by Devney Perry
“You’re off at four?” Milo asked as we reached the side door.
“Yep. I’ll come home and change out of my scrubs, then maybe we could go and get some dinner.”
“Sounds good. Call me if anything happens.”
Milo was arguably as nervous as I was. He’d tried to talk me out of going to work but I’d promised that things would be fine. I was a professional. Vernon was a professional—most of the time. I’d just make sure not to find myself alone in his company.
And if anything did happen, at least the kiss he’d forced upon me was on record with HR.
“Nothing will happen. It will be fine.”
Milo frowned. “Okay. Check in with me today.”
“I will,” I promised. “See you later.”
He bent and placed a kiss on my lips as I rose up on my toes. Then with a finger wave, I went to the door, scanned my badge and disappeared inside.
The cement-and-bleach smell of the stairwell wasn’t as comforting as it had once been. Nor was the sterile scent of the burn unit. Out of habit, I walked down the hallway for the locker room door, but twenty feet away, my feet froze on the linoleum. My tennis shoes wouldn’t take another step.
There was no way I was going into that locker room.
I turned and went to the nurses station, deciding that simply coming to work was brave enough for today. I’d made it here, mission accomplished. Maybe tomorrow or the next day or the day after that I’d brave the locker room.
I stowed my purse and coat underneath the counter and turned to find Kym coming my way.
“Hey. Welcome back.”
“Thanks.” I smiled. “How are things?”
“Good.” She shrugged. “Busy. We’re split evenly on sides right now. Four each.”
“We haven’t had that many patients for a while.”
“No, but it looks to be a hectic week. I’ve been on this side for three days straight.” She tossed a thumb over her left shoulder. “It might be easier if I stick with them. Then I’m off for three days.”
Which left me with Milo and Luna’s side of the unit. “Sounds great. I’ll get going.”
The routine of the morning was refreshing and not as difficult as I’d expected. I fell into the bliss of a normal day. After an hour of checking on patients, changing dressings and helping get them ready for the breakfast delivery, I felt more like myself. Steady. Sure.
Lost in the morning bustle, I stopped fretting about Vernon. I didn’t notice as he came into a patient room behind me, and at his voice, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“How are we today?”
“I—” I turned from the sink and opened my mouth with no idea what to say, but he wasn’t speaking to me. He’d asked the patient.
My heart came out of my throat, though it still raced. I stood back, out of his reach, as he examined the patient. When he was done, Vernon smiled and said good-bye to the woman in the bed. Then he looked at me briefly, his smile fading.
“Sara.” He gave me one nod, then disappeared from the room.
That’s it? No angry glares. No snarls. Just my name, a nod and a look on his face that said he couldn’t care less about my presence here.
Maybe he didn’t know I’d reported him to HR. Or maybe he didn’t care.
I excused myself from the room, warily entering the hallway. Vernon was standing along the far wall, swiping through something on an iPad.
“We have a pretty busy day today,” he said, not looking up. “I’d like to have your help in 504 next.”
“Okay.” That was Luna’s room. I hadn’t thought of it as number 504 in months.
“Great.” His smile was polite and professional. “See you in there.”
He walked down the hallway to Luna’s former room and I followed. On the way, I glanced at Milo’s room—503. It was vacant at the moment and I was glad for it. I wasn’t ready to see another person in his bed.
It was hard enough to see another in Luna’s.
I worked alongside Vernon as he cleaned a burn and discussed treatment with the patient in 504. I kept my distance, stealing sideways glances occasionally, but Vernon avoided my gaze entirely. Except for the occasional order to hand him gauze or hold a tool, it was like he’d forgotten I was in the room.
He was focused on the patient, as it should be.
“All right. I’m done here for today.” Vernon pulled off his gloves, the latex snapping as he wrapped one inside the other and deposited them both in the trash. “Sara will take good care of you the rest of the day.”
“Thanks, Dr. Vernon.” The young patient sighed, settling deeper into her bed. She’d gotten a nasty burn from a pot of boiling oil—she’d been making french fries at home when the pot had spilled onto her bare feet. Luckily, she wouldn’t be here for long. We’d treat her burns and show her how to care for her toes, which had suffered the worst. She’d be free to go home in a few days.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked.
“No, thank you.” She shook her head, closing her eyes.
I dimmed the lights and drew the curtains. She was asleep before I eased my way out the door.
I walked to the nurses station, taking a break from patient care to update charts. But as I approached the counter, Vernon was talking to Kym. Spinning around, I hoped to make an escape, but he caught sight of me. “Oh, Sara?”
I turned. “Yes?”
“I’d like to run a new set of labs for 501. Would you ask them to put a rush on it?”
“Um, sure.”
Why was he acting so . . . normal? This calm demeanor had to be a façade, right? Was he biding his time, waiting for a moment to find me alone and berate me for turning him in?
Well, he wasn’t going to get the chance. I spent the rest of the day making sure I was never alone. I only did charts when Kym was at the nurses station. I spent most of my time in patient rooms. I made it through nearly the entire day without a one-on-one encounter with Vernon, working furiously as the clock wound down to four.
I only had fifteen minutes to go when I went to the supply closet to grab a fresh blanket for a patient who’d said he was cold. That’s when a white lab coat appeared in my peripheral vision.
Vernon. I’d been gone from the patient’s room for ten seconds and he’d trapped me by the supply closet. I hated that my body’s first instinct was to lock up. I hated that he had the power of my fear.
“Welcome back,” he said. “Did you have a nice week off?”
“Yes.” I smiled. “It was wonderful.”
If Vernon was going to pretend that everything was hunky-dory, then I was too. If my hands would stop shaking, I might be able to pull it off. I held his stare, trying to keep the smile on my face. Nothing in his gaze gave anything away. No anger. No resentment. Nothing.
He looked . . . bored.
What was he playing at? What was his game? Was he trying to get under my skin with this nonchalant approach?
Asshole.
The least he could do was apologize.
Hey, Sara. Sorry for kissing you in the locker room and scaring the shit out of you. Whoops.
I was never going to get an apology. His ego was much too engorged to utter the word sorry.
He looked down his nose at me. With that smug smile, he declared me inconsequential. If I had to guess, I’d say HR had reprimanded him. Not that it mattered. We both knew if one of us were to get reassigned, it wasn’t going to be him.
“Was there something else you needed, Dr. Vernon?” He didn’t deserve such a noble title.
“No, that’s it. I’ll let you get back to work.”
“Thanks.” I waited for him to shift to the side or leave, but he stood there, unmoving.
My pulse was racing. Sweat beaded at my temples. No matter what it took, I wasn’t going to let him win this time. If he came after me, I. Would. Fight.
“See you tomorrow.” He turned and left.
My knees were shaking as I bolted from the room. I managed to fin
ish up my work even though it was hard to focus. The evening-shift nurses stepped off the elevator at the same time, smiling and saying hello. I exchanged pleasantries as I pulled out my purse and hurried into my coat.
Milo was waiting at home and I’d much rather spend my time with him than in this building. I’d checked in with him twice today, promising that everything with Vernon was okay, and told him in my last text that I’d walk home as soon as I was done. He’d scoped out some places for us to go to dinner. On a real date, he’d texted.
I said good night to Kym as she walked toward the locker room, then I headed for the stairwell, my footsteps fast as I flew down the steps.
When I pushed through the exit, the crisp air stung my nostrils. I set out on the sidewalk, walking past the building to the first intersection toward home. I was nearly to the crosswalk when suddenly I was being hauled backward by a fierce grip on my elbow.
“Ahh!” I shouted, fighting to get free and run. I turned, swatted at the hand and came face-to-face with Vernon.
Of course he wouldn’t let me get away with pleasantries all day. Damn me for letting my guard down.
“What do you want?” I jerked my elbow free.
“You reported me.”
I stepped back a foot. “You assaulted me.”
“Assault?” He scoffed. “I kissed you. Most women would have begged for that kiss.”
“Not me. It was against my will.”
“Don’t lie to me, Sara. You wanted it. I know you wanted it. You’ve been leading me on for months.”
My jaw dropped. “Are you delusional? I never asked you to kiss me. I never asked you to touch me.”
“You didn’t say no.”
He had me there. Was that the magic word with the scum of the earth like Vernon? If a woman didn’t say no, then it was okay? Never mind that I’d been terrified. Never mind that I’d been trembling and on the brink of tears. I hadn’t said no so that meant I’d wanted his kiss. “I hate you.”
“The feeling is mutual.” He sneered. “Stop trying to ruin my career because I rejected you.”
I gritted my teeth, keeping my lips glued shut. I had nothing to say to this man. He wasn’t worth a single word. So I sent him one last glare, spun around and continued on my way.
His footsteps followed.
I quickened my own, knowing I might have to run. I’d run, I’d scream, I’d kick and punch and flail. I’d do anything to get away from this man. Today, I was not going to go down easy.
“Sara.” He snapped and once again his hand gripped my elbow.
“Leave me alone.” I tried to fight free, but his grasp was bruising. His fingertips dug into my skin through my coat.
“You need to rescind your statement.”
“What?” Not for anything in the world. “Go to hell. If you don’t want this incident reported too, then I’d suggest you let me go.”
“No—” His protest was stopped as he flew backward. The edges of his lab coat went flying as Milo dragged him away by the collar.
“Touch her again and you’ll lose all your fingers.”
Milo. He was here. My hand came to my thundering heart, rubbing my chest as it pounded. I wasn’t sure what he was doing here but the relief was staggering.
Vernon struggled, throwing his limbs every which way as he freed himself from Milo’s hold. When he was loose, he straightened, fixed his collar and combed back the hair that had fallen in his eyes. Then he pointed right at me while looking at Milo. “This bitch is trying to get me fired.”
I gasped as the color rose in Milo’s face. No one had ever called me a bitch before, not even petty girls in high school. I didn’t like it.
Milo didn’t either. “Call her a bitch again and you’ll lose your tongue.”
Vernon spat on the sidewalk by Milo’s boot.
One moment the men were feet apart, the next, Milo was nose to nose with Vernon. They were about the same height, though Milo stood an inch taller.
He walked forward, forcing Vernon to retreat on the sidewalk back toward the hospital. Right toward the edge where a car rushed by. One misstep and Vernon would trip, falling into the street.
Milo kept walking Vernon backward without pause. His fists were balled, ready to pummel Vernon in the face.
God, I wanted that. A lot. I wanted Milo to kick this guy’s ass, but Milo maintained his control, something I doubt most men would have been able to do.
“Get the fuck out of here.”
Vernon didn’t argue. He shuffled sideways and away from Milo, nearly tripping over his own feet, then walked for the side door. He combed his hair again before entering. He scanned his badge. And then, he disappeared.
“Oh my God.” I nearly collapsed. The adrenaline was too much. “I knew it was too good to be true.”
“Are you okay?” Milo rushed to my side, his hands roaming up and down my body, making sure I wasn’t hurt.
“I’m okay.” I nodded, trying to get my breathing back to normal. “Actually, no. I’m not okay. That asshole. I hate him.”
Milo pulled me into his arms, wrapping me up tight. “But you’re okay?”
“I’m okay. What are you doing here?”
“I, uh, may or may not have been hanging out in the lobby all day just in case that fucking bastard pulled some shit like this.”
“What?” I looked up at his face. “You’ve been at the hospital all day?”
He shrugged. “I saw you come out the side door through the glass. I’m sorry I didn’t catch you in time.”
I fell back into his embrace, melting into his chest. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed my hair. “Let’s get out of here.”
“We can’t,” I grumbled. “Not yet.”
First, I had to quit my job.
When Milo and I walked into HR, Vernon was already there. He was probably trying to spin this story his way. To twist the truth and portray me as the one who’d antagonized him. I didn’t stick around to find out what sort of story he was selling.
I delivered my statement to the HR director, who’d also called Amber down. Then I quit. I handed over my badge. I told them to keep whatever was in my locker. And I walked out of the hospital with Milo by my side.
“What am I going to do now?”
Milo put his arm around me as we walked home. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”
Eleven
The bells of my ringing phone woke me from a dead sleep. It took me so long to realize what the noise was and where it was coming from that I missed the call. I reached for the phone. It was nearly two in the morning as my phone rang again with Mom’s picture on the screen.
“Hello?”
“Sara!” Mom screamed. “You need to get over here.”
“What?” I shot up in bed, my heart lurching. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“It’s Denny.”
My mind immediately went to the worst. Had he overdosed? “What happened?” I repeated.
“He—oh my God—I can’t believe this.”
“What’s wrong?” Milo sat up next to me, his hand on my shoulder as he leaned in close waiting for Mom’s answer.
But she was silent.
“Mom?”
“You need to get over here,” she insisted, then hung up.
I whipped the covers off my legs, darting for my closet. I pulled on some clean panties and a pair of black yoga pants. Then I tugged on a bra and a gray Nike hoodie.
I was hopping into a pair of tennis shoes when I looked over my shoulder to see Milo fully dressed and ready to go. I guess cops were practiced at getting dressed in the middle of the night after a frantic phone call.
We left my condo without a word, going right for the garage. I didn’t argue when he took the keys from my hand and went to the driver’s side door. I was too jittery to drive.
Instead, I sat with bouncing knees in the passenger seat as I gave Milo directions to Mom’s house. The black roads were deserted. As we turned
down the quiet street of my youth, only porch lights illuminated the sidewalks where I’d learned to ride my bike. The sidewalks Denny and I had colored with chalk.
What if he was dead? What would I do? The last words my brother had spoken to me were fuck you. I’d tried to call him but he hadn’t answered. All I could imagine as we slowly approached the flashing lights of police cars and two fire trucks was I’d get there and be told Denny had overdosed.
“I should have pushed harder,” I whispered. “I should have called him more. I should have found him a rehab spot.”
Milo reached across the console and took one of my hands. “We’ll get through this.”
Whatever this was.
As we got closer, the light was brighter. The police cars were all positioned with their headlights shining on the house.
What was Denny’s truck doing in the yard? His tailgate was aimed our direction. I couldn’t see the hood because—
“Oh my God,” I gasped.
“What the hell?” Milo let my hand go so he could lean over the steering wheel, getting a closer look. “Did he—”
“He drove his truck into my house.” My eyes were seeing but my brain was not believing.
“Holy fuck.”
Milo parked a few houses down in an open spot. Before he even had the car in park I was flying out the door.
I shivered, racing down the icy sidewalk while trying not to slip and fall. I lost my footing on one slick patch and flailed before a strong hand gripped my arm, holding me steady.
“Easy,” Milo warned, helping me along the way.
There were firefighters in full uniform standing around the back of the truck. In the yard, two police officers were talking to my mother.
Her hair was pulled into a ponytail. She was in a thin nightgown with a magenta silk robe tied tight underneath her breasts. She spotted us and her arms shot out for me. “Sara!”
“Mom.” I rushed to her, letting her pull me into a hug. “What happened?”
“Denny crashed into the house.”
“Is he . . .” I gulped. I couldn’t see the driver’s side door from this spot. It was buried under the corner of the house. But there wasn’t an ambulance. Or maybe it had come and gone. “Is he okay?”