CAPITULO 1

by Coltrain's Proposal(lit)

  Suddenly the hand of Coltrain settled on his. Lou contained the breath, lifting the face, and the doctor could see distressed her in his eyes. He pressed the hand softly, like trying to offer him consolation.

  - Some day will tell it to me - he said to him-. It me will count everything.

  Lou could not understand this sudden interest. The look was supported long moment and, unexpectedly, something seemed to him to see in his eyes that it left her without breath.

  It did not have to do to itself illusions again. He was not feeling anything for her, he nor would feel it ever. In labor the route as to an efficient assistant, but in the personal thing she was sure that in the fund it remained caught by the prejudices, by the past, and that for him she would always be the daughter of the doctor Blakely, of the man that so much damage had done him. He seemed to feel a pity for her, but probably just as he would have felt it for anyone that, like her, was spending it badly.

  He withdrew his hand slowly, and outlined a weak smile.

  - Thank you - he said with hoarse voice-. I suppose that sometimes I think too much, and it does not have felt when the past is not any more than that, past.

  - He was usually thinking that itself I - he entrusted him-, but now I am already not sure so.

  In this moment a nurse entered and Coltrain left almost immediately.

  On the following day, Lou received the discharge. Drew went down to having breakfast with her to the snack bar of the hospital, before taking her to house, but when they were ending, Coltrain appeared and he said to him that he would take her. He was his assistant, and therefore his responsibility, he said to Drew. Lou obviously protested, but Drew did not intervene and, in fact, when they were not looking, he smiled.

  So that It was Coltrain who took her to house. When it was accommodated in the couch, the doctor asked him once again:

  - Is it sure that it will be well?

  - Of course, it was not any more than a virus - she restored taking importance from him-. I am perfectly. Thanks for his worry.

  - Not malacostumbre - he answered with a malicious smile-, I do not remember when it was the last time that I worried for a woman.

  - I am only his assistant - answered she, queriendo to make clear well that was realizing that there was nothing personal between them-, it is not the same thing.

  - Not, it is not the same thing - he agreed-. And I have never given him reasons to think another thing: is not it true? I have never invited her to come to my mess.

  It was making her very nervous with this fixed look.

  - And what? I have never invited it to my house not also - he answered-. It is clear that it would not have occured to me to never put it in such an awkward situation.

  - Awkward?. why?

  - So because you would have that to have looked for some reasonable excuse to refuse.

  Coltrain studied a moment his face with the eyes entronados.

  - Perhaps I would not have refused.

  Lou's heart gave one I overturn, and it hurried to separate the look. He wanted that it was already going away, before it was denounced accidentally.

  - Excuse me, but I am very tired - it murmured.

  Coltrain approached her, warning how there was tightened, how his respiration was hastening, how his lips were half-opened... Although it was doing a brave effort to hide itself it, it was obvious that his proximity the turbaba. If it had not treated her with the hostility with which it had treated her...

  It stopped scarcely to half a meter of the couch, with the hands in the pockets not to make her more nervous.

  - It does not even happen to him to come tomorrow if he does not meet desire - he said to him in a soft tone-. I will manage them: in agreement?

  - In agreement - she murmured, without looking at it.

  - Louise...

  It was the first time that was calling her by his Christian name, and she was surprised so much, that lifted the face towards him.

  - He is not responsible for anything for what there did his father - Coltrain-.Siento said to him to have put such difficult things, and I would like that he was reconsidering the marchare.

  Lou was removed uncomfortable in the armchair.

  - Thank you, but I believe that I have taken the correct decision - he answered in a tone that I stay-. He will be you happier with another person as assistant.

  - Does he believe that? Because I do not agree - it extended the hand, and it caressed the soft cheek of the young woman, descending up to the commissure of the lips.

  Lous trembled before the caress, and his reaction had an immediate echo in Coltrain. The doctor remained without breath, and looked at his lips with avidity, saying to him that he would die if it was not taking them in this moment. But it could not, could not ... it was too prompt.

  - I have to go away already - he said to him separating the hand sharply, as if the contact with his skin was burning it.

  It had to move away of there before it was losing the control and everything was ruining it.

  Lou, who was not comprising that hurry to leave, thought that it had regretted having caressed her, and that he wanted to make sure that she should not do to herself wrong ideas.

  - Thanks for bringing me to house - he said to him in a formal tone.

  Coltrain went to the door and stopped with the hand in the knob, turning towards her.

  - Give thanks to the fact that I left when still I am on time.

  And it went out, closing the door, and leaving the young woman with an expression of puzzlement in the face. Perhaps he was regretting having tried to convince her also so that it was not going away. In end, it was said, that one her did not have already to worry. It had to do to the idea of that soon he would be out of his life. It was impossible that the things between them were changing, and it had reasons to hate her when father had hurt him.

  It went to the kitchen, in search of a canister of soup of tomato. It needed to restore forces before returning to the work. Nevertheless, when it opened the larder and seized with the left hand the canister that was more to the scope, one slipped him between the fingers and fell down to the soil. Lou continued looking at her with the carried away face sing of gathering her. His sleep of turning into surgeon had been destroyed overnight, years behind. And it was a real shame, had said his instructor, because it had a skill that few surgeons were managing to reach, an almost innate knowledge of the way of cutting textiles with the minor loss of possible blood. But the sinew of his hand had broken because of the break, and not even the efforts of the orthopedic surgeon who had produced it had managed to repair the damage.

  On the following day it had already rejoined to the work, something tired still, but cheered up.

  - The doctor does not like very much the children: truth? - there asked him this morning a kid from whom it was taking his a few points-. When I taught him my wound so that one was treating it, he said to me that he had seen them worse.

  Lou could not suppress a smile.

  - Good, is true it that has seen them worse - he answered-, but you have behaved as a champion, and that's why you have gained yourself an award - he said to him, doing to him delivery of a bag of tidbits without sugar.

  The child smiled widely.

  - Boy, and now go with your mother, who is waiting for you, and be careful the next time that you go out to skating: in agreement?

  The small girl agreed in a vehement way with the head. It jumped of the stool in the one that was raised and went at the edge of the consultation. but when it opened it, Coltrain appeared. The doctor supported it so that it should go out, and after throwing a furious look, the child left.

  - Small moaning kid ... - it jabbered Coltrain bringing in and half-closing the door after yes.

  - You do not fall down to him well - it informed Louise-. He has despised his wound.

  - Wound ... - he breathed heavily-. If I did not have to give to him any more than a pair of points...

  - He does not like too much the chi
ldren: eh? - inquirió she while he was gathering the material that she had used to take the points from the boy.

  Coltrain shrank of shoulders.

  - I do not have very much contact with them - he answered-. Also, since it started working with me, I already almost deal only with the adults.

  It rested on one of the jambs of the door, studying it with the hands in the pockets of the white robe, and the stethoscope hanging about the neck.

  Lous and he realized of that he was observing her, and turned towards him. His eyes were, and the young woman felt that it was not capable of separating the look. It seemed that the heart him was going to leave of the breast, and almost he was lacking the respiration.

  The eyes of Coltrain went down up to the mouth lightly half-opened of his assistant and planned the first sensual low lip and the delicate top lip later, wondering cóno it would be to kiss her.

  Suddenly, a few steps startled them, and Brenda opened the door, almost striking Coltrain, which was behind.

  - Lou, I have been wrong of ... oh!, God, excuse me doctor, it was not known that it was you there ...-stammered.

  - Not, not ... it does not have why to apologize. He had come to ask doctor Blakely if he had seen Henry Brady's record. It is not where I left it.

  Brenda delivered to him the folder that was going in the hand.

  - It is this one. I feel it, I took it as an error.

  - It does not worry - it directed a brief look to Lou and went out of consultation without saying another word.

  - They will not have had another discussion ...? - the nurse wailed-. I do not understand how after almost one year none of the two is ready to bury the tomahawk.

  Louise did not bother to correct it. His assumption was less awkward than what it had happened in reality. Coltrain had never looked at her that way. Every time it was making happy to have presented his letter of resignation; it was not sure of pode to support with stoicism his insinuations.

  Also, it did not want to do to itself illusions. After everything, Coltrain was a hardened bachelor, and he was not lacking women fluttering around him, like Nickie. And then there was that rumour of which it was still in love with his ancient love, Jane Parker...

  Not, it did not want to be the main course of anybody, and it wanted neither to have a relation, nor to marry. The things had been easier when Coltrain had treated like an enemy. Why might not it to be again like earlier, instead of looking at her this way? On having remembered the avidity with which he had been observing his lips, an itch covered it of above below. One not even more day of the necessary thing would remain there. He did not want to continue suffering with an impossible love.

  CHAPTER 5

  The holiday of Christmas of the hospital fixed for the night of Friday, the two weeks before the twenty-fifth, so that it was not coinciding with the familiar celebrations of the personnel. Lou at first did not have intention of going, but Coltrain cornered her the evening of this day in his consultation, when they were gathering to leave to house.

  - the holiday of Christmas is this night - he said to him.

  - I know it, and am not going to go.

  - I will gather her at nine o'clock - he said, as if it should not hear her. Of course, Lou started protesting, but he insisted-. I already know that yet the virus is not restored completely of that thing about, but it does not have why to remain until the end if he does not want, and I will take her to house.

  - And what raisin with Nickie? - Louise ran through him-. Would not it bother him that we were together?

  Coltrain arched an eyebrow.

  - Why should it him bother?

  - So because it has been you going out with her - remembered him Lou.

  - I have not been going out with her - he tinted-. I accompanied her on that charitable dinner because he said to me that the anesthetist who was going to lead her fiancée to being able to do it. I do not know what devils it will have heard, but there is nothing between us.

  - It does not matter to me - answered him she with tension-, I do not think to go to any holiday with you. All these months it has done to me the impossible life: and now does he believe that it can come and do blot and new account inviting me to a holiday? And it has not even been an invitation: but an order!.

  - Listen - he spluttered-, if one of the two is not present at this holiday, the gossips of the people will deteriorate and, sincerely: I had already enough in spite of supporting the gossips in the past, thanks to the charmer of his father!

  Louise took down with fury his overcoat of the hanger.

  - I believed that he had said that he was not blaming me for everything what it had done me padre1 - he remembered him, turning towards him.

  - And I do not do it! - answered he angered-, but it is irrational and infantile.

  - crikey, thank you ... - Lou spluttered-. Coming from you that almost they are fulfilled!

  Coltrain was getting angry more and more per moments. He had never met such an obstinate woman. For a moment he continued observing her fixedly as if it should to strike dead it with the look, until a light staggering when it went towards the door reminded to him that it had been sick.

  - This night there is going to be someone in the holiday who would like that he knew - he said to him in a softer tone, in that it was his last trick-. It is a question of Ben Maddox, an ancient companion. It has been hired by an important company of electronics and computers, and is promoting throughout the country a computer system that supposedly tunes in to the computers of a few hospitals to others in the whole world and to data bases and files. It seems to me that it is too expensive for our small hospital, but I have said to him that we would consider his offer.

  - And that I have to see with that?-inquirió Lou.

  - Good, are you the one that knows about new technologies - added he with a light deliberate sarcasm-. I would like to have his opinion.

  - Go, I feel very honest - answered she in identical tone-. He had never asked me for my opinion with regard to anything.

  - it had never mattered for me - answered Coltrain sincerely, and without the minor blush-. But, in end, I do not know, it is possible that it is mistaken and is true that the electronic revolution is necessary also in the medicine - it lifted the chin in a clear challenge-, or at least those it is what you are always defending.

  The proud look in Louise's chestnut-colored eyes said to him that it had stung the fishhook.

  - I will go, but I will do it in my car, and will see it there.

  Coltrain gathered the eyebrows.

  - Why does not he want that I take her?. perhaps is it of me afraid? - it stung it.

  Lou could not say to him of what it was afraid.

  - If we were coming together to the holiday, the people would start murmuring: does not he believe? - it pointed.

  It had used his own excuse, and nothing he could say against that.

  - In agreement of that time.

  Coltrain said goodbye with a gesture of the hand and went out of the consultation, and only then Lou breathed calm. "Good", there was said, " it looks like a truce. Truly we needed it ... ".

  Meanwhile Lou was chatting with Ben Maddox in the holiday, Coltrain was standing up, in a surgeons' small huddle, but scarcely it was paying attention to what they were saying. It could not take the eyes of above from his assistant.

  Lou had put himself on a black garment of silk with a layer superposed of lace, round neck, and transparent sleeves. He had the skirt of the garment left over the knee, and was leaving to the overdraft his long legs, which seemed moreover slender for the shoes of heel. The fair-haired hair had been gathered in a very chic hairstyle, with some tufts falling down to him on the cheeks, and it was not taking any more adornments than a necklace of small pearls and a few earrings to game.

  On having seen her gesticulating and having laughed, the doctor experienced a series of turbadoras sensations that I had assaulted it earlier, exactly one year behind. In the holiday of Christmas of the pre
vious year, the young woman had put herself on one more garment developer, and he assaulted by a sudden impulse that he did not want to analyze, one had fixed them to take her under the sticks of mistletoe, which were hanging by the roof, and it tried to kiss her. Nevertheless, she had escaped, and from this day he had avoided it as if it had a contagious illness.

  His ego had suffered a hard blow with that rejection, and that had already done that was taking certain antipathy, which increased when it was known of whom she was a daughter.

  He apologized with his companions, and went towards Maddox and the young woman.

  - Cooper, your assistant is a real jewel - Ben said to him when it joined them-. It is very well informed about the technological advances.

  - Yes, good, there him go these things - it jabbered Coltrain-. I am an antiguado, but if she had my position and the machines will diagnose illnesses, I am sure that he would dismiss to the whole staff

  Ben Maddox laughed.

  - You have to give up oneself before the evidence, friend, the technology is the future.

  - And also it is the motive for which the costs of the medical treatments have gone off - it restored Coltrain.

  - Pessimist ...-accused it Ben.

  - Pessimist not, realist - Coltrain answered. It lifted the glass that it had in the hand, simulating a toast, and purified his content.

  Ben followed his old man friend with the look when this one moved away in direction of the table with the meal and the drinks for between those who were dancing, and frowned on having seen that it was refilling his glass.

  - Rare what ... - he mentioned-, it had never seen Copper drinking any more than one glass.

  " not I " Lou thought gathering also the bridge of the nose.

  Shrinking of shoulders, Ben extracted of his briefcase a series of leaflets, and started explaining to him in a more detailed way the product that it wanted to sell to them. Meanwhile he was speaking, Lou saw that Nickie was approaching Coltrain behind. An ajustadísimo was going, cortísimo and escotadísimo blue garment that it did that all the men who were close were turning to look at her. Already of for yes it was nice, but with that garment it could take from street to anyone.