Highest Bidder

Part 13: Problems In The Works

A few weeks have gone by since Valentine's Day. Helen and I have been going great. No one suspects we're dating and that's perfect because we can do whatever we want and it's like we're sneaky teenagers again. Sex at work is great! I understand now why people say that somewhere in every hospital someone is having sex. So far we've done it in her office, mine, an exam room, in an observation room above the O.R, in a janitor's closet, staff bathroom, on the roof, in the south stairwell, and one time- and I'm not proud of this- in Kapoor's office while we waited for him. We have quite the running list so far and I'm actually quite impressed we haven't got caught.

Heading into the E.D today, I find the usual haphazard chaos going on. Casey is dealing with a combative elderly man, who most likely has dementia and is confused as to why he's here. Brunstetter is working with a child who has a broken arm. Looking around though, the one face I don't see is Lauren Bloom's. Curious. She's always here on time. Always running about like a mad woman. Always up someone's ass like she should be as Head of the Department. Yet, she's gone. Going up to Casey, who has just successfully gotten the old man calmed down- I find him a little...off- to say the least.

"Casey, what's going on, man?" He looks up at me and shakes his head.

"It's crazy down here. Too many insane patients this morning and more coming in. I can't keep up. I had to call Candelario down here to help and she's running behind cause she has her own patients." He's frazzled. For sure.

"Alright, well I'm here. How can I help?" He hands me three files. "Okay...thanks. Um , Casey are you okay today? You seem on edge."

He looks around and pulls me into triage.

"So, Lauren and I have been going great ya know. She's finally being like, ya know, nice and supportive and loving." I furrow my brows just a bit because I don't understand his discontent. "Anyway, the other day, I noticed she has prenatal pills. I just casually brought it up, cause if it was my kid- I would want to know. I'm no slouch. I can take care of my loved ones."

Now I remember what happened three weeks ago. Makes sense he's freaking out.

"Anyway, when I asked if it was mine she said no. So I simply asked who the father was and she said it isn't her baby."

"What?" This is news to me.

"She said she's being Helen Sharpe's surrogate." What the actual fuck? I try to keep my face neutral, but I'm sure it's not. "Which, I mean that's awesome, but I'm still kind of freaking out. Like, what's Helen gonna think of Lauren and I...ya know... having sex. Is she gonna be mad or say something. And let's be honest- I love Helen, but she's scary as Hell and I don't want to piss her off. Nuh uh."

"So Lauren told you she's Helen's surrogate?"

"Yeah, that's what she said. I briefly mentioned it to Helen this morning when she and Lauren headed up to Dr. Jessup for a check up. She confirmed it. Said she and Lauren had it all planned out a while ago...just before Valentine's Day." Nodding, I try to stay cool, but I'm a bit pissed actually. You would have thought she would have told me. She doesn't need my permission by any means. I know how badly she wants to be a Mum, but you would have thought in the last almost four weeks of us dating, that she would have at some point said 'oh hey, by the way, I'm planning on Lauren having my baby for me. So you could potentially be the father someday if this all works out.', but no. I got nothing and she has hid it very well.

"Well, hopefully you both can find some middle ground. Let's just um, let's just get to work." We get at it and the whole time my head is trying to comprehend what the actual fuck is going on. Maybe that's why she was so interested into finding out why I snooped on Lauren's blood test. She didn't want me to know. If that's the case, then I'm just going to start playing the game as well. She wants to be sneaky- let's be sneaky.