章 2: The Great Reveal

The two people in question smiled at Sam's surprise. Then Jesse turned to Pearl, allowing her the chance to respond. She honestly didn't want to admit that she hadn't been paying attention to the person who had been attending to her yesterday when she went into the doctor's office. It was embarrassing that she didn't recognise Jesse and had even thought her best friend's brother was hitting on her. Cringing inwardly, she nodded and answered Sam.

"Yesterday, it seems," Pearl admitted. "I just didn't know he was Jesse!"

The handsome doctor smiled and reached a hand out for his companion. "Everyone, this is Christina by the way."

She was tall with long blonde hair and friendly blue eyes. Her knit top, which was falling off one shoulder, matched her eyes and was a pleasant contrast for her white jeans and orange jewellery. Her shoes were simple dark blue canvas sneakers and she seemed unassuming and open. Christina's beaded hoop earrings and matching bracelets were eye-catching and made her look approachable as did her wide smile. Standing next to Jesse, they made a striking couple and it was clear that they were comfortable with each other. The intern thought, once again, that he wouldn't have to compete for his assigned companion's attention.

"Hi, Christina," they greeted her, waving and smiling politely.

Then Dwight said unceremoniously, "Can we please eat now?"

Dana took him by the arm, saying, "Yes, sweetheart, we can eat now."

Jesse looked surprised, "You were waiting for us? Gosh, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it!" Sam said. "Dwight's just a big baby. Or at least he acts like one when he's hungry."

"I work hard, I don't intend to starve myself," the man said under his breath, but he didn't really sound upset.

"Where can I put this?" Christina asked. She was holding what looked like a blueberry pie.

"I'll take it," Pearl offered, needing no directions to the kitchen. Heading off alone, she put it on the counter and turned back toward the dining room.

Everyone was sitting down at the dinner table which was laden with the different dishes that they had all brought with them. Dana had set their places with name cards and there were three gleaming silver candleholders with tall white candles adding to the intimate atmosphere of this gathering of Sam's friends and family.

Taking her place next to Hal, she reached for his hand gently. He looked at her, surprised.

"We need to pray," she explained softly. She held Otto's hand on her other side.

Everyone else, obviously used to this, followed suit and looked to the host. He was looking at his best friend with affection.

"Reverend Guthrie, would you do the honours?" Sam said, affecting a southern accent.

Pearl spoke, "Sure. Let us bow our heads and pray."

In the reverent hush, she thanked the Lord for her friends and the time they were getting to spend together and then asked God to bless the food and every recipient, not forgetting those who went without.

"We ask this humbly, amen."

"Amen!" they chorused.

"Any man," Mandy muttered.

Christina was sitting across from Pearl so she got a good look at the lady Jesse had called 'peculiar'. He must have meant her behaviour or illness because there was nothing obviously wrong with her face.

Her large almond eyes and pretty lips were perfect for her face. The forehead transitioned into evenly arched eyebrows and the high cheekbones completed a lovely face, housing a cute, straight little nose. She hadn't looked overly tall when they'd stood for supper and yet she was no diminutive woman. Her skin glowed and she looked vibrant. Very alive.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Dana asking her what she would like to drink with her salad.

"Wine would be great thanks."

"Are you a doctor, too?" Otto asked Christina as Dana went about pouring drinks for her guests.

"Yes. Dermatology."

Otto chortled and commented, "Ah, that would explain the way you were looking at Pearl. Lovely skin, right?"

Christina laughed. "Yes." She turned to Pearl. "I hope I wasn't making you uncomfortable. My husband always tells me I stare."

Pearl waved it off; she hadn't even noticed and though it was a little disconcerting, she was used to people staring at her.

"You're married?" Mandy asked Jesse's companion.

Shaking her head, she lifted her left hand to show that there were no rings to confirm that. Then she said, "Well, was married. Nasty divorce, actually."

"Which," Jesse interjected, "is why I brought her as my date, so let's change the subject!"

"Hear, hear," John said drily. "The word divorce gives me hiccups anyway." He had also been through a bad one.

"So let me tell you about my wonderful new mural!" Caila said jovially. She was a larger than life woman. Robust and with a thousand stories to tell.

Pearl listened with half an ear, knowing that she was going to get to see it in the near future. She looked at her best friend Sam and watched him take in the group of people with affection and joy. She could tell why he loved these nights. To have everyone you care about in one room at once was a blessing. Tonight was doubly special because of Jesse Murray being there.

The two had been separated when Sam was five and Jesse had been ten. Their parents had split up and each taken a child. Growing up the boys had kind of lost touch, Jesse travelling through Europe and Asia with their dad, while Sam stayed with their mother in America. As they had grown, the letters gradually came less frequently from both sides and then stopped altogether, save the holiday and birthday cards.

Thirteen years later, when their father passed on, they saw each other at the funeral. They hardly spoke however, Sam being so devastated that he'd never really known his father. He'd only been to see him a few times over the summer where Jesse had been stuck in school due to the differing school years. Their mother had reintroduced them but it had been rather awkward, she not knowing her older son the way she had once known him.

It would be another six years before they met face to face when Sam went to Bulgaria. Since then they had grown closer and Sam treasured every moment of it.

His brother had decided to return to America but he was currently based in San Francisco, to be near their paternal grandmother. Pearl knew that Sam wanted Jesse to migrate even further to bring him closer to their mother and himself. Now, however, Sam was speaking to her.

"Pearl, babe, you told me to remind about your doctor's visit."

She groaned and glanced at Sam, then Jesse, who was looking at her with amusement. She smiled, "You do understand my perspective, right, Doc?"

He chuckled with a nod so she turned back to Sam. "Remember that doctor you thought I snagged?"

Sam nodded and Pearl pointed to his brother.

"Jesse?" he cried incredulously. "Explain," he insisted, shaking his head.

So she did, telling them that she had gone to the doctor's to make sure she was ready to get back to work after a long stay outside the country. The consultation had been pretty standard and Pearl had been getting ready to head out when the doctor had said something quite unorthodox. Jesse expressed that he had been waiting a long time to meet her, obviously recognising her and she hadn't responded the way she should have. Everyone burst out laughing when she got to the part about medical romance.

"Yeah," she said wryly, "I know." She lifted her glass and took a sip of her wine.

In the back of her mind, she was still cringing and it was hard for her to articulate that she was used to men taking any chance they get to try and hit on her. It didn't matter that he was good looking, her first reaction was to rebuff and think about it later.

"I can't believe you thought it was a pick up line," Dana giggled.

Placing her glass down again, Pearl raised a hand in defence. "Well, I was tired and it's not like I knew it was Jesse. Haven't you ever heard that one before?" she asked, chuckling. "It's one of the lamest pick-up lines, I swear!"

"Yes, it is!" Mandy chipped in.

"So the name Murray didn't ring a bell?" Sam spoke up. "Or maybe his face?"

"No, it's not exactly like Depardieu where you'd start asking about common relations and like I said," she laughed slightly, "I was tired. I wasn't checking out the interim doctor."

Jesse laughed at that.

Sam shook his head, amused. "True. But wait a minute, Jesse- you're already working in town?"

Jesse put his fork down. "No. I was actually visiting a friend and she convinced me to hang around. I offered to take a few strays she hadn't scheduled."

"Ever the gentleman," Christina murmured.

Glancing at Christina, he was aware that she thought he was a model citizen because he had been a support through the worst of her divorce and she joked about him coming to the rescue ever so often. This, however, hadn't been the kind of scenario where a woman needed saving and he had swooped in to do just that. Jesse didn't need people glorifying his actions.

"You flatter me," he chuckled. "The sooner she finished, the sooner we could have coffee!"

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