Dr. Daniel Portman (dr_portman) wrote in btvsal, @ 2011-01-04 11:21:00 |
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Current mood: | excited |
Entry tags: | ~daniel portman, ~jennae ravensdale |
Making Plans
Who: Jennae and Daniel
Where: Over the phone
When: From Tuesday, November 23rd to Friday, December 30th
x-posted at VVV
After arriving home from the conference in Las Vegas, Daniel had placed the small piece of paper with Jannae's phone numbers on his desk and silently contemplated it for a few days. He hadn't perused a friendship in a long time, let alone a relationship, so he wasn't sure of protocol here. One thing that he knew for certain was that he'd like to talk to Jennae again. She seemed like a nice young woman, a little too work orientated... but, honestly, like he wasn't that way himself.
One night, after a particularly grueling day at work, he picked up his cellphone and dialed hers, knowing the number by heart now. He hesitated in calling her that much. Of course, he wasn't the least bit surprised when he got her voicemail.
"Hi, Jennae," he chuckled, "it's Daniel. I'm sorry that I seem to have missed you. I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed having breakfast with you. It's a rare occurrence these days to enjoy a meal with a beautiful woman." He genuinely meant that, too. Of course, while he started off well, he started to fumble a little bit. "...My daughter, Talia, doesn't seem to eat breakfast anymore. I used to cook her pancakes every Sunday in the shape of animals or failed attempts at trees..." He frowned lightly, knowing that he'd somehow gotten off-track there. "But yes. Anyway," he cleared his throat awkwardly, "I hope the day finds you well, and that I hear from you soon." He smiled awkwardly and hung up, before muttering to himself: "...failed attempts at trees?"
The ER seemed to have an over-load of injuries and ill patients that Jennae found herself working practically from morning til evening. And it wasn't til the resident doctor arrived home at the apartment she shared with her cousin, near exhaustion, that the woman remembered to check her messages.
Fixing herself a glass of wine, Jennae headed into the living area from the kitchen to settle down on the couch for what she thought would be nice conversation and the enjoyment of a glass of wine. At least she'd be able to enjoy her wine as when she returned Daniel's call she ended up getting directed to the man's voicemail.
"Hi, Daniel. It's Jennae returning your call, and it seems that I've missed you yet again. It's been quite a long day," Jennae pausing a moment to take a sip of wine and stretch her legs out with her feet setting on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "Well, I know voicemails only allow so much to be record in a single message. Hope your day... " The remainder of what Jennae tried leaving for the man was cut off at the beep that ended an incomplete message from her.
Daniel finally got a chance to check his messages two days later and actually let out a frustrated grumble when he finally did. He really wanted to talk to Jennae, but it didn't seem like they were having much luck now, did it? He tried to get into contact with her over the course of the next few days, but, knowing her voicemail by now, he hung up. It was only by a stroke of luck that by the end of the week, he actually heard her voice and knew that it was her and not some machine. "Jennae! Hi. It's Dr... Dan. I haven't caught you at a bad time, have I?"
A slow smile spread when Jennae answered her cell and heard Daniel's voice from the other end. With them both being physicians, Jennae knew quite well how easy it could be to oft miss each others call. At least there was voicemail, and Jennae knew Daniel's number by heart now that she knew he had tried calling over the past couple of days as his number was a common sight on her cell when she checked it for messages and missed calls.
"Actually you've caught me at a good time." The resident doctor admitted. "I've caught myself a break in my schedule so there's a little bit of time to chat with a friend." The woman using the term friend as she wasn't wanting to read too much into their relationship, which seemed to be blossoming even though they had only actually spent time together once. It had been years since Jennae even considered letting herself form anything other then a friendship with a man. The loss of Anthony was still with her, and though the pain of losing someone she loved had lessened it was still with her and clearly felt at times. Even two years after he had been killed.
"I'm glad," he replied, smiling awkwardly. She'd said friend, but in thinking about it briefly, nothing from the previous conversations would lead her to believe otherwise. "I've missed talking to you," he admitted, thinking that, really, what was wrong with taking baby steps here? Clearly they both had baggage. "I hope that doesn't sound strange," he added with a brief chuckle.
"No, not at all." Jennae said merely for the fact that she had actually missed talking with him. It had been refreshing to have a conversation with a colleague that didn't completely center around their work. "Are you at work or are you enjoying the luxury of having some time off?" Jennae asked pleasantly inbetween bites of her meal.
"Luckily I've just finished," he replied, smiling faintly as soon as he realized that she was eating. "I'd venture a guess and say that you're still at work?" He chuckled. For the first time in a long time thinking that he'd actually take time away to be with someone who... let's face it, wasn't a blood relation.
"I'd say you'd ventured a correct guess. Sitting here in the cafeteria enjoying one of their gourmet meals," which Daniel would know wasn't at all gourmet as Jennae guessed he would have sampled the cafeteria food at his own hospital. Wasn't completely bad, but Jennae had eaten better.
"Sounds absolutely delicious. I wish that I was there with you," he replied in a joking tone, although there was a staggering amount of truth behind that statement, as well. He really did wish that he was there with her. "How long do I get to keep you? … On the phone, that is." He blushed profusely. "I don't want to keep you too long, if you've things to do."
"Trust me the food here is something to miss." Jennae returned with a teasing smile that was unseen by the man on the other end. She kind of wish the same thing, that he was sitting there with her talking, but since that wasn't a possibility she was fine going with the second best thing. Talking with Daniel on the phone while she ate. "I've still got about fifteen minutes left to my break." Wasn't much, but it was better then only having another moment or two to converse with the man.
He smiled sadly, hearing that. He felt selfish for wanting to keep her longer, but if he thought about it... well, when was the last time that he had done something for himself? Apart from buying himself in his work, of course. "Good, good. There's, ah, actually something that I wanted to discuss with you briefly. If you're not open to the idea, I'll understand."
"Please, discuss away." Jennae replied with a smile after swallowing down a bit more of her meal. Though she had no idea with Daniel wanted to discuss, Jennae liked the man enough to at least hear him out on whatever he wanted to talk about.
He chuckled briefly, actually ducking his head shyly. While women had flirted with him mercilessly, he'd been completely oblivious but now when it came time for him to announce his intentions, he wasn't sure what to say. "Well. I know that it's short notice, but I've made arrangements to be off of work New Years Eve and Day and wondered how you'd feel if I came over to visit in a … more than friendly capacity." He was trying, okay? Leave him alone.
"You want to spend New Year's out here in Vegas?" Jennae questioned a bit surprised at the suggestion, though surprised in thought in a good way as it brought forth a brief smile. She hadn't any actual plans for that night, and after years of finding herself scheduled to work the night of New Years she actually had that evening off. Not since Anthony had Jennae found herself enjoying the company of a man. Maybe now was the time for her to finally move on and not keep herself tied to the past. It was a lonely place and Jennae was suddenly realizing that she wasn't wanting to be there for the rest of her life.
"I do. I wanted to spend it with you, if I could." That was... an amazingly straight-forward way to put it, wasn't it? Of course, now he worried that he was being too forward, so he offered her an Out if she wanted it. "Of course, if you're busy I'll completely understand."
"Oh no. I don't have any set plans for New Years." Jennae said hurriedly in response. She knew Willie would probably be wanting to go out and celebrate in the new year, but Jennae wasn't sure she'd be up for that. "If you're sure you wouldn't mind a possible quiet New Years."
"Oh, I didn't pick you for the partying type," he assured her with a brief chuckle. "Quiet would suit me fine. Better than fine, even. ...Would that be a 'yes' then? We can spend New Years together?" He couldn't help it but sound hopeful when he asked that.
"Yes." Jennae said unable to keep from grinning when she caught the hopefulness in the man's voice. "I would like it very much if we could spend the new year together."
"Wonderful," he grinned, actually going as far as to dance a little bit for joy, but he was quick to stop that. Feeling foolish. "Might I get your address now, while I still have you on the phone?"
"Of course." Jennae smiled a bit sheepishly then, even though it was unseen, before giving her address and apartment number to Daniel. That had been the one thing she neglected to think of during their little bit of planning spending New Years together. Jennae had been so caught up in that thought that she would have hung up without thinking of giving Daniel her address.
"Thank you," he replied as he started writing it down, feeling rather chuffed with himself for remembering such a small detail. He had almost forgotten, after all. "Well, I suppose I should let you get back to work. I look forward to seeing you soon, though."