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These characters are not mine, and no profit is made by me
for their use in this story. Thanks as always to Liz. Just think, the next one is number
10! Who would have thought? As always, feedback is welcomed at erfanbev@yahoo.com
This story is number 9 in a series. Previous stories:
1. Streets of Philadelphia
2. Lost and Found
3. A New Day
4. Feels Like Home
5. Piecing Things Together
6. Eye of the Storm
7. Healing Hands
8. From This Day Forward
Previously in this series…
* * *
Anna looked over at Susie and Susan, and realized what Rachel was referring to.
“House getting crowded, huh?”
“Yeah. Why do they have to live with us?”
“I know where you’re coming from. My parents got divorced when I was your age.
My dad got remarried, and I didn’t like it at all. I wanted my parents to stay
together. They actually did get back together a year later”
“I don’t want my parents to get back together. Dad is enough for me. I guess
I’m not enough for him.”
* * *
“Lights OFF,” yelled Rachel as she pushed down the switch.
“ON!”
“OFF!” they began to fight over the switch. Rachel broke up the argument.
‘It’s my room,” she said, “so you have to do what I say.”
“Fine,” said Susie, and they turned off the light.
An hour or so later, Rachel awoke to hear Susie quietly crying. Rachel rolled her eyes.
“What now?” she wondered. She walked over to Susie’s bed and gently shook
her.
“Susie, what’s wrong?”
“I’m scared,” said Susie between sniffles.
What happened next was something that Rachel could not understand. Rachel was sure Susie
knew Rachel didn’t like her. They fought all the time, and Rachel could not think of
one situation where Susie and she had gotten along. And yet now, Susie had wrapped her
arms around Rachel’s neck and was hugging her.
* * *
“Do you, Anna Catherine Del Amico, take this man as your lawfully wedded husband, for
better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, from this day
forward?”
“I do,” said Anna. She smiled and repeated the words to herself again.
“From this day forward.” She was starting over, and everything was going to be
okay.
* * *
Carol stood up on her toes, craning her neck to see past the people standing around her.
Finally, she spotted Doug, Mark, and Susan sitting in the corner booth at Doc Magoo's.
Carol walked over to join them.
"Morning!" said Mark cheerfully, noting the exhausted expression written on
Carol's face.
"Yeah yeah, you can thank good old Dr. Weaver for this bad mood. I just worked the
graveyard shift and I have the clinic today."
"Aren't you supposed to relax? I mean you're due in four weeks."
"Yes, but you know Carol," said Doug, grinning.
"All I know is that I gotta lay low today. If Coburn catches me I'm in deep
trouble."
"Don't worry. I had to go up there for a follow-up. They're swamped," said
Susan.
"So," said Carol, looking at Mark and Susan, "how are things going with
you?"
They looked at each other. "Great."
"How are Rachel and Susie?"
"Well," said Mark as he took a sip of coffee, "We're making progress. We
can finally leave them alone together without worrying about them clawing each
other."
"And Rachel no longer hates me. Which is always a good thing," added Susan.
"Have you heard from Jen?" asked Doug.
"Nope, which is probably good. That whole thing is still a sore subject with
Rachel."
Mark looked at his watch. "Wow, time flies. Carol, we'd better get going if we don't
want Kerry to chew us out." Mark and Carol began to gather their things.
"You need any help?" asked Susan.
"Nah, we shouldn't be too short staffed. Carter and Anna are coming back today, thank
God."
"Well that takes care of pedes," said an obviously happy Doug as he leaned back
in the booth. Carol slapped his shoulder playfully. "Oh shut up!" she said,
laughing. Mark and Carol left the restaurant.
"Big meeting today, huh?" asked Doug.
"Yep."
"You know what you're gonna say?"
"I have some ideas as to how to change the operation of the ER, not that it
matters."
"What does that mean?"
"Oh come on you know Weaver's gonna get Chief."
"Not necessarily. Have some faith in yourself."
"So," said Susan, "only four weeks, huh?"
"Yep."
"You excited?"
"Yeah. I just hope everything goes okay."
"Have any ideas about names?"
"We're thinking about Mark for one, we're stumped about the other though. Carol and I
can't agree on much else."
Susan laughed. "Don't worry, you'll come up with something."
"Yeah. At least we've got time."
* * *
"Ugh, I can't believe we have to go back to work already," said Carter as he and
Anna approached the hospital.
"I'm amazed Weaver gave us the amount of time we had," said Anna.
They walked up to the desk, where Jerry was waiting with a handful of charts and a grin.
"Well, well, look who came back! It's your lucky day Anna, it's practically standing
room only in the pedes ER."
Anna rolled her eyes. "Lucky me." She then turned to Carter. "Hey, could I
borrow Lucy today?"
"Be my guest," said Carter, "You'll have to find her though."
"I think she's in curtain three," said Jerry.
"Thanks." Anna went off to find Lucy. She soon saw that Lucy was indeed in
Curtain 3.
"Hey Lucy, the Pedes ER is swamped today, can you help me out when you're not too
busy?"
Lucy spun around. "Dr. Carter!" she exclaimed smiling, "Welcome back! Yeah,
I'll be there in just a second.
Lucy had never thought it would be this hard. But seeing her every day, calling her by her
new name, she didn't know how much of this she could take. Before today, she never really
realized that Carter would be out of her life. She decided that she should just keep
smiling. She didn't have anything against Anna really.
"But still…" she thought out loud.
* * *
Susan leaned on the steering wheel of her car, waiting for Rachel to come out of her
school. After what seemed like an eternity, Rachel emerged from the building. She opened
the car, leaping in in one swift motion.
"Hey," she said.
"Hi. How was school?"
"Pretty good. I have to start my science project soon. I think I'm gonna grow plants
or something."
"How was Girl Scouts?"
"Pretty good."
"I was talking to Michelle's mom and she said you guys had a camping trip this
weekend. How come you never told us?"
"I don't think I'm going. I think I'm coming down with something."
"Too bad. I was just about to go get ice cream but if you're not feeling well.."
Rachel stiffened in her seat. "Um, no I'm okay."
Susan looked at Rachel, puzzled. "Rach what's going on?"
"I didn't want to go on the trip because my mom isn't here to go with me."
"So it's a mother daughter thing?"
"Yeah." Rachel looked frustrated. She squirmed around, looking for an escape
from the car. She took a deep breath and spoke up.
"Will you go with me?"
* * *
Carol was sitting in the lounge with her feet propped up when Carter walked in. "Hey
Carol are you ok?" he asked as he got a soda out of the fridge.
"Yeah, just my feet are sore and my back hurts."
"I'm guessing you know the territory by now," said Carter with a laugh. Carol
grimaced again. This time, Carter looked concerned.
"Carol are you sure you're ok? You know back pain is an early sign of labor."
Carol laughed. "You're thinking too much like a doctor. I'm not due for another four
weeks!"
"Yeah and twins are usually early."
Carol looked surprised. "You don't really think –" she was cut short, this
time by pain in her abdomen.
"I'll get Mark to take care of you and I'll call Doug," said Carter as he ran
out of the lounge."
Carter ran over to Trauma 1, where he found Mark. "Carol's in labor, she needs our
help. Where's Dr. Coburn?"
"Curtain 3."
"Excuse me?"
"She slipped in a delivery room and had a concussion."
"Oh God you've got to be kidding me."
Carter ran to the desk and called OB. "We've got another coming up," he said.
"We can't take any more patients. Can you take it in the ER?"
Carter looked around. "I guess we'll have to." He picked up the phone to call
Doug.
* * *
Dr. Anspaugh leaned back in his chair and nibbled on the end of his pen. "So what
changes would you make to the current ER system Dr. Lewis?"
"Well," said Susan, "The main focus of the ER is to best serve the
patients. But in order to do that the ER should better serve its doctors."
"I'm intrigued," said Anspaugh.
"What I propose is to implement a new patient charting system, one that is more
clearly explained so that another doctor can take over a case if needed. The new system
was created to protect the patients' privacy, but that could be done by replacing a name
with the room number rather than the symptoms with confusing acronyms."
"This seems like a radical change."
"It is. But my theory is that if the doctors have an easier time doing their job they
can serve more patients better."
"I like your thinking," said Anspaugh.
* * *
"Okay Melissa, I promise you won't feel a thing," said Lucy as she rubbed down a
little girl's elbow to give her a shot. Lucy inserted the needle and the girl screamed.
"Shh…it's okay," said Lucy, trying to calm the girl down.
"Okay Mrs. McGrath," said Anna to the girl's mother. We're going to come back in
about five minutes to check up on her."
Anna and Lucy left the Pedes ER. "Hey Lucy, did you ever consider a Pedes
specialty?"
"Did you not see how I made that kid scream?"
"It's just one kid. You did a really good job today."
"Thanks Anna, that means a lot," said Lucy, who was obviously still somewhat
distant.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
Just then Carter came running up to them frantically. "Anna I need your help!"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, but Carol's in labor and we have to deliver the babies down here."
"I'll be right there."
As they were walking to one of the trauma rooms, Doug came running into the ER. "I
didn't miss it, did I?" he asked.
"Nope, but she's fully dilated. It's a good thing you came when you did," said
Carter. The three of them ran to Trauma 2.
* * *
"Daddy!!!" squealed Susie as Mark opened the door to the day care center.
"Hey Sus!" said Mark, scooping her up. "You got all your stuff?"
"Uh-huh. Rachel and Mom are waiting downstairs in the car, we're gonna go out to
dinner."
"Yay!"
Mark and Susie went down the elevator and out the doors of the ER. "Tell Doug and
Carol congrats in advance," he yelled as he left. He put Susie into the back seat of
Susan's Explorer.
"Hi Rach!" said Susie. Rachel stuck her tongue out at her, and Susie did the
same right back.
"Settle down, you two," said Mark, trying to hide his laughter.
Mark turned to Susan, and they rolled their eyes at each other. "I guess we still
need to work on this," said Susan.
"How was your meeting?"
Susan smiled. "I think I may have a fighting chance in this race."
"Well you'd definitely make a better Chief than Weaver."
"That's your completely biased opinion, huh?"
"Well don't you want me to be biased?" he said, smiling.
* * *
"Okay come on Carol, push!" said Anna. "You're almost there!"
"See" said Doug, "this is nothing."
"OH SHUT UP!" yelled Carol at the top of her lungs.
"3…2…1…and stop," said Anna. "You're doing great!"
"Can I do anything?" asked Carter.
"Yeah. Get those baby exam tables over here. It's just about time."
Anna turned back to Carol. "Okay Carol one more big one!"
"Carol you're doing gr—ow!" yelled Doug as Carol tightened her grip on his
hand.
"It hurts, huh?" asked Carol.
"Yeah."
"Well wanna switch?"
"On second thought it doesn't hurt that much
"Ok here goes!" said Anna. Carol pushed hard.
"I've got it! It's a boy!" Anna handed the baby to Carter.
"That's Mark!"
"Okay Carol you're not quite done. One more big one!"
"AAAAGH!!" yelled Carol as she pushed.
"And here's your other boy!" said Anna. "Hey Doug you want to cut the
cords?"
Doug cut the cords and he and Anna handed the babies to Carol. "They're
perfect!" exclaimed Carol. "There's Mark and there's…the other one."
Anna laughed. "The other one. Quite a name."
Doug and Carol were too distracted to hear Anna's remark.
* * *
"So, you and Rachel are going camping this weekend, huh?" asked Mark.
"That's really great."
"Yeah. I think it will be a lot of fun," said Susan. "I am soo tired. What
a day."
Mark laid down on the couch. "Cm'ere," he said. Susan walked over and laid down,
snuggling next to him
"I can't believe how well everything is going," said Mark.
"Yeah, I know. I am so incredibly happy."
"Happy enough that you'd want to stay like this forever?"
"Mark what are you saying?"
His expression grew more serious. "Will you marry me?"
Susan turned around to face him, losing her balance and falling off the couch.
"Wow I know how to ruin a moment," she said, rubbing her sore leg.
"Well?"
"Yes. Of course." She leaned in to kiss him.
* * *
"What room did they say she was in?" Carter asked Anna as they walked down the
hall of the OB floor.
"505, I think," said Anna. They stopped by the nursery where the babies were
lying side by side in the front row. Carter saw the expression on Anna's face. He kissed
the top of her head.
"Don't worry. When it's meant to happen, it will happen. Let's go see Carol."
They continued down the hall until they got to Carol's room.
"Hey you guys!" said Carol.
"You tired?" asked Anna.
"You have no idea."
"This whole birth was more hectic than expected." Doug walked behind Carter and
Anna, putting an arm about each of them. "But at least we had the amazing team of
Carter and Carter down there with us."
"Hey Doug can you go get them?" asked Carol.
"That's ok, we'll take care of it," said Carter. They left the room.
"Thanks Carter!" said Carol.
"Carter!" exclaimed Doug out of nowhere.
"Can't you wait til he gets back to ask him whatever?"
"No, Carter!"
"Huh? Oh, Carter! It's perfect!"
Doug leaned back in his chair, more than a little pleased with himself. "Sure beats
The Other One," said Doug.
"Wow, they're named after Mark and Carter. That says right there that they're bound
to have interesting lives."
"Yep," said Doug, "This is the beginning of something great."
~~~~~ For Carter ~~~~~
