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“That’s nice, but I wouldn’t do that to everyone,” she said. “Maybe next year I’ll put in for it off in advance. It’s hard because there are so many that have more seniority. I mean, I get it. I could have celebrated and maybe should have, then come back and napped again. I felt bad about it.”
He moved closer and pulled her into his arms. “Don’t feel bad. We’ve been dating a little over six months. You’ve got a job and I know that. I don’t have a problem with it.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I haven’t always been made to feel that way about my job.”
“You love your job, right?”
“I do,” she said.
“Do you enjoy third shift? I mean I know a lot of people who’d rather work nights than days.” He didn’t want her to think he was pushing for her to get off her shift. He wouldn’t do that.
“Trust me,” she said, “if I had my choice I’d work days. But getting on days in the hospital is a long wait most times unless I go work in one of the offices. And now not a lot of RN’s are in the offices. They put nurse’s aides and assistants there to cut down on costs.”
“They do?” he asked.
“It’s a waste of an RN’s service and education to have them just taking vitals from patients now. I’m not saying there aren’t RN’s in each doctor’s office, but fewer and fewer. They are doing more administrative work or social work with the patients. Direct care is on the aides.”
“You never talk about your work much. I guess I just thought you loved the fast pace of the ER.”
“I do. I’m not sure if I would like doing paperwork or social work. No, that isn’t true. I would, but you need a bachelor’s for that and I don’t have it and don’t want to go back to school.” She started to eat the leftover dinner that he’d brought.
“I wouldn’t go back to school either now, but I think if people want to, they should always follow their dreams.”
“I agree. It’s not my dream though. For me, getting on first shift at some point is the dream I’ve got. But you make more on third and it’s something that I need.”
He didn’t know if she needed it as much as it was a way for her to be in control of her life.
They didn’t talk about finances. He didn’t think it was his place to do it. He’d been shocked she’d told him about the hundred thousand from her ex-mother-in-law.
Though she’d bought new furniture recently for her family room, most of the house was still empty and she’d stopped any construction.
Some of that was to give her a little peace, as he knew living in construction wasn’t for everyone. The other was he was busy with his flip and she wouldn’t ask him for help unless she needed it.
He wasn’t pushing either.
“You need to do what works for you,” he said.
“Thanks for that,” she said.
“For what?”
“For not judging me or making me feel bad about the hours I work. I know I could change jobs and get on first shift. There is such a demand for nurses. I could go into an OR at an outpatient facility. The pay would be less because of the shift differential. But it’d be Monday through Friday and there would be overtime because you stay until the last surgery is done most times. It could be ten- to twelve-hour days but no nights and no weekends.”
It seemed she’d thought a lot about it. He wanted to encourage her but not push.
“Sounds like a good option when you’re ready. The best of both worlds. Treating patients directly and getting the overtime you like, but also having nights and weekends off.”
“Someday,” she said, winking at him.
“Hope to be around when that someday happens.”
“I hope you are too. And just so you know, I put in for Christmas Eve off.”
“You did?” he asked, smiling at her.
“Yes. I thought it over. I was going to work it since I figured I could still spend Christmas Day with you at some point. Going to work on Christmas night isn’t a big deal to me. But then I realized I’d have to sleep and my father likes Christmas Eve. Which of course I could still do and then go to work.”
“But you can’t enjoy it if you’ve got to go to work,” he said.
