Softly Awaken

 

 

Chapter Eight

 

*****

 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time;

 wait till the Lord comes.

 He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness

 and will expose the motives of men's hearts.

 At that time each will receive his praise from God. 

                       1 Cor.4:5

*****

 

 

John smiled as he began dressing for the usual boring fundraiser dinner party.  He couldn’t keep track of how many dinners his Grams had attended since he’d began living with her.  Too many to keep track of, that was for sure.  He usually hated them, but this night was different because he had his lady on his arm.  John was also excited at formally introducing Abby to his grandmother.  He was sure they’d probably met in the ER, but this time, it would be as his girlfriend.  No matter how many times he said that, John still received a chill down his spine.

 

“Johhhhhn!” Grams bellowed.  “Abby is here!”

 

He double-checked that his tie was straight and bound down the stairs.  His eyes fell on the timid, chestnut-haired woman standing at the bottom of the stairs.  She was wearing a simple black spaghetti-strap dress, which hung, just above her knee.  John swept Abby in his arms and planted a wet kiss on her glossy lips.  Abby blushed when she saw Grams standing in the midst of the couple’s display of affection.  “John,” she said through clenched teeth and a big smile.  Abby buried her face into John’s chest.  “You’re embarrassing me!”  She hit him on the chest playfully.

 

John winked at his date.  ‘She was beautiful,’ thought John.  “Grams this is my date Abby.  Abby. Grams.”

 

The older woman cleared her throat and held out her hand.  She smiled stiffly at Abby and then turned to John.  “You may refer to me as Mrs. Carter though, Abby?  Is that short for anything?  Or did your mother just name you after a nunnery?” Grams inquired dryly.

 

John grimaced and glared at his Grams for making such a rude comment.  “Oh, John, don’t make faces.  I warn you, it’ll stick one of these days.”

 

John opened his mouth to reply, but Grams had already begun to make her way to the door.  He shook his head and apologized to Abby.  “I’m sorry, she’s always like that with my dates.  For once I’d like to see her not be sarcastic.”  John expected to see Abby upset, and her face was red, but from stifling her laughter.  “Abby?”

 

Finally Abby laughed out loud, her eyes followed the older, distinguished woman as she entered the limousine.  “I’m fine John.  Don’t worry about it.  It was kind of funny.”

 

John let out a sigh of relief, happy that she wasn’t offended.  “Well, are you ready to hobnob with elite society?” asked John, with a stiff British accent.  Abby shook her head and laughed again.  “Oh yes my dear sir!” Abby replied, bowing.

 

John escorted Abby out to the limousine on his arm.  Both tried not to giggle as his Grams looked on in irritation.  “Really, John,” Grams chided as the limousine made its way to the hotel.  “If you insist on acting like children, I’d rather have you not come.”  He kissed his Grams’ cheek and smiled.  “We’ll be good.  I promise,” offered John.

 

Grams seemed to lower her eyes, inspecting the duo.  “All right.  You young people just don’t know how to behave.”

 

~~~

 

“Stephen you promised me!” Jing Mei pouted as she cradled the receiver on her shoulder.  She took another look at herself in the full-length mirror hanging behind her bedroom door.  “I only bought this ticket because you said you would escort me.”

 

“I’m sorry Jing Mei,” chuckled Stephen.  “But you know how hospitals are, don’t you?”

 

Jing Mei rolled her eyes at the reminder.  “I do, but I’d still find a way to keep a promise to your little sister!” growled Jing Mei.  Her hair was in a high French twist and she was wearing a forest green strapless dress.  A thin gold serpentine chain hung loosely against her neck.  Jing Mei smoothed out the wrinkles in the silk dress.

 

“I’m sorry,” Stephen apologized.  “I’ll make it up to you I promise!”

 

Jing Mei pursed her lip.  “Fine, but you better make it big and expensive!” warned Jing Mei.  Suddenly she began to giggle.  “We’d be squared away if you tell me when you’re popping the question and how?”  She walked out of her bedroom trying to maintain some balance as she talked on the phone and put on her black pumps. 

 

Stephen laughed.  “You’ll know as soon as the plans are finalized.”

 

Jing Mei raised her brow.  “So it must be pretty big if plans need to be finalized,” Jing Mei speculated out loud.  She heard her brother sigh, and in the background a voice yelling for ‘Dr.Chen’.

 

“Don’t you have a fundraiser to go to?” groaned Stephen.

 

Jing Mei stopped in her kitchen and opened the fridge.  “I think I might as well just stay home,” she sighed.  “All this gorgeous me and you dump me for a heart transplant.  If you weren’t my favorite brother I wouldn’t still be speaking to you.”

 

“You could still go.  Who knows, maybe you’ll meet Mr.Right tonight,” teased Stephen.  “It worked for me and Jennifer!”

 

Jing Mei let out a guffaw.  “Yeah, but see things go your way.  Remember I’m the screw up?”  She leaned against the kitchen counter.  “Besides, have you ever met the guys that go to this thing?  They are a bunch of elitist snobs.  They think more of themselves and like to talk about it too.”

 

“Then why did you buy tickets?” asked Stephen.

 

She licked her lips and blew a black tendril from her face.  “Because you know Mom and Dad will be there.  And they have been after me to come to one of these things for forever.”

 

Stephen grunted in understanding.  “Jing Mei go!  You never know!  You might have fun?” coaxed Stephen.  ‘Dr. Chen.  Paging Dr. Chen.’  Jing Mei heard the announcement over the receiver.  “Look hun, I gotta go.  I love you.  And have fun tonight.  Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

 

Jing Mei hit the end button on her cordless and stared at it.  “The problem is would the guys I meet there do anything like that!” mutter Jing Mei.

 

She stared at her comfy couch and then turned towards the door.  Hurting feet and being bored at a party with no one I know?  Or a comfy night at home in a pair of sweats?  This is a tough decision.

 

~~~

 

John took a swig of sparkling cider and leaned on the bar counter as he surveyed the party.  It was a stuffy party.  By far one of the more boring fundraisers that he’d been too.  And there had been plenty.  Grams had gotten lost amongst her older acquaintances, chit chatting about the weather and family.  Meanwhile, John and Abby had snuck off on their own, to explore the hotel.  They found it interesting spying on guests that were about to check in.  Finally they made their way back to the party and John offered to get some drinks while Abby went to find the ladies room.

 

As he placed the flute back down for a refill, John noticed a dark figure at the end of the ballroom.  She was tall and elegant.  Her hair was swept up.  John really wouldn’t have noticed, but she’d arrived late, much to the attention of most of the guests.  A few gentlemen greeted her at the door and seemed to offer their arms.  John laughed.  The men who arrived at these fundraisers without dates always seemed so pathetic to John.  Then finally two older guests, a man and a woman greeted the woman.  There was something familiar about the trio.

 

“John?” Abby called.

 

John turned to his left and saw Abby standing there beside him.  “Hmmm?”

 

Abby smiled crookedly.  “What’s so interesting over there?”  She leaned over the bar counter and ordered a cider.  After receiving the flute of the bubbling liquid, Abby peered over at the small group of the elite making conversation around the mystery woman.  “Who’s that?” Abby asked, pointing to the mystery woman with a flute of cider in her hand.

 

John shrugged.  “I don’t know.  She looks familiar though.”

 

Abby snickered.  “Maybe she’s an old girlfriend!”

 

Shaking his head, John smirked.  “I don’t go for brunettes, or I didn’t before.”

 

Abby hit him playfully.  Then taking one more look, Abby frowned.  “You know John, I think you’re right.  Even I think I know her!”

 

They both discreetly made their way towards the ballroom entrance.  There was a continuum of chatter, all based on the weather or money.  Finally they were a few feet away from the small group of guest surrounding the mystery woman.  John felt a tap on the shoulder and was turned around and greeted with a bear hug.  “John Carter!  I haven’t seen you since you were a med student,” an older Asian man grinned.

 

John frowned.  There was something familiar about him.  “Dr. Chen?” he sputtered, praying that he was right.  The Asian man nodded his head fervently.  “You’ve got a good memory Mr. Carter.”  Dr. Chen paused.  “Or I should call you Dr. Carter!”

 

He was in shock.  John hadn’t expected to see the Chens here tonight.  He’d been to many of these functions and ever so often, John might run into Dr. Chen, but not both Dr. Chens.  “John is fine, Dr. Chen,” smiled John.  John nodded his head as a greeting to Dr. Chen’s counterpart, the other Dr. Chen.  It was confusing to speak to them, or at least it was for them.  He would refer to Deb’s father as Dr. Chen, while her mother preferred John calling her Emily. “Emily, you’re looking lovely as ever!”  Mrs. Chen blushed at the compliment.

 

“John, you are as charming as you were in med school.”

 

The two Asian doctors looked over at Abby curiously.  John shook his head.  “Where are my manners, this is my girlfriend Abby.”

 

Emily frowned.  “Didn’t I meet your mother at County one night?”

 

Abby smiled sheepishly and took a sip of her cider.  “Uh, you just might have,” sighed Abby.

 

The two older doctors looked at each other and shrugged.  “Well, I’m glad you came tonight John.  Maybe you can fill us in on how things are with Jing Mei, since she’s not quite willing to tell us.  You were close back in medical school weren’t you?  I know she’s informed us that she might be applying at Mercy.”

 

John became somber at the mention of the change.  Letting out a deep breath, John nodded.  “Yeah, she told me that the other day.”

 

“Well do you know why?  She won’t tell us any specifics,” Dr. Chen frowned.  “I can’t say that I’m not pleased with her decision though.  Things are unstable at County and I’d have to say she’d have a tough time moving up the ladder.  After…”  A waiter interrupted offering a tray of champagne and cider.  John handed Abby a refill on her sparkling cider and took one also for himself.

 

“Um, Dr. Chen?” John changed the subject.  He felt awkward talking about Deb with her parents -- like he was betraying secrets or something.  “Who was that woman you met at the doors?”

 

Both Dr. Chen and Emily looked at John puzzled, but then suddenly they looked at each other and laughed.  “Are you talking about Jing Mei?” they said in unison.

 

It was like they had yelled it from a mountaintop because as soon as her name was mentioned, the elegant figure clad in green appeared from the crowd of doctors, lawyers, and financiers.  “Mom? Dad?”