I left just before 7 a.m. and nearly a hundred pictures later. She was passed out and smiling when I snuck out, then switchedto shadows. She’d excitedly told me thatMiss Violetwas visiting in the morning and she couldn’t wait to tell her favourite volunteer that I had actually shown up.
I decided to stick around for a few minutes just to see how she reacted.
The volunteer strolled into the ward at 7:05. She had two trays of hot drinks in her hands, smiling as she greeted each nurse by name and handed them a drink each—two coffees, three lattes, and three teas.
“And Dr. King, one vanilla dip donut for you. They were out of your cappuccino, sorry.”
“V, you’re my hero,” the doctor smiled, taking the brown paper bag. “You’re my favourite part of this shift.”
Violet’s smile lit up her whole face. “Thank you, thank you. Any sign of Avalanche?”
Dr. King shook her head. “No, but everyone was sleeping pretty peacefully tonight. No one’s been by Scarlett’s room yet.”
Violet sighed. “I shouldn’t be disappointed. He’s like the scariest villain in the city, why would he grant a dying kid’s wish?”
I found myself grinning. I wondered what her reaction would be once she visited Scarlett and saw all those photos of me. If any of the others got a hold of them, I would have to go on a killing spree. For now I wouldn’t worry about the goofy and ridiculous faces I was making in most of them.
“Hey, don’t lose hope, V. You’re the most persuasive person I know, I’m sure he’ll come.” The doctor dropped her hand on Violet’s shoulder.
“Men only know how to disappoint.” Violet shrugged her friend’s hand off. “Having superpowers just makes themsuperdisappointments instead of regular disappointments.”
A few of the nurses let a chuckle out. “Who hurt you?”
“Who hasn’t?” She sighed before laughing. “How would you like the list? Chorological or alphabetical? It might take all morning.”
I might?—
No. You don’t know this woman, don’t get involved.
“Alright, let’s get the cynic to her favourite patient. Maybe this one man won’t be a disappointment.” Her friend chuckled leading her down the hall to room 408.
“We better hope not. I’d be liable to fall in love. The guy issmokinghot.”
That would go straight to my ego.
“He looks it. It’s a shame he wears a mask, honestly. Sometimes when I’m watching him on the news, I think maybe I wouldn’t mind so much being in his crosshairs.”
Violet’s laugh echoed through the hall as they stopped in front of Scarlett’s room.
“I’m saying this as your best and only friend. Amber, you need to stop reading dark romance.”
Amber punched her lightly in the arm.
“Do I need to remind you what your favourite trope is?”
Violet shushed her as she turned the most adorable shade of red. “Who did this to youis not nearly as bad aslet a man touch you and he dies. Or do I need to remind you of the frantic call I received after the last stalker romance you finished at2 a.m.? You’re the reason my phone goes on do not disturb at 10.”
Amber sighed contently. “He cut off the guy’s hands and shipped them to her.”
What in the what? What kind of books were these girls reading? Maybe that was why most of us villains had large fan followings… Was it all bookworms with a thing for morally grey? Or, more accurately, morally black. Cutting off a guys hands? Shipping them to her?
Violet laughed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You’re not listening to a word I’m saying, are you?”
“Nope!” Amber giggled before propping Scarlett’s door open. “Oh my—” She was greeted by a room full of ice sculptures and photos. “V, I think you might be in trouble.”
She stepped around her friend and her jaw dropped as she took in every animal ice sculpture. An elephant on the windowsill, a zebra on her side table, a snow leopard on the floor by the foot of the bed, and a bear the young girl clung to. A smile grew on my Violet’s lips as she looked at Scarlett’s happy face.
“I might be in trouble, indeed.”
