"Carter," Susan shouted from trauma one. "Carter, are you busy?"
"I'm on break in five minutes, Susan," he said, checking charts in front of him. "Nothing can interfere with that next five minutes that might make me late."
"Late for what?" she called across the lobby.
"Something," he said. "Can't be in a trauma. Sorry."
She rolled her eyes and went back to the room. He smiled to himself and threw the charts into a small pile.
"Hey," Chuny said as he began to walk away from the desk. "You said in five minutes!"
"I'm done with charts aren't I?" he asked.
"Get back over here!" Haleh commanded, playfully. "There's some more charts, then, Dr. Carter!"
"Augh," he whined, with his head tilted back. "Fine, give me something to do."
"Tilly Boss, thirteen-year-old with a broken arm. Just discharge her and you're done."
He looked over the chart and signed a few things here in there, called for Lydia to finish anything with the patient and smiled at Chuny and Haleh as he smartly through the chart beside him to the pile already made.
"See you," he said with a smile, and walked to the elevator. Something crawled inside him. He already was having second thoughts about going to see Abby in the OB. Not only did he feel it wasn't his place, he didn't like knowing that the baby wasn't his. He felt awkward celebrating and feeling glad when he shouldn't be.
But maybe this didn't have to be about him. It was about Abby.
She wanted him to be there. She'd told him. She'd insisted, hadn't she?
The door swung open and he stepped aside as a few people departed from the chamber. He smiled smugly as they left and walked inside. Standing anxiously in the center, the doors shut, leaving him alone. However, the panels were suddenly forced open.
"Sorry," a woman said. She smiled funnily, her red, ratty hair showering around her shoulders. "My name is Barbie."
He smiled. The doors closed again and he was left to his thoughts. What would they do once the baby was born? Would he leave? Would she want him to stay?
Of course not. The baby needed its father. And that he was not.
"Wow," the woman suddenly said. "Are you a doctor?"
He looked at her oddly. "Uh, yeah. I'm a doctor."
"That's so cool!" she shouted. He jumped at her volume and nodded uncomfortably. "Do you have to take things out of someone's ass and stuff?"
His head shot around to her face. He pushed his eyebrows down by their own and looked at her. "If necessary," he said without interest. He turned away again.
"Why are you on your way to the OB?"
Just then the door open. Gratefully, he left immediately. He sped down the hall to the receptionist, asked for Abby's exam room, and arrived there in less than a minute.
"Dr. Carter," the nurse greeted him. She stood in an empty room.
"Hi," he said, looking around. "Where's Abby?"
"Miss Lockhart is changing into a gown."
He nodded in understanding and sat down just as Abby came through the bathroom door.
"Hey, John," she said with a smile.
"Hey."
"Why don't you just have a seat up here," she said, patting the table, "and I'll send Dr. Codburn in to see you."
"Thank you," Carter and Abby said, as Carter helped Abby onto the surface.
The nurse smiled again and shut the door behind her.
"Excited?" Carter asked, finishing his assistance.
Her hands on his shoulders, she replied, "Yeah. I'm going to have a daughter or a son. It's kind of big."
He nodded as she finally sat up. "Yes, it is." He looked away and then back to her. "I'm happy for you, Abby. No matter what it looks like to you, I'm happy."
She looked down and bit her lip. He stared at her, not knowing what was wrong once again.
"Hello, Abby, Dr. Carter," Dr. Coburn said with a smile. "So, you wanna know if you're having a boy or a girl, then?"
She nodded. "I have to find out," she said with a small chuckle.
Dr. Coburn made her way around the table with the same grin and prepared some of the equipment behind her. "Lay back here, dear."
She slowly fell back to the sheet beneath her, with more help from Carter. He found himself so cautious around her, protecting her. She didn't protest his efforts, to his appreciation.
Dr. Coburn readied Abby for the procedure, and finally asked Carter to turn off the lights. He switched them off and stared at the switch for a second.
He was happy here, he realized. He wanted to see the baby. It felt different.
"Here we go," Dr. Coburn said. "Right here, let's wait for it to turn around."
Carter walked over in amazement to Abby's side. She took his hand without looking away from the screen. Carter squeezed her hand, and she did back.
"Oh, my God," Carter whispered.
"I know," Abby said, quietly the same, with a smile. Carter's smile slowly spread across his face.
"Hey, look here," Dr. Coburn said.
The two of them leaned in closer.
"You're having a boy."
Abby laughed and put a hand over her mouth. "Really?"
"Really," Dr. Coburn said cheerfully. "Congratulations, you two."
"Oh," Carter said, separating himself from his moment of sparking. "We're, we're not together."
Abby squeezed his hand again. He didn't know what to make of it, but he didn't want to ruin the moment for her.
Dr. Coburn smiled and said, "I'll leave you two alone for a moment."
"Thank you," he said.
"You're having a boy, Abby."
She nodded. Carter bent down and kissed her forehead.
