Chapter 8

 

''Hi stranger it's been a while,'' Kevin said as he met up with Ellen at the nurse's station.

''Hi Kevin, and whose fault is that? You're jetting all over the place in such high demand at all these college and university commencements.''

''Young minds are waiting for me to extend a few words to help prepare them for the challenge of the real world. It's a dirty job but someone's got to do it right? Besides my services have been rendered and all I have to do now is sit back and watch as our daughters take the step from high school into college. I can't believe in two weeks they'll be graduating. Kelsey's eighteen and tomorrow Ally will be. The last of our children are leaving the nest. Ellen when did we get old?''

''Hey, speak for yourself there,'' Ellen said in good humor.

''Forgive me what was I thinking?'' he returned in jest. ''So how is Allison? I flew in last night and was surprised when I didn't see her over at the house with Kelsey.''

''She wasn't there last night?''

''Uh, was she supposed to be?''

''No, not really. I was just thinking she might be.''

''Is there a problem?''

''Maybe after today there won't be.''

''Care to elaborate?''

Ellen was about to share details of the past couple of weeks when MJ showed up. Two young nursing students at the nurse's station began to blush uncontrollably as he flashed that winning smile their way. They stared in complete awe of him, hearts all aflutter as he approached Ellen.

''Hiya Mom,'' he said giving Ellen a kiss on the cheek. ''Uncle Kev,'' he said giving Kevin a handshake.

''How are you MJ?'' Kevin asked in greeting.

''Never better,'' MJ replied.

''So what brought you here?'' Crossing her arms at her chest, ''Do you need money?'' Ellen asked.

''Okay your name tag does say Dr. Ellen Harmon, and you are a lot prettier than Dad but all of a sudden you're sounding just like him. I can't just come over to ask my mother out to lunch?''

''You want to take me out to lunch? And you're going to pay for it?''

''You act like I've never done it before.''

''You haven't. It's been your suggestion before on numerous occasions but somehow it's always been my treat.''

''Well not this time, so, are you game?''

''Ellen you go on, we can catch up later,'' Kevin said.

''Okay, and hey why don't you ask Lucy or Kelsey about the situation we were discussing, they know all the details.''

''I'll do that, it sounds interesting. You guys take care.''

''Will do,'' Ellen and MJ said as Kevin departed.

''Is Dad around? I want him to come too.''

''No actually he's having lunch with Ally today, they have some talking to do.''

''They're actually talking now?''

''They're trying to, at least Matt said he would try.''

''I had some news I wanted to share with you both, I guess I can tell him later. So are you ready?''

''I just need to get my purse, I left it in your father's office this morning.''

MJ was now focusing his abundance of charm on the young nursing students. Not taking his eyes off them he replied, ''Why don't you go on up and get it and I'll wait for you here.''

Seeing the huge distraction he was to the students and realizing they would get nothing done while he was anywhere around she insisted he come along. ''No, why don't you come with me, I'm sure these young ladies have things they could be doing,'' pulling him along with her by the arm, ''come along MJ.''

MJ waved goodbye while giving the students another big smile as Ellen dragged him off. The girls squealed in utter delight after MJ left. Both going on about how gorgeous he is.

''Did you see how he was looking at me?'' One student said.

As the other insisted, ''Oh no, he was definitely looking at me.''

''Why do you do that?'' Ellen said playfully punching MJ on the arm as they got into the elevator.

''Because I can,'' he smiled. ''It should be a law against a guy looking this good. Oh, so many women, so little time.''

''I'll never understand how you got so vain.''

''It's not vanity Mom. You and Dad taught us that we had to love ourselves if we wanted to love others, I listened,'' he smirked.

Ellen let out an exasperated breath as they continued to ride up to Matt's office.

************

Ally and Jack quickly pull apart, ''Daddy,'' she said surprised to see him.

''That's me,'' Matt said his face reddening with growing anger.

''Dr. Harmon I…'' Jack began.

Holding up his hand to Jack, ''You save that!'' Matt spat. Turning to Ally, ''I want you to go to my office and wait for me.''

''Daddy we were just…''

Matt cut her off, ''I know what you were just, go wait for r me in my office Allison.'' Turning his glare to Jack, ''I want a word with this young man ALONE.''

''I'm not leaving you alone with him,'' Ally insisted to her father.

Placing his arm around her, ''It's okay Ally, your father and I do need to talk, it'll be okay. Go on,'' Jack urged.

With much trepidation she finally agreed. ''Okay, I'll go.'' Much to Matt's displeasure she gave Jack a kiss before leaving.

''Go straight to my office Allison and you stay there!'' Matt demanded.

Ally was not happy with her father's behavior and it showed clearly on her face as she got on the elevator and the doors closed on her.

Once alone Matt wasted no time in grilling Jack. ''What were you doing with my daughter?! Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?!!!''

''Yes sir you did, but I couldn't do that.''

''APPARENTLY!!!''

''Dr. Harmon I have only the utmost respect for Allison.''

''And you show it by making out with her in the middle of the hospital hallway?''

''It wasn't like that sir.''

''No, then what was it like? Am I seeing things now?'' ''It was just a kiss Dr. Harmon. I started a new job here today in the physical therapy room, we were saying hello.''

''Didn't look like you were doing much talking and you shouldn't be saying anything to her. If you're working here, you work! I told you to stay away from my daughter!!! I meant that!!!!''

''Dr. Harmon look, I understand you have your differences with my uncle, and you're entitled to that, but you can't hold that against me or Allison, we didn't do anything wrong. You told me to stay away from her and Uncle Chris has demanded that I do, but I can't, because I love Allison and I refuse to stay away from her.''

Sighing incredulously, ''You don't even know my daughter, how can you say you love her?''

''Allison told me you fell in love with Mrs. Harmon instantaneously, how did you know you loved her? Some things you just know Dr. Harmon.''

''I'll tell you what I know. I don't want you anywhere near my daughter. No matter what you think you're feeling you'll get over it and even if you don't that's not my problem. Don't make me have to say this again.''

''Dr. Harmon you can say it until you're blue in the face, I'm not hearing it. You know I've listened to Ally talk about you. How you're such a wonderful father, husband, surgeon, and man. In her eyes it's as if you hung the moon. She really loves you. I've been dying to meet this man she's so crazy about but I haven't had the pleasure yet. You know as much as you love your daughter, I love her too, and I hate seeing her in this pain you constantly keep her in.''

''You don't have to see it; in fact I insist you don't. You don't have to see Allison at all. You may have worked that Ramsey charm on her, but it's not going to work on me. I made the mistake of befriending a Ramsey once, and it almost got me and my wife killed. My daughter will not be a casualty of that warped Ramsey thinking, because no matter how great Ally may think you are your true colors will eventually show. I have no intention of having my daughter discover that the hard way!''

''I am NOT my uncle! Allison means the world to me, I would never hurt her under any circumstances.''

''You're NEVER going to get the chance!!'' Coming to within about two feet of Jack, ''Now you have the gumption to tell me you're going to see my daughter and to hell with what I say, all right that's your thing. You say you won't stay away from Ally, I'll just have to keep her away from you; and I can do that. I don't want to have this conversation again, and if you're smart you'd make it your business that we won't.'' With that said Matt headed to his office for the confrontation with his daughter.

Having been making her way around the corner when the fireworks between Matt, Ally and Jack started Nurse Amy Vining had heard an earful. Seeing that this would be some juicy stuff she kept herself safely out of the picture as she listened to the entire scene unfold. After Matt left she approached Jack.

''So the rumors are true? You are in love with Dr. Harmon's daughter,'' Amy said.

''What rumors?'' Jack asked the blonde nurse, ''And who are you?''

''Nurse Amy Vining, and I'm not one to gossip, but there's a buzz going around about Dr. Ramsey having had a shouting match with his nephew about his being in love with the Drs. Harmon's daughter.''

''Why would that be gossip? And doesn't this hospital staff have more important things to do than talk about Allison and me?''

''Oh no, this is juicy. Especially after what I just missed and overheard.''

''Missed and overheard?'' Jack said not believing that for a moment. ''Why would all this be fodder for your non-gossiping behavior?''

''You apparently know how Dr. Harmon feels about your uncle, so you have to understand why your having interest in his daughter let alone being in love with her is such big news.''

''Yes I know how Dr. Harmon feels about my uncle. I heard about the Mancusi thing and I also know that Uncle Chris did something to prevent Dr. Harmon from winning an award years ago.''

''Oh yes the Quartermaine residency. That was a huge scandal.''

''Do you know what Uncle Chris did?''

''You don't?''

''No, all he's told me and all Allison knows from her parents is that he proved the Harmon's were involved when she was still his boss. I still don't know how he did it. Can you tell me?''

''I can do better than that,'' Amy said. ''Follow me.''

Ellen and MJ were making their way out of Matt's office when Hurricane Ally came storming in almost knocking her mother and brother over.

''Yo kid watch yourself,'' MJ said. ''What's got you going?''

''You have to ask?'' Ally returned plopping into the seat in front of Matt's desk.

''Oh no,'' Ellen said releasing a deep breath. ''I thought you and your father were trying to work things out. What happened?''

''Jack started a new job here today. When I arrived for lunch with Daddy he was still in surgery so I went up to physical therapy where Jack's working to say hi and see how things were going. Daddy saw us together and flipped.''

''Oh Allison,'' Ellen said taking a seat on the couch. ''I felt like you were still seeing Jack but I didn't want to ask because if you told me I would have told your father and I didn't want to do that. This is a mess.''

''You really believe in skating on thin ice don't you? Did Dad's face turn red?'' MJ asked taking a seat on the arm of the couch.

''Crimson,'' Ally answered.

''Oh he is pissed. You're in it deep. So what he just saw you talking to the guy and lost it?''

''Actually we were…we were kissing.''

''The plot thickens. I can say that I suspected you were still seeing this guy too, but I can't believe you'd be so bold as to kiss him in the hospital Dad works in when you know he thinks you stopped seeing him per his request, scratch that his demand, weeks ago.''

''Daddy asking me to stop seeing Jack is like him asking me to stop breathing. I can't do it.'' Making her way to Ellen and taking her hand, ''Mom please talk to him. He was in such a good mood this morning. Keep him happy please. I'm going to disappoint him if he thinks I'm going to stay away from Jack.''

After catching Ally's last sentence from the open door, Matt enters the office. ''Not only do I think you're going to stay away from this boy Allison, I will accept NOTHING less than THAT!!!''