choice—”
“Choice?” I say as I feel emotions build again.
“We all have them—”
“I choose to leave, then.”
“A smart mouth and crappy attitude will get you nowhere, young lady,” she snaps at me.
Unable to contain myself, I retort, “Seems to have landed you a job here.”
She glares at me, and I hold her stare.
“You are in for one hell of a rude awakening.”
“Mrs. Redder, I have this.”
“Excuse me,” she says to Timms.
“You have transports, and Margaret is down the hall.”
“There are rules here,” Redder reminds her.
Timms looks at me, “Here you go: underwear, bra, shirt, pants, and we seem to be out of socks, so shower shoes until we get you socks and shoes.” She looks at Redder. “When she is dressed, I’ve got it.”
“But—” Redder starts.
“I know the rules. She and I will be fine. Netta is seeing her next, so she obviously believes she is calm enough to sit and talk. Besides, you are needed for transport.” The way she talks to Redder is professional and calm.
I dress quickly while Ms. Timms stands in the doorway, giving me some privacy. The sooner I get away from Redder and get to this Netta Keller, the sooner I get out. I hope so, anyway.
Once dressed, I clear my throat.
Ms. Timms turns back and looks at me, “You ready?”
I nod.
“There are a lot of rules here, not all that you’ll like,” she says, as she motions for me to follow her. “They are all necessary for the safety and security of the residents and staff here, though.” She stops as we walk into the medical center, and I see Seanna sitting in a chair, covering her eyes. “Margaret, Netta wants to see Hadley. You need her for anything right now?”
“Just the PPD test,” she says as she unlocks a cabinet. “Pull your sleeve up,” she instructs. “This is used to test if you have been exposed to tuberculosis.”
I see her drawing medicine from a glass tube into a syringe. I hate shots, hate them.
Ms. Timms looks at me. “Isn’t bad, I promise. Just goes under the skin. She marks it with a marker and checks it to see the results in a day. Again, it’s for the safety of all residents and staff.
“Okay, pull up the sleeve.”
I reluctantly do as asked, only because I notice Lucia is now shackled to a chair just outside the door, staring at me with a mischievous smirk.
I don’t like her.
I look at Timms while the nurse, Margaret, pricks me. I don’t flinch; I just stare back at Lucia. Lucifer.
“Okay,” Nurse Margaret says as she places the plastic cap over the needle and discards it in the hazard box beside me on the wall. Then she takes a marker out of her hot pink and yellow flowered scrub shirt and marks my arm.
“Let’s go,” Timms says, walking out the door.
I glance down at Seanna, who has not moved, before walking out.
We walk through a cafeteria, where the round tables have attached seats, and there are approximately thirty of them.
“This is Café Tryon,” Timms says as she continues toward the large hall I walked in through. “Three times a day, you will come in and eat. From what I understand, the food is pretty good.” We walk out the set of large, metal doors she has to unlock first and then turn right down another hallway. “Administrative offices are down here. That’s where the director, assistant director, and YDC’s offices are. Normally, you would be taken to the Intake Unit directly after search and shower, but Mrs. Keller seems to want to chat with you.” She stops, unlocks the doors, and then we pass through. “Director Darrow’s office is first. Assistant Directors Fallen and Newcumber are here.” She points across the hall to two doors side by side. “YDC Keller’s office is here.”
She leans in the open doorway. “Oh, sorry to interrupt, Netta and Isaiah.”
“No. It’s fine. Just give us one minute,” I hear Mrs. Keller, or Netta, respond.
When she looks back at me and smiles, I look down.
“See you at home. Love
“Choice?” I say as I feel emotions build again.
“We all have them—”
“I choose to leave, then.”
“A smart mouth and crappy attitude will get you nowhere, young lady,” she snaps at me.
Unable to contain myself, I retort, “Seems to have landed you a job here.”
She glares at me, and I hold her stare.
“You are in for one hell of a rude awakening.”
“Mrs. Redder, I have this.”
“Excuse me,” she says to Timms.
“You have transports, and Margaret is down the hall.”
“There are rules here,” Redder reminds her.
Timms looks at me, “Here you go: underwear, bra, shirt, pants, and we seem to be out of socks, so shower shoes until we get you socks and shoes.” She looks at Redder. “When she is dressed, I’ve got it.”
“But—” Redder starts.
“I know the rules. She and I will be fine. Netta is seeing her next, so she obviously believes she is calm enough to sit and talk. Besides, you are needed for transport.” The way she talks to Redder is professional and calm.
I dress quickly while Ms. Timms stands in the doorway, giving me some privacy. The sooner I get away from Redder and get to this Netta Keller, the sooner I get out. I hope so, anyway.
Once dressed, I clear my throat.
Ms. Timms turns back and looks at me, “You ready?”
I nod.
“There are a lot of rules here, not all that you’ll like,” she says, as she motions for me to follow her. “They are all necessary for the safety and security of the residents and staff here, though.” She stops as we walk into the medical center, and I see Seanna sitting in a chair, covering her eyes. “Margaret, Netta wants to see Hadley. You need her for anything right now?”
“Just the PPD test,” she says as she unlocks a cabinet. “Pull your sleeve up,” she instructs. “This is used to test if you have been exposed to tuberculosis.”
I see her drawing medicine from a glass tube into a syringe. I hate shots, hate them.
Ms. Timms looks at me. “Isn’t bad, I promise. Just goes under the skin. She marks it with a marker and checks it to see the results in a day. Again, it’s for the safety of all residents and staff.
“Okay, pull up the sleeve.”
I reluctantly do as asked, only because I notice Lucia is now shackled to a chair just outside the door, staring at me with a mischievous smirk.
I don’t like her.
I look at Timms while the nurse, Margaret, pricks me. I don’t flinch; I just stare back at Lucia. Lucifer.
“Okay,” Nurse Margaret says as she places the plastic cap over the needle and discards it in the hazard box beside me on the wall. Then she takes a marker out of her hot pink and yellow flowered scrub shirt and marks my arm.
“Let’s go,” Timms says, walking out the door.
I glance down at Seanna, who has not moved, before walking out.
We walk through a cafeteria, where the round tables have attached seats, and there are approximately thirty of them.
“This is Café Tryon,” Timms says as she continues toward the large hall I walked in through. “Three times a day, you will come in and eat. From what I understand, the food is pretty good.” We walk out the set of large, metal doors she has to unlock first and then turn right down another hallway. “Administrative offices are down here. That’s where the director, assistant director, and YDC’s offices are. Normally, you would be taken to the Intake Unit directly after search and shower, but Mrs. Keller seems to want to chat with you.” She stops, unlocks the doors, and then we pass through. “Director Darrow’s office is first. Assistant Directors Fallen and Newcumber are here.” She points across the hall to two doors side by side. “YDC Keller’s office is here.”
She leans in the open doorway. “Oh, sorry to interrupt, Netta and Isaiah.”
“No. It’s fine. Just give us one minute,” I hear Mrs. Keller, or Netta, respond.
When she looks back at me and smiles, I look down.
“See you at home. Love
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