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“Thank you,” I reply. He’s an older man, somewhat gruff, and the other nurses had warned me about his mannerisms, but I’ve had no problems with working beside him.
Maybe because he reminds me of Branch? I don’t know, and won’t look at it, or over-analyze it too closely. I watch him tie off the stitching, then snap off his gloves, and toss them into the hazardous trash bin since they had a trace of blood on them.
“Go ahead and clean it thoroughly with saline, then get him bandaged up while I get his aftercare instructions and discharge paperwork taken care of.” To the patient, he gives him the verbal instructions by saying, “Keep it clean and dry, change the bandages daily, and make sure you finish the whole round of antibiotics I’m prescribing.”
“Yes, sir,” the patient confirms. Once the doctor has left the room, he looks at me with wide eyes. “How is it you have no issues with Dr. Crane? Nobody likes working with him.”
I smile as I reply, “He reminds me a lot of my commanding officer. The man was brusque, and to the point in everything he said, and did. It’s almost like being with him without the sand, and sweltering weather, of course.”
By the time I’m finished with the patient, Dr. Crane has returned, handed him a prescription to keep infections at bay, and his discharge paperwork, then left once again without a single word uttered.
“You have a good night, Sunday,” the patient says, looking at my lanyard which has my name prominently displayed. “Hopefully, it won’t be too crazy.”
“From your mouth to God’s ear,” I tease, removing my own gloves, and tossing them. “On to the next one,” I state. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope I don’t see you again any time soon.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Cross, I need you in here,” Dr. Crane calls out, as I pass one of the rooms on my way to the nurse’s station to complete his chart with what services I provided.
“Coming, sir,” I reply.
Looks like charting will be done when I can get to it. Probably about the time the next shift nurse clocks in to take over.
* * *
“I swearI’ve never been more tired than I am right now,” Moira, one of the other nurses on duty, complains as we grab our purses from our lockers.
“The shift was definitely hopping,” I reply, slipping off my Crocs, and replacing them with my tennis shoes.
“You did really well. Dr. Crane was impressed,” she states, complimenting me as we walk out to the employee parking lot.
“Just did my job, Moira,” I rebut. “You guys were doing the same.”
“Yeah, but he’s never requested any of us to work alongside him, like he did you tonight,” she insists as we reach our vehicles.
I shrug, unsure what to say in response as I hit my key fob to unlock my car.
“See you tonight,” I call out.
“Get some rest, we’re almost to a full moon, and that’s when all the crazies come out!” She hollers as I crawl into my driver’s seat.
Shaking my head, I just shut my car door, crank it up, then head out to grab some breakfast to take home. I’m too damn exhausted to cook, so a drive thru it is.
After picking up a breakfast sandwich and some orange juice, I drive home, thankful I survived my first shift. By the time I pull into my driveway, my food is consumed, and I’m ready to soak in a hot bath to soothe the ache in my leg. I know I’ll get stronger, but until that happens, I suspect I’ll be investing in a lot of Epsom salts.
* * *
With everythingfinally gathered and organized for the next day, I collapse into my bed, eager to sleep until I have to get up, get ready, eat, and leave. “Let’s see if I can make it through an episode or two before I pass out,” I muse, grabbing my remote, and opening up my recordings list. I’m hooked on a first responder show, but I prefer to binge watch several episodes at a time, instead of waiting impatiently each week for the next one to air.
As I drift into dreamland, my show forgotten, and my e-reader idly laying by my side, Jett comes to mind, consuming my thoughts.
“If only…” I murmur.
ChapterFour
Jett
“Get the lead out!”I yell as my players lackadaisically run their laps. “I’ve seen senior citizens in wheelchairs make better time than you guys are right now!”
