Perceptions 64-65/66
Chapter 64
Later that evening
Alex lay on her black leather couch with her feet on Bj King's lap. Bj rubbed the left foot and ankle absentmindedly."God that feels good." Alex moaned softly.
Bj's gaze narrowed on the foot in her hand. "How long have your feet been swollen?"
"They're swollen? I hadn't noticed."
"Have you been having any dizziness, back pain, or excessive vomiting?" Bj asked in full doctor mode.
Alex rolled her eyes. "No dizziness in over a week. Now that you mention it, I have had some mild back pains today."
"What about vomiting or abdominal pain?"
"Excessive vomiting has been the story of my pregnancy. No abdominal pain or discomfort." she said with a content sigh. She smirked lecherously. "But right now I have discomfort in a different area."
Bj pursed her lips resolutely. "No, Alex. We've talked about this. As long as Eve's still in the picture, we're not doing that."
"I've told both of you... REPEATEDLY... that it's over. Why won't anyone listen to what I want?" she gestured wildly as she spoke.
Bj let out a pent up breath. She slid down the couch and pulled Alex upright on her lap. She brushed a curl from the redhead's forehead. The right side of her mouth quirked upward when it fell back. The only way to make her understand is to finally tell her the secret you've been carrying for the past twenty years. "Al, the last time you told me you two were done, you wound up engaged. Eighteen years ago when you said it, you and Eve got together." The spot between Alex's gray eyes crinkled as she concentrated on Bj's words. Bj held Alex's left hand in her own left hand and rubbed her back with her right. "Every time you tell me things are over between the two of you, something happens to strengthen your relationship."
"And…?"
"And what?"
"You have that tone you use whenever you're mentally censoring yourself before speaking. What aren't you saying, Bobbie Jo?" Alex's light grays searched deep emeralds.
"It's just…whenever I start to believe that things are over between you and Eve… whenever I let myself start falling for you…I mean...this isn't how I wanted…" Bj's flustering was hushed by Alex's lips on hers, warm, soft and undemanding.
"How did I not know this, Beej?" Alex asked quietly against her lips.
"I never wanted you to know. The timing was never right." Bj whispered.
Alex rested her head against Bj's. "And now?"
"Now… it feels like maybe…maybe the timing is finally right." They sat in silence for awhile. The giant Schnauzer puppy, Abby, brought a tennis ball to the pair, dropping it on the couch cushion next to Bj.
While Bj played fetch with the dog, a sudden realization came to Alex. "What about Junior?" She slid off of Bj's lap to sit next to her.
"What about him?"
"Regardless of what happens between me and Eve, she's his mother too."
"How, Doc? Other than holding your hair during morning sickness a few times, where has she been? I've been the one taking you to your appointments with Davidson, even though you make me stay in the waiting room."
Alex chewed on her bottom lip before stating quietly. "It was Eve's egg."
Dr. King's head fell to rest against the top of the couch. She took a deep breath to quell her racing thoughts. She puffed her cheeks when she exhaled. "And each of the miscarriages were yours." Alex nodded. "And that's why you took it so hard." Another nod from the pediatrician. Bj focused on a dried ring of condensation on the walnut coffee table. "Why is this the first I've heard..." her voice trailed off into silence."Why didn't you tell me?"
"Eve and I had decided it was better if no one knew."
"Does Eve know it's her baby? I mean, she didn't even know you were pregnant until a month ago."
"Let me put it this way. She SHOULD know. When we first started trying to get pregnant, it was HER idea to carry the other's fertilized eggs. With everything that has happened, I don't know how involved she plans to be." Alex wiped at her eyes. "Goddamn hormones." She muttered. She cleared her throat before continuing. "I can't do this by myself, Bobbie."
Bj turned her head to face the redhead. "You won't either. Whatever happens with you and Eve, I'll still be here, Doc. I'll always be here for you."
Alex visibly relaxed. She grabbed Bj's hand, then mimicked her posture by resting her head on the back of the couch. "Thank you." They sat there for several quiet minutes before she spoke again. "So we're sticking to the 'no sex' rule, huh?"
"For now." Dr. King glanced at her watch. "You need to go to bed, get rested for your appointment with Davidson in the morning. Are you still going to see Moresow?"
"Planning on it, even if Eve doesn't show again."
Bj squeezed Alex's hand in encouragement. "Good for you, Doc."
Alex tried to stifle a smirk when she heard her nickname from the fellow physician. "Why is it that out of all my doctor friends I'M the only one called 'Doc'?"
"You've been called that as long as I can remember.”
“We met during med school and both finished so why aren't you called 'Doc' at least on occasion?"
Bj leaned her head closer until her face was just a hair's breadth from Alex's. "Maybe I'm not as endearing as you are."
"I think you sell yourself short." Alex whispered breathlessly. She looked deeply into the dark green eyes hovering next to her. Their breaths mingled, awareness crackled like the air before a lightening strike. "Are you going to kiss me or not?"
Bj groaned loudly, almost as though in pain, then lightly closed the gap between them. For her, the kiss was the culmination of twenty years of pent up emotions. For Alexis, it was about closing the door on her past and noticing the open window to her future.
Chapter 65
January 26- Dr Michael Moresow's office
Eve glanced at her watch for the fifth time in three minutes. Where are you, Allie? She smiled apologetically at the therapist. "I'm sorry we keep wasting your time like this. Allie's rarely late for appointments."
Dr. Moresow made a notation on his paper. "Interesting."
The lawyer's spine stiffened. "What is?"
"You and Alexis did the exact same fidgeting motions, right down to the frequency of checking the time. Then both of you apologized for your partner's tardiness, I find it intriguing that for a couple with as many problems, you each go to great lengths, though each in your own way, to protect the other." he settled back in his chair. "The other day, Alexis told me her perceptions of your relationship. Today it's your turn, Evangeline."
"Eve." she corrected automatically.
"Eve it is. Why don't you tell me about your relationship with Dr. Malone?"
Her icy blues lightened and a hint of nostalgia entered. "The first time I met Allie, we were in high school. We were at a camp and quickly became joined at the hip. There was just something about her. No matter how hard I tried to stay away, it was like there was an invisible line pulling me closer and closer to her. I fell so hard for her, but back then, admitting I had feelings for another girl would have been the equivalent of social suicide. So I lied and made her promise to keep in touch. I was too scared. I was 16. The very thought that I'd found the person I wanted to spend eternity with scared me beyond belief!"
"So regardless of how Alexis felt, you made the decision without any input. Correct?"
She nodded meekly. "The next time I saw her was the day she literally ran into me on campus. I was beginning my final year of law school and she was in her third of med school. We laughed and joked and talked for hours. It was just like camp again. Everything came so easily. The only difference was this time she was unattainable. She was engaged to a guy she grew up with, but the entire time she told me about him, all I could think was 'If I didn't care so much about what others think, it could be me putting that smile on her face.' So I did the next best thing and faked it."
"Then what happened?"
"She found out he was cheating and broke off the engagement the same weekend we had our first big fight. We grew closer during that time, but she never made a move. I got frustrated with the entire situation and started dating a guy from my ethics class. It was almost like some of her fiery spirit had been doused." She pulled a tissue from a nearby box of Kleenex to dry her eyes.
Before Eve could continue, Dr. Moresow's secretary knocked and entered. "There's a Dr. King on the phone for Miss Benson. She says it's an emergency."
Eve's posture stiffened and the blood rushed out of her face. "I'll take it." she whispered as the therapist made more notations in his legal pad.
"You can use the phone in here." the doctor said.
"Line two." said the secretary before making a hasty exit.
She inhaled deeply then picked up the phone. "This is Eve Benson."
"Eve, it's Bj. You need to get to St. Luke's right away." the cardiologist said urgently, a hint of fear in her voice.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"She passed out in Davidson's waiting room. I don't know any more than that."
"I'll be there in twenty." She ran a hand through her hair, one of many quirks she'd copied from Alex over the past twenty years. "I... uh...I have to go."
Dr. Moresow made a few more notes then stood. "I think I need more time one on one with you and Alexis before we begin the couple's therapy." he held up a hand and barreled on, preventing Eve from giving her rebuttal. "I think each of you will benefit far more from individual counseling first. You each have issues you need to address before any progress can be made towards strengthening your current relationship. Set up an appointment with Tara on your way out."