Pleasant Surprises




AUTHORS NOTE: This story is finished.  I don't know WHERE my mind comes up with this stuff, but it does.  lol!  If you love it, let me know.  If you absolutely hate it, let me know!  I may write a sequel.

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ONE WEEK LATER

"Elizabeth, will you get that please?" Isabelle asked.

Elizabeth stopped in front of the phone long enough for the Caller ID to pick up.  "No, it's Robert again," she said.

Isabelle finished straightening the picture she was hanging over the mantle.  "I don't see why you just don't go and see what he wants," she said.  "He's called here dozens of times in the past week and sent a dozen roses every day.  And the fact that he's still here means something in itself."

"I would go see him... but... it's just the fact of facing him.  I just don't think I'm emotionally stable enough."

"Well you're going to have to face him eventually, you know.  You are planning on going back to work, aren't you?"

Elizabeth sat in the big leather chair next to the fireplace.  "Well, yes I suppose so, but..." Elizabeth sighed.  "All right.  I'll go to see him."

Isabelle smiled. 

"I guess I'll go now, and get it over with," she said, rising to her feet and grabbing her coat off the rack by the door.  "Goodbye, Mother," Elizabeth said, kissing her mother's cheek and rushing out the door.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Robert Romano was pacing in his hotel suite.  He didn't know what it was going to take to get Elizabeth to talk to him.  He'd sent her a dozen roses every day.  Called her every day.  Hell, he'd stayed in London!  Didn't that prove that he really did need to talk to her?

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.  The doctor stopped pacing and opened the door.  "Elizabeth," Robert said softly.

"Robert, may I come in?" she asked.

"Yes, of course," he said, stepping aside.

She sighed.  "Robert, I...  I'm sorry for the way I reacted the other day.  And I've come here to hear what you have to say."  No sooner were the words out than she regretted them.

"Have a seat," he said, gesturing toward a chair.  When they were both seated, he continued, "After our conversation the other day, I couldn't stop thinking about you," he said, holding his hand up.  "Now let me finish.  Over the years, I've gotten to know you and Mark fairly well.  Now, believe it or not, hearing of Mark's death upset me and I couldn't get it out of my head.  We're colleagues, Elizabeth.  The reason I came here was to see for certain that you were going to be all right.  Nothing more, nothing less."

Elizabeth sat there, stunned.  Of all the people... Robert??  "Oh god, Robert.  I'm terribly sorry," she said, burying her face in her hands.  "When you said you couldn't stop thinking about me, I-"

Robert held his hands up, as if to stop her.  "Say no more, I understand," he said, trying his best not to laugh.  "But in all seriousness, Mark was an excellent, excellent doctor and he will be missed."  He added, "And I'm always here for you... you know, if you need anything."  Unexpectedly, he wrapped Elizabeth in a hug.

Taken by total surprise, she said, "Thank you, Robert," and cried.



Sequel: All Those Years
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