We'll Always Have Holby : pt 6
We'll Always Have Holby
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Toby shuffled through the department, nose buried in the paper. He bumped into Charlie as he made his way to the desk, mumbling an apology as he did so.
"Interesting read?" Charlie asked.
"Not really."
"More bad news?" he asked, coming over to join him. As Toby laid it down Charlie noticed that the pages he had been scrutinising were properties to let. "You moving on from Maggie's?"
"Being kicked on more like," Toby said, rocking the pen between his fingers.
"What?"
"Well, she's selling the house. So Ruth and I are on the move. Hey, think she'll want to look together? I mean, not like that, but makes sense, right? The two of us looking for a place to share together. Not together but... flatmates."
"I... don't know," Charlie said, the new information sinking in.
"Think I'll go ask her," Toby said, leaving Charlie with the paper for a moment before coming back to grab it.
~~
Maggie felt a little weird walking back into the ED and yet it was the most natural thing in the world. A home away from home. Work, friends, almost everything that was important to her was a part of this place. She saw Tess before Tess saw her; busy with a patient. If she were honest, Maggie felt a little bit left out. She'd be an integral part of this place for years and here it was, getting on without her. Charlie would tell her that it was falling apart in her absence and she'd believe it, but reality was a lot colder.
Tess looked up and noticed her, the smile was immediate.
"If you've changed your mind..." Tess began hopefully.
"No such luck," Maggie said, moving over to reception.
"What if I begged?" Tess replied, only half joking.
"Tess..."
"We'll miss you. Charlie's going to miss you."
"And I'll miss you guys. A lot." She glanced around the department. "Speaking of Charlie..."
"He's with a patient," Tess said. "I can get him if you want? I'm sure you two will want to talk things though."
"He told you."
Tess nodded. "I wasn't prying..."
"Oh no, no, no... It's fine, Tess. The idea of leaving and not putting things right between us just kills me."
"I'm sure you two will be fine," Tess said. "Why don't you wait in the office?"
"Nice and private?" Maggie grinned. "Good idea."
~~
She sat at Charlie's desk while she waited, unable to stop herself looking over the small personal touches he'd put there. The photo of Louis was both predictable and prominently displayed and she smiled sadly as she thought about the two of them, getting on with life together after she left. Missing out on all that, missing out on spending time with Charlie… ...
Sleeping alone last night had been almost depressing. It was stupid, they'd only had one night together - and she couldn't help but smile when she thought of that night - but it was enough for her to want more. A lot more. A happy ever after ending maybe? If they existed that is. But she'd have fun finding out.
When the door opened she spun on the chair, smiling as Charlie came in.
"Hey," she said. "About yesterday, I'm sorry, I really am. I know we both said some stupid things..." As she got to her feet she noticed the look on his face. "What?"
"Are you selling the house?"
"What?"
"Toby said you're selling the house."
"What? When did he say that?"
"Today. Not twenty minutes ago actually." He was still standing by the door, making no effort to move over to her. "Are you selling the house?"
"What's going on, Charlie?"
"I'm just trying to work out what's left to come back to?" he asked.
"Excuse me?"
"No job, no house..." he began, counting them off on his fingers.
"Charlie? What's going on?"
"Strikes me that you selling the house is just cutting another tie with Holby. You've quit this place when you could have just taken a break, you could come back..."
"You think I'm cutting and running?"
"That's what it looks like."
"So I just leave? My friends, Jo and Lana... You? You really think I could just walk away from you?"
He shrugged. "You already have, haven't you?"
"Oh Charlie..." she breathed.
"When you leave... You can say all the right things and we can believe whatever we want to... But you'll have one less reason to come home and we both know it."
He said nothing else, just turned and walked away, leaving her stood in the office on the verge of tears.
~~
There is was again; that beep. She knew he was there - Tess was purposefully covering his shift in the hope that maybe, just maybe, on her last night he would listen or make a move or just do something that would stop them parting like this. It was like some tragic love story and Tess was having no part in allowing it to continue. There had been some choice words into the bargain. Children had been the one of choice (which had amused them both, separately, when she'd given them their serve, separately).
Maggie hung up. Tragic messages were no longer her style. Instead she selected another number from her mobile and hit the call button. This time it only took a few rings before it was answered.
"Are you at home?" she asked immediately.
"Um, yeah..."
"Don't tell your dad it's me."
"It's fine, Jade," Louis said, "I'll just go to my room."
There was silence on the other end of the line, and she could just picture the look Louis was shooting his father, the eye roll that would be returned.
"Maggie?" Louis asked eventually.
"So her name's Jade?"
"What?"
"The girl you spend all your the time with? Jade?"
"Are you calling me to get the details of my love life or for another reason?"
"Maybe I'm just interested. Going to be a long time before I get to do it again."
"That implies you're coming back. Dad doesn't seem to think that you are."
"Louis..."
"Hey, it's fine. It's your life."
"How is he?"
"Dad? Miserable. Just like old times," he said, the meaning clear.
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"Yes it is," she said. "If I weren't going..."
"You have to. Dad told me about Natasa. For what it's worth I think you're doing the right thing."
She smiled and he could hear it on the other end. "Thank you," she said. "Means a lot."
"That's why I said it."
"You're a really great guy, Louis. This Jade girl is very, very lucky."
"You don't give up, do you?" he laughed.
"Nope."
"Do you have to go?" he asked, suddenly sounding a lot younger.
"You'll be fine," she replied, changing the subject.
"When's your flight tomorrow?"
"Just after eleven. Flying via Paris."
"Very nice."
"Just a stopover. Won't see anything but the airport."
"Still nice," Louis said.
"I'll get there one day. Might even take your dad."
"Wish you would."
Maggie hesitated before saying, "I asked him to come with me you know?"
"He turned you down?"
"Yeah."
"Because of me."
"...Yeah."
"Right."
"The only reason I'm telling you this is because… Because if he loses you then he really will lose everything. So please don't be mad at him over me leaving."
"Maggie..."
"I know you hate this just as much as he does."
"Blame me?"
"No."
"But you think I blame him?" he asked. "I'm not a kid, Maggie..."
"I never said you were..."
"...I do know how these things work," he continued. "He wants to ask you to stay, but won't because it's what you want. And you kinda want him to ask because then you'll know he actually wants you to stay, but at the same time you don't want him to because you won't be able to say yes."
"When did you grow up?"
"I know he misses Mum. On her birthday or anniversary I'll catch him looking at a picture... Used to think it was tragic. I don't remember them being together, I was too young, but when he talks about her - when I can get him to talk about her - there's so much... there," he said eventually, "and I used to think that she was here with us. It sounds stupid..."
"No, it doesn't."
"...but it felt real. When Dad talks about Mum, she's here because he loved her so much and he misses her so much."
"Louis..."
"When he talks about you? It's exactly the same. When he talks about you? You're here."
Maggie fought to stop the tears, knowing if she said anything she'll lose it completely. And bawling down the phone at your pseudo-step son was possibly not the best thing to do.
"I'm not trying to get you to stay," Louis continued. "If you wanted to, I wouldn't object and I know Dad wouldn't. But I wanted you to know. Thought you should."
"Thank you," she whispered, finding it the safe option.
"So. Farewell party in the departure lounge?" he asked. "Hugs, tears? Balloons?"
"Sure, why not?" she laughed.
"I'll see you then."
"You're coming?"
"Why not?"
"What about your Dad?"
Louis hesitated. "I'll work on him. There's no way he won't be there."
tbc...
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Toby shuffled through the department, nose buried in the paper. He bumped into Charlie as he made his way to the desk, mumbling an apology as he did so.
"Interesting read?" Charlie asked.
"Not really."
"More bad news?" he asked, coming over to join him. As Toby laid it down Charlie noticed that the pages he had been scrutinising were properties to let. "You moving on from Maggie's?"
"Being kicked on more like," Toby said, rocking the pen between his fingers.
"What?"
"Well, she's selling the house. So Ruth and I are on the move. Hey, think she'll want to look together? I mean, not like that, but makes sense, right? The two of us looking for a place to share together. Not together but... flatmates."
"I... don't know," Charlie said, the new information sinking in.
"Think I'll go ask her," Toby said, leaving Charlie with the paper for a moment before coming back to grab it.
~~
Maggie felt a little weird walking back into the ED and yet it was the most natural thing in the world. A home away from home. Work, friends, almost everything that was important to her was a part of this place. She saw Tess before Tess saw her; busy with a patient. If she were honest, Maggie felt a little bit left out. She'd be an integral part of this place for years and here it was, getting on without her. Charlie would tell her that it was falling apart in her absence and she'd believe it, but reality was a lot colder.
Tess looked up and noticed her, the smile was immediate.
"If you've changed your mind..." Tess began hopefully.
"No such luck," Maggie said, moving over to reception.
"What if I begged?" Tess replied, only half joking.
"Tess..."
"We'll miss you. Charlie's going to miss you."
"And I'll miss you guys. A lot." She glanced around the department. "Speaking of Charlie..."
"He's with a patient," Tess said. "I can get him if you want? I'm sure you two will want to talk things though."
"He told you."
Tess nodded. "I wasn't prying..."
"Oh no, no, no... It's fine, Tess. The idea of leaving and not putting things right between us just kills me."
"I'm sure you two will be fine," Tess said. "Why don't you wait in the office?"
"Nice and private?" Maggie grinned. "Good idea."
~~
She sat at Charlie's desk while she waited, unable to stop herself looking over the small personal touches he'd put there. The photo of Louis was both predictable and prominently displayed and she smiled sadly as she thought about the two of them, getting on with life together after she left. Missing out on all that, missing out on spending time with Charlie… ...
Sleeping alone last night had been almost depressing. It was stupid, they'd only had one night together - and she couldn't help but smile when she thought of that night - but it was enough for her to want more. A lot more. A happy ever after ending maybe? If they existed that is. But she'd have fun finding out.
When the door opened she spun on the chair, smiling as Charlie came in.
"Hey," she said. "About yesterday, I'm sorry, I really am. I know we both said some stupid things..." As she got to her feet she noticed the look on his face. "What?"
"Are you selling the house?"
"What?"
"Toby said you're selling the house."
"What? When did he say that?"
"Today. Not twenty minutes ago actually." He was still standing by the door, making no effort to move over to her. "Are you selling the house?"
"What's going on, Charlie?"
"I'm just trying to work out what's left to come back to?" he asked.
"Excuse me?"
"No job, no house..." he began, counting them off on his fingers.
"Charlie? What's going on?"
"Strikes me that you selling the house is just cutting another tie with Holby. You've quit this place when you could have just taken a break, you could come back..."
"You think I'm cutting and running?"
"That's what it looks like."
"So I just leave? My friends, Jo and Lana... You? You really think I could just walk away from you?"
He shrugged. "You already have, haven't you?"
"Oh Charlie..." she breathed.
"When you leave... You can say all the right things and we can believe whatever we want to... But you'll have one less reason to come home and we both know it."
He said nothing else, just turned and walked away, leaving her stood in the office on the verge of tears.
~~
There is was again; that beep. She knew he was there - Tess was purposefully covering his shift in the hope that maybe, just maybe, on her last night he would listen or make a move or just do something that would stop them parting like this. It was like some tragic love story and Tess was having no part in allowing it to continue. There had been some choice words into the bargain. Children had been the one of choice (which had amused them both, separately, when she'd given them their serve, separately).
Maggie hung up. Tragic messages were no longer her style. Instead she selected another number from her mobile and hit the call button. This time it only took a few rings before it was answered.
"Are you at home?" she asked immediately.
"Um, yeah..."
"Don't tell your dad it's me."
"It's fine, Jade," Louis said, "I'll just go to my room."
There was silence on the other end of the line, and she could just picture the look Louis was shooting his father, the eye roll that would be returned.
"Maggie?" Louis asked eventually.
"So her name's Jade?"
"What?"
"The girl you spend all your the time with? Jade?"
"Are you calling me to get the details of my love life or for another reason?"
"Maybe I'm just interested. Going to be a long time before I get to do it again."
"That implies you're coming back. Dad doesn't seem to think that you are."
"Louis..."
"Hey, it's fine. It's your life."
"How is he?"
"Dad? Miserable. Just like old times," he said, the meaning clear.
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"Yes it is," she said. "If I weren't going..."
"You have to. Dad told me about Natasa. For what it's worth I think you're doing the right thing."
She smiled and he could hear it on the other end. "Thank you," she said. "Means a lot."
"That's why I said it."
"You're a really great guy, Louis. This Jade girl is very, very lucky."
"You don't give up, do you?" he laughed.
"Nope."
"Do you have to go?" he asked, suddenly sounding a lot younger.
"You'll be fine," she replied, changing the subject.
"When's your flight tomorrow?"
"Just after eleven. Flying via Paris."
"Very nice."
"Just a stopover. Won't see anything but the airport."
"Still nice," Louis said.
"I'll get there one day. Might even take your dad."
"Wish you would."
Maggie hesitated before saying, "I asked him to come with me you know?"
"He turned you down?"
"Yeah."
"Because of me."
"...Yeah."
"Right."
"The only reason I'm telling you this is because… Because if he loses you then he really will lose everything. So please don't be mad at him over me leaving."
"Maggie..."
"I know you hate this just as much as he does."
"Blame me?"
"No."
"But you think I blame him?" he asked. "I'm not a kid, Maggie..."
"I never said you were..."
"...I do know how these things work," he continued. "He wants to ask you to stay, but won't because it's what you want. And you kinda want him to ask because then you'll know he actually wants you to stay, but at the same time you don't want him to because you won't be able to say yes."
"When did you grow up?"
"I know he misses Mum. On her birthday or anniversary I'll catch him looking at a picture... Used to think it was tragic. I don't remember them being together, I was too young, but when he talks about her - when I can get him to talk about her - there's so much... there," he said eventually, "and I used to think that she was here with us. It sounds stupid..."
"No, it doesn't."
"...but it felt real. When Dad talks about Mum, she's here because he loved her so much and he misses her so much."
"Louis..."
"When he talks about you? It's exactly the same. When he talks about you? You're here."
Maggie fought to stop the tears, knowing if she said anything she'll lose it completely. And bawling down the phone at your pseudo-step son was possibly not the best thing to do.
"I'm not trying to get you to stay," Louis continued. "If you wanted to, I wouldn't object and I know Dad wouldn't. But I wanted you to know. Thought you should."
"Thank you," she whispered, finding it the safe option.
"So. Farewell party in the departure lounge?" he asked. "Hugs, tears? Balloons?"
"Sure, why not?" she laughed.
"I'll see you then."
"You're coming?"
"Why not?"
"What about your Dad?"
Louis hesitated. "I'll work on him. There's no way he won't be there."
tbc...