L.A. Metro

by R J Nolan

  Jess's initial reaction to her overture this afternoon had, at the time, filled Kim with doubt that she would be spending any more time with Jess outside of work. Happy that she hadn't scared Jess off with her emotional breakdown on their last outing, she silently vowed this time would be different. No matter what, no tears this time.

  Feeling a presence behind her back, Kim smiled. She knew who it was before she even turned around.

  "Hey, Jess," Kim said as she turned to face her. Kim took a moment to admire the dark blue sweater Jess had added over her shirt. It deepened the color of her already striking blue eyes.

  "Hi." Jess reached past Kim and snagged a tortilla chip from the basket on the bar. "Sorry. I'm starving. I didn't get any lunch."

  "Help yourself." Kim pushed a bowl of salsa closer to Jess. "I think I've already had half a basket." Moving over on the bar stool, Kim made room for Jess to squeeze in next to her at the crowded bar. "Get Thor all settled?"

  Jess nodded, her mouth full.

  Kim grinned, pleased by Jess's relaxed attitude. The pager Kim had been given when she arrived at the restaurant began to flash. "Table's ready. Let's eat."

  Kim pushed her plate away with a satisfied sigh.

  "Was it okay?" Jess asked.

  "It was wonderful. I spent the year I was in Detroit looking for a good Mexican restaurant. I tried quite a few of them, but nothing even came close to comparing to this meal."

  Jess smiled. "Well, that sure won't be a problem around here."

  Conversation had been sporadic during dinner, confined to the weather and neutral topics. The interspersed silences had been comfortable ones as they each concentrated on the meal.

  Now that they had relaxed and eaten, Kim allowed her curiosity to come to the fore. She was still feeling a little emotionally exposed after their previous outing. Not only had she shared with Jess her less than stellar experiences at Memorial Medical, but her family's lack of support as well.

  Kim hoped to not only learn more about Jess but share more positive aspects of her own life with Jess. Although she would rather talk about something besides work, it was a major part of both their lives. It's a good place to start.

  "So, how long have you worked at LA Metro?" Kim asked.

  Jess's eyebrow quirked at the change of subject. "Almost seven years."

  "But you haven't been in charge of the ER all that time... right?"

  "No."

  "How long have you been chief?"

  "Two years," Jess said.

  "Do you like it?" Kim asked. She wondered at Jess's short-worded answers. Jess didn't seem to be intentionally unfriendly, just not particularly forthcoming.

  "For the most part."

  Kim waited, hoping Jess would expound some on that answer.

  Jess didn't.

  She groaned to herself. God, this is like pulling teeth.

  That's when Kim stopped and took a closer look at Jess. She realized her body posture had changed. Jess was leaning back in her chair with her arms pulled in close to her body. Kim mentally compared it to Jess's relaxed stance when talking about Thor. She's not used to talking about herself.

  "How about you?" Jess leaned forward and placed her arms on the table. "Now that you've had a chance to see what working at LA Metro is like, do you think you'll stay?"

  "Yes. I think the hospital is a good fit for me," Kim said.

  Further conversation was halted by the arrival of the waiter. He was carrying a tray filled with sweets. "Could I interest you ladies in some dessert? The specialty of the house is our own freshly made flan."

  Yum! Kim didn't even have to think about it. "I'll have the flan and a cup of coffee."

  "Not for me," Jess said. "I'll just have a cup of coffee."

  The waiter set a piece of flan in front of Kim, then left to get their coffee.

  "You don't know what you're missing. I love this stuff. I haven't had any since I've been back in California." Kim picked up her spoon and dug in. The rich, thick custard and caramel sauce melted in her mouth. The combination of flavors inundated her taste buds, creating a sensory bliss.

  "Oh God. This is incredible. You have to try some." Kim scooped some of the custard up on her spoon to offer it to Jess. Her hand was halfway across the table when the realization of the intimacy of the gesture struck her. What are you doing? She flushed and started to draw her spoon back.

  "Hey," Jess reached over and gently took hold of Kim's wrist and guided her hand back across the table. Jess grinned and quickly leaned forward to capture the offered treat. She smacked her lips. "That is good."

  Kim froze in place, her spoon hanging in mid-air. Heat rushed through her. Her brain frantically tried to catch up with her body's reaction to the sight of Jess's lips closing around her spoon.

  Jess waved a hand in front of Kim's face and laughed. "Earth to Kim. You okay?"

  "Sure. Fine." Kim was sure Jess could feel the heat radiating off her skin all the way across the table. She was saved any further embarrassment by the arrival of the waiter.

  He served each of them a cup of coffee and then placed an extra spoon in front of Jess. When Jess looked at him questioningly, his gaze darted to Kim's dessert and he winked.

  Jess blushed.

  Kim felt her own face heat.

  The humor of the situation hit them both at the same time. They burst out laughing.

  The dazzling full moon hung suspended in the crystal clear night sky. Combined with the bright overhead lighting, it chased away the darkness, painting the parking lot in vivid relief. The huge lot served not only the multiplex theater but the shopping mall as well. It was a sea of cars.

  "Sorry about the movie," Jess said as they made their way across the parking lot. They had not seen the Deven Masters movie as originally planned.

  "You had no way of knowing it would be sold out," Kim said.

  "I should have checked online. But I wasn't talking about that. I meant the movie we ended up seeing." Could it have been any more idiotic? Jess shook her head. "Should have just skipped it."

  Kim moved close enough to Jess to gently bump shoulders with her. "It wasn't that bad," she said with a smile.

  Jess's eyebrows arched. "Oh, so you weren't the woman sitting next to me bemoaning the inane dialogue?" Jess grinned at the endearing blush that rapidly covered Kim's face.

  "Well, my brother, Patrick, always used to say, no matter what the reviews were, going to see a movie is always a crap shoot," Kim said. "So in this case —"

  Jess snickered. "We stepped right in it?"

  Kim grinned. "Pretty much."

  "Next time, we'll stick with Deven Masters. She never disappoints." Jess was getting a big kick out of the playful banter. She had never experienced this type of interaction with the women she had dated. This friend thing is even better than I thought it could be. Now, if I can just learn to ignore the attraction, I'll be all set.

  A sudden sharp breeze cut Kim's laughter short. She shivered. Her long-sleeved oxford shirt provided no real protection against the chilly night air. "Guess I misjudged. My Michigan blood isn't as thick as I thought." Kim rubbed her hands up and down her arms.

  "It's so warm during the day it's easy to forget just how cold it can get at night." Jess instinctively stepped close and wrapped her arm around Kim's shoulders. It was only when Kim's body came to rest against her side that she realized what she had done. What are you doing? Her first impulse was to pull away, but she managed to stop herself. After all, it really had been an innocent gesture of comfort. She darted a quick glance at Kim to gauge her reaction.

  "Thanks. I hate being cold." Kim smiled at Jess and inched a little closer.

  "And you still moved back to Michigan?" A quick stiffening of Kim's muscles made Jess regret the question.

  "What can I say." Kim momentarily ducked her head, then looked at Jess and shrugged. "I caved to pressure from my mother. Big mistake, as usual."

  Jess gave Kim's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I know how tha
t goes. Mothers can be relentless."

  Before Kim could comment, they arrived back at their vehicles.

  "Finally," Jess said. The lot had been packed when they arrived. They ended up parking on the outer reaches of the giant lot.

  Jess dropped her arm from around Kim's shoulders and motioned for her to step between the vehicles and out of the wind. "We might not have gone jogging, but we still got a good walk in."

  Kim laughed. "I needed it after that big dinner, not to mention the huge popcorn we ate."

  "That wasn't my fault. The popcorn only came in huge, extra huge, and monstrous," Jess said with a laugh. "Oh, speaking of jogging. How about we go next Saturday? I'm sorry about this week, but I promised my sister I'd come down for her softball game." She wanted to make sure Kim didn't think she was reneging on the offer to jog together. Thinking of Sam's game, Jess was struck by the sudden urge to invite Kim to go with her. She pushed it firmly away. No. It's too much, too soon. At least for me.

  "Oh." Kim frowned. "I have a hair appointment at nine next week."

  "No problem. Maybe some other time." Jess struggled not to let her disappointment show. It's no big deal. You can always go some other time.

  "Wait." Kim touched Jess's arm. "Would you mind going later, say eleven? Then maybe catch some lunch afterwards?"

  Jess smiled brightly. "That would be great. Thor and I will meet you at the park."

  "I —" A sudden gust of wind whipped between the cars. Kim gasped. She wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered.

  Jess moved close to block the worst of the wind. "You better get going before you freeze." Even with her shirt and sweater, Jess was starting to feel the cold.

  Kim's teeth chattered. "Okay." She opened the door to her Jeep and climbed in. "If I don't see you at work, I'll see you and Thor next Saturday at the park."

  "See you," Jess said before closing Kim's door.

  Jess had enjoyed herself tonight. It had been fun and relaxing to spend time with Kim. She was already looking forward to next weekend.

  CHAPTER 14

  WHAT A WASTE OF TIME. Kim massaged her temples as she made her way to her office. She had a pounding headache. Marcus, the psychiatric nurse-practitioner she was proctoring this week, had a family emergency. She had taken over his group counseling session, or at least tried to. Her session with Marcus's boys had been an exercise in frustration. Thankfully, it was her last group of the day. I can't wait to get back to the ER. Only one more week to go.

  A raised voice echoed down the hall drawing Kim out of her thoughts. Now what? She quickened her pace.

  Standing in the center of the nurses' station was Chris Roberts, ranting to anyone who would listen.

  Slowing her stride, Kim stopped at the far side of the nurses' desk. She leaned against the counter and listened.

  "I can't work with that woman. I'm a staff psychiatrist, damn it, not one of her residents. Where does she get off lecturing me in front of residents? You need to arrive in a timely manner for your psych consults, Dr. Roberts." Chris mimicked Jess's husky voice and stern posture. "It's not like I don't have other things to do besides cater to her damn ER."

  Chris stalked over to Kim when he spotted her.

  "You're the ER liaison, Kim. You have to talk to that woman. I won't be treated like some flunky."

  Then act like a professional and do your job, Kim resisted saying. Chris might be willing to air this issue at the nurses' station, but Kim was not. "Let's go into my office and talk." Kim turned and headed toward her office without giving Chris time to protest.

  Catching up to her, Chris huffed loud enough to make sure Kim heard but followed her nonetheless.

  Kim opened her office door. She stepped inside with Chris right on her heels.

  Chris strode across the room and flopped onto her couch. "I mean it, Kim," he said pointing a finger at her. "That woman is impossible."

  I so don't need this right now! Kim was still smarting from her failed encounter with Marcus's group. The patients, all in their twenties, were without exception: over-indulged, unmotivated, self-serving whiners. To make matters worse, the men — boys really — had spent their time trying to one-up each other with increasingly vulgar innuendo. Kim knew it for the defensive behavior it was, but it was frustrating to deal with nonetheless. You can't help people who aren't ready to be helped.

  Kim rubbed the back of her neck as she made her way toward her desk. She grabbed the chair in front of it and pulled it over to where Chris was ensconced on her sofa.

  Chris glanced at the chair, then over at the empty space next to him on the large couch. He quirked an eyebrow at Kim.

  Kim ignored the look and sat down in the chair. She had originally planned on sitting behind her desk. This was not a conversation between friends. "What happened in the ER?"

  "I went down for a consult, and McKenna berated me in front of two residents. It was totally inappropriate!"

  Yeah. Sort of like you ranting about the head of the ER at the nurses' station in the psych department? She was certainly surprised by Jess's behavior. In her experience, Jess didn't normally confront people with other staff members present. It just wasn't like her. Kim pushed way the irrelevant thoughts. Jess can take care of herself and her department.

  "Why weren't you in the ER? Philip talked to everyone about this last week." Kim gave Chris a hard look. "When the ER pages, you need to get down there as quickly as possible. How long did it take you to answer the page?"

  Chris's chin jutted out. "I was busy."

  "Come on, Chris. You know as well as I do that you don't have any other duties when assigned to the ER. How long did you make them wait?"

  Shifting, Chris suddenly found his shoes interesting. "Over an hour," he finally admitted.

  Damn it. So much for all the fence mending I did while I was in the ER. Barely resisting the urge to strangle him, Kim asked, "What was the patient doing all that time?"

  "He was in restraints, sort of ranting about the things he was seeing," Chris said.

  What the…? Sedating a violent, hallucinating patient was standard protocol. "Why didn't they sedate him?"

  "Well…" Chris flushed and he looked down. "I might've hollered at them last time for sedating someone before I got there. I told them if they wanted my help, they weren't to sedate a patient 'til I arrived."

  No wonder Jess was pissed. Kim shook her head in disgust. "And you're mad that Dr. McKenna called you on leaving a screaming patient in her ER for over an hour? What exactly do you want me to talk to her about?" she asked.

  "Come on, Kim. You've worked down there. You get tossed into a room with a patient with little or no history. It's chaotic at the best of times. Total bedlam at its worst." He slammed his fist into the couch cushion. "I hate it. I don't want to be assigned to the ER anymore."

  Kim wasn't surprised by Chris's attitude. She knew several psychiatrists who disliked covering the ER. Like Chris, they found the unstructured atmosphere intimidating. Ironically, that was the thing Kim liked best about the ER. It was a challenge. You never knew what was going to come through the doors next. She occasionally struggled with boredom seeing the same patients week in and week out.

  So his problem isn't with Jess after all. In spite of her anger at his behavior, Chris's sudden bout of honesty made Kim willing to help him. "Okay, Chris, tell you what, tomorrow is Friday. You finish out this week and I'll take your ER rotation for next week. You take my group sessions."

  "Can't you take tomorrow too?" Chris asked with a pathetic whine.

  The disastrous session with Marcus's group flashed through Kim's mind. Despite trying several different approaches, she had been unable to make any headway with the group and finally ended the session prematurely. Maybe he'll have better luck.

  "All right, but I'm covering for Marcus. You'll need to hold a session with his group as well."

  Chris grimaced and looked ready to protest.

  Ah, so it isn't just me that had trouble. That too
k a little of the sting out of her failure with the group. "It's that or the ER," Kim said. She had no intention of covering both Marcus's patients and the ER.

  "Fine. Anything is better than the ER. I'll cover your groups and Marcus's."

  The sudden strident beep of a pager filled the room.

  Chris pulled the pager off his belt and looked at the screen. "Damn it."

  "ER?" Kim asked.

  "Who else?" Chris glanced at the clock on the wall behind Kim's desk. "Harland is on-call. He can answer it."

  The end of the day shift was coming up. "His duty call doesn't start for half an hour."

  Chris shrugged.

  Kim clenched her fists, trying to rein in her temper.

  She failed.

  "Damn it, Chris! This is exactly why Dr. McKenna was pissed at you. And rightly so. What about the patient that needs your help?"

  Crossing his arms over his chest, Chris remained mute.

  Deciding not to waste any more time, Kim held out her hand. "Give me the pager. I'll answer it."

  Chris started to hand over the pager, then hesitated. He sighed. "I'll go."

  Kim plucked the pager from his fingers. "Forget it. I'll take care of it." She knew that she would do a much better job than he would. It wasn't ego. It was fact. And you'll get to see Jess. While that was true, it was an added bonus, not the motivating factor for Kim.

  The whole situation cemented for Kim the ideas that had been percolating through her mind for the past three weeks. The next quarterly staff meeting was only a week away. She would find time tomorrow to meet with Philip and talk him into her plan. He could make the announcement at the meeting.

  "Who paged psych?"

  Jess's head jerked up at the sound of Kim's voice. Thank God, came the unbidden thought. She didn't know why Kim was answering the page when Roberts was covering the ER but was grateful nonetheless.

  "I did, Dr. Donovan." Bates called out above the din of the bustling nurses' station.

  Jess scowled as she stepped out from behind the nurses' station. She was just in time to see Bates make a beeline for Kim. Damn it. I told him to page psych, not take over the case.