Romancing Dr. Bailey

Dim All the Lights

Before Miranda opened her eyes the next morning, she hoped that she hadn't experienced another night of sweating. And every fiber in her body prayed that when she turned on her side, that Ben would be there. He had to be there. She felt her shirt. Dry. Thank God. She licked her lips slightly and looked over to what she called 'his side of the bed'. Empty. No one was there. The covers were still tucked in. Miranda took a deep breath. She didn't even want to check her phone. No good could come of it. It would either be full of calls and text messages or the notifications bar would be nearly empty. She said a quick prayer thanking God and got out of bed.

While in the shower, she went over her list for the day. Tuck would be dropped off at school by Tucker and she'd pick him up. Maybe they would go out to dinner. She was always worried that they didn't spend enough time together, just the two of them. There was the bimonthly meeting at the hospital that would be starting in about an hour and a half. She had to be there for that and she wanted to be there, not just on time, but early. The seats filled up quickly and she did not like standing while the meeting droned on. Then there was the situation with Ben. The water ran off of her body as she stepped out of the shower. He either didn't get her messages and calls or he did and didn't respond or he did respond and she didn't get them. Damn it, technology. But he could have just come over. Putting on her jeans and her shirt, her mind was so full and so loud. Should she get breakfast at the hospital? Call Ben again? Could Tucker pick up Tuck just in case she had an emergency surgery? Did she have hypothyroidism? Was Ben okay?

Sitting in the meeting, she tried to focus on what the Chief was saying, so she pushed her impending questions to the back of her head. She listened to the conversations swirling around her. Nothing made sense. To her, it was a meeting about nothing. And she just wanted to either get into surgery or get home. She wanted to bury herself in an open body cavity or her comforters. Everyone was arguing, but saying the same thing and because they weren't listening to each other and they were giving her two headaches. She was already frustrated and it was too early for this shit. "Okay, okay," she said quietly at first. No one heard her; that was Mandy's voice. "Enough!" She shouted. Every head turned in her direction. "People, you're arguing like schoolchildren, but at least a child would have thrown a punch, made it entertaining. This is boring. You're all saying the same thing." A few of them looked away, guiltily. "Robbins, you and Shepherd agree that the kid needs surgery and you don't know where to start, ask the next person, someone might have some clarity. Then, if not, you know what I always think works best."

"Rock, paper, scissors," Derek said with a smile.

"Rock, paper, scissors," she repeated. "Figure it out."

"Exactly," the Chief started.

Miranda cut him off. "And you—"

"Uh-oh," he said and everyone except Miranda laughed.

"You're acting like it's your first rodeo. This meeting is an abomination. So much time has been wasted. I'm ashamed." Richard made a face making her have to bite the inside of her cheeks to keep from smiling. No one said anything, just stared between her and the Chief. "So, if there's nothing else, I'll have patients and so do all of you. Meeting dismissed." Miranda picked up her folder and left the room, leaving the door wide open. She heard behind her say: "Holy crap, when she becomes chief." She smiled as she made her way to the room of her first patient.

"Bailey! Bailey! Wait up!" She heard the Chief call out to her. She pretended that she didn't hear him and she kept walking. "Dr. Miranda Bailey, I know you can hear me." Miranda jerked her head and stopped in her tracks. He caught up to her. "I thought so." She smiled. "Now, I want to talk to you about doing something for me."

"Like what?"

"I'm supposed to be doing interviews and tours and such for a new General fellow and I need you by my side."