Read Online Darkness Before Dawn by Ace Collins - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ace Collins
Ads: Link
anything, Meg cut
her off. “Heather, you just sit down. You do all the dirty jobs around here and it’s
time some of us took up some of the slack. You’ve got another ten minutes left on
your break and you’ve barely started your coffee. You finish it, and Paul, you have
some, too. By the time you all are finished, I’ll have the records for you.”
Pulling a notepad out of a table drawer, Meg looked at the doctor, “Okay. Now, you
said Saturday night?”
“Actually,” the doctor replied as he took a seat. “He came in about two on Sunday
morning. At least, that’s what he says. His name is . . .” Before finishing he glanced
down at a clipboard he had just set on the table, “Joe Messa.”
Writing the name and the time, Meg looked up and smiled. “You and Heather enjoy yourselves
and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Meg,” Heather interrupted, “are you sure you don’t want me to do that?”
“No, Heather, I need to keep busy. Oh, by the way, if the records are in a big mess
and it does take me a little longer than I expect, will you cover for me until I get
back?”
“Sure,” Heather assured her.
“Don’t worry, Paul,” Meg explained, “I’ll get this information to you just as soon
as I can.”
Meg stopped just outside the door to study her notes. As she did, she overheard the
doctor and nurse speaking inside the room.
“She seems to be doing pretty well.”
“I can’t tell.” Heather’s response was sincere and her tone showed real signs of concern.
That was just like her. She was everyone’s mother hen. “Paul, she seems a little bitter
and a bit harsh to me, but I guess that’s normal. She’s probably just trying too hard
to be efficient and not admitting how much she hurts.”
The doctor agreed. “I know she’s a strong woman, but I’m surprised she came back to
work so soon. By the way, I don’t mean to change the subject, but you sure do look
good today. I couldn’t help but note . . .”
That was Paul, always on the make, especially with Heather. Nothing detracted him
for very long. Well, at least, Heather and Paul seemed to believe in her strength.
That was enough for Meg at this moment. The last thing she wanted was to look weak.
Having something but Steve’s death to think about put a special kind energy in her
step and she quickly made her way to the emergency room. Thankfully, one of her mother’s
oldest friends was working in the ER.
Lena Worel was a white-haired, heavyset lady, with pale skin and big blue eyes. Despite
the fact that she’d been on adiet for as long as anyone could remember, her whole body shook when she walked. As
a child, Meg thought Lena looked a great deal like Mrs. Santa Claus. And her cheery
face and laughing voice only added to this perception. In fact, Lena was the reason
that Meg had first gotten interested in nursing. She’d loved the woman’s uniforms,
especially her hats, even though by the time she became a nurse the hats were gone
and the uniforms were scrubs. Over time, as they worked together, Lena became more
than a friend, she had somehow taken on the role of an aunt.
“Meg, honey, what are you doing here today?” the old woman gently inquired.
“Now Lena, I’m doing what all good nurses do—working! You know as well as I do there’s
not much that can be gained by sitting at home and looking at the walls.”
Hoping her answer would satisfy the woman, Meg began to look around the room for the
most recently filled-out forms. One glance convinced her that a hurricane had struck
the place. Finding something in this mess would be like finding the proverbial needle
in the haystack. Yet it had to be done.
“Lena,” Meg asked, “What in the world happened back here?”
“Oh, child,” the big woman answered, throwing her arms into the air. “Jean, the unit
secretary, got the flu last week and then Katie, her assistant, quit. And except for
her off. “Heather, you just sit down. You do all the dirty jobs around here and it’s
time some of us took up some of the slack. You’ve got another ten minutes left on
your break and you’ve barely started your coffee. You finish it, and Paul, you have
some, too. By the time you all are finished, I’ll have the records for you.”
Pulling a notepad out of a table drawer, Meg looked at the doctor, “Okay. Now, you
said Saturday night?”
“Actually,” the doctor replied as he took a seat. “He came in about two on Sunday
morning. At least, that’s what he says. His name is . . .” Before finishing he glanced
down at a clipboard he had just set on the table, “Joe Messa.”
Writing the name and the time, Meg looked up and smiled. “You and Heather enjoy yourselves
and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Meg,” Heather interrupted, “are you sure you don’t want me to do that?”
“No, Heather, I need to keep busy. Oh, by the way, if the records are in a big mess
and it does take me a little longer than I expect, will you cover for me until I get
back?”
“Sure,” Heather assured her.
“Don’t worry, Paul,” Meg explained, “I’ll get this information to you just as soon
as I can.”
Meg stopped just outside the door to study her notes. As she did, she overheard the
doctor and nurse speaking inside the room.
“She seems to be doing pretty well.”
“I can’t tell.” Heather’s response was sincere and her tone showed real signs of concern.
That was just like her. She was everyone’s mother hen. “Paul, she seems a little bitter
and a bit harsh to me, but I guess that’s normal. She’s probably just trying too hard
to be efficient and not admitting how much she hurts.”
The doctor agreed. “I know she’s a strong woman, but I’m surprised she came back to
work so soon. By the way, I don’t mean to change the subject, but you sure do look
good today. I couldn’t help but note . . .”
That was Paul, always on the make, especially with Heather. Nothing detracted him
for very long. Well, at least, Heather and Paul seemed to believe in her strength.
That was enough for Meg at this moment. The last thing she wanted was to look weak.
Having something but Steve’s death to think about put a special kind energy in her
step and she quickly made her way to the emergency room. Thankfully, one of her mother’s
oldest friends was working in the ER.
Lena Worel was a white-haired, heavyset lady, with pale skin and big blue eyes. Despite
the fact that she’d been on adiet for as long as anyone could remember, her whole body shook when she walked. As
a child, Meg thought Lena looked a great deal like Mrs. Santa Claus. And her cheery
face and laughing voice only added to this perception. In fact, Lena was the reason
that Meg had first gotten interested in nursing. She’d loved the woman’s uniforms,
especially her hats, even though by the time she became a nurse the hats were gone
and the uniforms were scrubs. Over time, as they worked together, Lena became more
than a friend, she had somehow taken on the role of an aunt.
“Meg, honey, what are you doing here today?” the old woman gently inquired.
“Now Lena, I’m doing what all good nurses do—working! You know as well as I do there’s
not much that can be gained by sitting at home and looking at the walls.”
Hoping her answer would satisfy the woman, Meg began to look around the room for the
most recently filled-out forms. One glance convinced her that a hurricane had struck
the place. Finding something in this mess would be like finding the proverbial needle
in the haystack. Yet it had to be done.
“Lena,” Meg asked, “What in the world happened back here?”
“Oh, child,” the big woman answered, throwing her arms into the air. “Jean, the unit
secretary, got the flu last week and then Katie, her assistant, quit. And except for
Similar Books
