AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter One
Las Vegas, Nevada
Friday, October 10, 2008
The hospital was finally quieting down. It had been one hell of a long day, starting off with two almost perfectly timed emergency deliveries, followed by a misleadingly light couple of hours.
Then at the end of their shift, the bus accident victims had arrived…
Harley sank onto the bench in front of the row of lockers. It was just after midnight. After finishing a shift and a half, she’d showered and changed, and was so damn tired she could barely sit upright. Despite the exhaustion, she was still wired with frustration over the child they hadn’t been able to save.
Dr. Dave Miller, her supervisor, was slouched on the bench next to her. He looked every bit as beaten as she felt.
Her favorite nurse, Roxie, sat on his other side, leaning against him as if it was natural. Did that mean they were no longer hiding their relationship? Or was it just a slip because of how shitty the night had been?
And it had been more than just a little rough. The bus accident had sent them six people with minor injuries and five in critical need. Of those five, one had been beyond help. Two more were stabilized. But the last two had been heartbreaking. A mother and young son had been pinned between crushed seats. After a long hard fight, they’d lost them both.
“Could we have done more?” She hadn’t meant to ask the question out loud.
Dave’s hand landed on her shoulder, feeling heavier than was physically possible. “We did everything we could unless you know someone who buys souls.”
She bit her lip. He was right of course. It would have taken a deal with the devil or some kind of miracle… She just couldn’t help worrying and wondering. Regretting.
She’d been fighting to get to this position for ten years. The fact that she was here in a place where she could often make a difference and save a life in danger, it was everything to her. But of course, she was only human and obviously there would be times when her skill and knowledge just wasn’t enough. Understanding the logic did nothing to ease the pain.
Roxie stood up and spun to face them. “I need a drink, something hard and stiff. Coming with me, Harley?”
All she really wanted was her bed. And some way to sleep it all off so she could come back and do it again tomorrow. Besides, going along would only make her a third wheel on their date. They’d be better off comforting each other than worrying about her. “I’ll pass.”
“Sorry, my mistake. I didn’t mean to make that a question. You are coming with us. I heard about this little bar from a patient the other day. It’s called The Rose. Let’s stop there and have one drink for all the lives we do save. And next weekend we can plan an actual day off to relax for real.”
“I’m on board.” Dave dragged his lanky frame to his feet and held Roxie’s light jacket while she pushed her arms into the sleeves. “Harley, it’s an order. You’re coming with us.”
She tried to force a smile and failed. “Pretty sure that kind of order doesn’t count.”
“Sure, it does. I’m teaching you how to manage your mental self-care regimen.” He turned away but kept talking. “No matter how good we are, or how perfect our treatment, some days turn out like this one. Yet, we have to be able to process it, accept it and find a way to do it again day after day. So, grab your purse and let’s go. I’ll drive.”
“All three of us in your fancy little two-seater? No thanks.”
“Harley, you should join us.” Roxie’s voice was low and her smile gentle. She knew from experience that tone meant she was not going to budge at all. “Should I ride with you, so you don’t get lost?”
And by get lost, she clearly meant escape. And there would be none of that until she gave in. These two were stubborn and probably right. “Fine. I’ll follow, promise.”
Roxie scribbled out an address and passed her the note before leading the way to the parking garage. The night air was cooler, probably down to below seventy.
She obediently followed them. From there she tailed them in her old but perfectly maintained 1983 Ford Escort GT. It was a fairly boring car on the outside, meant to be overlooked. But it still had good specs and, in her hands, the 5-speed turbo trans could rip up the road when needed. She’d added a few updates herself and it had a few secrets to help her out if she had to make a run for it.
Hopefully she was done running. No more skipping out in the middle of the night. No more constantly looking over her shoulder. Vegas was where she planned to stay. She’d been here most of five years and so far, it seemed safe. All she had to do was keep her head down and live a nice quiet life.
Dave’s car pulled into a gravel parking lot beside a low red brick building. The city might have felt safe for two years, but this place was trying hard to counter that pleasant vibe. There were at least four light posts in the lot, but only one offered a dim flickering glow over the gravel. More than a dozen battered bikes were parked haphazardly around the front. Only a few other cars were visible, parked on the side of the building.
She pulled in beside Dave but hesitated to get out. Were they seriously going into this place? Didn’t Dave or Roxie have any sense of self-preservation?
“Hurry up, Harley. It looks like you’ll fit in great in this place.” Roxie said this as she jogged past the badly parked hogs.
“Wait!” She yell-whispered to Roxie.
Dave caught her arm. “There’s no fighting her when she’s in this kind of mood. Let’s go get our drink and then drag her out before she mouths off at the wrong biker.”
