Reconcilible Differences
part 24
by Mrs. Eyre
“Four weeks? Four?”
“Yes”
”Here? With me?”
“Well, there are some things I have to
do, but yes, with you. Is that not good for you?”
”You need to ask me?”
”You don’t sound … sure.”
”I’m sure. Of course I’m
sure. When was I ever not sure about anything? But I’m
surprised.”
”I have a lot to think about. I
need a rest, Tata.”
”Is this about a woman?”
”I knew you’d say that.”
”And I knew you wouldn’t answer my
question.”
“Well, partly.”
“Who is she?”
”Abby”
”The same one? You broke up an
age ago.”
”Things have changed. But I need
a little … distance.”
”You think too much, boy.”
”Not always, Tata; sometimes not
enough.” His father was silent. “So, is it
OK? Can I come to you for July?”
”It will be as hot as hell; we’ll
stick to the coast. I’ll tell Damir; see
if he can get off the leash for a weekend.”
”That would be good.”
”And I’ll have to move my canvases
out of the second bedroom. And clean.” He cursed
softly then.
“And move your mistress out.”
“Not so easy. They get so
attached, you know - the screaming, the crying, the threats, the
pleading … “
“I know. Be gentle with her.
Oh, and Tata?”
”Yes, son?”
”Loza. Plenty of it.”
”Ah, now that I can do.”
“Four weeks? What’s he
doing, taking a cruise?”
”Going home.”
Carter paused before asking “Think he’ll
be back?”
”I don’t know. He says so.
What?” she asked as Carter sighed.
“I wish – “
“What?”
”That you’d get on with it,
the both of you.”
”It?”
”You know what I mean.”
”Yeah, it’s that easy.”
”Isn’t it? You want him;
he wants you. Easy.”
”Little matter of history. And I’ve
only been back from rehab 6 months. Pass the sugar.”
”Sober for 9 months. Sugar kills
the flavour of coffee.”
”Look, it happens, it happens; it
doesn’t, it doesn’t. And this hardly qualifies as
coffee.”
”You’ve been spoilt. Maybe I
should get you quarantined together.”
”Not funny, Carter.”
“It is. It’s funny. You’re
driving me crazy with this.”
”What do you have to be crazy about?”
”I hate to see waste.”
”You’ll be telling me to eat my
spinach next. When did you get to be a grown up?”
”Took a while.” Carter was
serious now. “I had a look at a few other grown ups
and decided to have at it myself. But at least one of my
role models is now behaving like a teenager.”
”Me or him?”
”You’re a grown up?”
“You’re so funny today, Carter.
Not. He may be a grown up but he’s not like us. I
don’t think I – or you – have any idea what the
last ten years have done to him. Sometimes he seems ---
used up, you know? I don’t know how often he can come
out fighting.”
”Depends what he’s fighting for, I
guess.”
“I don’t know if he wants to fight
any more. It’s different for him.”
”What is?”
”Being with someone. It means
something else to him. I don’t know if I have it to
offer.”
“But you want to?”
Abby
was silent for a while. “Yes.”
”Well,
put us all out of our misery – or maybe I could put an ad in
the paper for you.”
”Jesus,
John Carter MD, advice to the lovelorn. Shoot me now.”
“Four weeks? It’s a long
time.”
”I know, Kerry, that’s why I’m
giving you plenty of notice.”
”But four weeks leave, Luka, and at the
worst time of the year for cover. We need our attendings
here.”
“You have Carter now. Please,
Kerry, this is important to me.” She regarded him
levelly for a moment.
“OK, Luka. But between now and
then if I need cover for anyone, anytime, you’re it.”
”Absolutely” he replied, with the
smallest of smiles.
“Four weeks? In July?”
”Yes. So I’m going to be
looking to the rest of you to be flexible with regard to cover.”
”But July! Could he have picked a
worse time to go?”
”I’ve made my decision, Pratt, and
I’ve told you what I expect from the rest of you. You
have a problem with that?”
”Hell, yes, I was figuring on taking
some time myself.”
”And you can. You can take it in
June or in August.”
”Or – “
”Or else, Pratt. Anyone else have
a problem with this? Gallant?”
”No, Ma’am.”
”Dr Lewis.”
”No. First come first served.”
”Good. I’ll speak to Chen and
Carter later. Now, a cursory glance at the board will
tell you that we have work to do.”
”Then Kovac should be here doing it.”
muttered Pratt as he followed Susan.
“He will be. Which is more than I
can say for you if you keep this up, mister!” Kerry called
after him.
“That boy is his own worst enemy”
observed Haleh, watching him go.
“Not while I’m alive,” Kerry
replied.