NYC Angels: Tempting Nurse Scarlet

by Wendy S. Marcus

  Michelle put the nipple into Joey’s mouth and the baby started to suck.

  “That’s a good girl.” She leaned forward and placed a kiss on Joey’s forehead. “Good bye, sweet baby,” she whispered for only Joey to hear, the ache of loss tearing at her heart, a throbbing pressure building in her head as each bubble of hope she’d had for her and Joey’s future together burst then vanished.

  When Scarlet tried to stand up, praying her legs would hold her, Michelle pulled her into a one-armed hug. “Thank you,” she said. “I can see how much you love baby Joey and I want to assure you we will do right by this little girl. And we’ll make sure she never forgets the special nurse who took such loving good care of her and watched over her until we could find her. We’ll make sure she knows she can talk to us about anything and we will always love her and be there for her, no matter what.”

  Scarlet couldn’t hold back her tears. “Thank you for that.” But she’d reached her limit, had to leave this room this instant. With her last bit of strength she stood and wiped her eyes. “I, uh…” Despair clogged her throat at the thought of leaving Joey. She cleared it, had to be strong. “…have to get back to work. Linda would you familiarize Mr. and Mrs. Quinnellen with Joey’s medical status, care to date, and her treatment/discharge plan.”

  “Of course,” Linda said quietly. “Don’t you worry about a thing.”

  When Scarlet left the room she came face to face with many sad, concerned faces as the majority of her day shift staff stared back at her from behind the nurses’ station. Thank goodness her charge nurse, Deb, was among them. “Back to work everyone,” Scarlet said. “I need to speak to you in my office, Deb.”

  As soon as Deb followed her in and closed the door Scarlet said, “I need to head out.” Her voice cracked, and Scarlet hoped she’d be able to hold herself together long enough to make it out of the hospital.

  “I’m so sorry,” Deb said.

  Scarlet couldn’t talk about it. “You’re in charge,” she told Deb, discarding her gown. “And I am entrusting you with the task of making sure Joey’s grandparents are trained and proficient in all the care she’ll require on discharge.” A clean break would make it easier for everyone involved, which meant she’d just held and cuddled and kissed Joey for the last time. Tears burned her eyes. She kept her head down and pulled open the bottom drawer of her desk to retrieve her pocketbook. “If you have any concerns let me know.”

  “Of course,” Deb said.

  Someone knocked on her door.

  Scarlet didn’t look up. “Who is it?” she asked Deb.

  “Pam and a woman I’ve never seen before,” Debs aid quietly.

  “Seconds from a clean getaway,” Scarlet whispered.

  “What should I do?” Deb asked.

  Scarlet didn’t feel capable of pretending she was okay. But Pam knew how much she wanted Joey and how devastating the surprise arrival of her grandparents had been. If she were knocking on Scarlet’s door it must be important, so she looked up and motioned for them enter.

  “This is Polly Seymour,” Pam said from the doorway. “A family friend of the Quinnellens.”

  “I’m a nurse and I’ve dreamed of working here at Angel’s,” Polly said way too enthusiastically for the mood in the office as she reached out to shake Scarlet’s hand.

  Scarlet shot a why-did-you-bring-this-woman-into-my-office look at Pam who immediately responded, “She accompanied Michelle and Peter to New York in case they needed assistance with Joey’s care. I thought she could put your mind at ease about the type of people they are.”

  Was the concern in Pam’s eyes for Scarlet or for Joey?

  “They’re lovely,” Polly said. “Truly lovely people. We’ve attended the same church for years. I’d have given anything for a mother, who am I kidding, for any member of my family to be as attentive and caring as Michelle.” Although Scarlet didn’t know the woman, she had an impassioned sincerity in her tone that made her words believable. “Peter may look strict and in charge, but Michelle calls the shots in that family.”

  Scarlet got the feeling that was a good thing.

  Polly chattered on about a county fair and an angry uncle and Michelle coming to her aid. But it was more information than Scarlet could handle in her present frame of mind. She glanced at Deb for help.

  “Thank you so much for stopping by,” Deb stood, interrupting Polly mid-perky sentence. “If Scarlet doesn’t leave now she’ll be late for an important meeting.”

  “Oh, of course,” Polly said. “We can’t have that now, can we?”

  Deb herded Polly and Pam toward the door.

  “While I’m here I’m going to apply for a job,” Polly said, over her shoulder.

  “Best of luck,” Deb said, closing the door behind them.

  “Thank you,” Scarlet said.

  “Why don’t you head over to my place? Kev is working from home today and I’ll get there as soon as I can. You shouldn’t be alone.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she said with a forced smile. “I’ll have my cell phone on for emergencies.”

  “Well turn it off and focus on you for a change,” Deb said. “Tonight I’ll have my cell phone on and I’m going to leave word that I’m on call for emergencies. You go home and take care of you.”

  Scarlet picked up her phone to turn it off. Joey’s picture came up and Scarlet could take no more. She set her head down on the desk and started to cry. And what made the entire situation infinitely worse was the one person she wanted to run to and confide in and accept comfort from—Lewis—had unceremoniously kicked her out of his life.

  And now she’d lost Joey, too.

  Scarlet had never felt more alone.

  Deb pulled up a chair, sat down beside her and rubbed Scarlet’s back. “Get it all out.”

  Scarlet worried if she didn’t get this mini-outburst under control she’d be there all night. She sniffled and grabbed for a tissue.

  “When you’re done,” Deb continued, “we’ll head down to the cafeteria for some hot fudge sundaes.”

  Scarlet laughed then sat up and wiped her eyes. “I will not be responsible for you cheating on your diet.”

  “Fine,” Deb said with a pout. “Then I’ll sit there and watch you eat one.”

  “Only a true friend would do that,” Scarlet said, squeezing Deb’s arm. “But it’s not necessary.” The laugh made her feel a little better so she took the opportunity to make her exit. “Will you run interference for me?”

  “Sure thing your head nurseness.” Deb stood and bowed. “Call me if you need me.”

  “I will.” No she wouldn’t.

  Lewis followed the GPS directions to Scarlet’s three story, Robin’s egg blue apartment building then drove around the residential block in search of street parking, losing patience, anxious to see her and be with her. The smell of sausage and peppers greeted him as he entered her building. A child’s or children’s crayon drawings taped along the walls welcomed him. Each of the four doors on the first floor was painted a different color, each with its own unique decorations.

  He climbed the worn wooden stairs to the second floor and stopped at the bright turquoise door with the big red Welcome sign and the small plate of wrapped chocolates hanging from an interesting wire rack, lucky number seven. Scarlet’s apartment.

  So warm and inviting. So Scarlet.

  He knocked.

  No answer.

  He imagined her inside, heartbroken and distraught, and knocked even harder. “Scarlet,” he yelled. “It’s Lewis, open up.”

  He gave her a couple of minutes but still no answer.

  He pounded with the side of his fist. “I know you’re in there.” Actually, he didn’t. “I’m not leaving until you open this door.” Because he didn’t know where else to look for her, but he’d beat on every door in this building if he had to. He would not leave until he found her.

  The door opened about three inches. “There. I opened it. Now leave.” She started to close it.
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  He jammed his hand in so she couldn’t, but that didn’t stop her from trying. Ouch! “Wait.”

  “I’m feeling sorry for myself,” she said, sounding weary. “It’s not pretty. Go away.”

  Pretty or not he had no intention of leaving her alone and miserable. He pushed on the door. “Let me in.”

  She pushed back. “No. Shouldn’t you be on your way to get Jessie?”

  “When I heard about Joey’s grandparents showing up I called my dad and told him I had to take care of something important.” Someone important. “He and mom offered to bring Jessie into the city after dinner.” Which they were more than happy to do for the chance to see the inside of his condo for the first time.

  “Great. Poor pitiful Scarlet got too attached to one of her patients. News of my breakdown is probably all over the hospital by now.” She must have walked away because all of a sudden the door flew open and Lewis, who had his shoulder pressed against it, lurched forward into her apartment with its tiny sunny yellow kitchen and eclectic mix of old and modern furniture.

  He walked to where she’d plopped onto the couch and wrapped herself in a colorfully striped afghan, noting all the crumpled tissues on the coffee table and floor.

  “Joey was more than a patient,” he acknowledged. “And I have no idea what’s circulating around the hospital.” He moved to the far end of the couch and sat down. “Your nurse Linda called the ER and insisted they get in touch with me immediately.”

  “Linda can be pretty insistent,” Scarlet said.

  More like relentless. To the point she’d harassed the unit secretary to tears. “I called her back and she told me what happened.” At which time Lewis’s heart had stopped. “She gave me your address.” And told him if he wanted to prove himself worthy of Scarlet, this was his chance.

  Without any further thought of his mother, or his avoidance of long term relationships with women, or how a relationship with Scarlet might affect Jessie, Lewis had grabbed his car keys and left his condo. Scarlet needed him and worthy or not, he would be there for her.

  After a solid twenty-four hours considering his life, past, present, and future, and Jessie’s life, past, present, and future, Lewis came the decision he could not, would not, give up Scarlet. She’d become an integral part, a special part, of his life. He could love her, he would love her. He felt certain of it.

  Somewhere in the Lincoln Tunnel Lewis decided he did want to prove himself worthy of Scarlet, he wanted to be the type of man she deserved, the type of man she’d want to spend her time with, her life with. By going to her, putting her before Jessie, and demonstrating with his actions how much he cared, Lewis hoped to be taking the first steps toward convincing her.

  Scarlet smoothed down her messy hair. “Sorry she bothered you.”

  “I’m not sorry, and it wasn’t a bother.” He wanted to be the one to comfort her and take care of her, to show her how much she meant to him. “How are you doing?” A stupid question he regretted the second it left his mouth. If her puffy red eyes and her pink nose and dry lips were any indication, she’d probably been crying for hours.

  “How do you think I’m doing?” she asked calmly. “Today I lost my second daughter. Today it became clear I am destined to spend the rest of my life taking care of other peoples’ babies, never to have one of my own, to live alone and be alone.” She grabbed a tissue from the box beside her and blotted at her eyes.

  “You’re not alone,” he said, reaching for her hand which she moved away.

  She looked up at him with red puffy eyes. “No. At this particular moment in time I am not alone. But in two minutes when you leave here to meet up with your parents and your daughter I’ll be alone, and the night after that and the night after that and the night after that.” She started to cry and Lewis’s entire body ached to hold her.

  “Come home with me,” he offered. “Come be there when Jessie sees her new room for the first time.” Let me take care of you. “It’ll cheer you up.”

  “Jessie’s your daughter,” she said. “I don’t belong there.”

  “Of course you do.” He slid closer intending to put his arm around her and tell her how important she was to both him and Jessie.

  But she pushed him away. “Don’t,” she snapped. “Don’t think you can come in here pretending to care about me,” she yelled. “You don’t get to turn it on and turn it off when it suits you. It’s over,” she screamed. “This can’t happen again.” She threw his callous words back in his face.

  “I didn’t mean—”

  “Yes you did,” she sobbed. “I can’t handle this right now. I need you to leave.”

  “But I want—”

  “Don’t you get it?” she yelled. “I’m done caring about what you want. You used me—”

  “I did not.”

  She glared at him. “You hurt me, and having you here is making me feel worse, not better. Now get out,” she screamed wildly, throwing off the afghan and stomping to the door which she yanked open. “Get. Out.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

  Lewis stood. “Let me make you a cup of tea.” To calm her down so they could talk, so he could fix things between them.

  “I don’t want tea,” she screamed. “And I don’t want you, in my apartment or anywhere near me.”

  Her words slammed into his diaphragm, inhibiting his ability to draw in the air necessary to make speech possible.

  “Please go,” she said, leaning her back against the door, looking exhausted and completely defeated. “You shouldn’t have come.”

  Lewis didn’t agree, but rather than upset her further, he left.

  CHAPTER TEN

  ABOUT HALF PAST six the following Monday evening Scarlet sat in her office reviewing Joey’s chart, especially Deb’s notes regarding discharge readiness. Joey thrived under Michelle’s constant attention and was scheduled to go home tomorrow. In the past week Scarlet had managed to put aside her sorrow enough to be happy for Joey, and for Michelle and Peter. They’d fallen in love with Joey as quickly as Scarlet had, and she felt at peace with Joey going home with her family where she belonged.

  Michelle promised to send pictures, which Scarlet would proudly hang up on the wall with all the other NICU graduates.

  One of the unit secretaries came to her door. “I know you said you didn’t want to be bothered unless it was an emergency, but there’s a girl on the phone for you. She says her name is Jessie and she sounds upset.”

  “Put her through,” Scarlet said and disengaged her Do Not Disturb button so she could answer the call. Come on. Come on. Had something happened to Jess? To Lewis? She tapped her pen on her desk blotter while she waited.

  As soon as the phone rang Scarlet snatched up the receiver. “Hey, Jess. What’s wrong?”

  “I got it,” Jess said.

  “You got what?”

  “It,” she said with emphasis. “I need stuff.”

  “What language are you speaking, because I’m not following.”

  “The cramping crimson curse.”

  For the first time in days Scarlet smiled. “So if I’m deciphering this correctly, you got your period and are in need of some feminine supplies. Welcome to womanhood.”

  “Please don’t talk like that. It makes me want to vomit.”

  Scarlet’s smile grew. “Where are you?”

  “In the bathroom.”

  “Where’s your dad?”

  “Outside of the bathroom yelling that dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes. How soon can you get here?”

  The last place Scarlet wanted to go was to Lewis’s condo, to be reminded of what they’d shared. “You know you can talk to your dad,” she said. “I’m sure he’d—”

  “Do not go there,” Jessie interrupted. “You told me if I ever needed you, and I need you.”

  Truth be told, the place she wanted to go even less than Lewis’s condo was back to her apartment and the empty bedroom with pink walls and butterfly decals that’d been waiting for Joey—which is w
hy she’d been putting off leaving the hospital tonight. Jessie needing her gave Scarlet an excuse to put it off for a little while longer. “I’ll swing by the drugstore, and assuming I can catch a cab, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

  “Thank you,” Jessie said and disconnected the call.

  Half an hour later Scarlet exited the elevator on Lewis’s floor and tried to ignore the memory of them walking down this very corridor, hand in hand, so happy.

  She reached his door and knocked.

  Expecting Jessie to answer, she felt as shocked as Lewis looked when he opened the door.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked softly.

  “I’m sorry to bother you,” she said, holding up the drugstore bag. “Jessie called me.”

  “Scarlet,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. “You could never bother me. You’re welcome here anytime.”

  Yet he didn’t open the door enough to allow entry. “May I come in?”

  “Yes. Of course.” He moved to the side and opened the door wider. “Please. Come in.”

  Jessie stood in the living room.

  “I got what you—”

  “I lied,” Jessie said. “I didn’t…you know.” She walked over to Scarlet and took the bag from her hand. “But when I do, now I’ll be ready.”

  “Why?” Scarlet asked.

  Jessie moved to close the door to the hallway then she positioned herself in front of it as if trying to block Scarlet’s exit. “Because you two need to talk.”

  “Jessie,” Lewis cautioned.

  “I know. It was wrong, and I’m sorry.” She glanced back and forth between them before stopping on Scarlet. “Dad told me you both spent a lot of time together working on my room.”

  Among other things. Hopefully the warmth on her face did not present itself as the bright red blush she feared.

  “He really likes you as in more than a friend likes you,” Jessie said.

  “That was supposed to be a private father daughter conversation,” Lewis interjected.

  He’d told Jessie he really liked her?

  Undeterred by Lewis’s scowl Jessie continued, “He wanted to know how I’d feel if he asked you out on a date.”