Romancing Dr. Bailey

Ain't No Need to Worry

Miranda stood on her toes and reached up the shelves. She grunted with disgust as she came up short. "Ugh, who puts the damn pregnancy tests up on the fortieth shelf!?" She growled.

"Hey, baby, want me to get that for you?" Ben asked pressing his body against hers. She shivered as he pulled down a box and handed it to her. He leaned down to kiss her cheek. His scent intoxicated her. It made her want to turn around and throw herself onto him; which she probably would have done if she wasn't so mad at him.

"Thanks."

"I guess you didn't see my text messages this morning," Ben said turning her around.

"I did," Miranda confessed. He'd texted her: Good morning baby. And she'd responded by not responding at all. Then another one came in that said: Even though youre mad at me...I love you

"And?"

Miranda looked at him under the bright lights. "Good morning," she said. "And I love you."

"Miranda."

"Yes?" She said politely.

"Is this about me having to leave? Or is this about your mom? Or what? You gotta help me out because I am out of the loop here." He chuckled nervously. She started to walk past him and he touched her arm. "Miranda, seriously?"

"What?" He pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her. She tried to wiggle away and he tightened his grip. "Ben," she said speaking softly.

"Talk to me."

"I—" Miranda was saved by her phone going off. She was being paged to the ER. "I have to go."

"Okay," Ben said simply. He kissed her forehead and released her from his hold.

She put the tests into her pocket and walked off. She worked alongside her residents, directing their movements like a conductor of a complex orchestra. As they assessed the patient, she received a message from her mother that she was on her way, she'd called for a taxi even though Miranda was supposed to get back to the house and give her the pregnancy tests. I'll be in surgery. Miranda had written back. Another message had come in said that she was in front of the hospital. As the patient went to the CT, she walked toward the entrance to meet her. "You just couldn't wait?" The surgeon asked her mother, hugging her.

"No. I was getting restless in that house."

"You could have played with Tuck's Xbox," Miranda answered under her breath.

"Curb your tongue," Elena said laughing.

"Well, the surgery shouldn't take long, you can take the tests and wait or just go back to the house until I'm finished."

"Can I see the surgery?" Elena said offering her own option. "Can I watch?"

Miranda was shocked. "You want to?" Her parents hardly ever seemed genuinely interested her job. And she never blamed them or held it against them, but she just couldn't understand how someone wouldn't be interested in the ultimate healing process. But here Elena was, asking to see a surgery. Something that was totally against the rules. Logically, she shouldn't entertain her mother's question. Miranda shook the idea from her head.

Elena nodded. "I do."

"Well, let's get you some scrubs and up to the gallery." Elena smiled and held Miranda's arm as they walked. She watched her mother put on the light blue scrubs with such fascination.

"Mandy, what?"

"You have to remember to call me 'Bailey'," she told her mother.

"I birthed you, I'll call you what I want." The two of them giggled loudly.