Necessary Friendship

Starting Over

Ben was made to go home and rest while Amanda slept because Curt came and said he would stay with her. Ben woke up and felt refreshed but wanted to hurry back to the hospital because he knew Mandi would be asking for him. She was the ultimate daddy's girl and she probably would be giving her uncle hell right about now. When she wanted something she could be relentless which Ben felt she got from her mom.

Ben walked onto the PICU floor and as he got closer to Mandi's room he heard familiar giggles. When he walked in Miranda was holding a stuffed animal to Mandi's face and reading her a book. Amanda giggled as Miranda tickled her with the bear and Miranda laughed as well. Ben cleared his throat and Miranda turned around.

"Oh Ben hey! I ummm just wanted to see how she was doing and I happened to see this teddy bear and book in the gift shop," Miranda explained.

"That was nice of you Miranda, thank you. Where is my brother?"

"He went to grab himself something to eat so I said I'd stay with her until he got back."

"Oh okay, well I'm here and feeling better so you can be free. Don't want to hold you up from work."

Miranda looked at him slightly sad as she got off the bed and handed the purple teddy bear to Amanda. "Keep getting better sweet girl," Miranda whispered to the three year old.

Miranda looked up at Ben before she handed him the book. "Mandi bear," Amanda said as she stretched out her arms.

"Awww does my Mandi bear want hugs from daddy," Ben said as he walked over to her.

"Noooo, my Mandi bear," she pointed to Miranda as she made whimpering noises.

Ben and Miranda both gasped and she turned and walked back towards the little girl. She gave her a tender hug before placing her back against the pillow. "See you later baby girl."

Later that evening in the empty cafeteria Miranda sat at a table drinking coffee and eating a snack when Ben walked in. He made himself some coffee and bought a snack at the self checkout. He hadn't noticed Miranda there until he heard paper rattling. He looked over at her and she glanced up at him before looking back down at her phone. He was about to walk back out of the cafeteria when he stopped and took a deep breath. He turned on his heels and made his way over to her table. Miranda's heart started to beat faster as Ben walked towards her. She suddenly couldn't stop herself from fidgeting in her seat. Ben sat his coffee and snack down on the table before he sat down beside Miranda and looked at her. Ben sat down slowly and began sipping on his coffee and eating his snack. Miranda kept glancing over at him but he didn't say a word.

"Benjamin Warren are you really just going to sit in my face and not speak?" Miranda questioned.

Ben smirked as he sipped his coffee, "we use to be good with comfortable silence," he stated.

"Well it's been some years and we were best friends. We're not now and we haven't spoken in years so comfortable silence is out the window. And is someone with Amanda?"

"She fell asleep so I decided to sneak out. And a lot of things took place which led to us not speak the last few years. You decided to be with another man."

"Could you really blame me for that? Plus you just up and left the state without a word so who actually gets to be angry?" Miranda voiced.

They were silent for a few minutes. "So how has life been for the past three years?" Ben asked softly.

"It's fine....I just work and go home basically."

"Antwan isn't taking you out like he use to?"

"Umm we actually broke up two years ago. We were talking about marriage and we were asking each other questions about how we would live as a married couple. Somehow having children was never the topic of conversation until then. I wanted a child and he didn't so we decided to break up. I've been single for the last two years."

"Wow....I'm sorry that happened Miranda."

"It's okay, we were able to be friends but that turned into us sleeping together and I did have a pregnancy scare. After that we stopped keeping contact with each other. Anyway what's been going on with you?"

"Well ummmm you know I moved to Los Angeles and started a surgical residency. Cynthia's parents tried to sue me for custody of Amanda because they claimed I wouldn't be able to parent her properly with me being in such an intense surgical program. I won the case because Cynthia didn't want anything to do with her. And it didn't make since for her to be with her mother's parents when she lived with them."

"Does she know them at all?"

"No, and I'm not comfortable with her knowing them. That situation gave me PTSD. Anyway by the time I started my second year my dad started having issues with his memory. We quickly got him diagnosed with dementia so I decided to come back here."

"I'm sorry that happened to your dad. So you quit the program?"

"Yeah....I couldn't be there and leave my brother to have to care for our dad alone. So I finished my third year and came home."

"Maybe you could come finish your surgical residency here. I could put in a good word for you with Chief Webber."

"No I couldn't because I have Amanda and I like the decent hours I have as an anesthesiologist."

"Well she is still young and will eventually forget you being gone a lot. Also from what I've heard the daycare here is great and she can be here when you're on call. And—and I can help you with her if you want the help," Miranda said quickly.

Ben looked at her slightly stunted. "Miranda I couldn't do that to you."

"Ben I don't mind....I'm kinda in love with her already and I'm her Mandi bear now," Miranda chuckled.

"She doesn't take to people she doesn't know very easily and within a couple of days shes attached to you. Honestly I've missed you the whole time I just didn't want to say. Can we work to be friends again?" Ben asked.

"I've missed you too and I would love that," Miranda smiled and Ben took a hold of her hand.

"Well then I would appreciate if you did put in a good word with Chief Webber so I can finish my last two years of residency."

"Okay, I will talk to him tomorrow," Miranda smiled.