Black And Blue-E.Buckley (9-1-1)

ThirtySeven

And I'm thinking bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways

Maybe just the touch of a hand

Oh me I fall in love with you every single day

It was a normal, semi-boring day at work for Eleanor. It was relatively quiet on the maternity floor. That was one thing Eleanor liked a lot about her job. For the most part, it was filled with joy and health. Eleanor was in the break room waiting to clock out when she heard her name paged overhead. She checked her phone, she hadn't missed any calls or texts. Her turn was next, she swiped her badge and quickly walked to the front entrance where they had paged her. 

Eleanor stopped just before she reached the front desk. A woman with red hair that matched her own waited off to the side of the desk. 

"Mom?" The woman turned and smiled at Eleanor. "What are you doing here? How did you even know I worked here?"

"I still have connections dear. I've kept tabs on you."

"Why? You couldn't just pick up the phone and call?"

"I do still care about you Eleanor. And from the looks of your life, you wouldn't have answered, not that you ever did anyway."

"You shut me out first."

"Can we take this conversation somewhere else?" Elizabeth looked around at all the people passing by, some stopping to hear the tense conversation.

"I guess." Eleanor started walking toward the doors and Elizabeth followed behind her.

Eleanor and Elizabeth went to the small cafe down the street since it was within walking distance from the hospital and Eleanor did not want to get in a car with her mother. Eleanor greeted the front-end staff, she was a regular so most of them knew her by name now. Elizabeth looked over the menu while Eleanor ordered her usual. They found a small table in the corner of the cafe, away from the other tables.

"So.." Both women spoke at the same time. Eleanor motioned with her hand for her mother to continue. "How have you been?"

"Are you serious?"

"Eleanor, I know I haven't been the perfect mother but I am trying now. I wanna make it up to you."

"Well, why don't we start with what you already know then since you apparently keep tabs on me. Then I'll fill in the blanks for you." Eleanor gave her mother a sarcastic smile.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and sighed. "Well, I know you're getting married. A little hurt to find that out through the paper, might I add. Who is this Evan, is he treating you well?"

"Now you care how I'm being treated?"

"Eleanor please, can we be civil for just a little bit?"

"Fine. He's a firefighter and yes, he's treating me amazingly. He is.. perfect. We rarely argue, I don't want for anything, and he's gentle."

"That's good. What happened with Michael?"

Eleanor scoffed. "I was tired of him beating me. I finally had enough and left. I didn't wanna repeat history."

A pained expression flashed across Elizabeth's face at the jab. "I'm sorry, we weren't the best example for you. And I'm sorry we turned our backs on you when you needed us."

"Does Dad know you're here?" Elizabeth shook her head. "Didn't think so. Does he know everything you do?" Elizabeth nodded. "He hates it doesn't he?"

"You know how much he loved Michael."

"That's 'cause they're just alike." Elizabeth sighed before sipping her tea. She was about to say something else when her phone rang. She glanced down, it was Buck. "Do you mind?" Elizabeth shook her head and picked at her muffin. "Hello dear."

"Hey, where are you? Is everything okay?" Buck's voice flowed through the phone.

"Yes. Sorry, I should have texted you. Everything is fine. A bit of an unexpected surprise," Eleanor smiled in her mother's direction. "All good though. I'll be home soon. Talk to you then?"

"Of course, I'll be waiting. I love you."

"I love you." Eleanor hung up and set her phone back on the table. Her mother raised a questioning eyebrow. "Just Buck checking in."

"Buck?"

"That's what he goes by, everyone calls him that." Elizabeth nodded.

"Well, this was nice. I'd like to do it again, if you're up for it that is. And if you're okay with it I would like to attend your wedding."

"Are you allowed to see me again?"

"Eleanor, I don't care what your father has to say. You're my daughter and I'm not waiting any more time."

"Okay, but I'll think about the wedding."

"Fair enough." Elizabeth and Eleanor exchanged numbers before parting ways.

****

"You'll never believe what happened today," Eleanor set her keys, purse, and coat down on the table. She turned and looked around the apartment for Buck. "Buck?" She waited a few moments for an answer. "Buck?"

The door opened and Eleanor turned to see who was entering. It was Buck. "Hey, you beat me."

"Where were you?"

"Nowhere." Eleanor eyed him suspiciously. "I swear it's nothing bad but I can't tell you.. yet."

"Okay.." she drew out the o as she spoke. 

"So, anyway. What happened after work?" Buck grabbed Eleanor's hand and led her into the living room. He sat down on the couch and pulled her down with him. 

"You'll never believe it. Also, you ruined my dramatic entrance earlier." 

Buck laughed lightly, "I'm sorry. I promise to be home next time." He grabbed her legs, draping them over his own. He pulled over her sneakers, setting them aside before rubbing and massaging. He started at her feet and moved all the way up to her knees.

"Mmm.. You're forgiven if you continue that."

"Always," Buck smiled. 

"So, my mother showed up at the hospital today."

"Really? Like as a patient?"

"No, they paged me just as I was about to leave. She wanted to talk so we went to that cafe down the street."

"Talk about what?"

"Apparently she and my father have been stalking me." Buck raised an eyebrow. "They have contacts like everywhere and everyone talks. My father is mad that I left Michael and my mother wants to make amends. She also wants to come to the wedding."

"I don't wanna pry so you don't have to answer but what happened with your parents? You don't talk about them."

Eleanor looked Buck in the eyes and sighed. "My father was just like Michael, he used to beat my mother all the time. He was a terrible man. I haven't seen him since I was seventeen and I'd be fine with never seeing him again."

"What happened when you were seventeen?"

"He hit me," Buck's jaw tightened. "It was the first and only time he ever laid a hand on me. That night, I left. I went to Michael because at the time he was a good boyfriend. My father pushed me into Michael's waiting arms. He disowned me after that. He tried to forbid my mother from talking to me. She found ways around it for a while then one day the calls stopped. I don't know if it was my father or Michael, hell, maybe it was both. They were like two peas in a pod."

"What's changed now? With your mother."

"She says she wants to make up for everything she's done."

"Do you believe her?"

"I want to, I really do."