Chapter 19
Valerie Masterson
After not hearing from my employer, Phoenix Construction, I decided to do more research to find out what it would take to build a hospital for the town of Skybrook.
Most hospital costs are generally shared between the state and local government agencies.
However, if this is going to be a non-profit hospital, money can be obtained from donors.
First thing I need to do is to talk to Mayor Hughes and see if we can apply to the state for assistance.
I pick up my phone and make an appointment with her secretary.
I know this is going to be a slow process, but I still want to try to get the ball rolling.
Hours, and many phone calls later, my voice was raspy.
I went downstairs to get some hot tea and honey.
I lounged in the lobby, sipping tea in a comfortable chair, and gazed at the bluebonnets outside. The striking colors blended well with the afternoon sky. After a few minutes, my phone rang, and the caller identification read Steven Graves.
“Hello?” My voice remained raspy and showed no signs of improvement.
“Valerie? Are you okay? Are you ill?”
I tried to clear my throat and speak again, however, there was no change. “I might be coming down with something.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Listen, I know it’s been a crazy couple of days for you and Devin. I’d like the two of you to take some time off and recuperate. We can dive back into this at a later time.”
“Sir, did you review my proposal?”
“I did.” He paused for a brief moment, and I had a sneaky suspicion he would shoot it down. “At the moment, it’s not profitable for Phoenix Construction to build a hospital.”
“Mr. Graves, with all due respect, I couldn’t disagree with you more.
Did you know it costs anywhere from twenty-five million to seventy-five million to construct a hospital in Texas depending on how many beds there are?
Also, you can hire construction workers here locally to boost the economy. So, it’s a win-win all around.”
“Let me think about it.”
“Honestly sir, after this town was hit with a tornado, they need this. Driving a long distance to the nearest town with a hospital is utterly ridiculous. And waiting for ambulances to show up and take people to said hospitals takes even longer. If you could have seen the faces of these people as they pulled together after losing their homes or loved ones, you’d understand why I’m so adamant about the need for a hospital.
” I took a breath and continued. “Mr. Graves, if you can’t find it in your heart to reconsider, I would like to formally submit my resignation. ”
“Valerie, I think you’ve become emotionally involved and you may want to reconsider.”
“Maybe I am emotionally involved. I’ll tell you right now, it’s not because I’m a woman, it’s because I’m a human being. I’ll send you my letter of resignation in the morning, Mr. Graves. Good day.” I was frustrated because I couldn’t slam the phone down in his ear.
Behind me, everyone else in the room who had overheard the conversation, gave me a small applause.
Their support gave me a renewed sense of determination.
I turned around, smiled at them, and said, “Thank you, everyone.” I could feel the heat on my cheeks of embarrassment from raising my voice to my former boss.
Was I crazy? I was being impulsive and acting without thinking. But somehow, their support reassured me that I was doing the right thing. I knew I had to stand up for what I believed in, even if it meant taking a risky step, like quitting.
I’m sure the adrenaline will wear off later tonight, then I’ll fully understand what I’ve done, and panic will eventually set in. For now, I’m going to celebrate the victory of standing up for what is right.
My throat still feels very raw. I should have this looked at, if not better by tomorrow morning. I take a sip of tea, which has become room temperature, and let the honey coat my throat. Behind me, I could hear a group of familiar female voices.
“Valerie, there you are. We stopped at your room to see if you wanted to eat dinner.” Rae’s outfit was a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with the saying that read.
‘ I like my men, how I like my coffee. (Sliding off the roof of my car).’ Her strawberry-blonde hair was braided into a loose ponytail.
She looked relaxed and comfortable enough to look like she was a local.
“Do you want to eat out, or eat here? ”
“We were thinking about eating at Fernando’s, a Tex-Mex restaurant near here.”
“That sounds good. Who’s going?”
“We’re all going, plus a few more.” Toni spoke; her dark hair was up in a loose bun.
Her skin was complemented by the sundress and flip flops she wore.
“We also invited Abby and anyone she wanted to bring along.” The smile across Layla’s face was infectious.
She wore a Bay Area Rebels T-shirt and loose jeans.
“The more the merrier.” My smile grew wider, even though the feeling of worry was slowly creeping in sooner than I anticipated. Should I tell them about quitting my job? I brushed it off as we set off for a stroll. Besides, it was a lovely evening, and I didn’t want to bring anyone down.
It was nice to see people out and about again.
Walking with my best friends to the restaurant, I couldn’t help but think about how much I would miss these spontaneous gatherings once they left.
The warm atmosphere of Fernando’s and the lively chatter of my friends were a comforting reminder of the good times we had shared.
As we settled into our seats and the conversation flowed, I decided to savor the moment, pushing aside my worries for another day.
The bell above the door chimed, and in walked Abby.
I waved her over and had her sit near me.
She quickly melted into a conversation with my mother, it was nice to see them getting along so well.
We ordered drinks and food and chatted about upcoming things happening in everyone’s lives but mine.
As the night went on, I found myself laughing along to stories and enjoying the company of my friends and family.
The worries about my job and future faded into the background, replaced by a sense of gratitude for the present moment.
Toni stared at me and lifted her eyebrows. “Valerie. You’ve been too quiet this evening. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. ”
“I know that’s a lie.”
“No. There’s nothing wrong with me.”
She folded her arms and scowled. “This coming from the same person who was ready to take off her earrings and fight a man twice her size?”
“Okay, yes I did that. But you know I’d do anything to defend my best friends.”
Rae spoke next. “Out with it. We’re not leaving this table until you tell us what’s wrong.”
I shrugged my shoulders and lied. “I had this weird dream.”
“About?”
“That I was in high school, and they announced that concert tickets had gone on sale.”
“Concert tickets?”
“I know it’s weird, but I was standing in line, and I saw Rae and she asked if I could purchase an extra ticket for her.”
“And?”
“Please stop interrupting her, Toni, before she loses track of what she’s saying.” Ronda pushed her plate away from her. Her sandy blonde hair cascaded past her sun-kissed shoulders. “Sorry, go on.”
“Well, I got up to the window, purchased two tickets with my credit card, and stood there waiting for them to give my tickets to me so I could go back to class. They told me there was some issue and that I would have to wait. Well, an hour later I was still standing there. Even after I complained, I never received the tickets. I was so frustrated that I stormed out of there and that’s when I woke up. Weird huh?”
Rae blinked her eyes. “Hm, that doesn’t sound like me. I wouldn’t leave you standing there alone. Are you having money issues?”
“No.” The side of my face twitched.
“Lies,” Ronda said. “Look, it’s written all over your face.”
“Val, are you having money troubles?” My mom looked at me with worried eyes.
“Ummm. Not yet?”
“What’s that supposed to mean!?” Rae exclaimed.
I huffed out a breath. “I quit my job today.”
“Wait, was your dream a premonition?”
“I seriously don’t think it was a premonition. That was last night, and I quit my job this afternoon. Frankly, I didn’t feel I was being supported with my recommendation that Skybrook could use a hospital.”
“Well, you know that you can move in with me.” Toni reached out and held my hand.
“How much money do you need for the hospital?” Layla asked.
I looked at Layla, grateful for her question. “I haven’t figured out the exact amount yet, but I’m working on it. Every bit of support will help.”
“You know you can depend on us!” Rae nodded in agreement.
“I don’t think dreams always mean something.” Toni ran her finger along the rim of the margarita glass.
Ronda took a sip of water and spoke. “I had one the other night. It was me running trying to find a convenient store to find a bathroom and to purchase a gun because zombies were outside. See, just a weird dream. However, I did wake up having to go to the bathroom.”
“Ronda, it was your body saying hurry and wake up before you wet the bed.”
“Great, all this talk about the bathroom, and now I have to pee.” Layla stood up.
Pregnancy agreed with her. “I’ll be back in a bit,” she said, heading towards the bathroom.
The rest of us exchanged glances and chuckled softly.
Rae leaned in and whispered, “I wonder what kind of dreams she has. I bet they’re interesting. ”
“Good God, I’m sure they’re all about Cameron.”
Toni laughed. “Damn, all my dreams are about my brothers getting married before me. ”
“So, you feel left out?” Ronda asked. She knew that was always a sensitive subject.
“I guess, but none of them are in a relationship.”
“Stop worrying so much. You’ll find “the” guy when the time is right.” We all nodded in agreement.
The night went on with laughter and stories, making it hard to believe that things were about to change.
I realized how much these moments mean to me.
Each one of my friends was going to have to return home to their busy lives.
Tomorrow, I will face my new reality, but tonight, I cherish the warmth of friendship and family.
Once the restaurant bill was settled, we walked back to the inn. The warm evening air was a change from what I had experienced before. The crickets were back and the sound they made was like a soft melody. We walked near the library and sadness came over me .
Damage to the roof had exposed some of the books to the elements. Layla stood by me as we assessed the damage. “Cameron would be so upset to see this.” She took photos from different angles with her cellphone and started typing out a text message.
“How’s he doing?”
“He’s doing much better. You know after Meghann was kidnapped it really shook all of us.”
“She’s such a sweet person. I remember Meghann was hesitant to get that make over.”
“Right? By the end of the evening, Ryan saw her in a different light, and they both knew what they had between them was something undeniably special.”
“How about you and Cameron? No more problems with your grandfather?”
“Nope. My grandfather is pretty excited about the baby.”
“I suppose he’s pressuring you to get married?”
“Surprisingly, no. After I talked with him it really opened up his eyes.”
“Layla, I’m really happy for you that things worked their way out.”
We stopped at the walkway leading to the inn. “If you need me any time of the day, Valerie, just pick up the phone and call me.”
“I will.” The corners of my lips lifted slightly. Layla wrapped her arms around me and hugged me.
“If you decide to extend your stay here. All I ask is that you come back home for my baby shower, because it won’t be the same without you.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be home for all the special occasions.” We walked arm in arm back inside. I was exhausted from today, and was looking forward to a shower and a goodnight’s rest.