4th Time Lucky

They're In The Walls

"Sarah!" Katherine shouted, spying her at the end of the second floor of long term care.

Gregory was in the family waiting room downstairs, nervous and sweaty. Katherine wondered how long he'd hold out while she went looking for her.

Sarah was pushing an older woman in a wheeled chair, a more recent invention which had saved everyone's backs. The woman was bundled in a shawl, her head moving back and forth as if Sarah was the world's worst driver and she might crash any second.

"Sarah, you'll never guess who's downstairs." Katherine paused to catch her breath (and, perhaps, for a little dramatic effect).

Sarah grunted, trying to turn the chair toward the woman's room. "I dunno, the Emperor?"

Katherine slapped her shoulder playfully. "No, silly, it's Gregory Remington."

"Oh, right, your date."

Katherine couldn't tell if Sarah's attitude was coming across angry because she was having a tough time or because she was jealous she hadn't debuted yet like Katherine. Sarah stopped trying to maneuver the chair and stood with her arms crossed. She raised an eyebrow.

"Well? Is he the one then?"

"What? No, no, nonononoooo," Katherine waved her hands to shoo the thought away. "He's got a big crush on someone else."

Sarah's cheeks grew red. "Well that was a jerk thing to do - ask you on a date when he's in love with someone else."

"Sarah - he went on a date with me because his crush is you and he didn't know how to meet you. You haven't come to any balls yet, you weren't at the debut, but he remembers you from some business meeting."

Her eyes grew wide as saucers. Sarah grabbed on tight to Katherine's arms and locked eyes. "Are you absolutely sure he was talking about me?"

"Yes."

"Did he say he wanted to court me?"

"Not exactly those words, but..."

"And he likes me?"

"That's what I got from the conversation..."

"He even used you as a secret messenger to contact me?"

"Sort of, he's downstairs in the family waiting area and -"

"WHAT?"

Sarah shook out her dress and smoothed her hair, which was already severely pinned back for the hospital work.

"You look fine! Now go, he said he had another appointment -" Sarah had disappeared down the hall before Katherine could finish her sentence.

Now that she thought about it, Gregory was on her bachelor list to begin with because of Sarah's endorsement. Gods, she really didn't know anything about love.

The old woman leaned forward and tried to grab the door frame to her room.

"Oh! Please, let me help you," Katherine said, leaping to help her up from the chair.

"Got to get in," the woman mumbled. "Can't get me in there."

"Sure, sure..." she said, taking the woman's arm and weight. "What can't get you?"

"The rats."

Shit. If the woman was seeing rats in the daytime it must be a big nest. The hospital employed two full time rat catchers, it shouldn't be this bad!

"Well, just the one, really."

Katherine nodded and helped the woman sit on the hospital bed in the narrow room. "Not to worry, I'll report it and get that rat taken care of."