His Memories of Her

33rd

Catherine’s POV

“Finally!” the only thing I could say after a long day of work as I get ready to punch out and wait for a certain person who would sweep away this urge and excitement I have been bearing since last night.

“Sound like you are in hurry to punch out Dr. Stevens.” My intern said right before I twisted my doorknob, of my office to get in so I could do some last thing to do before pully punching out.

“Am I that obvious?” I said while giggling.

My intern smiled to me and said “I guess you are since I could tell without having physic practice.”

I giggled more tohis joke. I just love my intern who has been with me since he came here, they came here the first batch of intern since I came here. And so, I said “Well, with that observant eye of yours, you do not have to have such powers or practice and since I truth your judgement Karev, I guess I will believe you.”

Karev chuckles and said “Well the, I hope you have a good night out Dr. Stevens and I will see you tomorrow.” Pushing my door so I could enter.

I took one step forward but stopped when my phone dings and a message came from Dr. Bailey which said “You do not have to go in tomorrow, I am giving you day off together with Dr. Altman so get done with what you have to do. Have a great time.”

“Is everything ok Dr. Stevens?” Karev said with worries in his tone.

I look up to him, literally looked up because he is almost two meters tall and I am just five foot and something, and so I told him “I guess, I am not seeing you tomorrow but the day after tomorrow.” While I take steps forward.

“And because of that, I need to brief you about the patients and their needs, I do not want to be disturb tomorrow.” I added as I pointed out a chair in front of my desk telling him to come in and seat as I take down notes of my patients and their routine for tomorrow.

“It seems really important.” Karev said as he closes the door behind him and walk towards the seat in front of me where he settled himself waiting for me to get done.

“It is, and by that note, I need a favor from you.” I said without looking up.

“Well, aside from doing all of these alone tomorrow, I guess I could accept some more from you.” Karev said as I handed him the piece of paper containing the long list of patients giving me the opportunity to look up to him and sees his gentle charming smile.

“Oh, are you complaining about this? When at the end of the day you will thank me, trust me.” I said being jokingly sarcastic giving remarks or his remark.

“Oh, is that so? How so? Humor me Dr. Stevens.” He said while smiling with the intention of challenging me behind it.

I smile and said “Because tomorrow, if you do well with all of these, then you will be remarkable as an intern. You see, you are working under the head of the department you want to work even in the future. No one really pay attention to this, but do you know what kind of cases does the heads of every department gets? The hard and important ones, and so you being in control tomorrow, being in charge and you handle it good enough, you will be recognized by everyone and be envied with everyone.” Looking at him, studying his expression which did not really change from his focused expression, listening to my words attentively but still with his smile.

“What made you think that I want to work in this department in the future? What made you think that I want to be recognized and want to be envied? What if I told you that I stayed in your department because it is you, what if I told you that I do not want anybody else to recognized me but you? And that I want to be envied not because I am good at which I am obviously good but because I have you?” Karev said while looking so serious into my eyes making me feel that my heart is pumping extra amount of blood through my veins that made me take few deep breaths while looking so nervous in his eyes.

“Got ya!” Karev said before he laughs so loudly that I am dumbfounded, lost in his hysterical laughs that I could not do anything nor say but to just watch him take the paper into folding, he folded it small enough to fit into his chest pocket as he stood up and said “You should see your face Dr. Altman, and you need to change it now since I still have not get here your other favor.” As he stood in front of my door holding the door knob and ready to twist it any minute.

I pick up something from my desk, there is nothing harmful on it aside from my pens and so I am pretty sure that whatever it is that I picked up without looking and throw it to him, he would not be hurt and so I did and said “You mean! I should have you fired.”

He is surprisingly athletic that he dodges it perfectly, the thing that I threw at him is my Baoding ball which I use for stress relief instead of hand exercise and hear him say “I am so sorry, I just find it so fun teasing you.” While chuckling as he goes and pick up my precious ball.

“So, what is it that you want me to do for you?” he said seriously while keeping the smile as a residue of his chuckle.

“I need you to find Dr. Altman, you know the intern who works under him right?” I said taking the ball from him which he just handed while rolling my eyes.

“The new or the previous one?” Karev said as he took out his phone from his pocket.

“Old and new? Did he change?” I said in wonder.

“Well, apparently he went into his office this morning without knocking and sees you and Dr. Altman is in the middle of an important discussion that was cut off by him so Dr. Altman sent him to work for rectal services for a week.” Karev said which I found amusing so it made me laugh this time.

“Sshhh…” Karev said as he put his finger on his lips telling me cut my laugh as he brought his phone to his ear by his other hand.

“Hey, you are working for Dr. Hottie today, right?” Karev said. “Even now? Good where he is? Tell me when you guys are done for the day. Ok thank bud.” And added that made his conversation on the phone gone a little longer than I thought until he hung up the call and keep it to his pocket and look at me.

“He is just about to be done for the day. Is that all I could do for you?” Karev said with a smile.

“Thanks, that is all.” I said smiling back.

He looks at me again with a smile and salutes to me before he said “Then, I hope you guys have a great time.” And twisted the door knob and open it.

“Cris! Thank you and good luck for tomorrow.” I said as before he could completely walk out of my office after he gave me a nod and vanishes from my sight after gently closing the door.

“Well then, I guess I only have a few minutes to get this done.” I said looking at some papers to be signed or so I thought until I look at it for a fair amount of time to decide that I should just bring it all home and so I could just pass by tomorrow and drop them to Dr. Bailey.

I put them all in hand bag which I always bring with me aside from my shoulder bag. Went to change my scrubs into my clothes this morning, hanging up my white lab coat first thing of all and when I get out after changing, I pick up my things before I walked out of my office and walked away after locking up my office door.

I walk with hurry towards Dr. Altman’s office door where I stood up until he came out of it looking at me full of surprise and said “Oh, what are you doing here? I am just about to call you.” Smiling as he locks his office door.

“Well then, surprise!” I said giddily which made him chuckle and made me wonder. Of what is this change of mood after all the fuss he made this morning, he seems that he did not care about that at all right now, instead he is happy himself.

“It is really a surprise. By the way are you ready?” He said looking at me, studying me I guess as he keeps looking at me from head to toe.

“I am so ready since last night.” I said as we started walking towards the elevator.

“So, what do you prefer?” he said as we stood in front of the elevator and waits for it.

“Oh, your choice.” I said as I do not really care about what we do tonight as long as I could hear his stories of us.

“Is that so? Then I guess we could go shopping just like planned.” He said relief.

I look at him shock with wide eyes by the word he mentioned, the shopping like planned. I mean we did not talk since this morning so we never really get to planned things for tonight and it is usually a restaurant or pubs or club choosing, not shopping.

“Wait! It is shopping then that means we are going tohis house? Is that it? That is just way too soon and my kokoro is not prepared for anything like this or even along the lines!” I thought to myself like I am in danger and my heart being unprepared of everything that it made me call it in Japanese.

“Dr. Stevens?” Dr. Altman said that I could vaguely hear with everything in my mind while my heart just keep pumping blood twice than it should.

“Oh, yes what is it?” I said looking up beside me. I am incredibly surrounded by tall people.

Dr. Altman is not as tall as Karev but still he is not inferior when it comes to height. Even though it is only a few centimeters but I could tell that Karev is taller than him. It might be because of my height that is so inferior to them that I always made note of which part of their body and I exactly know where I stood with so I know those centimeters of difference.

“Are you getting in or not?” Dr. Altman said making me look forward and sees him standing inside of the elevator while holding the doors and waiting for me.

“Oh! I am so sorry!” I exclaimed and walk inside hurriedly.

“It is ok, but are you ok?” He said worriedly as soon as I got in and the door closes.

“I am, I was just a bit lost of thoughts.” I said smiling at him reassuring him that I am not nervous by the fact that we will go shopping and will surely go to his house where he will be cooking, making us some dinners.

“Ok, if you say so. If you suddenly feel not ok, it is fine we can just reschedule this.” He said worriedly and thoughtfully.

“As If I am going to reschedule it when I feel so lucky to have this chance.” I thought to myself before I said “No, I am just fine. I just had a long day that is making me go in daze often.” Followed by an awkward laugh.

“Well, now that you mention it, the more I want you to take up and get a head C.T.” he said that shocked me.

“What are you thinking? Giving an excuse to a neurologist that could be a brain issue?” I said to myself while cursing myself before I speak up to him once again and said “No. it is not a case I assure you.”

He chuckles for a moment until the elevator dings and said “If you say so. Then I guess you are just tired or just contained too much excitement maybe.”

I look at him and suddenly said “Yes! That is, it!” and door opens.

“Cath!” a familiar voice came that shock me to see who it is.

“Kevin! I did not know you will be coming tonight.” I said steeping out with the crowds from the elevator.

“If you have prior plan things, we can just reschedule it.” Dr. Altman said as he stood beside me looking at me with a smile which I could tell that is a forced one.

“Oh, I see.” Kevin said after hearing what Dr. Altman said.

“Yeah, that is the way it is. So, I am so sorry.” I said towards Kevin to which he just nods.

“Look, I am so sorry Mr.?” Dr. Altman said. “You guys can go on with what your plans are tonight.” He added.

“Kevin McAbee, cousin of Cath.” Kevin said extending his hand towards Dr. Altman.

“Cousin? Oh, I see. Dr. Henry Altman but just call me Henry, colleague of Dr. Stevens.” Dr. Altman said in a surprisingly new tone and so is his expression that if I have to choose a word to describe it, it seemed like he has loosened up.

“Henry? The guy?” Kevin said which made me wonder about the guy he is saying.

“The guy? What do you mean the guy?” I exclaimed to Kevin who look so surprised and look at Dr. Altman who is on the same height as him and made turn to look up to Dr. Altman who just shrug his shoulder.

“I have no idea about it.” He said as he looks back at me then to Kevin which I quickly knew something is going on.

“Ok fine! That is enough looking and eyeing each other. Youi need to go home so I could find out about ‘the guy’ thing myself.” I exclaimed as I turned back to Kevin who is now looking so terrified that I faced him and exclaimed on his face.

“Well, now that I know who you are going to be with, I do not have to do what your brother asked me to do since I guess you are going home safe and sound.” Kevin said who seems to be in hurry to run away from me because he just run out of the hospital right after he finishes what he just said.

I scoffs as I see him walking away until he vanishes from my sight only then I turned around to look at Dr. Altman who is surprisingly smiling, seeming to be so happy about something I do not even have any idea of what and so I frown before I said “What is a happy thing that happened?”

It seems that I woke up Dr. Altman from his dazing because he just blinked a few times and said “I am sorry, what?” like he did not hear anything of what I just said or should I just simply said that he did not really heat anything.

“I said, if you would like to move already, so we could get down with your shopping.” I said a little frustrated. But do not get me wrong, it is not because of this man who said yes and started walking after he motioned me to go first, but because of Kevin who just came to ruin my almost perfect day.

“So, why it seems that I have been seeing your cousin when your brother is not around?” Dr. Altman said as we walk side by side in one if the cold nights of Seattle towards his car.

I stopped from my tracks and look at him in suspicion before I went to open my mouth and said “Are you stalking me? You have never been anyway near me whenever he comes.”

Dr. Altman looked at me surprised and shock as I called him stalker, is my guess until he open his mouth and said “Well, I have not seen him that much so I do not really know why you said that I am stalking you. This is just my second time and the first time was when we rode the elevator together which I am not sure if you still remember that.” That made me smile.

“Is that so? Well, I am sorry for calling you like that, and no I do not remember that anymore, unless something significant happened that time, I might try to remember it. And just like what you just said. My brother would make him come and pick me up every now and then whenever he is out of the country.” I said continuing to my tracks following him.

“So, your brother made another man to be your baby sitter?” Dr. Altman said before chuckling to his heart’s content.

“Another?” I said making a note on one of his words.

“Yeah, another. There was one man whom he made your first baby sitter when you guys just got back here before he turned me into one as well.” He said still chuckling and I could not see any sign that it would end anytime soon.

I look at him, stared to his chuckling face. The sound that is coming out from that chuckle is just so cute to my ears and seems like I would not stop listening to it as I felt sudden nostalgia from just hearing it. His eyes that would just shrink in as his lips spreads on his face and the fact that these boney long fingers that is mold into a fist covering his mouth where those pink lips are sitting on is just a plainly pleasing sight that I have watch enough to be unaware that we have came to a stop on the passenger side of his car until it made a beeping sound of unlocking that woke me up from staring at him too much..