 | ShatterStorm Productions
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| ShatterStorm Productions
|
Title: Perfect Stranger
Author: Elizabeth
Email: bethiewhyte@yahoo.ca
"Susie! Come on, we have to leave now."
"I'm coming Aunt Susan"
I smile and take the last of Susie's stuff into the car. Chloe is coming home today and apparently Atlanta was a big help to her. Enough that she and Joe are going to move there so she can keep seeing the doctor she saw while she was in the center. It has worked out that next week is March break for Susie. Chloe and Joe are going to pick her up and take her home with them, and then they are going to plan the move. Alex comes up from downstairs with more music books. She looks really good today. She has been off the chemo for a week and is due for a blood test today after we take Susie to the airport and meet Joe and Chloe. If after a month of once a week blood tests she is still okay she will officially go into remission. She already has some hair coming back on her head, but not enough that she looks okay without a scarf or hat. She goes back to work on Monday, but only half shifts. I am back to working full shifts. Life is getting back to normal.
Susie finally comes down with the last of her stuff, all of which will be sent to New York via a moving truck. We make sure they get everything in and are on their way, then get into my car and make our way to the airport. Alex drives and I sit in back with my niece. I will miss her and I want to spend a bit of time with her. I look at her and my eyes fill with tears already.
"No remember, you and Kris are coming to visit us in August. Nana and Poppa will be there too so we'll have a good time." Jill has moved back to Minnesota with Bob. He showed up at the door one day looking horrible and asking for her. They went away for the weekend to talk about their problems, and then showed up to move back. Alex spent that day in Kris' room. She misses her niece like I will miss mine.
"I'm going to miss you Aunt Susan."
"I'm going to miss you too pumpkin. But your mom's better now and you guys are going to be a family again." Susie smiles at this, and says "I'll send you lots of emails."
"I can't wait to get them. Everything's going to be fine."
"I'm going to miss you too Aunt Alex."
"Me too sweetie. But guess what? When you get back in August I'm going to be feeling a lot better, so I'll be a lot more fun." Susie smiled again and we played "I spy" until we got to the airport. Then we ran through the gates looking for the one Chloe and Joe were due to come out, found it and waited. A few minutes they emerged. Chloe looked better than I'd ever seen her. Susie forgot about missing me as soon as she saw her, yelled, "MOMMY!" and ran towards her. Chloe caught her in a big hug. "Look at you! I've missed you so much."
"Are you all better now mom?"
"You bet I am." Chloe lets go of Susie and she goes to hug Joe. I go over and give my sister a hug as well. "You look so good Chloe."
"Thanks. I feel better than I have in years. I'm ready to take care of my family again."
"I'm glad to hear. You'd better go or you'll miss your connecting flight."
Susie started to cry and attached herself to me. I lifted her up and gave her a big hug. She hugged me back, and then turned to hug Alex. After that it was really rushed as we found the gate and got them on. Then, just like that, they were gone. Tears formed in my eyes and Alex took me in her arms. I felt like I was sending Susie to college or something. Alex tried to calm me down. "Hey…it'll be fine. She'll be back in a couple of months and by then we might have some good news for them all."
Alex and I decided we wanted kids, so I was going on fertility drugs soon and Andy was donating sperm. We had decided to use him because it was the closest we could get to Alex and I having a child on our own. Kerry knew a good doctor and referred me to her. Everything was going to start next week and I couldn't wait. I looked at Alex and said, "Are you sure you're ready for all this?"
"I'm more than ready. I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you, and share our love with our children." I smile. "We'd better get going. You have an appointment."
We make our way out to the car and back into the city. At county we go up to Oncology for the draw. Laura meets us at the elevator and shows us to a seat where she takes Alex's blood and sends it down. We sit and talk until she gets back again. We look at her expectantly. She smiles, "All clear for this week. No viruses, no cancer detected."
I smile and take Alex's hand as she thanks Laura.
Two days later I find myself at work looking at a chart when I hear a voice, "Well I haven't seen you like this in a while." I look up to see my love dressed for work in her sexy scrubs. I smile and am so happy I can't even speak. Alex smiles back, "Uh-oh. I hope you aren't going to stop talking to me again." I shake my head and am about to say more when a trauma comes in. Alex and I take it together. She's a little rusty but mostly hasn't forgotten anything. We stabilize the patient and Elizabeth comes down for a consult. I give her the bullet, "Stab wound looks like it might have hit the liver."
"Right. Let's get her upstairs and I'll be right there to scrub in. Get Shirley to prep her." They take her up and Elizabeth looks at us and says, "Alex you look wonderful."
"Yeah well, I still don't have all my hair." She points at the surgery hat she is wearing. It has cats on it and is a big hit with the kids.
"It'll come with time. The important thing is you're feeling better."
"Yeah. Well we'd better get back to work."
"Are you two up for lunch in an hour?"
"I just got here…half shifts."
"Susan?"
"Yeah…come find me."
Elizabeth smiles and makes her way upstairs. Alex and I share a look then go our separate ways. Carter needs a line and I have to save more lives. I watch for a minute as she walks away, then make my way to the rack to see what's there. I look down at the ring on my finger, and back up to see Abby looking at me with a smile on her face. I smile back and take the chart from her hands. "I somehow managed to get a condom stuck up my butt." How lovely. I motion for Abby to come with me and make my way to curtain three. I see Alex in sutures keeping watch as a hooker tries to hit on Carter. She looks up, sees me and smile. I smile back and make my way into the room. I love where my future is heading.
