Michelle got off the elevator and went to report in with her supervisor. She would get her schedule and then she would go to the archive files and read up on Danny.
She couldn't stay too long though, she had a shopping date with Abby.
She reported in with her supervisor. Her name was Ardith. She had a quick but firm handshake. It was the first time a woman had ever shaken her hand. She had a feeling she would get along with her well.
She got her schedule and went to get a new name tag. One that read Dr. Santos. That had such a nice ring to it. She could get used to it, she decided.
She was going down the stairs into the basement where the records were kept when she accidentally brushed against a nurse going by. "Excuse me" Michelle said.
"Michelle?" the pretty brunette said. "Is that you?"
"Sandy!!!!" Michelle said. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here now, I came to work here about a year ago. I heard you were back. I am so excited. You are finally going to be a doctor just like you hoped." Sandy said.
Sandy Shores had been Michelles lab partner in biology in the tenth grade. They had been great friends. Sandy's parents were a little eccentric hence the choice of name they had given their daughter. She had a brother named Rocky. Her mother ran a bookstore and was famous for reading the last page of every mystery novel and then telling the customers who done it. Michelle didnt remember what her father did.
"How in the world are you?" Michelle asked. She noticed the huge rock on her finger. "You got married. "
Sandy eagerly nodded her head. "Oh Michelle, you should meet him. His name is Paul. We have a little boy who just turned two, here let me show you", she said and reached to get a picture. "That's little Casey" she beamed as Michelle admired her family. The Anthony family was seated in a log ride at a local amusement park. They looked extremely happy and Michelle was glad for her friend.
"Well Sandy said, I have to get back to the ward, it was good seeing you. I am sure we will bump into each other again" she said and laughed at the pun she had made.
Michelle continued her journey to the basement. She finally found Danny's file. It was rather thick. Since Cedars was a teaching hospital, a lot of photographs had been taken of his injuries. Michelle blanched at the first photos taken of Danny's eye. It had been before they had patched it up. It had been damaged beyond repair and would look similar to something you would see in one of those horror movies. His scars ran all the way across and down his body. His skin was black where it had been burned. The charts said third degree over 40 percent of his body.
MIchelle sat down and continued to read. She held the bile down that was rising in her throat. Her Danny was the subject in this file. His body had been blown apart by that explosion and she knew it was truly a miracle that he were still here today. She noted the injury to his hip. It had been shattered to the point where it had to be totally rebuilt. The doctors had performed that surgery.There was a note that he would need another surgery. Danny hadnt mentioned another surgery.She would have to talk to him about that.
She spent the next hour going over everything in the file. She didnt want to miss even the tiniest detail. He had spent a total of 94 days in the hospital, 47 of them in intensive care and 22 of them in a coma.
God, she hadn't realized how awful this had been for him. She noted all of the medications he had had to take and those that he still took. He would keep Mucke's pharmacy in business for a long time at this rate.
She put Danny's file back and grabbed her pad with her notes on it. She checked her watch and decided to go meet Abby at the mall now. They could grab lunch in the food court. She was in no hurry to get acquainted with the hospital food. She would have to choke enough of it down. What she wouldnt give to be able to have some of Carla's homemade brownies. They were legendary.
She drove to the mall and shopped with Abby. Together, while she blushed right down to her roots, they had selected a cream pengoir set with matching tap pants. It would look beautiful Abby had said. It would complement her hair and skin tone. Michelle had just wanted to get out of there and quick but Abby was having the time of her life.
She made the drive back home and was all set to cook dinner for Rick and Abby when the phone rang. It was Josh. He and his fiancee' Amy were in town for the night and wanted to go to dinner. She gave him the address and told them to come over and they would go out to eat. She would finally meet the infamous fiancee and she could unload some of what was happening to Josh.
She checked the time and decided she had enough time to take a shower before they came. She took her purchases to her room and decided, what the heck, it wouldnt hurt anything to try it on. She cuoldnt bring herself to try it on at the store, Lord knew she had been embarrased enough just buying the darn thing.
She disrobed and put on her new outfit. She had to admit it looked good on her and she loved the way it felt against her skin. Just let Danny try to resist her in this, she thought.
She snapped out of her daydream and went in to get her shower. She would only have to wait one more night and then she and Danny would be together. Now she just had to figure out if that idea excited her as much as it scared her.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"But Danny , are you sure this is a good idea?" Pilar asked. " She has already proved herself to be disloyal, how can you trust her again?"
Danny had just informed Pilar of the new living arrangements. Pilar hadn't come home at all the night before, Sarah had told him. When he asked where she had been and why she hadn't come home, she had merely shrugged her shoulders and said he didnt check in each night he wasnt going to be home, so she didnt feel as though she had to either.
Danny was getting worried about Pilar. He needed to have a serious talk with her but he could tell she was going to be difficult.
"Well you can live here with Michelle if you want to, but I am not." she announced. "I will move out. I can live in one of the apartments we own' she said.
"Pilar, what is wrong with you? You and Michelle used to be so close." he said.
"Yea Danny but that was before she showed you how much she really cared about you. Dont you remember, she didnt come when you needed her. It was me, Danny, I was the one who was there every day. Every day while you cried, every day while you lingered between life and death and she was out in Oregon becoming Dr. Bauer. She didnt care about you then and she doesnt care about you now. She is just feeling guilty. She doesnt love you" Pilar said defiantly.
"You keep your mouth shut about Michelle" Danny said. "If you can't control yourself while you are around my wife, then yes, Pilar I think it would be an excellent idea if you moved out" he said and slammed the door on his way out.