Afterall- A Matt and Ellen Story:Chap. 3



CHAPTER 3 Flashbacks

Zan`dele has whipped the E.R. into the best form imaginable. She's a highly declined individual who expects 100% from everyone around her.
She's hard-noised, stuffy and definitely non-nonsense. She's all work and not too much play and whether Jane is a dull girl doesn't matter because she gets the job done!

Zan`dele is in her office working when Matt appears at the open door wearing a seductive smile.



"Hello Zandy."

He says as her "nickname" flows from his lips. The sparkle in his eye tells her that he's got something in mind. Matt has wondered WHEN he'll
get his chance to kiss her. He can't wait much longer! Whenever he's with her he almost loses control. Her eyes, her beautiful mocha skin
seemed to beckon to him for his caress. He longed to see just how soft her hair was because it always smelled so sweet like fresh strawberries.
Matt had to keep his mind on the matter at hand!

"Did you know that you've been here for two months and we've spent time together, right? You haven't asked about my accident or Ellen. You've
probably seen the pictures or heard enough stories to gag a camel by now. Why haven't you asked me anything yet?I would ask if it were me."

Looking into his eyes she thinks that she feels that she too is about to burst from the nearness of him.

"Because however you were injured hasn't stopped you from leading a full and productive life so why should I dwell on details. First and foremost
you never shared any information with me so I assumed that you'd rather not discuss it."

NO he didn't offer up any info at all! He was too busy scoping her out. Taking her hand in his a humble look comes to his face.

"You're right. I never offered to explain did I? Well I will but before that you were right about my accident not interferring with my life. I
can do anything that any other man can do except..."

"Walk."

She says playfully. Watching as his smile disappears.

"It was a joke. I thought that you had a since of humor."

Seeing that she must have hit a nerve she moves away and sits back down at her desk.

"It isn't that. That's what Ellen used to say. That's what she said to me the first time that we met. I said to her what I just said to you and
her reply was the same as your--walk."

Matt stares into space.

"Matt that is a likely answer given the dialogue, don't you think?"

Matt thinks about it and she's right. He won't allow her memory to spoil things for him.

"Matt why don't you come over to my place tonight and we can really get acquainted.

He smiles and forgets about what happened earlier. All that matters is what he HOPES will happen tonight.

Later that night...

"...my father ordered my brother to kill me and he tried. The bullet damaged my spinal cord and the rest is history."

Zandy takes a long look at the man whom she's becoming more and more intrigued by each passing minute as if she wasn't from the first minute
that she saw him sitting there. She feels so close to him right now and she's tired of waiting for the right moment. This IS their moment. Their
eyes meet and they instinctly reach for each other and he murmurs against her lips ever so softly as his hand touches her almost
nonexistant hair.

"Your hair smells sooooo good!"

Matt's lips find hers as she pulls him closer and they began their exploration. Her fingers find the small of his back and hold him there.
Mere words can't express the feeling that he felt as they held each other. Pulling apart he searches her eyes as he tries to think of why he
felt so at ease and comfortable with her after promising himself that there'd never be anyone for him except Ellen.

"If I were a drinking man I'd say that I drank too much because it seems like I was ...no! Don't even think it!"

Just then Matt looks up and for a split second he saw Ellen sitting next to him and not Zan`dele! He rubbed his eyes and shook his head.

"Matt what's wrong? Let me get you some water, poor baby!"

She says then moves closer and kisses his nose before leaving the couch for the water.

His eyes widen as large as saucers!

"No one has ever kissed my nose except Ellen!" He thought to himself. What was becoming of him? Had he gone too far? Had Chris actually been
right for once in his life in saying that Matt had lost touch with reality? Had losing Ellen put him over the edge? As Zandy walked to the
kitchen he saw Ellen's walk but most of all it was Ellen whose lips he kissed just now! How had he allowed himself to come to this end? There
was a beautiful woman in there who liked him but all he could seem to focus on was Ellen! Guilt overcoming him he tries to act as if nothing
is wrong. At that moment he received a page and takes out his phone.

"It's the hospital. I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

After his emergency is over he finds himself at Kevin's office.

"I really need to talk to you! I've been having the weirdest experience lately. Dr. Sutani, Zan`dele and I have been seeing each other but the first time that I saw her I had the oddest feeling. She looks nothing like Ellen but she has some of her characterists such as being a
strong-willed woman and being a bit uptight. But most of all when I kissed her, I felt so strange. I don't know how to explain it other than
being back in Ellen's arms again! Kevin am I mad? I hate to think that I love her so much that I just can't let go! I keep having these
flaskbacks of the two of us. I see Ellen in everything that Zandy does? I don't, I won't substitute Zandy for Ellen. That's not what I'm trying to do!"

Frustrated Matt puts his head in his hands. Kevin moves closer to him.

"Matt it sounds like your subconscious is playing tricks on you. You miss Ellen and it's obvious that you still need her in your life. That's
normal but what has me worried is that you are seeing Ellen whenever you see Zan`dele. She is not Ellen Matt and you should make certain that you remember that. Enjoy your time together but don't read things into it when she doesn't something. Just go with the flow, unless of course you choose not to see her again."

Matt opens the door and leaves.

As he goes down the hall he sees two nurses at the Nurse's Station talking.

"Did you hear that Dr. Harmon said that Dr. Sutani reminded him of Dr. Burgess yesterday and that when she walks she even walks like her? He's
really losing it isn't? They look nothing alike except that they are about the same height. Poor man since she left him he's gone down hill
every since."

They talk as he listens in the shadows.

"So this is what they think of me! They think that I've gone bananas. Well I haven't."