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“Leeway or not, your meddling ways have done nothing but damage the family. I think you are the one who needs to focus on your charity work and giving back to society. Leave me to find my own wife. I don’t need your help,” I say, and she sits in shock. Nervous energy runs through my body, and I play with the napkin on the table, waiting for her wrath. Her eyes thin, clearly not liking me talking back to her, something I rarely do. But I know that I am on her hit list. I am her only blood relative who even sits at the same table as her these days, and to be honest, I am not even sure why I do. Maybe because I feel sorry for her. Because if I wasn’t here, then she would have no one.
“One month,” she confirms quietly, disregarding me, and I see her rub her chest. Where her heart would be if she had one.
“So, how is the charity gala coming along?” I ask, steering the conversation away from me, seeing if we can have a normal conversation.
“What gala are you referring to?” she asks as she takes another sip. I wonder if she does this a lot. If getting day drunk is a common occurrence for her. By the look of how she is drinking the chardonnay like water, my guess is that it is.
“Whatever one is coming up,” I press, throwing my hand in the air, having no idea what, if any, gala is on the calendar, but she is always organizing something. Either in our name or in her honor.
“Oh, Edward.” She sighs like this conversation pains her, sculling her wine and ordering another bottle. So I decide to order brunch. I might as well eat while I am here.
CHAPTER FIVE - KATIE
Ihold on to the nurses’ station, because if I don’t, I think I am going to fall over.
“He’s tough, isn’t he?” Shelley, the nursing unit manager, says from where she sits in front of the computer, updating patient files.
“Tough? He is so disrespectful. He checks everything I do three times before he seems satisfied. He is always looking over my shoulder, constantly disagreeing with everything I say. I may be only a nurse in his eyes, but I am still a professional, with experience in ER and trauma. I know what I am doing,” I huff out, probably too harshly on my first day, but I can’t help it. I hate being treated like I don’t know what I am doing. I sigh away my frustrations to Shelley, grateful to have a friendly ear and someone to talk to at work. I met her when I arrived this morning, and she has been checking on me all day.
“I worked for him when I first arrived here too. It’s like a rite of passage. Everyone hates him and moves to a different doctor after three months. But the hospital never questions why he has such poor staff retention. Clearly, it is not an HR priority.” She quirks a brow, shaking her head.
“I have one more round to make, and then my shift is over,” I say, willing my feet to keep up. I wasn’t ready for the pain they would endure. Dr. Wilson had me walking from one end of the ward to the other. Grabbing stupid things from clipboards and pens to bandages he didn’t need, and even a coffee for him. He berated me every chance he got. In front of other staff, in front of patients, and even in front of the cleaning crew. I didn’t miss their empathic looks or the way they quickly scurried out of his way every time he came near them. That should’ve been the first red flag. The fact that he worked me into the ground without giving me a five-minute break should have been the second. Dr. Wilson is an asshole—I would know; I am a magnet for them.
“Here. Have some candy. It will give you the last bit of energy you need before you crash,” Shelley says, passing a glass bowl of bright jelly beans, and I grab a few pink ones. Throwing them in my mouth, I try to ignore the fact that the pink color reminds me of my new nickname and the sexy maintenance man at my building.
I wasn’t sure what to think this morning when Eddie showed up at my door with a coffee for me. His sexy smirk and his deep brown eyes were almost my undoing the minute I opened the door to him. I haven’t really had many positive interactions with guys. While I don’t know him well enough yet to judge, I am usually good at understanding people quickly, a skill I have acquired at work, and I feel at ease in his presence. But it makes me nervous. I never let anyone get too close.Never.
I roll my ankles to try to help the pain in my feet from being on them for eight hours straight. I crack my neck to clear my thoughts and snap myself out of this stupid daze I am in. I have seen the man twice. He is there for work. Nothing more, nothing less.
“Shelley, do you know if they are looking for volunteers in the neonatal ward?” I ask her. It is something that I used to do in Philly, and something that is important to me. It has been on my mind for the past few days since I got here.
“Sure, they always are, and from a qualified nurse, I think they would jump at the chance. Just speak to Tracey, the head nurse over there. She will still be there if you want to go after your rounds. Tell her I sent you,” she offers, and I am grateful. I file that piece of information away and push off the desk.
“Thanks, Shelley. You have brightened my day,” I say with a smile, taking a look at the chart in front of me and getting back to work, finishing my rounds so I can go home and finally rest.
Pure exhaustion nips at my feet as I trek the last few steps into the apartment building. I can honestly say that I underestimated my need for stamina. This walk home almost kills me. I am sure I have blisters covering my heels and toes.
“Hey, 10A!” Brian almost shouts with glee from his front desk, the warm welcome startling. I am so used to keeping my head down and being invisible that I am unprepared for the acknowledgement. But I give him a small smile. He has been nice so far, and I get the feeling that he is genuine, and a total extrovert. As I walk inside, the lobby lights reflect off the polished marble, the whole area looking alive, and dare I say, almost like home.
“Hi, Brian.” I smile, giving him a wider grin, and the last amount of energy I have. I am in my scrubs, my flimsy backpack flung over my shoulder, and feel like I am operating with less than one percent battery.
“Big day, honey?” he asks, looking concerned.
“The biggest. How did the plumber go today?” I ask as I walk over to his desk to chat.
“As suspected, I believe a part needs to be ordered. Eddie supervised and everything is all clean and tidy for you,” he says, his smile wide. “We need to organize our shopping trip. I know those scrubs are required, but seriously, girl, blue is your color!” I feel the stress from the day melt away already. He is like my own personal cheer squad.
“A shopping trip would be great, but not this week, I am exhausted already,” I muster, my grin small but there. I would like to go shopping with Brian. I have a feeling it would be so much fun, and I have never had a big shopping day before. I have only ever seen them in movies, where friends go to a mall and walk out with bags and bags of goodies. But while my pay is okay at this new hospital, and I don’t have to pay for rent, the little money I do have left over after bills, I am trying to save. There is always a rainy day in my future, and this time, I want to be prepared. Spending money on new clothes and handbags, although it sounds fun, is not something I can justify in my life at the moment. I am going to have to put him off for as long as I can before I fake some other excuse. The whole thing makes me feel queasy.
“We will plan it in a few weeks. Let you get settled first. Plus, the season will change soon so we can get a heap of bargains!” he says, almost jumping in excitement that is almost contagious.
“Why do I get the feeling that shopping is one of your favorite activities?” I tease.
“Because it is. Now get your butt upstairs and get some sleep. You look like the devil sucked the life out of you today.” He couldn’t be more right.
“Love you too,” I say sarcastically as I step away and walk toward the elevator.
“Oh my God—you love me already? I am going out tomorrow to buy us a necklace. You know the one with the broken heart. I will wear one half and you wear the other!” I laugh, even though I know he is serious.
