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“You better.” Her sing-song voice put a smile on my face as I made my way to the pediatric wing of the medical center.
The kids were all in good spirits, and the first few hours of my shift flew by in a haze of charts and conversations about the best toys and cartoons and teen dramas. The day was no different than any other shift, and soon enough, I found that my smiles didn’t require effort, my laughter came easily. I didn’t have to try to enjoy my shift, I just did.
As the day progressed, I felt myself start to feel better. There was more energy in my step, more volume in my laughter and more swing in my hips. I was still upset about Antonio, but I refused to let it impact my entire day. That’s what I told myself because it helped.
Because that’s what I needed to get through another round of disappointment.
That’s all it was, disappointment. I wasn’t heartbroken that things hadn’t worked out with Antonio, I was disappointed, mostly in myself for succumbing to dreams over reality.
“Augusta, there you are.” Suzie’s sharp voice broke into my thoughts and I looked up from a chart to find her marching towards me, purpose in her steps.
“Here I am, Suzie. What’s up?” I braced myself for her judgment or advice. Everyone I’d run into today had offered one or the other.
Suzie pushed her glasses up on her nose and sighed. “I just wanted you to know that men are men, and their wants and needs can shift with the wind. One minute they know exactly what they want in a woman and the next, they only know what they don’t want. They are confounding creatures, and we only put up with them because they have muscles and smell good. Really damn good.”
I smiled as Suzie got carried away by her own thoughts. “Thanks, Suzie, but that’s nothing I need to concern myself with. What Antonio does with his wife is none of my business.” I took my time making rounds, giving each patient my full attention until everyone had been seen, every chart had been updated.
I was on my way to the nurse’s lounge when my back pocket vibrated with a text message. Antonio. “It’s not what you think.”
I had to give the man credit for his persistence. He wasn’t one to give up without a fight, which would have been admirable if he wasn’t doing it to prove he was a good guy. I ignored the message for a few hours until my shift was over because I refused to be one of the nurses crying her eyes out in the lounge, while making sure the entire hospital knew about my miserable love life.
No, thank you.
When my shift was over and I could ease the tightness in my shoulders a little, I decided to answer Antonio. “You don’t owe me an explanation. But, thank you for your concern.” That was mature and to the point. Right? I didn’t expect a response, so I shoved the phone back into my pocket and headed towards the exit.
Ten hours wasn’t long enough to get over whatever it was I needed to get over where Antonio was concerned, but it was enough for me to push him out of my mind a little bit more. On the way home, Hannah called.
“I’m fine Hannah.”
“Good,” she laughed. “That means you won’t have to think up an excuse to get out of coming out for drinks with me tonight.”
Drinks? “Sure, that would be great actually.” Hannah and I didn’t hang out much, but she was a friend and I could use some company tonight. “Meet in an hour?”
“Nah, I don’t want to give you a chance to back out. I’ll be at your place in thirty.” She ended the call before I could say another word.
Smart woman.
I made a quick call to invite Suzie and rushed through the front door hoping to squeeze in a quick shower. But Hannah showed up sooner than I expected.
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll just make myself comfortable while you make yourself presentable.”
The laughter in her voice put a smile on my face. I dressed quickly after the shower, in jeans and a pretty tunic that was light and airy against the unusually warm evening. “Ready.”
“You look good.” Hannah stood with a warm smile. “Let’s go.”
The Outpost was busier than usual, then again it had been a long time since I was there on any night but a Friday. My stomach growled as soon as we grabbed a big table near the front corner of the bar. “I think I’ll have some fried mushrooms.”
“That sounds great,” Teddy shouted when she dropped down in a chair. “Add some mozzarella sticks to the order too. I’m starved.” How she could put away so many calories and stay so slender, I’d never know. But I wish I knew her secret.
