Chapter 14 Kitty #2
Me: This is mega terrible timing, but Raisin’s calling me.
Millie: Lol, don’t be dumb. I’ll be fine. Give her my love. Xo
Me: Will do
Me: xo
Ordinarily, I’d have ignored my sister, but she’d already tried to call me twice yesterday, as had Ma, and I’d fobbed them both off with a couple text messages.
“Hey, sis,” I answered, trying to sound normal.
“Why’s your voice weird?”
Ah, sisters. So annoying.
“There’s nothing wrong with my voice,” I sniped. “Give me a second, would you?”
“Like I have a choice,” she sniped back.
Me: George, checking in. Might be a good idea to take the weekend for some adult time? Millie’s going a little stir crazy
She sniffed. “I can’t believe you took off with Stan.”
“Why not? Have you seen him?”
That earned me another sniff. “Are you going into work today?”
“On my way as we speak.”
“Coming home after?”
“No. Stan invited me back to his place.” Not wanting her to comment, I rushed to add: “I really like him, Raisin.”
“Are you sure you two didn’t know each other before Cancún?”
Though I heard her suspicious disbelief—before I had a chance to answer—I merely said, “Nope. Our meeting was a happy accident.”
George: She’s told you what’s wrong?
Me: No. Aside from needing stimulating conversation
George: That’s why she’s been in a funk?!
I hmphed. Maybe he wasn’t so perfect, after all.
“If you say so.” Raisin translation: liar. “When are you coming home? Kitty! Are you listening to me?”
“I’m texting George. Millie’s losing her mind.”
“Literally or figuratively?”
I pondered the situation. “Potentially both.”
“That’s what happens when you have kids so close together. I’m telling you that’s why Ma’s whackadoodle. I’d have the Sight too with that many of Da’s offspring driving me mental. Have you ever thought about how much food they must have gone through?”
I cackled. “I prefer not to give myself nightmares.”
“Agreed. You didn’t answer.”
“Didn’t answer what?”
“When are you coming home?”
“I don’t know. Jesus, Raisin, when did you become my keeper?”
“You’ve never done this with a guy before. It’s… Are you sure you’re okay?”
It was impossible not to be annoyed but I got it. We were very protective of one another.
I still lied: “I promise I’m fine. Now, I gotta go. I’m about to walk into the hospital.”
“Okay. Text me later?”
“Sure thing. Bye, sis. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
As we hung up, guilt hit me. As did that touch of wistfulness. There’d never been a time that I was sick where my ma hadn’t fussed over me and I missed it. Lauren rocked, Stan too, but nothing beat your mom’s hovering.
Feeling oddly weepy, I stared at the busy streets, grateful that I was on the afternoon shift and that the lunchtime rush had died a bit.
George: I arranged with Mom to take the kids.
Me: Good. Have fun! And don’t get her pregnant again, dear god
George: My wonder sperm are on a permanent hiatus
Me: You got the snip?
George: I did.
Green flag reinstated.
Me: Go you and your sperm-free balls
George: *snorts* This is why I didn’t come to you for sympathy
Me: Barebacking FTW, eh, eh?
George:
The jumble of conversations had taken my mind away from work…
…until the time came for Luigi to actually drop me off at Bellevue.
Seeing as the last thing I wanted was to get out of the car, I snagged onto Millie’s reply with both hands.
Millie: You’re the best, Stanford
Me: I know you probs didn’t want me to tell George, but he can’t fix shit if he doesn’t understand what’s going on with you
Millie:
With her clearly not wanting to extend the chat, I was on the brink of messaging Lara next, but Luigi prodded: “Do you want me to escort you in, ma’am?”
Ma’am?
“Um, it’s Kitty. And, no, but thanks.”
“I understand that you might want things to appear normal, so I can either open the door for you or—”
“No! That’s fine. I can get out myself. I shouldn’t be long. Stan said you’d be waiting—”
“I will, Kitty. I’m Luigi, by the way. And here’s my number.” He rattled it off as I recorded it in my phone. “I can’t park here, so give me a call and I’ll pull out front again.”
“O-Okay. Thank you,” I warbled but didn’t leave the car.
“Are you all right, Kitty?”
“I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”
It was the push I needed.
Groaning, I climbed out, my bones feeling like they were grinding as I walked into the hospital.
Sharon at reception gasped when she saw me. “Kitty?! Holy fuck, is that you?”
“Yeah. I was mugged.”
“You can’t work like that,” Sharon declared, leaning over the desk to gawk at me some more. “You’re asking for the night off?”
“I’m going to try. I’ve had a lot of PTO so I don’t know if Alan will let me.”
“Oh, god. Yeah. It’s Asswipe Alan. Ugh. He’s such a jerk.” She pulled a face. “Sorry if he says no.”
“You mean when,” I said wryly, but inside, dread began to gather. I could feel it settle at the base of my throat.
“Maybe someone sucked his cock last night and he won’t be a dick today?”
“Sharon!”
She wafted a hand. “You know he’s only cheerful when he gets laid.”
“That’s why he’s the yearlong Grinch?”
“Exactly.”
“Well, we can hope.” I waved at her and made my way to the ER, ignoring pointed looks from colleagues, who took in the state of me but veered around me.
Ahh, the joys of New York.
By the time I reached my department, my skin crawled from the looks but also with anxiety.
I considered myself fortunate that I found Alan quickly as he hovered by the nurse’s station.
“Kitty? Jesus,” he greeted, eyes raking over the myriad bruises on my face. “What happened to you?”
“Mugging,” I said briskly. “I’m screwed, Alan. I can barely bend down without falling over—”
“We’re short tonight, Kitty. I need you to pull yourself together and think about the team.”
So, no sex for Asswipe Alan last night. Bastard.
“It’s not that I’m not thinking about the team. I can’t do the job! You know I wouldn’t ask for time off if I didn’t need it.”
“You sure that isn’t makeup? I’ve seen what you girls can do nowadays.”
I gaped at him. “Are you for real?” I swiped at my cheek, where there was a cluster of bruises. Even as I winced in discomfort, I growled, “There. No makeup. Happy now?”
“This has nothing to do with happiness, Kitty. We’re down Janey because she has the flu—” Or so she says went unspoken, but I heard it anyway. “—and we can’t afford for you not to be on your A game.”
“Are you looking at me right now?” I snarled. “How can I be on my A game when neither of my eyelids will open fully!”
“I don’t appreciate your tone. I want you to head to the lockers and get ready for your shift, Kitty. That’s an order.”
When his beeper buzzed, I knew that was the end of our conversation and I could feel the panic in my chest start to take over.
This wasn’t me.
I wasn’t this person.
I hit people with lamps and I stabbed them in the foot and I—
My cell rang.
I jerked out of the train of thought then felt that strange gathering of emotion in my throat begin to unravel when I saw his name on my phone screen.
Stan.
Unable to help myself, I rushed out of the department, uncaring that it hurt every joint in my being, uncaring that I shouldn’t run, uncaring that it made me dizzy.
I just had to get away.
“Stan?”
“Kitty, what’s wrong? Take a breath, bedda mia. Nice and deep.”
Ducking into the nearest restroom, I barricaded myself into a stall. I sucked down air at his suggestion and blurted, “Asswipe Alan won’t let me come home.”
“Who the fuck is Asswipe Alan? Does he have a gun?”
“What? No! Jesus, Stan.” Still, I sniffled around a laugh.
“He has a shitty attitude and a pen-pusher’s morality.
” I couldn’t swipe at my eyes without it hurting, so I dabbed them with a piece of toilet paper and hissed in pain with every touch.
“He says they’re short-staffed and they need me to work. ”
“Did he look at you? Duci, you’re glorious as always, but dear god, you look like you got into a fight with a truck and the truck won.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You know I’m right. Otherwise, you’d never have agreed to take the day off.”
“Yeah. Am I being a wuss?” I wondered.
“A wuss? No. Your boss is an asshole who deserves to feel my gun up said asshole, and then he won’t have to worry about his asshole anymore.” He released what could only be described as a growl. If I were capable of melting, I would have. “Kitty?”
“Yes?” I sniffled again because I was in too much pain to appreciate that growl, which sucked.
“Say ‘fuck it.’”
“What do you mean?”
“I need a nurse—”
“What for? Sponge baths?” I managed to jeer.
He guffawed in my ear, the sound so loaded with humor that it absorbed some of my tears and made it a little easier to breathe. “No, but I wouldn’t argue if you decided I needed one.”
“I bet you wouldn’t.”
“I meant for Currau.”
“You think I should transfer?”
“No. Aurora’s been talking about bringing him home.”
“He needs around-the-clock care,” I reasoned, straightening up at the distraction because I liked Currau and wouldn’t let them fuck around with his healthcare.
“She knows. We’re hiring a team. Head that team. You have the qualifications for it. You can work at the house. And, I can guarantee that the boss will let you have as many days off as you need—”
“Stan.” I groaned. “You can’t be serious. I can’t work for you!”
“Why not? Does Currau not require nursing?”
“Yeah, but—”
“And Rory says she’s sick of him being in a hospital. We managed to get him to consent to a kidney transplant last year and he’s a lot better. She wants him home. I also guarantee you’ll ace the job interview.”
“What if…?”
“What if what, duci?”
“What if we don’t work out?” I blurted in a rush. “I need a job—”
“You’d have a job,” he stated calmly, too calmly. “I will always look out for you, Kitty.”
“When people break up, everything turns sour.”
“I’m not people and we won’t be breaking up.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You don’t know that.”
“Was that a question or a statement, liunissa?” he purred.
Because I was back to squirming, I sniped, “You’re too pushy and overconfident.”
“I’m very aware that I’m the right man for you. Where’s the harm in that?”
“You’ve known me for less than a week!”
“Ask Matri how she met Patri. Luciu is as bad and now he and Jen are repopulating the city on their own. They even had a similar arrangement at the start of their relationship as the one I’m proposing…
It’s how we roll in my family. Even my grandparents on Matri’s side…
I guess an arranged marriage doesn’t count, does it?
But they fell in love so it wasn’t a total disaster. ”
I gawked at the sanitary towels receptacle. “Your grandparents were in an arranged marriage?”
“They were nobles. Landed gentry. So it was more of a merger.
“From what you said, it sounds as if your parents got together pretty fast too. None of this is outside the realms of possibility. I can write you a letter of recommendation if you’re so worried about this.
You can just add the date. Now, what do you say, duci?
Come on. You’ll earn three times what you do now. ”
“Because I’m me or you pay generously?”
“Both.”
“Did you make up that number off the top of your head?”
“I rounded down because I didn’t think you’d take it. Have five times what you make now—”
“This is insane, Stan! We cannot be having this conversation while I’m in the restroom!”
“Why are you in a restroom?”
“I felt like…” When he didn’t rush to fill in the silence, I knew he’d wait all goddamn day until I spelled it out. “…I was going to have a panic attack.”
It took sitting on the toilet seat and speaking with him to accept that bitter truth too.
“Duci, if you don’t get your ass in our car and come home to me now, when that ass of yours isn’t bruised, I’m going to spank you. Quit, gattaredda. Pi favuri. They don’t deserve you.”
I knew this was a disaster waiting to happen.
You don’t mix business with pleasure!
I could already hear Raisin’s disbelief, never mind what Ma would have to say or Lucas. Cade had been as bad with Belle—and they’d worked out fine, hadn’t they? Neev would probably give me a high five…
Millie would swoon, Lara would crow, but George… I dreaded him finding out the truth. Thank fuck he was on the other side of the country.
“Okay, I’ll work for you,” I said in a rush.
“Good girl,” he crooned. “Now, come home.”
I shivered at the order, never mind the praise. “I need to quit first.”
“Fuck that. If you decide to quit or Currau passes, you’ll have that presigned reference. I’d never do anything to stop you from getting another job, duci.”
It freaked me out that I trusted him, but…
“I can’t walk out, Stan.”
“Yes. You can. Fuck them. Fuck how they treat you. Fuck the whole fucking system that turns nurses into indentured servants. Come. Home.”
Feeling flushed with his righteous outrage on my and my fellow nurses’ behalves, I dipped my chin. “You’re right. Okay. I’m on my way.”
“Good. See you soon. Be safe, amore.”
Amore?!
“See you soon, Stan,” I squeaked, touched and overwhelmed and badly wishing I could kiss him and crawl onto his lap again.
Later, I promised myself as we disconnected the call.
Exiting the stall, I headed into the hallway and walked toward the exit. It was irresponsible and terrible and undutiful, but I shoved aside my guilt.
Just getting here had been hard, never mind having to fulfill a shift.
If Alan had given me a moment’s grace, things would never have come to this.
Grateful that a huge line kept Sharon distracted, I was on the brink of leaving the hospital for good when I saw them and blanched.
“Fuck!”