And nuts.

Kerry and Griffith come in, both a little nervous.  Apparently, this
is their first 'social' date (as opposed to, I would assume, the kinds
of dates they were having before now-dinner, movie, sex).  I lead them
into the living room, where Michael is still seated, recovering from
his interrogation.  He shakes Griffith's hand, then looks startled
when he realises Griffith is Kerry's date.  I watch as Griffith helps
Kerry to sit, smiling down at her.  Oh, God.  They are!  It's love!  I
don't believe it.  Well, yes, I do believe it.  Griffith is one of
those men, like Luka, that are v. easy to become besotted with.  And
Kerry looks besotted.  In fact, I swear she was blinking back tears.
Aww...they're so adorable together.

Luka, however, doesn't look quite so convinced.  He pours Griffith a
drink, then settles in his favourite chair, crosses his knees, and
stares at Griffith, then Michael.  I note that Griffith seems unfazed
(always a good soldier, Griffith) but Michael looks ready to crack and
start spilling state secrets at any minute.  "I know all the secret
codes to our bombs...just please don't hurt me!"

Dinner was finally ready and everyone trooped into the dining room.  I
think we had veal Prince Orloff.  Luka picked at his meal, apparently
unsure of who he should glare at more.  He is v. protective of
Jing-Mei and wants to make sure she is happy.  But Kerry is a
different matter.  He loves her in a different way...a special way.
It's not romantic love, but it's just as strong and unselfish.  He
wants the v. best for her, and will not compromise.  Thus, he finally
settles his gaze on Griffith.

"So, Griffith, how much longer will you be in Chicago?" he asks.

Griffith looks at Kerry.  "I don't really know.  I have an estate in
Wales, but my son is very capable of running it himself."

"You have three children, right?"

"Yes."

"Grown children?"

"Yes.  I have two little grandsons, too."

"Oh."

"So staying in Chicago a while longer shouldn't be too difficult.  In
fact, I'm seriously considering buying a flat here in town."

Kerry looked a little startled by this declaration, and then her
cheeks turned pink and she lit up like a Christmas tree.  Oh, she has
got it *so* bad.  She was like a teenaged girl introducing her True
Love to her father for the first time.  Only, Luka isn't her father.
He's the man she *was* in love with.  I can tell that her affections
for Luka have transferred happily to Griffith.  Which is a vast relief
to me.  Would much rather have Kerry as an in-law than as the Other
Woman...or worse, the Other Woman Who Never Was the Other Woman But
Always Wanted To Be.

"In fact," Griffith continued.  "I'm seriously considering staying in
Chicago indefinitely.  If...if Kerry would agree to certain terms."

Every eye in the table settled on Kerry.  Luka's mouth opened for a
moment, then I saw his Adam's apple go up and down.

"Terms?" Kerry said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Permanent cohabitation under the terms of holy matrimony," Griffith
said.  Why are some men so...*dry* when it comes to marriage
proposals?  It sounds more like a business agreement.  'I do hereby
declare that on this day I do agree to join with Dr. Kerry Weaver in
holy matrimony and cohabitate with her in the same domicile until by
cessation of existence do we part, etc.'

"You...you mean..."

"I mean," he said quickly.  "Will you marry me, Kerry?"

"Wait a minute here!" Luka snapped.  "They've known each other for
exactly a week!"

"Oh, shut up, Luka!" Jing-Mei growled.  "You impregnated Alexandra
after less than a month of dating!"

"You shut up!  This is different.  This is...crazy!"

"Luka, you have officially become an old fogey," I tell him archly.
"You need to have a more open mind."

"I do so have an open mind!  Now shut up!" he grumps.  Then he shouts
at Kerry and Griffith.  "Have the two of you *completely* lost your
minds?!  You barely know each other!"

"I know I love her," Griffith said calmly.  He sips his wine and gazes
levelly at Luka.  "I'm not going to waste a minute.  You and Alexandra
didn't wait long."

"That's different!"

"How?" Kerry asked.

"It just is!  Kerry, you aren't seriously considering..."

"Yes, Griffith, I'll marry you."

"When?" Griffith asked, taking her hand in his. 

"Tomorrow?"

"Perfect."

"Augh!" Luka gasps, taking a quick drink of water.  He drums his
fingers on the table for a moment, then looks at me.  "Alexandra, say
something!"

"Congratulations!" I cry, raising my glass in toast.  "To the happy
couple.  Are we all invited to the wedding?"

"Of course!" Griffith laughs.  "Kerry, you'll be at the county
courthouse tomorrow?  Say...two o'clock?"

"Definitely," she smiles.  She looks radiant.

Luka just sits there, shaking his head.  Then, suddenly, he starts
laughing.  He puts his head down on the table and laughs until he
can't laugh any more.  Then he looks up at them.  "Yes, Kerry.
Congratulations.  Griffith...you're a lucky man."

"I know I am."

"If you hurt her, I'll kill you.  Got that?"

"I do indeed."

"Good."  Luka stood up.  "Alexandra, lets go home and see if we can
win the Cup again."

So it was a fun night.  Kerry is going to be my cousin-in-law.
Jing-Mei told me (in secret) that she's pretty sure she's in love with
Michael, and that he is behaving as though he might be Serious.  Luka
and I got home and won the Cup (three times) and now he's taking a
shower.  Shall join him shortly.  He is getting used to the idea of
Kerry marrying Griffith.  Need to make sure his best suit is pressed,
and that I have a nice dress for the wedding.  Shall need to buy a
bouquet of flowers, and see if I can find a suitable wedding present
for them.  Lingerie?  A set of pots and pans?  I don't know.  I'll
think of something.  Am in the mood for another victory in the Cup.
More later.

To be continued...