Coup De Grâce (Code 11-KPD SWAT 7)

Which meant my hair was curly instead of straight like I usually styled it.

It meant that my makeup was non-existent and my clothes were wrinkled because I’d had to pull them out of a pile of clothes on the foot of my bed that my cat loved to knock down when she could. And it also meant that I was wearing the wrong colored tennis shoes, because I couldn’t find my work pair.

I was sure I’d get reprimanded for it, but if I’d known ahead of time that I’d get written up for it and nearly lose my job, I would’ve called in sick.

My phone rang again, and I nearly panicked.

I was religiously late.

To everything.

Birthdays, work, parties, dates.

If it had a possibility for me to be late, I was late.

Luckily, it was just my sister, Noel.

“Nik-Nik, can I borrow your car? I have to have the brakes fixed on mine, and I need to drive to Tyler for school,” Noel said pleadingly.

I rolled my eyes. “As long as you fill it back up with gas, and bring it back in time for me to drive home from work later.”

“Deal,” she said. “I’ll come get it from your work in about ten minutes.”

I closed the front door to my apartment behind me and started to hurry down the hall to the stairs. “Make it fifteen. I’m running late.”

She laughed. “Why does that not surprise me?”

“Watch it,” I teased. “See you later. Be careful today.”

With that, I hung up and started to run down the stairs.

I was going to be later than I’d said.

Twelve minutes later, I was pushing through the doors of the ER with my bag over one shoulder.

Since I didn’t have any food in my bag, because I hadn’t had time to make anything last night nor this morning, I stored my bag underneath the nurse’s station and made my way up to Bryan, the charge nurse.

“Bryan,” I said, catching his attention. “I’m sorry I’m late. I had a really long night.”

I didn’t tell him why I had a long night, however.

And he didn’t ask.

He nodded. “Don’t make a habit of it, Pena.”

I nodded, then winced when the movement pulled the skin at my back, reminding me once again of the tattoo I’d gotten just hours ago. And Michael.

“Bryan, when have we become allowed to wear colored shoes?” A snotty female voice belonging to Joslin, asked.

Bryan looked up from his charting to Joslin.

“We’re not allowed to wear colored shoes. You know the rules, white only,” Bryan said, sounding slightly annoyed.

I walked away, knowing where this was going before I’d even had time to process the fact that Joslin was aiming for me today.

“But Nikki’s wearing shoes like that,” Joslin tattled like a two year old.

Bryan’s eyes turned to me, taking in my shoes.

Then quickly turned back to his charting.

It was the soft throat clearing from Joslin that had him sighing and looking at me.

“Go change them, Pena,” Bryan said tiredly.

What the fuck was that?

“You want me to go home to change them?” I asked for clarification.

He nodded. “Yeah. Now.”

I shrugged. “That’s fine with me, but it’s gonna take me another hour or so to get back. I lent my car to my sister for the day. I’m sure she’s already picked it up by now. So I’ll have to call her for a ride home.”

Bryan growled in frustration.

“Nikki,” he said, standing up. “Follow me to the break room. We need to talk.”

Stomach clutching, I followed Bryan out the double doors and down a side hallway that led to our break room, all the while Joslin’s laughing eyes followed me out.

I refrained from flipping her the bird, but only just barely.

I was already in trouble, and I was fairly positive Joslin would just tell him what I’d done anyway. So I put on my big girl panties and followed dutifully behind Bryan.

Once we were in the break room, he sat on the edge of the table and crossed his arms.

“I’ve already had to talk with the director about your constant lateness,” he said without preamble.

I pinched my lips closed.

I had no reason.

I was late.

End of story.

And always would be.

“I’m sorry,” I said sincerely.

And I was.

Not for just past incidences, but for future incidences as well.

He sighed and rolled his head up to the ceiling.

“You need to get your ducks in a row,” he said. “I have a feeling that the only reason they’ve kept you is because you’re such a good worker. You’re always staying late, always picking up shifts and willing to move when we ask you to. But that doesn’t make up for the fact that you’re constantly late, and you need to try harder to get that fixed, otherwise I’ll be obligated to report this to the director, okay?” He asked, sounding tired.

I nodded, uncrossing my arms and placing my hands in my pockets of my scrubs. “Sure.”

I wouldn’t make any promises, though.

That was just me. I was late.

“I’ve also had a complaint about you from a few of the staff members for going off on coffee breaks too often,” he said carefully.

A few staff members my ass!

It was only one staff member!

And that was because she’d just come back from sucking some man’s cock!

Whore!

“I see,” I said carefully. “And does this staff member happen to have a vendetta against me or something?”

He blinked.

“Um, no,” he answered lamely.

Liar!

“Well, I only went on one coffee break yesterday, Bryan. And that was right after I had to put an IV into some kid who’d just been shot in the head!” I all but snarled. “Excuse me if I can’t handle that and needed a fucking break!”

He blinked, surprised at my outburst.

“I wasn’t aware that was why you’d gone yesterday. I’d only heard what she said to me. I apologize,” Bryan said truthfully.

Ah-ha!

She!

Well that could only be one person!

“Stupid cunt muffin,” I muttered as I turned around to leave. “Fucking her way to the top.”

I stomped my way down the hallway, passing the entrance into the ER, and then came to a dead stop when I saw Joslin’s fucking hand on my Michael.