It didn't take Ben long to find Miranda and where she worked. A quick search on Google and he found that she worked at Seattle Grace Hospital and she was an accomplished surgeon. There were so many articles highlighting Dr. Miranda Bailey's success, dating back to when she was just an intern. She was incredible.
He thought about what to do to ask her on a date, but was drawing blanks. He wanted it to be nice and subtle, especially since the only place he would be able to see her is showing up at her job.
Ben prayed that she didn't fuss him out too bad, he could tell she took her job seriously and didn't mix the two.
He laid back on his couch and looked over at the balcony and the perfect view of the space needle. Then it hit him. He had an idea of what to do and hopefully it went well.
After leaving a few stores, he drove to Seattle Grace and went inside.
“Hi. How may I help you?”
“Good morning. I am looking for Dr. Miranda Bailey.” Ben said flashing her his perfect pearly white teeth.
“Would you like me to page her.” The nurse asked smiling at him.
"Yes, that would be great." He smiled again and the woman blushed taking him in.
Ben watched as the woman paged her before she was typing and answering a phone call.
"I'm sorry sir she is in a surgery right now. I don't know how long it will take."
"It's fine, I can wait." Ben said seriously.
"Okay the waiting area is right there." she pointed to her right.
"Thank you." Ben smiled sitting down. He shuffled through the books and magazines that were on the table in front of him. He smiled seeing a crossword book. Flipping to a page that wasn't done, he began working.
After 2 hours of waiting Ben looked down hearing the familiar beeps of his pager
"Damn it." He cursed reading it. He would have to go into work today of all days. He was prepared to sit out here no matter how long her surgery took.
"Excuse me sorry." Ben said sheepishly. "Is it ok if I leave these here with you for Dr. Bailey? I got called into work."
"That's not a problem. I will make sure she gets them."
"Thank you." He responded before getting ready to leave. "Oh wait can I borrow a page from that note pad?"
Cindy smiled and ripped him one off. She watched as he wrote something and stuck it in the bag.
"Thank you. Have a great day."
"You too sir." She waved.
Miranda walked down to the front desk and smiled at Cindy.
"You rang?" She asked her smiling.
"Someone left this for you." Cindy smiled pushing the big gift bag and flowers towards her.
"For me?" Miranda asked shocked.
"Yep."
"Did they say who it was?"
"No, but he was tall, nice smile, trimmed facial hair and goatee." She described. "He first came in and he asked if I could page you. I told him that you were in surgery and he said that he would wait. After 2 hours of waiting he said he got called into work. He asked if he could leave this here for you and I told him sure. He asked for a page from my note pad and then wrote something and stuck it in there."
Miranda nodded trying to figure out who would bring her something and red roses at that.
She open the bag and saw the note folded up. Pulling it out she looked at the neat handwriting.
"Good morning, to the beautiful Dr. Miranda Bailey. To make up for my tall person mistake, I bought you these gifts and I hope you accept them and my apology(again) I would still be here if I didn't get paged to go in for a surgery. I was wondering if you would like to get dinner sometime?
Sincerely Dr. Benjamin Warren.
Miranda gasped at the note seeing his number down at the bottom. He was asking her out, the clumsy but handsome doctor.
She took the gift bag and flowers before thanking the nurse. She didn't want to open it in front of everyone.
Miranda walked upstairs to the attending’s lounge thinking and looking at the beautiful flowers he bought. Not paying attention She bumped into Callie who was leaving out.
"Sorry Bailey."
"It's fine." Miranda muttered not paying her any mind, smiling softly to her self.
"What is with you?" Callie asked retracting her steps. "What Tucker got you an apology gift?"
"Uh, no these are not from him and I wouldn't accept his apology with flowers and a gift." She gritted.
"Then who is it from.... oh, oh is it the guy?"
Miranda blushed and nodded her head.
"I thought you said you didn't get his number?" Callie asked shocked.
"I didn't. He came to see me, but I had a surgery. He waited for two hours, but then got paged, so he left me a note."
"He waited two hours. Damn."
"I know, that says a lot, any other man would have left. Tucker would have left."
"What did the note say?"
"He apologized for the coffee incident again and said hopefully these gifts would make up for it. Then he asked me to dinner and left his number."
Callie squealed loudly and clapped her hands.
"When are you going to call him back?"
"What, I'm not. I'm in the middle of a divorce."
"All the more reason to call him back."
"Torres I got too much going on right now. He's not going to want to deal with all that and it's not fair to assume he would want to."
"Bailey, you don't know until you try." Callie encouraged. "Now what's in the bag?"
"I don't know." Miranda said sitting it on the table. She pushed the note aside and pulled out the big black box with something wrapped in paper with roses and Emery in cursive on top. She unwrapped the paper and couldn't help but laugh looking at the dress shirt. She folded it back up and moved on to the bigger box.
Miranda gasped looking at the black stilettos much like the once she was wearing that day. These were beautiful.
"Aww he replaced the items he messed up."
"He didn't mess them up. I just washed them." She giggled.
"That was sweet of him."
"It really was."
"I think you should call him."
"I'm going to think about it." She told her friend seriously and thought about it she did.
Miranda thought about calling him but decided against it. It was too much right now. Tuck was getting use to his father no longer living with them and now wetting the bed forgetting all the hard work she went through just to potty train him. She spent most of her off days with him, trying to figure out a good schedule to shift him between houses. Tucker was now asking for full custody of him in the last divorce mediation. It was just too much, she didn't have the time.
"Do you think she got it. Should I go again. I don't want to show back up or seem like I'm harassing her. Maybe she wasn't interested." Ben said into the phone pacing the floor.
"Just give her time. How many days has it been?"
"It’s been 4."
"You said she's a surgeon right. Just give her time maybe she is extremely busy right now and haven't had the chance." Curt responded. "If she doesn't maybe she wasn't interested or maybe in a relationship. You don't really know."
"I guess you're right man. I just never had to wait this long ever."
"I know it. This Miranda might be good for you."
"Hopefully." He chuckled.
A few days later Ben parked his car in the parking lot and did a quick stretch. He looked over to his right and saw a woman with a child, closing the car door. She had a bag on her shoulder and her purse on the other while she held the little boys hand.
"Miranda?" Ben called out to see if it was her.
Miranda looked up at the sound of her name. She saw Ben looking at her and she took in his appearance. He had on black gym shorts and a black shirt with a Nike check.
"Hey Ben." She greeted, now nervous.
"Hey, I thought that was you." Ben said walking closer to her. He studied her and her son. He figured this was the reason she didn't call him back. She was married and had a family. "How have you been?"
"I've been good. You?"
"I've been great." He smiled lightly.
"Thank you for the gifts. They were beautiful. " Miranda sputtered out. She didn't want to be rude.
"You're welcome. I'm glad you liked them." Ben replied. He didn't want to bring up the note. It was clear that she wasn't interested. "Okay well I'm going to let you two get to the playground. I hope you have a good night. Oh and you have a beautiful son." Ben added before bending down to tie his shoes up. He desperately needed to jog now.
"Thank you." She replied before watching him turn to walk away.
"Ben wait...I didn't call you because I'm in the middle of a divorce and I don't think this is the best time to start something new. I'm now a single mother and I'm trying to adjust. I work crazy hours as is. I don't even know how to date. My soon to be ex husband is the only man I have ever been with and we didn't date. I don't know why I just told you that." She explained palming her forehead.
"I can teach you." Ben found himself saying.
"Teach me?" Miranda asked shocked.
"Yeah to date."
"Are you listening to anything I said."
"I am listening to everything you said. You are in the middle of a divorce, you have a son, a beautiful son and you're adjusting. I'm not trying to hop right into something serious with you. That's not how dating works, we can just start off as friends, I'm trying to get to know you. I know you are busy and when you are free you want to dedicate that time to your son but adult conversations and company is nice too for the days your son is gone with his father. Everything is your choice on when we can meet and hang out. I can tell you, once we do hang out you are going to want to continue but I don't even care if we just talk on the phone. I just want some of your time when ever you can give it. No pressure Miranda."
"I don't want to lead you on. What if this doesn't go anywhere?" Miranda asked.
"If it progresses then it progresses, if being just friends is where we should leave it. Then we will be just friends."
Miranda stared at the handsome man before her mouth curved into a slight smile. "Well it looks like I have time now Benjamin."
Ben smiled widely and nodded his head.
"We were just going to play at the park, then I was going to walk the trail to tire him out a bit before dinner."
"This is my son William George better known as Tuck. Tuck can you say hi to Mr. Ben." Miranda said looking down at him.
"Hi." Tuck repeated looking at him.
"Hi buddy." Ben smiled holding his hand out for him to shake. Miranda smiled when his little hands grasped Ben’s shook it. "Is it okay if I hang out with you and your mom?"
"Yes." Tuck responded excitedly and Miranda looked down at him. He liked him off the bat, that said a lot because her son was like her in the sense, he was not a peoples person.
She grabbed her son's hand as they walked towards the park area. It was still fairly warm, the sun not having set yet, and the place was filled with families and teenagers mingling around. There was a large children's playground right in the middle of the park, containing multiple swings, small and larger slides, monkey bars, brightly colored seesaws and a large sandpit.
Wooden benches, painted a grass green, were lined up along the sandy pathway, with a perfect view on the playground. Several of these benches were already occupied by mothers keeping an eye on their children and chattering to their friends.
The air was filled with the laughter and screams of children enjoying themselves at the playground, joined by the twittering and chattering of birds and the occasional sharp bark of a dog tired of being kept on the leash. The large trees growing in a circle around the park blocked out most of the traffic noises.
"You just got off work?" Ben asked keeping up with their steps.
"Yeah I promise him this morning that we would go after work." Miranda answered. "You're a jogger?" She questioned looking at his attire.
"I am. 3 miles a day if I can."
"How long have you been an anesthesiologist?"
"2 years as an attending. You?"
"1st year attending." She smiled as Tuck rushed to the jungle gym. "Slow down and don't let go of mommy's hand like that." She yelled to the eager toddler.
Ben ran to catch up with him and threw him in the air causing Tuck to laugh loudly.
"Thank you." Miranda said out of breath.
"It's no problem. Where do you want to go, to the slide?" Ben asked him pointing in that direction and he nodded. They walked in that direction and Ben helped him climb the rope ladder to the top where the slide went down.
Miranda stood on the end and caught him each time he went down.
Tuck wanted to move on to the monkey bars so they casually walked over.
"What made you become a surgeon?" Ben asked her and her face lit up.
"Um. I always knew I wanted to be a doctor since I was a little girl. I was always fascinated with the human body, but in high school I wanted to become a surgeon because I wanted to help saved lives, making lives better. I know it's cliché, but that's truly what I wanted. To take an organ, hold it in my hands and fix it. It's truly a blessing. I love my job and the opportunities I come across I wouldn't change it for anything in the world."
"So anesthesiologist. How did that come about you don't strike me as the type. At first glance I would assume radiology or plastics."
"Plastics? I must look like a pretty boy." He joked.
"Not to stereotype you but yes." She laughed. He would fit right in with her colleague and friend Mark Sloan.
Ben sat on one side of the seesaw while Miranda sat on the other with Tuck.
"I became an anesthesiologist because... I guess childhood trauma. There was an accident and one of my best friend got hurt really bad. He wouldn't wake up."
Miranda looked up at him and she could tell that there was more to the story and he looked pained.
"So you wanted to be able to put people to sleep and to wake them up."
"Essentially yes."
"So do you even like the job?"
"I do. I love my job. It's challenging and tremendously stressful. Under general anesthesia they need me to be their voice because they can't speak. They need me to act because they can't protect themselves. In the operating room, I cannot write an order and expect someone else to carry it out. I have to know how everything in my environment works, from top to bottom, so I can take the best care of my patients. I set up my own anesthetic equipment and supplies in preparation for surgery. I prepare all of the medications that I will personally administer to my patients. I help birthing mothers through their pain and pain management to other patients. I love it and I think I made the right choice. Though I would love to do something else."
"Something else like what?"
"I have been watching surgeons for a while since I started my job, so maybe in a few years I can do that."
Miranda eyes widened and she bit her lip. This man was something.
"We don't make what you all make." She stated raising an eyebrow.
"I don't do it for the money. Although that's a perk." Ben smiled widely licking his lips that Miranda stared at.
Shaking her head she rubbed Tuck's head and asked "Are you from here?"
"Born and raised. What about you?"
"From the east coast. Baltimore Maryland."
"What college did you go to?"
"Wellesley." Miranda chimed and he could see the glint in her eye.
Ben eyes widened and he looked her up and down.
"The school of the greats." He commented and Miranda cheesed.
"You could have became the first female president of the United States.
"I could, couldn't I have?"
"Oh yeah I can see it. First black and black woman at that."
"You are silly." Miranda giggled blushing. "I want to become the first female chief of surgery one day."
"Oh I know you will. Don't say I want to, say I am going to be." Ben said seriously.
"I am going to be the first female chief of surgery one day. “she changed smiling brightly at him.
"There you go." He smiled.
"What college did you go too?"
"University of Washington and, then UW school of medicine."
"And then you landed at Mercy West.
"she said wrinkling her nose.
"Why did you make that face?
"Nothing." Miranda laughed as she stood up with Tuck so they could go to the swings.
Ben lifted him to put him inside and then Miranda pushed. He was trying not to stare at her from behind, but she looked good in jeans.
"As you were saying."
"What was I saying?" Miranda asked confused.
"You were going to tell me the reason you made a face."
"I said nothing."
"Are you judging my hospital number 12." He joked.
"Uh." Miranda gasped. "Well what number are yall if we're number 12?"
"Touché. But yall fell from number 1 to 12. It looks a lot worst than whatever number we are."
"It was an error. A grave error. Don't you think?"
"I think any hospital you work at will be and should be number 1." Ben said truthfully and Miranda blushed.
"Okay honey. Let's walk the trail with Mr. Ben." She said slowing the swing down.
"You don't want him to get in the sandbox?"
"No it's unsanitary and he could get ringworm or something."
"You don't like outdoors." Ben asked curiously, but already knew the answer.
"No I don't and I don't like bugs, any kind of bugs, nor pets, or animals.
"You don't like anything." He laughed loudly
"Precisely." She remarked.
"So you don't like the beach?" Ben asked next curiously.
"I do like the beach, but I freak out with seaweed in the water an the occasional shark."
"A shark. You're joking." He chuckled
"I'm not. Look up how many sharks attack people on the pacific ,or come close to the shore."
"Surely not in Seattle."
"You would be surprised."
The three of them walked the trail while Ben and Miranda talked back and forth. She liked that their conversations were easy and free flowing.
They came to an opening with a bridge that went further into the water. Getting to the end Ben pulled out a bag and Miranda looked at him confused.
"Uh why do you have that?"
"To feed the ducks." Ben said in a duh tone.
"There is a big sign right there Ben that says don't feed the ducks."
"That sign is just there like the one at the front that says closed at sunset."
"Who goes to a park after dark?"
"I can see what kind of childhood you had already."
"A safe one."
"Come on Tuck let's feed the birds." Ben cheered taking him out of her arms. He demonstrated him throwing it in and Tuck clapped and pointed when the ducks caught it.
He handed him a piece of bread and he threw it in. Miranda stepped back and watched the two in their own world.
After a while of feeding the birds they stood and talked looking at the water. Ben walked them to her car and he helped her put Tuck in his seat and strap him in.
"Tell Ben Bye." Miranda encouraged.
"Bye." Tuck smiled and waved before Miranda shut the door.
They walked to the drivers side and Ben opened the door for her.
"Thank you for hanging out with us today. I had fun." Miranda admitted.
"No problem thank you for allowing me too. Text me when you get home. I want make sure you both make it in safe."
"I will."
"Do I need to give you my number again?” He said jokingly but was serious.
Miranda blushed and shook her head no. "I have it."
"Okay goodnight Miranda Bailey."
"Good night Benjamin Warren."
