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ER
"The Dad Thing"
Part Three
Nick and Doug spent the rest of the day getting closer and closer. When Jacqui
arrived to take Nick home Nick and Doug were playing basketball.
"Hey guys." Jacqui smiled joining them on the concrete court.
"Hi Mom!" Nick said.
"Hi." Doug said.
"Nick didn't get in your way or anything did he?" Jacqui asked Doug.
Doug shook his head, "Nah. We had fun."
"Yeah." Nick agreed, "Can I stay with Doug tomorrow too?"
"Doug's gotta work sweetie." Jacqui said.
"Bummer." Nick frowned, "Hey! Can I spend the night with you Doug?"
"Sure. I get off in a few minutes and we'll go get some dinner." Doug said, "If
it's alright with your mom." He added quickly.
"It's fine with me." Jacqui said, happy to see that Nick and Doug were so
close already.
"You wanna go eat with us?" Doug asked.
"No thanks. I have some work to do at home." Jacqui said, "I'll see you
tomorrow night Nick. Be good, OK?"
"I know." Nick rolled his eyes.
"Bye Doug." Jacqui said giving Doug a kiss on the cheek.
"Bye." Doug said.
"Hey Doug?" Nick said when his mom had left.
"Yeah?" Doug said shooting a three-pointer.
"Do you still love my mom?" Nick asked.
Doug looked down at Nick for a minute.
"I don't know." He said.
The next morning Doug dropped Nick off at school on his way to the ER.
When he got to the ER Jacqui was there waiting for him.
"We need to talk, Doug." She said. Doug nodded and led Jacqui into an empty
trauma room.
"I think Nick is expecting us to get back together." Jacqui said.
"I kinda guessed he was hoping." Doug said.
"Do you want to give it another chance?" Jacqui said. Doug ran his hand
through his hair.
"I really don't know Jacqui." He said.
"For Nick?" Jacqui said. Doug sighed and turned to stare at the wall. After a
minute he turned back to Jacqui.
"OK." He said. Jacqui grinned, reached up, and gave Doug a long kiss. Carol,
who was passing, happened to look in right at that moment. She bit her bottom
lip and kept on walking.
"Hey Carol? What's wrong?" Mark asked as he walked up to the nurses' station
where Carol was sitting, staring into space.
"Huh?" Carol jumped.
"Is anything the matter?" Mark asked again.
"Nah. I'm just kinda confused." Carol replied.
"Well I suggest you get to work." Mark said eyeing the stack of paperwork in
front of Carol. Carol stared at him for a minute, thinking about what he had
said.
"You're sure you're OK?" Mark said giving her a strange look.
Carol smiled, "Just trying to work somethings out." She picked up the pile of
paper work and started for the doctor's lounge, "Thanks for the advice." She
added.
Mark gave Jerry a confused look. "What advice?" Mark said.
"Don't look at me." Jerry said.
Doug thought about getting back together with Jacqui all day. By the time he got
off he had realized that it would never work, he was too much in love with Carol
and Nick would only end up getting hurt worse.
"Hey Doug? Can I talk to you?" Carol asked just as Doug was headed out
the door.
"I'm sorry Carol, but I'm in kind of a hurry." Doug said apologetically. Carol
nodded. "First thing tomorrow I promise." Doug said continuing out the door.
"Whatever." Carol muttered.
Nick answered the door when Doug rang the doorbell. "Hey Doug!" He said
obviously pleased.
"Hey Nick." Doug said, "Is your mom home?" Nick grinned.
"Sure is." He said, "She's in the living room." Seeing Nick's excitement when he
thought Doug and Jacqui were going to get back together made Doug
reconsider what he was doing. But just for a minute. He followed Nick into the
living room where Jacqui was reading.
"Hi Doug." Jacqui smiled looking up from her book.
"Um Jacqui, could I talk to you for a minute?" Doug said.
"Sure. Nick, why don't you go start on your homework?" Jacqui said. Nick
groaned, but headed up the stairs. Doug sat down in a chair and took a deep
breath.
"I can't.....I can't have a serious relationship with you Jacqui. It'll only end up
hurting Nick more." Doug said.
"Doug, I don't want you to have a relationship with me if you don't love me."
Jacqui said.
"Well I did before, but I've changed and you've changed and........there's just no
chance." Doug said.
"I sorta knew from the start." Jacqui said, "I'm sorry I tried to push you into it,
but I do still love you."
"I still want to be a good dad to Nick." Doug said.
"Of course." Jacqui said, "You can visit whenever you want and take him
places. I mean....he's your son." Doug stood up.
"Thanks for understanding." He said. Jacqui nodded. "Now I get to go tell
Nick." Doug started up the stairs.
"Do you want me to?" Jacqui asked.
Doug shook his head, "No. I have to."
"So what was the big discussion about?" Nick asked as Doug entered his
room.
"Well," Doug sat down beside Nick on the bed, "Me and your mom were just
discussing our relationship."
"And?" Nick got a hopeful look on his face.
"We've both um...that is we....." Doug stammered.
The hopeful look on Nick's face turned to a look of disappointment that
broke Doug's heart.
"It's over huh?" Nick said softly.
"I'm afraid so." Doug said.
"Am I not gonna see you anymore?" Nick asked.
"Of course you'll see me." Doug said, "I'm your dad aren't I?"
"Yeah." Nick smiled.
"How about a Bulls game tomorrow night?" Doug asked.
"Yeah!" Nick said.
"OK, I'll see you then." Doug stood up.
"Hey Doug?" Nick said. Doug turned back to him. "Would you mind if I called
you dad?" Nick said.
"You can call me whatever you like." Doug said.
"OK Dad." Nick grinned.
The next morning when Doug got to the ER he went into the doctor's lounge
which was empty except for Carol who was sitting on the couch still doing
some paper work.
"Hey Carol." Doug said, "You wanted to talk to me?"
"Nevermind." Carol shook her head, "It's nothing."
"C'mon." Doug said sitting on the table, "You can tell me."
"I just..." Carol started, "I just wanted to tell you I love you." She said softly.
Doug's eyes widened.
"Um run that by me again?" He said.
Carol smiled. "I still love you Doug." She said. Doug sat there in surprise trying
to think of something to say.
"I....I love you too." He said the first full sentence that popped into his head
meaning it with all his heart.
"Hey Dr. Ross." Jerry stuck his head in the door. Both Carol and Doug looked
over at him. "Am I interrupting something?" Jerry said.
"I'll say you are." Doug said.
"Sorry." Jerry said going back out.
"Now that we've got that part over with what are we supposed to do now?"
Carol asked.
"Kissing might seem appropriate." Doug said.
"Let's go for it." Carol said. Doug got off the table and Carol got up from the
couch and they met half-way. And finally what was always meant to be, was.
THE END
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