Romancing Dr. Bailey

Time to Party

The first game was over. And Miranda Bailey was so tired. She slapped the palms of the other team. "Good game. Good game. Good game."

"Good game?" Alex said sitting down on the bench. "That was a freakin' great game!"

"Yeah, you played well," Miranda told him.

"Damn good game, baby!" Ben shouted as he walked over to them with Tuck on his heels. He leaned over and kissed her.

"Your face is so red," Alex said. He nudged her with his shoulder and she smiled. Sometimes the lines of their relationship were blurred and he alternated between being her co-worker, her son, a little brother and a friend. "Too bad Pierce didn't show up, huh?"

"She had surgery," Jackson said plopping down on the other side of Alex. Ben and Miranda exchanged a look.

"Welp, the patients do come first," Ben responded. He checked his watch. "I think your second game is about to start in ten minutes."

"Please no," Miranda whined. "I'm tired."

"Just one more, Bailey, please." Alex clapped his hands and begged. Everyone around them laughed.

Tuck put his arms around her and squeezed. "Good game, mommy."

"Thank you, baby." Miranda sighed. "Fine."

"Good. Now, I'm going to get some shots up," Alex said to no one in particular.

"Same here," Jackson added. The two of them walked away.

"Can I go with Alex?" Tuck looked at Ben.

"Go ahead," Ben said with a nod. He made a face and turned to her. The sun was out and he had on a pair of her shades. Her silhouette was visible in them. And if she looked hard enough, she could see his eyes, his beautiful eyes. "I mean, that was okay with you, right? That I let him go."

"You're the one he asked," Miranda commented with a small smile. She put her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun. Ben took off the glasses and gave them to her. "Thank you." Ben kissed her quickly on the cheek. "Are you sticking around the for next game?"

"Uh, naw, I'm going to miss half of this last game. Curt is coming to get me. Sorry, sweetheart."

Miranda frowned. Really frowned. She furrowed her eyebrows and glared at him. "I know. I know, but if it's any consolation, I'm making plans for your birthday."

She pulled in her lips to keep her excitement from showing. "Before you continue with the plans, I want to tell you something."

He picked up one of her hands and slid his fingers between hers. "What's that?"

"Do not propose and no big party, please."

"Okay. I knew about the party thing." She nodded. "And I wasn't going to propose, but I need you to look into my eyes and say that again so that I know that it isn't a Miranda-ism."

"A what?"

"When you say one thing and think you mean it, but what you actually mean is the total opposite."

"Oh! So, you gave it a name?"

"Yep."

She squeezed his hand and locked eyes with him. "I love you, but I do not want you to propose as some sort of birthday surprise."

"Okay. I won't."

"Thank you." They kissed quickly.

"Mommy! It's game time."

Grunting and groaning, Miranda stood up and headed toward her son. Ben put his arm around her. "Have a good game, babe." He swiped some sweat from her forehead into her hair, gently pulling off the shades in the process.