by K. Darblyne
"He’s willing to back the idea? Did he have any suggestions? You know, if we include counseling, we could…" her mouth was going as fast as her mind could think.
The bombardment of questions was more than Garrett could comprehend. She just stood there amazed at the obvious excitement of the petite woman. ‘I don’t even think she realizes that she’s involved yet.’ Garrett shook her head and smiled politely. ‘I think we’ll need to use a tape recorder for the idea session. I’m never going to remember everything that she’s saying.’ The surgeon chuckled to herself as she made the effort to stop the rambling woman. "Slow down, Danni. One thought at a time, please."
"Oh…sorry, I guess I got carried away." She admitted to her friend. "I’m glad you’ll have the chance to do some good with your idea."
"My idea? If I remember correctly it was your idea." She looked the nurse straight in the eye, blue meeting green and holding it there. "McMurray is insisting that both of us…me and you are involved in this project from start to finish."
The nurse remained motionless, wondering if she had heard right. ‘Did she just say ‘both of us’? McMurray is insisting that I be involved too?’ "I…I don’t know what to say." The blonde woman blinked in astonishment.
"That’ll be a first. So when do you want to start putting it all together?"
"Garrett, you said that he wants it the Monday before Thanksgiving, right?"
"Yeah, and your problem with that is…?" The surgeon raised her eyebrow in question to the young nurse.
Danni hurriedly scrambled with the mouse to pull up a calendar on the computer screen. Seeing it, she froze then quickly came back to life, her voice full of fear. "That’s less than a week away!"
"I know. McMurray wants us to utilize work time to get it done. He’s going to talk to Dr. McCormick and get your time cleared with him." She looked around to make sure no one was watching or within earshot before she continued. "He said that Ian is always trying to squeeze his way into Trauma Service’s special projects and that he’ll probably jump at the chance to have you on the team."
"When do you think he’ll…"?
The intra-departmental intercom crackled to life interrupting Danni’s thought, causing her hand to reach for her trauma beeper. "Nurse Bossard, please report to the Manager’s office immediately."
Blue eyes flashed at green, locking them in for a brief second. "I’d say that McMurray already has. You better get going."
The nurse nodded her head and showed two entwined fingers, "Wish me luck." She stood up and proceeded down the hall to Nan’s office.
****************
The young nurse paused outside the closed door of her Manager’s office. She took in a deep breath trying to settle herself and her nerves. ‘I can’t believe that I’m this nervous. It’s not like this proposal is going to alter the rest of my life.’ Then she took one more breath and exhaled it slowly. ‘I mean, it will probably only last the next six months…till Garrett leaves.’ Danni didn’t want to think about that. She was finding the tall, stoic at times woman much more to her liking than she ever felt possible. ‘God, I’m going to miss her. Maybe we could still keep in touch with one another.’ When her body finally calmed enough to appear eager without being over enthused, she gently knocked on the door.
Danni didn’t have to wait long before the door was opened and the smartly dressed woman in her mid forties was showing her to a seat. Nan always gave off a professional image, even in her worst moments. She was a hard book cover to read in that prospective. The petite blonde walked through the doorway noticing that Dr. McCormick was also seated in the room. Stopping abruptly and motioning in the direction of the already occupied chair, Danni started apologizing. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you had someone here. I thought that the overhead said immediately. I’ll…I’ll come back later." Her legs edging her back into the hallway as she attempted to leave.
Ian McCormick jumped up from his chair, his face full of eagerness. Danni thought back to the last time she had seen that look in his eyes. Her mind shown a brief glimpse of the man in an outdoor seating, now she recognized it. ‘The softball game, right before the ambulance arrived.’
"Danni, we’re both here to talk to you." He motioned to Nan. "Now come on in and have a seat."
She moved into the room and shook Ian’s offered hand. She watched the appreciative look in his eyes. ‘Well, at least he’s not angry about something.’ She released his grip and stepped in front of the chair that her Manager was now motioning to.
Nan quickly moved to her seat behind her desk as the other two sat down. Folding her hands on her desk, she looked over to the Chief of the Emergency Department. Seeing his slight nod, Nan turned to address the young nurse directly. "Nurse Bossard," she smiled then restarted. "Danni," the Manager wanted to keep the impromptu meeting as informal and friendly as she could. "Dr. McCormick approached me about the possibility of adding you to a task force that is being formed jointly between the Department of Trauma Services and our own."
"Oh?" Danni fought hard not to laugh, thinking back to what Garrett had revealed to her about McCormick and how Dr. McMurray viewed him. "I didn’t know that there was any kind of task force being assembled." Her air of naivete being aided by her youthful appearance she pushed on for more information. "What will the task force be dealing with and why do you think that I would be interested in it?"
Ian took over now, as he attempted to explain how he had gone to the Chief of Trauma Services, Dr. McMurray, with the proposition and they had both agreed that it would be best for a task force to be put in place. Then he dropped the bombshell. He announced that a proposal would have to be drawn up and since it was so close to the quarterly Board Meeting, it would have to be done within the next few days. He offered some "I’m too busy to do it myself" excuse, then proceeded to tell her that it was his idea to use the best and the brightest from each department to be the work horses. He was coming to an end of his long explanation when he reached out and placed his hand on top of her’s as it resting on the arm of the chair. "That’s why we thought since the staff all felt that the two of you work so well together, that it would be no problem for either of you."
Danni looked at him, then at Nan. "Work well…with whom?" ‘I just love seeing what he’s going to offer as the excuse for picking Garrett and myself for this project.’ The petite nurse played with them as she eyed the balding man skeptically. She didn’t want to seem too eager. Besides, it was fun watching him sweat a little. The gods knew that he made the staff all sweat occasionally with his egomania about competing with other departments within the hospital.
"Well," he brought his handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe the isolated bead or two of perspiration not forming on his forehead, "with Dr. Trivoli, of course." He sounded shocked that she would not have already figured this out.
"You have to admit it, Danni, you two do have a natural feel for each other. It’s like you communicate on some level that none of us are aware of." Nan shocked herself at her own astute observation of the pair. "In all of my years, I’ve never seen someone be able to do that with all of the hostility that woman can give off. It’s been hell trying to keep nurses from refusing to work under her demands all around the hospital. The other managers are all receiving complaints about her from their staff." Nan shook her head. "Thank god, for some odd reason I’m not one of them. She’s viewed differently by the staff here in the E.R. Maybe it’s because we don’t see her for that long of a time." She paused to take a breath, and then continued. "You seem to be able to bring out a side of her that no one else could see. For that, I’m grateful."
The young nurse sat dumbfounded. She didn’t realize it was that noticeable to those around her. The "taming of the shrew" as some had termed her attempt at having a friendship with the perfectionist surgeon behind her back. She had ignored them and rightfully so. She could see the faint image of the real Garrett Trivoli, even as early as that first morning run in. It was something tha
t she believed in, just like now. She believed in Garrett’s idea, knowing full well that she had a stake in it also. The eventual healing of the surgeon’s own traumatized soul. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the deeper male voice.
"I’d like to see this project get all the support that it needs. What do you say, Danni?" He winked and looked encouragingly at her. "You’re the best one to work with her on this." ‘I would have liked to! I have no idea why McMurray, that old jackass, wouldn’t have anyone else but you paired up with his prima donna.’
Danni had her mind made up before she had ever entered the office some thirty minutes earlier. Now, it was time to voice her belief in the project, and Garrett also. She turned her gaze now to Nan. "You do realize that if I take this assignment, I’ll have very little time to concentrate on it with my present scheduling?" Her face was serious and very business-like.
"Yes, that’s why we are taking you off of your assigned nursing duties for the rest of the week." Nan was confident that the small nurse would come to bat for them now just like she always had. "You’ll be reassigned to them starting next Monday evening. Is that all right with you?"
The nurse nodded and stood up to leave. "Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have some things to get done before I dig into that proposal."
Dr. McCormick stood and cupped her on her shoulder with his hand. "I knew that you would come through for us, Danni." ‘God, what I wouldn’t give for the chance to work closely with that tall, raven-haired beauty. I bet that by the time we had that proposal ironed out, I’d have one of my own going with her before the end of the weekend.’ His thoughts turned to images of a tall, leggy woman wrapping herself around his stout frame. "Ah…heaven," he muttered softly under his breath.
"What?" Danni asked as her eyes searched his face.
Coughing to clear his throat. "Haven’t you wasted enough time in this office already?" He hoped that his face was not reflecting his lewd thoughts to be with the Trauma Fellow, but he couldn’t put her out of his mind.
"You’re right, Dr. McCormick. I better get going." She nodded at her Manager across from her and turned, leaving the office. Once on the other side of the door, Danni’s face was one of sheer joy.
She made her way back to the Conference Room where she had been talking to Garrett when the ominous overhead announcement had summoned her. The room was empty. ‘I guess she couldn’t wait that long.’ She glanced down at her watch noticing that a significant amount of time had passed. ‘Well, at least the day is almost over.’
************
The news traveled fast once the changes where made to the week’s work schedule. The occasional rude and unthoughtful comments were being made by some of the staff as to why Danni had been so privileged, until none other than Nan filtered the true reason down through the ranks herself. Once they found out that the project was to be in close workings with the perfectionistic surgeon, all bidders quickly stopped their grumbling. The staff liked the strong-willed Trauma Fellow, but not that much to be saddled solely with her for the next six days.
Danni waited for the last hour of her shift to pass, busying herself with the paperwork that seldom got attention. The nurse had not noticed her friend standing a few feet away, when her thoughts were interrupted.
"So, I hear that you got a big job during the next week." Rosie was teasing her. "Must be nice, not having to leave home to work."
"Rosie!" Danni sat shaking her head. "I wish it was going to be that easy. Everyone around here thinks that beside the fact that I have to work with Dr. Trivoli, it’s going to be a cinch job."
"Well, isn’t it? How hard can writing a project proposal be?"
The blonde nurse didn’t know what to say to that. ‘If you only knew why this proposal is so important, you would understand. I’d love to be able to tell you but I’m not sure Garrett wants the world to know, at least not yet.’ "I guess it could be worse. No, you’re right, with the two of us working on it, it shouldn’t be that difficult." She chose the easy way out, knowing that Rosie would never understand her allegiance with the Trauma Fellow. "Say, what are you doing in so early, anyway?"
"Early?" Rosie looked puzzled. "Danni, I hate to tell you this, but it’s just about time for you to head on home. Your shift’s just about done."
"Jeez, I must have lost track of all time." Her head turned from side to side as she scanned the visible parts of the E.R. "You haven’t seen Dr. Trivoli anywhere, have you?"
"Nope, all’s quiet on the trauma front." Rosie laughed. "Why? Did you misplace her?"
Danni made a silly face at the sassy nurse. "No, we drove in together. I’d better page her or she’ll forget all about going home." ‘Better yet, I think I’ll pick up some food in the cafeteria and maybe we can start to work on that proposal now.’ The nurse got up and headed toward the elevators. "I’ll see you later, Rosie."
"Hey, I thought you were going to page Garrett?"
"I’m not ready to go home just yet. Besides, I have a better idea." Danni waved and resumed her forward motion, only to be stopped by Karen as she came through the E.R.’s main doors. "Hey, Mom!"
"Hey, yourself." Karen sidestepped as the blonde made her way through the doorway. The older nurse turned and watched as Danni headed over to the first available elevator and got on. ‘Must be on a mission.’ She laughed and turned to face the auburn-haired nurse at the desk. "What’s up with the little one?" Karen motioned her head at Danni’s last sighting.
"She’s been reassigned for a week to work with Garrett on a special project, some kind of proposal for a joint venture between us and Trauma Services. Lucky, huh?"
Mom thought for a moment before even trying to answer Rosie’s question. ‘By the look on her face, that special project has more to do with Garrett than anyone else.’ "Yeah, well, I guess that all depends on how easy that project is to tackle. Somehow with Garrett involved…I wouldn’t exactly say lucky to be with her for a week." Mom ambled over to the Charge Nurse desk and sat down. "All right, now get to work." She looked sternly at Rosie, then began to laugh. It was going to be another night shift as usual but without two of her "daughters" at her side.
****************
The soft knock followed by a slightly louder one gradually stirred the surgeon from her thoughts as she poured over the computer screen. "Come on in." She called out, not losing her place on the data filled screen. Upon hearing the door swing open she started talking, then only when she finished the line of data did she look up. "Rene, you don’t have to knock. It’s as much your office…" Seeing that it was Danni and not her colleague, she chuckled apologetically. "Sorry, you’re not Rene. Hi! Guess I forgot about going home, huh?"
The nurse shook her head and smiled. Holding up the tray of food, she offered. "I figured that you would be up to your elbows in research any way, so I picked us up some dinner." Setting the tray down on the desk, she looked over the jotted notes on the pad in front of the tall surgeon. "You found more lone survivors?" Danni’s eyes flashed up and caught the surgeon’s blue orbs.
"Yeah, and I’ve only gone back two years so far." Garrett sniffed at the air, a faintly familiar aroma drifted on the air. "You got any tea on that tray? I could sure go for some."
"Spiced apple or Mandarin Orange? I think maybe that orange might be just what you need to refresh you, Doc." Danni handed over the cup of tea. "I thought that we could finish up on some of the research tonight. I mean, since you are already wading through it all day, we could finish it off then move on to planning out the proposal tomorrow."
"Thanks." Garrett sipped at the warming liquid. "I’m almost done here, any ways. It shouldn’t take us too much longer."
"So, how many have you found so far?"
"Only three more, but if you think of all of the Trauma Centers in the state, that number could easily grow." The look on the woman’s face was one of pensiveness as she wondered why no one else had ever thought to look at the numbers. ‘I guess they only look at the accident victims t
hemselves and not the families.’
Picking up on her friend’s sadness, the nurse tried to turn it into a positive thought. "Things happen for a reason. I think that you were meant to address this. You’re one of them and who else would have even thought about it?"
"I’m afraid that I’m not the one that thought of it…you were. For that, I’m grateful."
"Garrett, I truly believe that each of us are put on this earth with a direct mission in mind from some higher being. Sometimes it takes somebody else to make us aware of that plan and they help us achieve our goals. That’s all." Her voice became soft as her eyes cast down in a reflective manner. "I guess that I’m that person for you."
The surgeon thought about it for several minutes. The quiet office felt comfortable, as words were no longer a necessity between the two women. She had spent all of her adult life subconsciously looking for that feeling of home that had been ripped away from her as a teen. Now, here in this tiny office, in a town on the opposite side of the country, she was feeling very much at home with the nurse that was sharing her life with her, one thought at a time. ‘I’m going to have to give this more thought. Yes, after the proposal is written, I’ll think this whole thing over. She just may be right.’