haven’t even finished my damn notes, or calculated my intakes and outputs!” Susan darted around the station, hastily plucking charts from the rack.
“I—I ’m sure everything will be fine,” Chloe stated, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand and salute.
He’ s coming.
“Easy for you to say. I’m sure you’re finished with all your work!”
Before Chloe could respond, she heard the sharp pounding of shoes and the rustling of clothes stirring a wave through the hall, shifting the air and heralding the army of approaching doctors.
She turne d and froze as she saw Dr. Markson stalking towards them, a gaggle of residents and medical students clad in white lab coats following behind like dutiful minions. He towered over the swarm, clearly in charge. He’d already been into two patients’ rooms and would not be approaching them unless something was amiss. Goose bumps lined up along her skin, and she felt a rush of breath leave her lungs when he stopped not five feet away from her.
His midnight gaze scanned the nurse’s station , and she noticed with crushing disappointment, that it coolly moved right over her. She was wearing a knee-length nurse’s dress and her hair was tied back in a ponytail. She subconsciously brushed a palm at her temple, pushing back loose wisps of hair. Had he not noticed her? Did he not remember her from his office two days prior? Chloe chastised herself for the disappointment that cobbled in her chest, weighing heavy like rough stone. She should be happy that he’d not taken notice of her, especially after the fool she’d made of herself in his office.
Am I so plain that I melt into the background? Do I not even make a blip on his radar?
He opened his mouth and , five seconds later, she was counting her blessings.
“Which nurse has my patient in room 421?” Dr. Markson demanded.
He addressed Susan, who’d been trying to conceal herself behind the chart rack. Upon hearing the question, Susan inched out of her hiding place, acknowledged that she was the nurse he sought, and took two tentative steps towards the intimidating figure.
Chloe watched him skewer Susan with an angry gaze. She couldn’t help but notice that his hair looked damp at the temples and he was freshly shaven. What is he doing here so early?
Susan paled, nervous as she stared wide-eyed.
“Did you not notice that Mr. Hall has NPO orders? He is not supposed to eat!” he barked.
Susan looked confused. “Yes. I know that.”
“Then why is there half eaten food at his bedside?”
Chloe swallowed nervously. Susan looked like she was about to pass out. Mr. Hall’s family was always bringing him food and although he’d had orders not to eat, it was possible he’d snuck a few bites of something.
“I’m s orry. I didn’t know he had food,” Susan mumbled.
“Sorry? Sorry!” Dr. Markson’s voice boomed and Chloe shrunk back along with the rest of his swarm. The air crackled with his anger. “He’s scheduled for cardiac testing in a few hours that will now have to be postponed! And that’s because you could not ensure that my orders were carried out! Next time, I caution you to be more vigilant in your duties, nurse, or perhaps it may be to your benefit to repeat nursing school!”
At that , he pivoted and marched down the hall, his minions following.
S usan expelled a great gust of air, her brown eyes seething with anger. Chloe walked over and wrapped her arms around her thin shoulders.
“Are you okay?”
“I hate that man.”
Chloe swiveled her head in the direction the doctors had taken.
“He didn’t have to yell.”
Susan sighed heavily. “He was right, though. I should have watched Mr. Hall more closely. He’s always sneaking food.”
“Is he gone?” Paul walked into the nurse’s station.
“Yeah, thank God,” Chloe said.
“Well, I better ma ke sure Mr. Hall hasn’t squirreled away a five course meal.” Susan made a face and took off towards her patient’s
“I—I ’m sure everything will be fine,” Chloe stated, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand and salute.
He’ s coming.
“Easy for you to say. I’m sure you’re finished with all your work!”
Before Chloe could respond, she heard the sharp pounding of shoes and the rustling of clothes stirring a wave through the hall, shifting the air and heralding the army of approaching doctors.
She turne d and froze as she saw Dr. Markson stalking towards them, a gaggle of residents and medical students clad in white lab coats following behind like dutiful minions. He towered over the swarm, clearly in charge. He’d already been into two patients’ rooms and would not be approaching them unless something was amiss. Goose bumps lined up along her skin, and she felt a rush of breath leave her lungs when he stopped not five feet away from her.
His midnight gaze scanned the nurse’s station , and she noticed with crushing disappointment, that it coolly moved right over her. She was wearing a knee-length nurse’s dress and her hair was tied back in a ponytail. She subconsciously brushed a palm at her temple, pushing back loose wisps of hair. Had he not noticed her? Did he not remember her from his office two days prior? Chloe chastised herself for the disappointment that cobbled in her chest, weighing heavy like rough stone. She should be happy that he’d not taken notice of her, especially after the fool she’d made of herself in his office.
Am I so plain that I melt into the background? Do I not even make a blip on his radar?
He opened his mouth and , five seconds later, she was counting her blessings.
“Which nurse has my patient in room 421?” Dr. Markson demanded.
He addressed Susan, who’d been trying to conceal herself behind the chart rack. Upon hearing the question, Susan inched out of her hiding place, acknowledged that she was the nurse he sought, and took two tentative steps towards the intimidating figure.
Chloe watched him skewer Susan with an angry gaze. She couldn’t help but notice that his hair looked damp at the temples and he was freshly shaven. What is he doing here so early?
Susan paled, nervous as she stared wide-eyed.
“Did you not notice that Mr. Hall has NPO orders? He is not supposed to eat!” he barked.
Susan looked confused. “Yes. I know that.”
“Then why is there half eaten food at his bedside?”
Chloe swallowed nervously. Susan looked like she was about to pass out. Mr. Hall’s family was always bringing him food and although he’d had orders not to eat, it was possible he’d snuck a few bites of something.
“I’m s orry. I didn’t know he had food,” Susan mumbled.
“Sorry? Sorry!” Dr. Markson’s voice boomed and Chloe shrunk back along with the rest of his swarm. The air crackled with his anger. “He’s scheduled for cardiac testing in a few hours that will now have to be postponed! And that’s because you could not ensure that my orders were carried out! Next time, I caution you to be more vigilant in your duties, nurse, or perhaps it may be to your benefit to repeat nursing school!”
At that , he pivoted and marched down the hall, his minions following.
S usan expelled a great gust of air, her brown eyes seething with anger. Chloe walked over and wrapped her arms around her thin shoulders.
“Are you okay?”
“I hate that man.”
Chloe swiveled her head in the direction the doctors had taken.
“He didn’t have to yell.”
Susan sighed heavily. “He was right, though. I should have watched Mr. Hall more closely. He’s always sneaking food.”
“Is he gone?” Paul walked into the nurse’s station.
“Yeah, thank God,” Chloe said.
“Well, I better ma ke sure Mr. Hall hasn’t squirreled away a five course meal.” Susan made a face and took off towards her patient’s
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