* * *

After a pleasant smile and greeting, McMurray’s secretary ushered Garrett and Danni into his office. Her only words to the man behind the desk were both businesslike and polite. "Dr. McMurray, the Flight Team is here to see you." The older woman motioned for them to go in and then left, closing the door after her.


Each one stood just inside the door and looked around the office until their gazes met with each other’s. The absence of the man from their view and the silence that surrounded them only added to the suspense as to why they were here in the first place. Shrugging to each other, they then turned their attention back toward the desk in time to see movement as the chair swiveled back to face the room.


The contemplative look on his face gave them no clue as to why they had been summoned. Garrett searched her mind for any reason that could have brought them here. All of their flights had been without problems and she knew that Ian had never realized the switch that she had pulled on him. She resigned herself to the fact that she had no clue.


McMurray stopped his chair as it came into his favorite position at the desk. He leaned forward to rest his arms on the desktop and greeted them. "Nurse Bossard, Dr Trivoli! I’m glad that you could come so quickly when I paged."


"That’s part of our job sir, a quick response to any call." Garrett raised her eyebrow as if to challenge her mentor for the reason that they were summoned.


"Gar!" The word was only a whisper but Danni knew that her friend heard it. The swift glance in her direction by the tall woman confirmed it.


"Ease up, Trivoli. You would think that I called you in on the carpet for something or other. Nothing of the kind." He rose slightly and motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. "Have a seat, will you?"


Danni rolled her eyes and thanked every god that she could think of. "Thanks, Dr. McMurray." Nudging her team member to do the same.


The eyebrow receded to its normal position. "Sir." Garrett tipped her head to him, remembering her military days and stifling the salute that she had grown accustomed to.


The women sat down, positioning themselves attentively, waiting for the man in front of them to continue.


The Ol’ Cutter eyed his guests and let the corners of his mouth turn upward in a smile. "Relax, ladies. It’s nothing bad. In fact, it’s something very good for both of your careers."


The Fellow eyed McMurray suspiciously. She’d been pushed into more things in the last eight months for her career by this man then she cared to think about. What was she going to have to do now?


Garrett felt the gentle touch of the small hand on her arm. It acted better than any drug she could have taken. Her anxiety seemed to fade as she let her eyes take the gesture into view. ‘Well, maybe not everything in this Fellowship year was bad.’


"I’m sorry, but you’ve got us at a loss." Danni tried to take the attention away from her friend. She flashed a smile first at Garrett then to the man behind the desk. "What is it?"


‘Teamwork, that’s what makes them so good together. Each one looking out for the other.’ "The Board of Directors would like you to honor them with you presence at the Dinner they are hosting on Friday evening." He looked at the women, hoping for some kind of response. "I know that there’s not much time between now and then but they’d like you there all the same."


Danni was the one looking concerned now. "This Friday? I already have a date…" She trailed off on the last word, sensing that Garrett was a little more attentive now, noticing that the surgeon’s head had turned toward her on that revelation. ‘I can’t believe I said that.’


"Good! Then you’ll have an escort. Bring your date along." He winked in approval. "Anyone we know Nurse Bossard?" McMurray turned a wayward eye to the tall surgeon. He noticed that her eyes were a little larger than normal as she digested that last exchange.


Danni, on the other hand, was trying to repress the first signs of a blush. ‘Why did I ever agree to that date? It could have been just me sitting side by side at that dinner with Garrett.’ "I think so. It’s Dr. Beckman. You remember David, don’t you?"


"Yes, last year’s Chief Resident, " The sound of a muted snort came from the tall surgeon as she listened. "Fine man and a promising surgeon." The Ol’ Cutter nodded. "I thought he was somewhere in West Virginia."


"He is. David is just going to be in town for the weekend and wanted us to get together."


Garrett lost the conversation at that point. It was all her doing and she now felt like it was going to backfire on her. ‘Beckman…at least she won’t have to change any of her monogrammed items.’ Her thoughts of sounding out Danni’s name with his came to a crashing halt when she realized that both sets of eyes were staring at her, waiting for an answer. "What?" She replied as her eyebrow shot up.


"Gar, Dr. McMurray just wanted to know if you’d be bringing someone. An escort maybe?" Her hand slid over to pat the surgeon’s, trying to comfort her from the startled look she possessed.


"Ah…escort? I…I guess I could find one." Her eyes darted from side to side as she thought. "It’s short notice…"


"Well, see what you can come up with. Oh, and Dr. Trivoli…" he paused waiting for her full attention. "I wouldn’t raid the School of Medicine’s Cadaver Lab. That style of escort didn’t go over very big the last time it was tried."


"Danni wrinkled her nose and imagined the sight. "Ewe!" ‘Yeah, like there aren’t guys standing in line that would take her out.’ The nurse’s mind flashed with the thought of lines of cold, stiff, embalmed bodies hanging by tongs waiting in the cold room of the Medical School for their turn to fall into the skilled dissectionist’s hands. The petite woman’s hand raked through her hair as she tried to shake the image out of her mind. ‘Change the subject, Danni. NOW!!!’


"No, sir. Wouldn’t think of it." ‘I wouldn’t have put it past him to have tried that.’ Garrett tried to make light of the situation.


Straining to clear her voice, Danni began to speak. "So…uhm…is this formal or what?"


McMurray chuckled. "No, no tuxedos or gowns." He scratched his cheek. "Suits and whatever is appropriate these days for you women." His eyes wondered over to the tall surgeon in front of him. "No, designer original scrub clothing, Trivoli. You hear?"


The woman nodded her head while Danni giggled behind her cupped hand until the lone eyeball made its appearance at the corner of Garrett’s eye.


"Now, get going…I’ll see you on Friday night."


The team got up and headed for the door. When they were just about ready to pass through the open doorway, the Ol’ Cutter swung around in his chair and yelled out a closing remark. "Trivoli! You’d better have something else on your arm other than that Flight Suit when you walk through that door at 7 o’clock."


Garrett stopped short at the sound of his voice. Upon hearing it cease, she muttered under her breath, "Damn!" and closed the door.



* * *

The remainder of the week leading up to the dinner was spent in training exercises in the weather sanctioned downtime and running on Flights when the weather permitted. In times of need, they even found themselves filling in for regular Flight Crews when the need arose do to illness of the crewmembers.


It was Friday morning and the blustery arrival of March had come in like a Lion the day before. The young nurse had already made her call to David and informed him of the Dinner and the need for him to bring a suit with him on his weekend trip. He graciously accepted the invitation to escort Danni. Now, all she had to do was decide on something to wear herself.


She pondered what to wear. She didn’t want to give David any wrong impression but she did so what to make Garrett take notice of her. It was a hard decision but she finally chose the dark green suit that always made her eyes stand out. ‘Now, if that doesn’t do it, I don’t know what will.’ She laid the clothing out on her bed in preparation of later that evening.



* * *

Garrett ran through the narrowing list of escorts as she sat sipping coffee in the Doctor’s Lounge outside of the O.R. It was as close as she was allowed to come to her forbidden ground without breaking her promise. Her body just tingled with life when she was in there. She turned her eyes back to the inhabitants of the room. All that was left in here today was the gangly medical school students as they regrouped before heading off to their rounds. She eyed them all disapprovingly considering the need to possibly change a few of their diapers during the course of the evening. Time was running out and so were her options.


She went to the bank of phones on the one wall and pulled out the yellow pages, turning the pages to cast a wary eye to the listing of "Escorts" but then changed her mind. ‘Now that is getting too damn desperate.’ She closed the book and pushed it away. ‘It would be so simple if David wasn’t here.’ She closed her eyes and cursed herself for doing what she had thought was in the best interest of her small friend. She went back to the leather couch and slowly sipped her cup of coffee.


The room was almost empty when Garrett noticed the telltale weight of someone on the couch sitting opposite her end. She opened one lone orb and caste a watchful eye in that direction. ‘Who would be so bold as to sit next to Garrett Trivoli?’ She should have known. ‘Ian!’ She hurriedly closed her eyes feigning sleep.