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As the charge nurse, it was Sway’s job to ensure the nurses were staying up on their tasks and performing to the standards that Dr. Dominick and Dr. Chauncey expected. Sway skimmed over the chart, double-checking that the nurse had updated today’s test results.
“Oh no. Not for another few hours.” Sway smiled at her and perched on the edge of her bed. She was only forty-seven and was suffering from acute kidney failure from a car accident. Sway was glad she’d been chosen as a candidate because the woman was so full of life, and had so much more to live for. “I brought you something, Ms. Debbie.”
She gave Sway a thrilled grin and clapped her hands quietly. “Oh, what?! Is it a Bahama Mama or a RobRoy?”
Sway gave her a playful swat. “You don’t even drink. Now shush, you don’t wanna get us in trouble,” Sway said, glancing around conspiratorially. He climbed off the bed and went to the small duffle bag he’d propped by the door. He reached inside and pulled out the tiny ball of fur.
Ms. Debbie squealed then caught herself, throwing her hand over her mouth and gesturing wildly with the other for Sway to bring the little kitten to her.
Sway smiled just as wide and tiptoed as if he was under surveillance, causing her to play right along, ducking her head and hissing a low, “Shhhhhh.”
Sway put the nine-week old kitty on the bed and watched her bound right into Ms. Debbie’s arms. She behaved as if he’d just given her the winning mega millions lottery ticket. Sway watched with a light heart. This was why he did what he did. For that smile on his patient’s face.
“Oh my gosh, where did you get her?” Ms. Debbie rested the kitten on her chest, laughing as it playfully swatted at the curly tendrils hanging from her ponytail.
“The Pet Palace associates on Scott Blvd will bring over animals and entertain the kids up in Peds every now and then.” Sway petted the fluffy white fur, wishing he never had to take her away from Ms. Debbie. She’d confessed to Sway a couple of weeks ago how much she missed her five cats. She’d had to find them all homes before she even applied for the trial—knowing she’d have to travel for it—which had been three months ago. As soon as she’d teared up talking about them, Sway had made it his mission to get one of those kittens when they brought them back. He probably didn’t have long before they sent out an APB for the cute thing.
There was an abrupt knock on the door—a physician’s knock—and Sway and Ms. Debbie both scrambled to tuck the stolen kitty under the covers. “Yes,” Sway croaked, hiding his laugh as Ms. Debbie wiggled under the thick blanket.
They tried to sit still and look as if everything was normal, but Dr. Dominick stood staring at them as if they were, indeed, up to something. Ms. Debbie suddenly whooped with glee and the doctor turned to her, a deep crease in his brow.
“Everything okay, Ms. Rolland?” the doctor asked carefully.
“Just puuurrrrrrfect,” She sang loudly.
Sway’s face had to have been beet red, he was trying so hard not to laugh. How had the smart doctor not seen the lump moving friskily under the sheet and Ms. Debbie trying to subtly chase it? “She’s just really happy about a story I told her,” Sway tried to deflect Dr. Dominick’s attention.
Nothing major would happen if he busted them, he’d most likely just tell Sway to take the kitten back. Fact was, no animals were allowed in this section of the hospital unless they were service animals. Still, it was fun to make Dr. Dominick the butt of their joke.
“Very well then,” he said stiffly. “Sway, I poked my head in to tell you not to forget, my office, before you go.”
Sway nodded just as stiffly. Then he heard Dr. Chauncey’s voice just outside the door.
“Is Sway in there?”
Dr. Dominick left the door propped for him and turned and left.
“Sway, there you are. I think you better get—” Cayson paused mid-sentence, inching farther into the room. He pointed at the moving mound skittering around Ms. Debbie’s stomach. “Um…what’s that?”
“Nothing!” Ms. Debbie blurted loud enough to be heard in the east wing. “It’s my breast!”
Sway lost it, splaying across the foot of Ms. Debbie’s bed in hysterics. Cayson wasn’t doing much better, especially when the fuzzy head and pointed ears popped out.
“Sway, if you and Deb are caught with that thing in here, my name is Leigh, and I can’t see.” Cayson smiled at them and gestured for Sway to come out into the hall.
When Sway finally reined in his laughter, he closed Ms. Debbie’s door and stood waiting. Cayson rubbed his chin, looking around nervously. “Of course, I’m not supposed to tell you this, but there’s a patient in the ER who’s trying to sneak in and out, undetected, by a certain nurse he’s dating who works here.”
