The ER was not as bad as it had been on other full moons, but some of the crazier situations had definitely occurred. We’d already treated a man who cut his hand climbing on the roof after dark in his robe to adjust a satellite dish that his wife said hadn’t been plugged in since the nineties. Then there was a woman who’d been run over by a car while looking for her shoe on the freeway. People came into the ER with all kinds of stories, and I guess that part of me liked my job for just that reason — never a dull moment.
I found the snack machine about the same time Kathy found me. I wasn’t about to tell her that Dr. Rob had asked me to dinner, but she’d already heard about my awesome display of balance with the carts.
I was still trying to get my dollar straight for the slot when she walked up and shoved hers in. “Are you okay?” She chose her usual candy bar, and it fell into the receptacle. She wasted no time grabbing it.
“I’m okay. My parents decided to sue, and it’s got me a little mixed up in the head.” I pushed my dollar in only to have it spat out.
Kathy took the bill from me and flattened it on the edge of the machine. “Man, that’s bad. How do you feel about it? Did they even ask you your opinion?” She was no stranger to the way my parents had treated me for the past fourteen months — or to my opinions on the issue.
“You know me. I would rather let it go. There’s nothing that is going to bring my brother back, and I hate that his life, or rather his death, has a price tag. It’s disgusting, and it’s the kind of thing that my brother would be sickened over. Shawn hated opportunists like that. I swear, you’d think he and I were both adopted.”
When the dollar was finally sucked in, I punched in my usual code and watched my energy bar lodge at the bottom next to some cheese crackers.
Kathy frowned at the machine and then glanced up at me. “It’s not your night, friend.”
She slid in another dollar and punched in the code for the cheese crackers and cheered as both snacks made it to the receptacle. “I’ll eat these later.” She put the extra snack in her pocket, and I gave her my money for a drink.
“I don’t need a soda mishap.” I waited as she worked her magic.
“Here you go. I’ll talk to you soon. I’ve got to go call my husband. My son got in trouble at daycare today, and we’re supposed to give him a talk before he can go back. I don’t want him surprised in the morning.”
“What did he do this time?” Her son had a habit of getting in trouble.
“I got a message earlier today that he bit some other kid’s foot. He’s going through this phase where he thinks he’s an alligator. Don’t ask.”
She hurried away, and I couldn’t help smiling. Her son had been through more phases than the moon, and the last time he thought he was a boa constrictor and squeezed some little girl until she pooped her pants. Another time, he’d gotten hold of the scissors and cut a boy’s hair.
I went to the break room and sat down in the corner where I could see the TV. Someone had left it on the news channel, and I couldn’t bear to watch more death and destruction. I took my phone out of my pocket and turned it on. I had a missed call from Bre, and then another text which had only come about ten minutes before. She usually wouldn’t text me so late unless she’d been out on a date. I texted her back hoping she’d still be awake, and her response was: CALL ME??
The phone didn’t ring more than once, and she didn’t sound tired at all considering the hour. “I’m so glad you called. You would not believe the night I had.” I could tell by her upbeat tone that her night had gone better than mine.
“Do tell.” There could only be one thing to put her in that wonderful a mood.
She cleared her throat as if getting ready for a speech. “You know that really handsome guy that comes by the office, the one I’ve been hot for over the past few months?”
“The one who comes in to fix the computers?” There were about six men who she’d been hot for over the past few months, and I could never keep up.
“No, not that one. This one is the supplier from the partner company. Anyway, he asked me out for dinner, and I went.”
“Wow! That was fast.” I couldn’t wait to tell her about the handsome doctor.
“It was so nice. We’re going out again in a few days. His name is Daniel.” She made a squealing noise and giggled. “Oh man, I just realized I’m a shitty friend. You’re upset about the whole lawsuit thing, and here I am giggling over a date.”
“No, don’t you dare feel bad. I’m excited for you. As a matter of fact, despite the shitty day I’m having, I got asked out, too.”
“Really? Who is he?” She gave another squeal, and this time, I laughed with her.
I remembered where I was and kept my voice down. “We call him Dr. Rob. He’s good looking, very nice, and almost every nurse here wants a piece of him.”
“Lucky girl. I always knew you’d land a hot doctor. So when are you going out?”
“I’m not sure. He asked me to dinner sometime, but we haven’t set anything up. I’m not sure it’s that big of a deal yet.”
“You’re never sure. You’re going to be unsure at your own wedding. I wish you’d find a man who would care about you and give you the attention you deserve.” She’d known how invisible I was to my parents and how hard the last year had been. It was only natural she wanted to see me happy again.
I shook my head. “I’m not sure this is the guy for that, but who knows.”
“So, did your parents say anything more about the lawsuit? I can’t believe they’re going through with it.” Her exhale sent static through the phone.