Unexpected

Part 1: When the Call Ends

Staring at his phone, Max is more confused than when he picked up the unknown number. When did Floyd Reynolds say he was leaving? He said Evie was going to San Diego, not himself. Sighing, Max figures he misunderstood his first hire or most likely, he was trying not to understand him. The last thing he needs right now is to lose his best Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Department Head. As if his life wasn't challenging enough today, between this, Alice's attempt at a date, and the budget cuts....

Oh, shit! I never told Helen I fixed that. Damn it. I need to apologize for today. I can't leave us like this tonight. Angry and upset.

He takes a cab over to her place, a lovely townhouse in a very nice neighborhood, and prays she's still up. He looks at the time on his iPhone and realizes it's already 10:30. He hopes it isn't too late. He would hate to have her still mad at him over the weekend. When the cab pulls up, he gets out after paying the cabbie and looks up. The lights are still on, that's a good sign for him. Adjusting his tie, for some reason- most likely due to him being nervous- he walks up the five cement steps and takes a deep breath before knocking on her teal metal door. Through the frosted glass, he can see her coming down the hallway and trying to see who could be on the other side. Just when he thinks she's going to turn around and leave, she opens up the door slightly and then smiles softly, finding Max, standing on her stoop this late at night looking very dapper.

"Sorry to bother you so late." She stands in the doorway, dressed in tiny night shorts that have cute little sleepy bunnies on them and a slightly baggy Motorhead t-shirt on. Max can't help but smile at the two completely different sides of Helen Sharpe- soft and sweet like the bunnies and fierce and fiery like her favorite band.

"It's alright...you look, very handsome. Going somewhere?" She asks politely and he laughs through his nose, like always, and shakes his head.

"I was actually out with a friend...I wanted to apologize to you for earlier today." Helen's face becomes more serious and her arms cross in front of her chest.

"You don't have too, Max. As the Medical Director, you make decisions on how you want to run your hospital. Pions like myself don't get an opinion." She's so salty right now, even when she's trying to be a good employee and friend. Max shakes his head and feels a weight on his chest. She doesn't think her opinions matter?

"Helen, you are not a pion. It's impossible and ridiculous of you to think so. Your opinion matters the most to me." His words melt her heart slightly- they always do when he's being sappy. Opening up the door all the way, she steps aside and allows him to come in. He smiles and she remains stone faced, but when his back is to her, she smiles wide and shuts the door. Max takes his shoes off and his coat and Helen takes it, hanging it on her coat rack. Her home is spotless and organized- something Max doesn't know how to do. "I want you to know, I never signed off on getting rid of Mammograms."

"What programs did you get rid of?" She asks leading him to her living room. They sit side by side on her teal suede sectional and she brings her legs up beside her bent as she sits sideways to see him fully. This conversation should be good. Max sits in a similar fashion facing her and sighs.

"None. I figured out how to keep all the programs, cut back a little cost and make money all at the same time." Helen scoffs a bit, unsurprised by his ability to never make an actual decision.

"Why am I not surprised that yet again, you choose all of the above?" His smile weakens a bit. Recalling the last conversion she brought that up in. The one where she stopped being his doctor, even after he begged her and told her he wanted her. When he initially said it, it was less about her treating him and more about just wanting her in his life. Losing Helen Sharpe hurt just as much as losing Georgia. Though he would never verbalize it out of guilt. Helen must sense his sorrow creeping back in, so she places her hand on his arm that is slung over the back of the couch and she draws his attention back to her. "That's not always a bad thing, though. I will admit that. You have a skill that I will never possess. The ability to save everything and everyone without thinking twice."