Chapter 7   FATAL REALITY 

Marissa pulled her white SUV into the winding driveway in front of her house. She took off her seat belt and removed her keys from the ignition.

“Get Aarons bags please.” Marissa told Jessica. Jessica nodded and stepped out of the car. She grabbed his bags and continued on into the house. Marissa opened the door on Aarons side. She smiled to herself. Aaron rested his head comfortably on the back of the seat, his eyes closed. Marissa ran her fingertips over his baby soft face. Aaron opened his eyes lazily and gazed up at her.

“We’re here.” Marissa smiled, putting her arm underneath his. She snapped off his seatbelt and helped him out of the car. Aaron slid his arm around her waist and held on tightly. She led him slowly up the steps and into the house.

“Are you tired, sweetie? You want to take a nap before dinner?” Aaron didn’t say anything. His answer was just a nod of his head.

“Okay.” Marissa smiled and led him to the room that was now his. She pulled back the covers and laid him down, pulling the covers up to his chin, “It feels nice to sleep in a real bed, other than a hospital bed huh?”

Aaron blinked, “Mhmm.” He sighed and snuggled deeper into the covers. Marissa chuckled and kissed his forehead, before heading out of the room.

*******

Marissa dragged herself into the kitchen and flopped down at the bar. She groaned, letting her head fall into the counter. Jessica who was in the kitchen at the time, sensed her aunts worries. She poured her a cold glass of lemonade and slid it over to her. Marissa lifted up her head, feeling the coldness of the drink that was by her head.

“Thank you.” She took the drink in her hand and took a little sip.

“What’s wrong?” Jessica asked putting her arm around Marissa’s shoulders. She sighed heavily and laid her head back down.

“I just remembered something….”

“What?”

“Jack….is going to kill me.”

**

Meanwhile back at the hospital, Jack sat at the front desk doing paper work. He laid down his pen and leaned back in his chair, stretching.

“Coleman.” Jack called to Dr. Keith Coleman. Keith looked up from his paperwork and peered at him over the rim of his glasses.

“Yeah Jack?”

“I need you to fetch Marissa for me. I’m a little busy at the moment.” Jack told him. Keith raised an eyebrow. ‘And I’m not?’ Keith thought to himself. Keith never really liked Jack and who even does? He’s too demanding, and he treats Marissa like shit. All that Keith thought was that Marissa deserved a hell of a lot better. Julie walked over then and stood by the counter.

“Never mind, Julie can do it.” Jack said before Keith could say anything.

Julie narrowed her eyes, “I can do what?”

“Go get Marissa for me.”

“What for?”

Jack sighed heavily and glanced at her, “Because I need to talk to her.” He said, bitterly. Julie shifted, avoiding eye contact.

“If you want to talk to her call her. She’s at home.” Julie told him. It was Jacks turn to narrow his eyes this time

“Why the hell is she at home? Marissa doesn’t get a day off unless she’s in her death bed!”

Julie sighed, “She’s taking a vacation, Jack.”

Jack started to see red. He slammed down his clipboard and stood up, “Vacation?! There is no vacation for her. She devoted her time to that….damn Carter kid! She’s supposed to be taking care of him!”

“Jack, she is.” Julie said, calmly.

“Oh yeah, then were is she?”

“Aaron’s with her. She released him this morning.”

Jack shook his head, “Yeah well, if she thinks she’s going to take care of that traumatized suicidal son of a bitch in my home, she has something else coming.” He hissed. Julie and Keith kept their mouth shut after that. They were hoping that Jack would just drop it, if they didn’t say anything. Julies heart leaped into her throat when she saw Jack looking at her.

“He’s at the house isn’t he?”

Julie bit her lip, “Where is he supposed to go?” Julie could have cowered away from him in a split second if her legs would move. The look in Jacks eyes scared the shit out of her. He looked like he was getting ready to have an aneurism. His face was as red as a tomato.

“DR. COLEMAN, DR MILLER TO TRAUMA ROOM ONE NOW!! DR COLEMAN, DR MILLER TO TRAUMA ROOM ONE!!!” A loud voice called over the intercom. Julie raised her eyebrows at Jack and quickly departed before he could protest. Keith sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

“Duty calls Doctor.” Keith grinned and jogged down to Trauma room one. Jack slammed his fist on the counter in complete anger.

“Goddammit.” He gritted through his teeth and jogged after Keith. Keith was right though….duty calls. Jack decided he would deal with Marissa when he got home, no matter what the time was.