Chapter Text
“Have you decided about what you're doing?”
Maggie perked up a little bit, acutely aware of how her body responded to Sydney's proximity these days. She obligingly moved over to give Sydney more space at the sink.
“Assist you on a cervical cerclage?” she said, scrubbing at her hands and forearms with soap. They were prepping for surgery, so she wasn't quite sure what Sydney was asking. She straightened a little, forgetting to fully bend her elbows, and water ran down her bicep. She hated that.
“I meant for your fellowship. Did you get my email?”
“I haven't even thought about what I'm having for dinner tonight.”
“Maggie.” Sydney's tone was chastising.
Maggie sighed. “I got your email. I'm thinking onco. Maybe.” She let the water run off her arms and stepped away from the sink. “Okay, doctor?”
Sydney just rolled her eyes. “Why don't you have dinner with me? Tonight,” Sydney tacked on hastily. “Save you having to think about it.” There was a slight narrowing of her eyes and an emphasis on the verb that made Maggie think that Sydney was making some sort of jab about her and thinking.
Might as well play along. “Sure. Crab Shack again?” She guffawed and headed into the OR. “Kidding! I know a great place that does the best spicy pork. So good.” She winked at Sydney over her shoulder for good measure as the tech presented her with her gown.
“That's getting real old, Lin,” Sydney called through the gap as the door swung shut, but her tone wasn't aggrieved. “Real old.”
-
Just like they were doing almost every night now, Maggie and Sydney walked out together. They bumped into Alex and Charlie, who were on the way to getting some easy takeaway from the Chinese place down the road.
“Why don't you join us?” Alex offered, and Maggie shot a questioning glance at Sydney, who shrugged, and eventually they all ended up back at Alex's and Maggie's apartment armed with lo mein and crispy dumplings.
After dinner, they went into Alex's room and cooed over where Luke was sleeping fitfully in his cot, his little fists and feet half-heartedly kicking and punching some invisible foe. He was very, very cute.
“How is he doing?” Sydney asked. Maggie had since moved back into her own room, and so Sydney was hearing bits and pieces about the adventures of baby Luke, but it was the first time Sydney had actually spent time with Alex's baby.
“Great,” Charlie offered with a small grin. “Much less disruptive than his namesake.”
“Ha ha,” Alex said. “My boobs hurt so much, though. I seriously was not expecting to have to pump so much.”
“There's an entire drawer in the freezer dedicated to breast milk,” Maggie told Sydney as they headed back into the living room. “It's like chicken stock, but... human.”
Sydney just shook her head. “Why do you say these things?”
Maggie cracked open a fortune cookie in response. “When all else seems to fail,” she read, “smile for today and just love someone. Not bad.”
“That's deep,” Charlie said, reaching for one himself. “You are careful and systematic in your business arrangements.” He made a face. “Not so deep.”
“My turn!” Alex opened hers. “A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.”
“A bushel of brains?” Maggie cracked up laughing. “What kind of imagery is that?”
Alex shook the last cookie out of the packet. “Lucky last,” she said, handing it to Sydney with a flourish.
Sydney carefully unrolled the greasy bit of paper. “You are just beginning to live.” It struck home a little harder than she would've liked, and she glanced up ready to laugh it away, it was just a stupid fortune cookie and they never said sensible things, but when she found Maggie looking at her with a small smile and kind eyes, she slipped it into her pocket and said, “I'm going to keep this one.”