056. ━ the decision and its aftermath

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chapter fifty-six ━ the decision and its aftermath( season nine, episodes eleven & twelve )

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chapter fifty-six ━ the decision and its aftermath
( season nine, episodes eleven & twelve )

❝She wants me to assess his
mood. See if he looks... okay.❞

"THE JUDGE MIGHT have a decision today," Jackson said as he and Ellie were getting ready for the day. She glanced at him briefly through the mirror and silently nodded. "How do you feel about it?" She shrugged wordlessly and he frowned. "Are you okay?"

"I didn't want any of this," she replied, pulling her blonde locks out of her face. "I just wanted to be able to sue the manufacturer—try and get this nightmare behind us, but instead, it's... it's just being dragged out." She turned around. "Do you have the cookies that your mom sent for Richard?"

Jackson let out a breath; he knew she was trying to change the subject and he didn't pursue it any further.

"Yes," he said, leaning in the doorway. "They're sitting on the kitchen counter next to the flowers and the condolence note that she insisted on giving him."

"I think it's sweet that she's doing something for him," Ellie told him with a shrug. "Oh, that reminds me—your mom called yesterday." He raised his eyebrows. "She would like to know if Richard is eating, or sleeping, and she says hi."

He frowned. "You know, I think she cares more about him than me right now."

"And you're complaining?" she asked with a small chuckle. "You're the one who changes the direction of her gaze every time she sees you. Usually on me, might I add."

"She's had me my entire life," he countered. "It's someone else's turn."

Ellie hummed. "Come on, we have to be the delivery people," she said, walking out of the bedroom. "You have the note?"

"Why am I doing this?" he asked with a small whine as he followed her out into the kitchen. "This is not my job. I'm not a messenger, flower boy, or cookie boy. I'm a surgeon. Who has patients."

"You're being a good son and colleague," she told him, holding the tin of cookies and flowers in her arms. "He just lost his wife. So, suck it up, read the note to him, and then go be a surgeon."

"Which reminds me, I have one of Mark's old patients today," he said as he took his car keys. She paused and looked back at him.

"You do?"

He nodded. "I didn't tell you?"

"No, you... you didn't," she replied, shaking her head. "Well, that—that's great. I mean, it was bound to happen eventually. He had a lot of patients, after all..."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded with a smile. "Yeah. Come on. Let's go to work."

☀️

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