The Chicago Way (ER) ✔

The Chicago Way

My heart pounded as I walked through the familiar Chicago tavern. Over the years, this place had become the place where I and my coworkers came to eat, unwind and relax after a hard day of work. Now this place stood for reconnection after we all slowly separated in different directions. Gazing toward the table where they all were gathered, were a lot of the people that kept me alive after I tried to take my life. Several years later, I found I was pregnant with twin girls. When I went into premature labor, many around this table used life-saving methods to save me and my girls. They were the reason I was married and had two beautiful children. Why I could go from a nurse manager to a transplant coordinator. Why I was standing here today.

At the time. I could only think about how my life had gone wrong, so I popped pills, almost dying in the process. I was dealing with depression from a stressful job. Doug and I had an on-again, off-again relationship. He later resigned from his job, while I geared up to be a nurse and a single mom to twins. My suicide attempt was the most heartbreaking decision I would ever make. One that I would always regret making. However, I would never regret choosing to live, or the journey that brought me here today.

Approaching the table, I watched as Carter's eyes lit up and filed with surprise, a pleasant smile filling his lips as the rest hadn't noticed yet.

"Got room for one more?"

"Nooo." Susan paused mid-sentence in her conversation with Kerry as she turned in her seat and stood up to hug me tightly. "Carol Hathaway. How the heck are you?"

"I'm really good, thanks for asking."

"Sorry." As she pulled away from the hug, she had tears glistening in her eyes. "And the girls?"

"Almost ten and growing like weeds."

"Ten, really?" Carter inquired with disbelief as he rounded the table to hug me tightly. It had been a moment since we had seen each other last. "I can't believe that."

"On Thanksgiving."

"Not sure how I could have forgotten that." He stated over the chatter at the tavern. Kerry replaced him as he sat back down and she scooped me into a hug by wrapping her arms around my neck in a motherly fashion.

"Carol. It's so good to see you again."

"Hi, Kerry." That was all I could think to say in greeting. I was more drawn to her lack of the crutch I had always seen her use around the hospital. It was a little strange seeing her walking around normally.

"What have you done to your hair." Her fingers started to play with my straightened black hair.

"After I moved back with Doug, I started straightening it. Honestly, it made me feel a little more professional as a transplant coordinator. Where's the crutch?"

"I had surgery on my hip about three years ago. I haven't looked back since. Heaven knows it made me both look and feel like a Scrooge."

"Not possible." I chuckled, clearly joking with her. I knew that everyone that worked with her knew she was a force to reckon with.

"I'm sorry, it's my turn," Elizabeth said with a thick english accent, giving me a longer hug than the other two. "Honestly, I never thought I would ever see you again."

"Now you do. It's so good to see you again, Elizabeth."

"You too. And clearly more beautiful than ever. Did I hear right, the twins are almost ten now?"

"Yes." Handing her my phone, she flipped through the pictures while I said hello to Peter, then took a seat on the other side of him. Carter."Kate has my dark hair, while Tess' hair is as straight as can be."