Disclaimer: All characters belong to NBC and the verses
from 1 Cor. 13
If I Have Not Love
***********************************
But the greatest of these is
love.
***********************************
Jing Mei had an early shift that day. She came in at 4 a.m. to relieve Keri. Jing Mei hadn’t slept very well that
night. She kept tossing and turning, playing
possible scenarios, or should she say disasters that might happen. At this point, she was ready to call the
whole thing off. It was too short
notice and all.
“Hey Dr. Chen?” Chuny called as she attended to a woman
sitting on a gurney in the hallway.
“Yeah?” Jing Mei answered distractedly.
“So I heard that dinner was a disaster!” Chuny inquired
nonchalantly.
“Uh,” Jing Mei hesitated.
She’d completely forgotten that the rumor mill would have a field day
out of the horrible dinner.
“Hey I heard that too!” a tired, but curious Susan joined
the fray. “In fact, I heard that
someone walked out?”
Jing Mei kept her eyes on the patient’s chart that she’d
just released. “Um, I’ve got a patient,
excuse me!” Jing Mei lied.
As Jing Mei walked down the hallway she shook her head. Like she didn’t have other things on her
mind!
John had the day off, which was great since he was preparing
this supper last minute and all. He’d
gotten the menu all planned out. The
servants were cleaning the dining room and setting up a close intimate dinner
for two.
Grams had been informed of the plans early at
breakfast. John held his breath for the
lecture of dating Deb after explaining why he was doing all of this. “And so I told her there was this someone,
which was Deb, but I didn’t quite get that out. And so now she’s coming over here tonight
expecting to meet the girl I’m falling for…you could care less, right?” John
sighed, leaning on the kitchen counter.
“Don’t make assumptions John,” Grams chided. “I happen to think
Jing Mei is a lovely girl…”
“But?” John groaned. “Just say it. I know there’s a but in there somewhere.”
Grams pursed her lips at him. “Now don’t get smart with me young man. I wasn’t the one who lied to a woman he likes
and is now going to spring on her this eye-opening tale of love. Did I raise you to leave a woman in such a
state? You don’t tell a girl you’re in
love with that you’re in love with someone else.”
John ran his hand through his disheveled hair. “I got paged Grams. What else was I supposed to do? Besides isn’t this a better way? Anyway, I don’t even know if she feels the
same way. Deb was practically ready to
throw me a party with this girl.”
Grams shook her head at the bewildered John. “My dear boy,” she clucked, looking
over at one of the maids. “Do you know
anything about women?”
John rolled his eyes at the smiles the older woman and her
employee exchanged. “Of course I do!”
he protested.
“Obviously not,” Grams stated. “Or you would have guessed that she’s already in love with
you. And if you had any ounce of wisdom
or intelligence, you would have realized how inappropriate it is to
spring this idea of loving her right after telling her you’re in love with
someone else,” Gram’s sighed.
John’s head was reeling.
Deb was in love with him?
The thought sent a chill down his spine.
“John, are you listening to me?” Grams snapped at him,
trying to get his attention.
“Huh?” John replied.
“I said you’d better know what to say when she gets here and
finds out that you lied to her,” Grams warned.
John shook his head.
“You don’t know Deb. Grams,
she’s going to laugh,” John argued.
Grams shook her head again.
“If you think that’s what is going to happen, you’re gonna need a lot
more than a romantic dinner to dig you out of this one, John Truman Carter,”
Grams declared, as she shuffled out of the kitchen with her cane.
John took another bite of his cold cereal. Of course Deb will laugh. Why wouldn’t she?
Chuny had been picking up tidbits here and there around the hospital. It wasn’t till Abby told the entire story, that Chuny find out Dr. Chen and Carter had a fight.
“Yeah, Luka took me home,” Abby explained.
“Oh!” Chuny pondered as she made a mental note, walking away
from the admin desk.
***
Throughout the morning and most of the afternoon Dr. Chen
had been quite aloof and distracted.
She’d made careful detours away from Dr. Lewis and the rest of the
gossiping nurses. It made Chuny
smile. This was definitely a development
in the Carter and Chen rumors.
“I told you,” Susan smirked as she filed away another
patient chart and wiped the name off the board. “Something’s definitely up with Carter and Chen.”
Chuny rolled her eyes.
She just hated that she was out twenty bucks.
Jing Mei tried very hard to concentrate on her patients and
not the whispers along the hallway corridors.
Not to mention that her thoughts were becoming increasingly focused on
the dinner. Maybe she could bring a
date? John shouldn’t mind since he
would be focused on his girlfriend anyway.
Besides, it would help her look less depressed and disappointed as she
was feeling at this time.
Jing Mei would ask when she got the chance.
***
“ Jing Mei!” Susan chirped.
“I finally found you!”
Jing Mei wanted to curl up in a ball as she looked up from
her patient charts and smiled. “Oh, Dr.
Lewis. Is there a trauma or something?”
she asked concerned.
Susan shook her head.
Of course not!
“I just wanted to know if you’re okay?” Susan asked.
Jing Mei sighed.
“I’m fine,” she replied, returning to her charts. “Just busy catching up on paper work.”
Susan moved closer to her.
“I’m sure I’m the last person you want to talk to about t6his, but I’m
here if you need an ear,” Susan offered.
“Doing some fishing?” Jing Mei closed her mouth
quickly. She hadn’t just said that
out loud, had she?
Susan seemed taken aback, but then shrugged. “Look, I know there’s a lot of talk going
around, but you shouldn’t let it get to you like this. I came here as a friend. I mean you’re really subdued and no one sees
you around the ER except when a trauma comes in and suddenly you appear
out of nowhere. It’s kind of getting eerie.”
Jing Mei studied the creeped out Susan, and all of the
sudden laughed. It felt good. Jing Mei rubbed her forehead and
sighed. “I’m sorry,” she
apologized. “I’ve got a lot on my mind
right now.”
Susan nodded.
“Okay. I’ll go then,” Susan
replied, heading for the door.
“Wait!” Jing Mei called.
Susan turned and looked at Jing Mei. “Yeah?”
“Do you know of a doctor here that John’s been hanging out
with?” Jing Mei asked curiously.
“No, why?” Susan asked, being drawn back into the trauma
room.
“Well, he invited me over to meet this girl who apparently
works here at the ER. He says he likes
her,” Jing Mei grimaced unwittingly.
Susan smirked. “Oh
really? The only doc he hangs out with
other than the regulars is you. What
does she look like?”
“Brunette, my age and about my height. I’ve tried to think of a doctor that fits
that description, but I can’t seem to place any of the ones I think of with
him. I mean, he didn’t tell me her name
or anything.”
Suddenly a knowing look passed across Susan’s face. Jing Mei frowned. “Do you know who it is?” Jing Mei exclaimed.
“I think I know who it is, but I don’t want to say
anything just in case it isn’t her,” Susan smiled.
Jing Mei pouted. “I
guess,” Jing Mei sighed.
“Don’t worry, if it’s who I think it is, you’ll love her!”
Susan exclaimed walking out of the room.
Last chapter coming…..