to herself as she rose from her chair to gather her things for work. Andrew stood and followed Beth to her car, put his arms around her and embraced her in a tight hug.
“Don’t work too hard today. Save some energy for this weekend.”
“I will,” she said thinking to herself, you will pay!
CHAPTER 23
Beth arrived to work feeling as if her world had crumbled in on itself. Today she wore the uniform of disappointment and hurt instead of her usual colorful scrubs announcing life is definitely worth caring about. Her presence at work today was a miserable chore instead of the usual labor of love it had been. She sat in the lounge waiting to receive the shift report exchanged between nurses about their patients. She tried to listen but couldn’t hear what was going on around her. Instead of information about patients, Beth heard whispers about her. She was such a dimwit for being the last to know that he was cheating behind her back. Everyone knew, she guessed; everyone but her. That’s why Betsy made that statement. She sat taller in her chair. Swept her hair back from her face and tried to be brave. It was just her imagination. No one knew. No one cared.
Beth looked around at the nurses who were paired off, a night shift nurse and a day shift nurse, intently talking about their patients; what diseases and illnesses they had, what medicines and treatments they were given over night and the plan ahead for the day. It was almost like a gossip session. Finally Lil waltzed into the report room dropping five charts on the table and after plunking herself into a chair noticed that all the nurses were done report as they gathered their things to leave.
“Beth, I’m so tired. I’m sorry I’m late. I was so busy last night. I’m so behind, I don’t know when I will be done. I don’t know how long I can stay up every night taking care of patients,” Lil complained.
She abruptly sat forward, questions riddling her face.
“Beth, what’s going on? You look like hell,” she said as she smoothed Beth’s usually bouncy wavy black hair now limp behind her ears away from her face to get a better look. Her heart clenched as she noted her best friend’s usually luminous blue eyes, now shown dim and lifeless.
Her body seemed to shrink in on itself as she digested the pain of a relationship gone awry.
Beth said not a word. Her head bowed and her shoulders slumped as her hands climbed to face to hide the tears. Lil now wide awake took in the pain gripping her friend, knelt in front of her and grasped Beth’s hands in her own.
“Beth, why didn’t you stay home? You are in no condition to work. I will call the supervisor and tell her you’re ill. You shouldn’t be here. You’re too upset.”
“No Lil, I’ll be fine. I need to work. I don’t want to sit home alone. I’m okay. I just didn’t sleep well. I was thinking about Cornflower last night. I just miss her so much. Things didn’t have to be like this.”
“You can come home with me,” Lil offered.
“No, I can’t. I need to stay. Come on give the gossip on your patients.”
Lil told Beth everything she knew about the patients she was handing over to her. When she was done she peered at her friend with worry. Lil slid to the edge of her chair, close to Beth to prevent eavesdropping.
“One more thing Beth, the patient in 301, I get a really odd feeling when I’m in her room. I can’t put my finger on what it is but it gets up under my skin.”
“Mrs. Gabriella Greene?” Beth asked dubiously.
“Yes, her,” Lil whispered. “This morning she called me in and said the staff was too loud last night and kept her awake. She seemed really angry. I can’t believe it was just because people were talking. Anyway, she asked me if I
“Don’t work too hard today. Save some energy for this weekend.”
“I will,” she said thinking to herself, you will pay!
CHAPTER 23
Beth arrived to work feeling as if her world had crumbled in on itself. Today she wore the uniform of disappointment and hurt instead of her usual colorful scrubs announcing life is definitely worth caring about. Her presence at work today was a miserable chore instead of the usual labor of love it had been. She sat in the lounge waiting to receive the shift report exchanged between nurses about their patients. She tried to listen but couldn’t hear what was going on around her. Instead of information about patients, Beth heard whispers about her. She was such a dimwit for being the last to know that he was cheating behind her back. Everyone knew, she guessed; everyone but her. That’s why Betsy made that statement. She sat taller in her chair. Swept her hair back from her face and tried to be brave. It was just her imagination. No one knew. No one cared.
Beth looked around at the nurses who were paired off, a night shift nurse and a day shift nurse, intently talking about their patients; what diseases and illnesses they had, what medicines and treatments they were given over night and the plan ahead for the day. It was almost like a gossip session. Finally Lil waltzed into the report room dropping five charts on the table and after plunking herself into a chair noticed that all the nurses were done report as they gathered their things to leave.
“Beth, I’m so tired. I’m sorry I’m late. I was so busy last night. I’m so behind, I don’t know when I will be done. I don’t know how long I can stay up every night taking care of patients,” Lil complained.
She abruptly sat forward, questions riddling her face.
“Beth, what’s going on? You look like hell,” she said as she smoothed Beth’s usually bouncy wavy black hair now limp behind her ears away from her face to get a better look. Her heart clenched as she noted her best friend’s usually luminous blue eyes, now shown dim and lifeless.
Her body seemed to shrink in on itself as she digested the pain of a relationship gone awry.
Beth said not a word. Her head bowed and her shoulders slumped as her hands climbed to face to hide the tears. Lil now wide awake took in the pain gripping her friend, knelt in front of her and grasped Beth’s hands in her own.
“Beth, why didn’t you stay home? You are in no condition to work. I will call the supervisor and tell her you’re ill. You shouldn’t be here. You’re too upset.”
“No Lil, I’ll be fine. I need to work. I don’t want to sit home alone. I’m okay. I just didn’t sleep well. I was thinking about Cornflower last night. I just miss her so much. Things didn’t have to be like this.”
“You can come home with me,” Lil offered.
“No, I can’t. I need to stay. Come on give the gossip on your patients.”
Lil told Beth everything she knew about the patients she was handing over to her. When she was done she peered at her friend with worry. Lil slid to the edge of her chair, close to Beth to prevent eavesdropping.
“One more thing Beth, the patient in 301, I get a really odd feeling when I’m in her room. I can’t put my finger on what it is but it gets up under my skin.”
“Mrs. Gabriella Greene?” Beth asked dubiously.
“Yes, her,” Lil whispered. “This morning she called me in and said the staff was too loud last night and kept her awake. She seemed really angry. I can’t believe it was just because people were talking. Anyway, she asked me if I
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