Chapter 8
The next few days are blessedly uneventful. I work my first two full shifts on my unit, and it is surprisingly great. I am lucky enough to be paired with a trainer who has been a nurse for more than twenty years, but rather than being burnt out and grouchy, she is just a wealth of knowledge. With six years under my belt, I am not exactly new, but she still manages to turn everything into a learning experience–and not in a condescending way, either. Jason works with me the first two shifts, and it really is nice to not be the only new person. Luckily, I feel like I am picking everything up fairly quickly, and everyone is more than willing to help when I have questions or forget the code to the storage room. Which might have happened two or three times. Overall, though, I feel like I am getting my bearings here.
I got a few days off after my first two shifts on my unit, which I spent locked in my apartment avoiding the rotation of men and women that I have had watching me 24/7 for the last five days. During my meeting– although I feel like interrogation is a better word for it– with Reed, they said they should be able to confirm that I am who I say I am within a week. So I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will be babysitter-free by this weekend. Maybe even sooner.
I am back on the unit today, though, and my babysitters don’t follow me here. So at least I get this little reprieve. My trainer told me this morning that she wants me to work independently as much as possible today, but of course she will be here for anything that I need. Considering it is only my third shift, I’m taking that as a huge compliment and a sign that she thinks I am doing well. I go in to greet my first patient of the day after skimming through her chart. She is a young woman who has been having paranoia and delusions, according to her chart. She has been insisting that werewolves are after her, and actually came in with what looks like a dog bite as “proof.” In her room, I find her sitting on her bed, tucked in the corner, and wrapped tightly into herself.* Poor thing.* She looks exhausted and, and she watches me suspiciously with wide, frightened eyes.
“Good morning.” I use a soothing voice, and give her a sincere smile. “My name is Bree, and I am going to be your nurse today. How are you feeling this morning? Did you get any sleep last night?”
She doesn’t respond at first, so I continue talking to her like I would talk to a friend as I update her chart in the computer and prepare her meds. I babble on about how I just moved here, and how different the weather is, and really anything that pops into my mind. She seems to relax as I drone on, and since it is helping I just keep talking.
As I approach her with her little paper cup of medication, she leans towards me, hesitating as if she wants to say something. I pause, to give her space to decide if she wants to talk to me. She opens and closes her mouth multiple times, before finally whispering, “You have to help me. You have to get me out of here. They are going to find me. I heard there are people here that can help me. You have to help me!” She seems almost frantic, pleading with me.
Suddenly, her eyes jump away from me, focusing behind me, and she stiffens. I stand, twisting to see what she is looking at, and I tense as I see none other than Caleb Fucking Reed standing in the doorway.
Trying to maintain some semblance of professionalism, I say, “Good morning, Dr. Reed. What can I do for you?”
“I am here for her, actually.” He points to my patient, and gives her a warm smile. “I was called in for a consult. Are you almost finished in here?”
“I was just wrapping up, she is all yours.” I try to keep my voice pleasant, but even I can hear how forced it sounds.
“Wonderful, thank you,” he replies. I barely recognize the warm, steady man standing in front of me. He fakes a damn good bedside manner, I’ll give him that.
I go to leave, and make it to the doorway before I hear him call my name.
“Cambree.” Once again I am struck by how smooth and sensual his voice is, and can’t help but feel like it is wasted on someone like him.
“Yes, Dr. Reed?” My tone comes out sharper than I intended as I stop short, but don’t turn around to look at him. My fear of him, and the fury that fear raises in me are starting to escape the perfectly sealed little box I have kept them shoved into for the last five days, and I really want to get out of here before I lose my composure and scare my poor patient even more.
“I have something to discuss with you. Privately. Can you spare a moment after I see this patient?” He says it like I actually have a choice in the matter. Maybe I do. Who knows at this point? But I am hoping he is going to tell me that I don’t need to be watched anymore–and Bea did promise that he wouldn’t hurt me again–so I decide it is worth the risk of being alone with him.
Glancing back over my shoulder, I give him a single, sharp nod, not trusting myself to say anything else. Then I wait to learn my fate.