Round & Round- Epilogue
Okay you guys this is it. Thank you to my main Beta girl Jen-Drama. Love you sweetie! Thanks for hanging in there with me and inflating my ego.
To the faithful readers: You guys rock. I hope this was worth waiting for.
It'd been a month since that night.
Thanksgiving was tomorrow.
Abby shut the door to the refrigerator as she put in the last pie for tomorrow. What on earth possessed her to throw Thanksgiving for herself, the girls, John, Susan, Luka, Carol, Doug, and their girls, not to mention Dave and Jing-Mei, she'd never know. But she had and for that reason she didn't have to work on Thanksgiving, which was a bonus.
She left the kitchen, shutting out the light on her way, and made her way towards the girls' room. She could hear John's voice reading softly as she neared. Deciding not to disturb them she just leaned against the wall and listened.
"�It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat." John finished and immediately Abby could hear Hope say in a sleepy voice,
"One more chapter Daddy? Please?"
"Nope. Time for all munchkins to go to sleep." Abby could hear the smile in his voice.
"But I'm not sleepy." Hope mumbled her protest.
"Oh yes you are."
Not wanting John to know she'd been eavesdropping Abby pushed away from the wall and hurried to the master bedroom, which still had unpacked boxes.
If she'd known John came with so many accessories, she'd have suggested buying a bigger house. Abby smiled to herself as she looked around. Her room no longer indicated just her. Now it was a reflection of both her and John. His family pictures had joined hers on the bookshelves, a blanket that had been his grandmother's was draped over her footlocker, and his books were joining hers on the shelves as well.
She smiled when she felt John's arms slide around her from behind. She hadn't heard him come in.
"Hi." She said quietly. "Girls asleep?"
"Yeah. Hope finally conked out. So, what are you doing?"
"Thinking."
"Anything good?"
"Just little random thoughts." Abby smiled as she turned around. "So, you ready for tomorrow?"
"What time do the villagers plan on storming?"
"Susan's coming over early 'cause she's not working either. Carol doesn't get off till seven, so that's what time I told everyone else to make their appearance, 'cept for Luka, cause Susan will already be here."
"Kinda late to eat, isn't it?"
"Yeah but I won't have to get up early and that's good."
"Very good." John smiled before he kissed her.
"Of course the girls will probably be bounding in here early and jumping on the bed to wake us up."
"They do seem to be our alarm clocks, don't they?"
"You love it and you know it." Abby teased.
"I admit to nothing." John said smiling before he released her. "I'm gonna take a shower. Join you in a few."
"Okay." Abby smiled. She waited till the bathroom door had shut and then she went to her nightstand and took out the envelope she'd put in there before. She opened it and quickly looked at the contents again before putting it back. She grabbed the top comforter off the bed and quietly went into the back courtyard. She shivered. It was cold out here. She curled up in the hammock and looked up at the sky. She could make out the stars in the partly cloudy sky.
"Abby?"
"Out here."
John came to the doorway. His hair was still wet and he was clad in sweat pants and a T-shirt that had once belonged to Eric but had been stolen the last time Abby had visited.
"It's freezing out here." He said.
"It's warm under the blanket." Abby smiled.
"Move over." John said playfully and he carefully climbed into the hammock with Abby. "So what's up? More thoughts?"
"Yeah. John, I need to tell you something."
"Me too."
"Okay, go ahead."
"No you. Ladies first."
"John, just say it."
"Abby, go."
"Fine." Abby took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."
"What?"
"You did it again."
"A baby?"
"Yep, a baby." Abby smiled serenely at him. Panic wasn't apart of the equation this time. She could feel John's hand splay over her stomach and she covered his hand with hers.
"Really?"
"Susan did the ultrasound while you were up in pedes checking on that little girl." Abby smiled. "She wants to be godmother."
"Sounds good." John smiled. He kissed her forehead. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Abby grinned. "Okay. Your turn to tell me what's on your mind."
"Wake up with me tomorrow?"
"Is that all? I was planning on doing that for the rest of my life." Abby smiled.
"Abby, you know what I'm saying, right?"
"Yeah and you should consider yourself lucky that I'm not making you get down on one knee for this." Abby teased.
"You want me to? 'Cause I will."
"No. I like you right where you are. By the way, in case you hadn't figured it out, my answer's yes." Abby smiled.
John merely kissed her.
"He asked you to marry him?" Susan practically shrieked as she and Abby set the table for dinner.
"Yes. We were lying in the hammock, I'd just told him about the baby, and he asked me to wake up with him tomorrow."
"Oh my God," Susan sighed. "That is so romantic."
"I thought so."
"Well?"
"What?"
"What did you say?"
"I said yes of course. Did you really think I'd say no? I'm only in love with him, mother of his children, and about to bare another one."
"Just checking. It is you after all."
"Ha! Anyway, John said yes to you being godmother if you still want."
"I'd be honored."
"I've got another honor for you, if you're interested."
"Shoot."
"Stand up for me when John and I get married?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes." Susan came around the table and hugged Abby. "Of course I will."
Abby smiled. "You know, you have a big year coming up. First there's motherhood. Then there's godmotherhood, is that a word? Then there's matron of honor."
"Hood," Susan added.
Abby giggled. "Seriously, when are you and Luka gonna announce the impending arrival?"
"Tonight over dessert."
"Good. Mind if I use the opening to give everyone our news, or would you rather we wait a few days?"
"No way. We can celebrate everything at once. We're both having a baby and you and Carter are finally getting married."
Abby smiled. "I'm really, really happy right now, ya know?"
"It's about time." Susan smiled.
Abby had just finished peeling the potatoes when Faith came tearing into the kitchen.
"Mommy!"
"What sweetie?"
"Your dresser's beeping."
"What?" Abby looked out the little service window to where John was entering the room. He held two objects in his hands. "You're kidding me."
"No, I'm not." He frowned. He spared a glance at the television, which had been turned on to keep track of the football score. Susan was on the couch looking at magazines. "Susan, turn up the sound," He said.
Susan complied without looking up. But when she heard the words of the newscaster her head shot up.
"In what could possibly be the worst traffic accident Chicago's seen since December of nineteen ninety- four, two tractor trailers have careened into at least a dozen cars and a tour bus. We don't have a casualty number for you at the moment but we are getting reports of several DOA's. We'll continue to give you more information as this story unfolds. Back to you Jean."
Susan turned off the TV.
"Susan, where's your beeper?"
"At home," she said getting up.
"Girls?" Abby called. "I want you to go and get your shoes on and I want you to get a coloring book and some crayons."
"Okay Mommy," they chorused before running off.
"Al, you and Carter go get ready. I'll clean up the kitchen and turn off the oven." Susan told them.
"Thanks Susan." Abby called over her shoulder as she headed for her room. She quickly pulled on scrubs and brushed her hair back. John changed his own clothes for something a little more formal. "We should take the El," Abby said as she put a watch on her wrist.
"Good idea." John agreed. "Ready?"
"Yeah. Girls? You ready?" Abby called out as she exited the bedroom.
"Coming Mommy."
"Girls, I want you two to wait in the lounge okay?" Abby said as she ushered Hope and Faith through the madhouse the ER had become.
"Okay Mommy." They said.
Abby smiled and quickly discarded her coat. Then she went back out into the fray and made her way to the ambulance bay.
"Abby!" Dr. Weaver called. "Help Doug. He's handling triage."
"Okay." She quickly looked around and found the doctor in charge. "Doug, what can I do?"
"Help me tag 'em." Doug thrust a bunch of different colored tags at Abby. Green if they can wait, red if they can't, blue if they need to be sutured, and black if they're DOA."
"Got it." She looked to where another ambulance was entering. "I'll take this one."
"Great."
It was hours later when Abby flopped down onto an empty bed in exam two. Carol unceremoniously flopped into the one next to her.
"Helluva way to spend Thanksgiving huh?" Carol murmured.
"You said it," Abby muttered. "Are you sure they're all gone?"
"Turfed to surgery, medicine, ortho, or sewn up and discharged," Carol assured her.
"Thank God." Abby sighed a little. "Are you hungry?"
Carol thought for a minute. "Yeah. You?"
"Yeah. You know I've still got dinner in the oven at home. It probably needs a few more hours to cook. What time is it?" Abby checked her watch as she asked the question. "Oh wow. It's almost nine."
"So a few more hours would put us at midnight?" Carol reasoned.
"Yep. I don't have to work till tomorrow night. What about you?"
"I'm on tomorrow night. So's Doug. What about Carter?"
"He's not on till Saturday."
"There you two are." Susan said coming into the room from the trauma room. "What's going on?"
"Susan, are you hungry?"
"I'm starving."
"Good. Go gather up John, Luka, Doug, Dave, Jing-Mei, and see if Peter and Cleo are available for a late dinner. Then meet us in the bay. Carol, let's go get our kids."
"Sounds good."
"This is crazy," John said. "Dinner will be ready around midnight."
"So?" Abby said as she let them into the house. She set Faith on the couch and John put Hope next to her. She turned to him. "It's Thanksgiving. Don't you want to be with the people we love?"
"I am."
"Besides me and the girls, I mean."
"Okay, okay. You win."
"I always do." Abby smiled.
"Every woman does. Get used to it Carter," Doug said as he came through the door with Kate, followed by Carol with Tess.
"Don't I have him well trained?" Carol cracked as she set Tess down on the couch next to Faith while Doug set Kate down next to Hope.
"I brought wine," Dave said coming in. "Someone get the glasses."
"I think we have grape juice," John murmured to Abby.
"Yeah we do. Make it three. Susan'll want some too."
"You got it," John said as he and Dave went into the kitchen.
"Oh. John? Turn on the oven."
"350?"
"Yep." Abby made herself comfortable in an armchair while everyone else took seats. She looked around the room and smiled. It may not be the Thanksgiving she'd thought she'd have at this time yesterday but it was Thanksgiving all the same and it was turning out to be a good one.
"What are you thinking?" John whispered in her ear.
"That it's nice to be home for the holidays." Abby smiled and then she kissed John. "Love you John Carter."
"Love you, too, Abby soon-to-be Carter."
"Hey you two, no mushy stuff," Dave teased.
Abby wrinkled her nose and shot her friend a dark look. The effect was spoiled when she giggled.
"Excuse me, I have a toast to make," Luka said. "To friends."
"To family," Carol chimed in.
"To those who are here with us," Cleo said.
"And to those who aren't," John added.
"To being pregnant," Susan said.
"To being pregnant and engaged." Abby said once the congratulations had died down.
"I knew it!" Jing-Mei said. She launched herself across the room and hugged John and Abby. "I knew you were gonna ask her to marry you. And you're really pregnant?"
"Yeah," Abby said.
"Eeee!" She shrieked and hugged John again.
"Deb? Oxygen becoming an issue," John said.
"Oh sorry," she said releasing him. "I think this is so great."
"Yeah so do we."
Jing-Mei picked up her glass. "To John and Abby. You went round and round but you ended up exactly where you belonged. Together. Cheers."
"Cheers!"