Better the Devil You Don't Know

by Mairsile Leabhair

  “No problem,” she replied.

  “Excuse me,” I said, clicking on the accept button. I didn’t recognize the number, but something told me to answer it. “Casey Dennis.”

  “Um, Casey, this is Scottie Thomas. You said I could call you if I needed a prayer buddy again.”

  “Scottie, yes, of course. I’ll be right up.” I clicked off the connection and for a moment, stood frozen in place. Oh, God. Please don’t let that boy die. Finally, feeling apprehensive, I turned to Becky. “Are we done here, Becky? I’ve got another meeting I have to get to.”

  “I’m done. But don’t leave town,” she said seriously, but couldn’t stop the mischievous smile from edging up the corners of her lips.

  “Yeah, you had me going with that one.” I smirked. Shrugging out of my jacket, I laid it on the bed and pulled out a pastel blue tank top from the closet. My mother tried to compensate for my tomboyish ways thanks to my father, and one of the things she taught me was how to wear certain colors to convey certain meanings. Wearing red this morning was two-fold in that I needed to feel the power of the color when I fired Byron, and I wanted to convey to him my contempt. But now I wanted a softer pastel color that would be calming. I pulled my red top off and slipped on my blue one. As I jerked my arm into my blazer, I notice Becky was staring at me.

  “Not shy much, are you?” she asked with a sly smile.

  “Life is too short to be shy, especially when time is of the essence.”

  After I ushered Becky out and locked the door to the motorhome, I ran back to the hospital entrance and walked quickly down the hall. I didn’t want to go, but I couldn’t stay away. Yet, if I got there and that boy was worse or… dead, I knew that would be it for me.

  The ICU was bustling with nurses taking vitals, aides changing linens, transportation techs pushing a gurney, and phlebotomists with their tacklebox full of tubes and needles. I froze. I couldn’t move. Oh fuck. Reminded of when I was a patient in the ICU, the terror slammed into me like a freight train.

  “Everything all right, Casey?”

  “What?” What was the nurse asking? No, wait. It wasn’t a nurse. It was Celine. Blinking away my confusion, I focused on her. “Sure, everything’s fine, Celine.”

  “For a second there, I thought you might have been… never mind. So, what brings you up to the pediatric ward? Oh, you don’t have a child—”

  “No, I don’t have children. I’m here to see a patient’s mother, so if you’ll excuse me, she’s waiting for me.”

  “Of course. But I still want that raincheck you promised me,” she said.

  “I’ll call you when I’m finished here, how’s that?”

  “Not good, I’ll be making rounds and seeing patients most of the morning.”

  “You have a patient in the pediatric ICU?”

  “Yes. Well, actually, it’s a patient’s mother. But I also have a sister who works as a nurse on this unit,” she replied, pointing toward the nurse I had talked with the night before. The nurse grinned and waved at me. “And she’s very impressed with you, Casey.”

  Was she trying to set me up with her sister? “Okay, well, I’d better get going,” I said, edging past her.

  “Let’s do lunch. It seems to be the only time we’re both available.”

  “Lunch two days in a row. What will people say?” I teased, not really caring what people would say.

  “That you have immaculate taste in lunch companions, I’m sure,” she replied lightheartedly.

  “And they would be right,” I said coyly. “See you later.”

  Walking the length of the ICU, I completely forgot about Celine when I saw Scottie pacing in front of her son’s room. Oh, God.

  “You came,” she exclaimed when she saw me. “I had hoped you would, but…”

  She seemed so breakable, tired and distraught, and I wanted to grab her up in my arms and assure her that everything was going to be all right. But was it? How could I promise something that I didn’t believe myself?

  “Of course I came. Is everything all right?” I glanced in the room and saw that the boy had an oxygen mask on now. He clutched a small football as he slept, and he looked terribly pale. The book his mother had been reading laid on the end of the bed with her reading glasses setting on top of it.

  “He’s worse and the doctor said he might not—”

  She swayed and I thought she was going to faint. Instinctively, I grabbed her elbow and put my arm around her shoulder to steady her. “Here, come sit down,” I said, but she turned and wrapped her arms around my waist, burrowing her head into my shoulder.

  Trembling, she let go of her tears and sobbed. I had told Becky that life was too short to be shy, but I felt suddenly bashful standing there holding this fragile woman in my arms. I wasn’t sure if I was doing it right or not, having never held a woman who was that upset. My experiences when holding a woman close was to bring her to orgasm. Well, except for my mother, of course. I remember holding her at my dad’s funeral, but this was completely different. This was… confusing.

  My two-way radio on my belt clicked twice. “Base to Chief Dennis,” Michele’s voice crackled.

  Scottie stepped back and pulled a tissue from her pocket.

  “I’m sorry,” I said, pulling my radio out.

  “No, I’m sorry. Um…”

  “Base to Dennis,” Michele repeated.

  Frowning, I pushed the button, “Dennis, go ahead, base.” Scottie’s large eyes were red with tears and I wanted to pull her back into my arms. I wanted to protect her from the reason for those tears.

  “Be advised that the three other temps are here.”

  “Roger that. Have they processed through HR?” I asked.

  “Affirmative,” Michele answered.

  “Very well. Have Ms. Davis prep them and then ask her to do a sweep of the floors and then return to base. I’ll be down in a few minutes. Dennis out.” I clipped the radio back on my belt and looked at Scottie again. “I’m sorry.”

  She shook her head and dabbed her eyes again. “No, please. I’m the one who’s sorry. I shouldn’t have… I didn’t mean to break down like that.”

  “I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. I’m just sorry I couldn’t be more help.” She teared up again, and I was sure that I had said the wrong thing.

  “You have done more than I had the right to ask for,” she said, taking my hand in hers and searching my eyes. “I don’t know how I’ll ever pay you back.”

  “You can pay me back by staying strong for your son,” I said, squeezing her hand. “And if it gets too heavy to bear again, do just what you did today; call me. That’s the only kind of repayment I will accept.”

  She smiled up at me, her eyes searching mine. I thought, or was it hoped, that she was going to kiss me on the cheek again, but she looked away.

  “You have work to do,” she said, nodding toward the radio on my belt. “You’d better get to it, Chief Dennis. And thank you again.”

  “You have my card. Call me.”

  “I will. Thank you for that. You don’t know how much it helps, just knowing that I have a lifeline…” Scottie’s voice trailed off as she looked at her son.

  I felt reluctant to leave but wasn’t sure if I should stay. Running my fingers through my hair to help me think, I finally came up with an idea. “If it’s all right, I’d like to come back later and see if you need anything.”

  She shook her head. “You’re really sweet, but it isn’t necessary. You don’t have to go out of your way for me, I’m fine now.”

  I tucked my finger under her chin and lifted it until our eyes met. “Who says it’s for you?” I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and then walked away. “Call me if you need to,” I said over my shoulder as I walked out of the ICU.

  Just as the automatic doors shut behind me, I looked up and stopped short. Celine was standing in the middle of the foyer to the elevators, her arms crossed over her chest and her foot tapping on the floor. “What
were you thinking?” she asked accusingly.

  Chapter Twelve

  Michele Michaels

  After sequestering the new recruits in the conference room with paperwork to fill out, I walked back out to my desk where Lula was waiting.

  “Thanks for waiting. I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that you got the job, Lula,” I said as my heart broke. I really was happy for her, but I knew what that meant for us.

  “Funny, you don’t look very happy,” she replied, taking a step back.

  “No, I am. I know you were hoping to get hired on here.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t expect it to happen so fast,” she said, sitting on the edge of my desk.

  “We were already shorthanded before Byron was let go, but we knew that some of the temps could possibly be hired if they met her standards. I guess you met those standards quicker than most. Quite impressive, really,” I said with a proud smile.

  “Well, let’s celebrate tonight on our date.”

  “Oh…” I looked at the floor. “About that.”

  “Is that what you looked worried about?” she asked, bending down to look up into my eyes. “Coworkers dating policy?”

  I nodded.

  “Well, don’t be. I’ve already spoken with the chief and she’s okay with it as long as we keep our relationship off campus.”

  “Our relationship? Do we have a relationship already?” I asked coyly, trying not to dance with excitement.

  “Well, as coworkers we have a professional relationship, and I’m betting that after tonight we’ll have a more intimate type of relationship.”

  “Cocky, aren’t you?”

  “Only if you like cocky women,” she chuckled.

  Oh, man. You have no idea. “Ask me again after tonight,” I retorted slyly.

  “I will. And dress up tonight. I’m taking you someplace fancy to celebrate.”

  “Oh!” I was getting aroused just thinking about it but I couldn’t let her know that. “Spending that paycheck before you get it, are you?”

  “Why not?” she said with a shrug. “You only live once, you know. Make the most of it while you can. That’s my motto.”

  I started to make a joke about my age when I caught a glimpse of Dorey. She winked at me. “You know what, I totally agree with that motto.”

  “Good, then get ready to have some fun,” she said and then turned, stopping at the office door long enough to say, “I’ll see you tonight, pretty lady.”

  My legs had turned to jelly and I had to sit down before I fell down. A strong, handsome, beautiful woman wants me get dressed up because she’s taking me out in public. Am I dreaming? It had been a while since I’d been with anyone and it was always at my apartment or at a hotel. I lost interest in one-night stands ten years ago. Unfortunately, as lonely as those were, not having the comfort of a lover’s arms wrapped around me left me even lonelier.

  “So, what’s the quirky grin on your face about, Michele?” Dorey asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

  “I’ve got a date tonight. An honest to God date.” I looked to see if I was floating on air. Then suddenly I realized that I didn’t have a thing to wear to a fancy restaurant. “Oh, no!”

  “What, it’s great… isn’t it?” Dorey asked.

  “What am I going to wear? She’s taking me someplace fancy and I don’t have clothes for fancy. Mud wrestling, yes. Fancy, no.”

  Dorey laughed, shaking her head. “Let’s go shopping on our lunch hour and find you something fancy to wear.”

  “Oh, thank you. That would be great,” I replied, exhaling.

  “Come on, let’s check out the next batch of temps. Maybe we can find you another date,” Dorey said, laughing.

  “I don’t think my old heart could handle two dates in one week,” I retorted.

  Dorey punched me in the arm. “Listen, I know you know this, but as your friend, humor me for a second. Guard your heart, Michele. She’s moving really fast. Too fast, if you ask me.”

  “You think so?” I was so excited to be asked out again that I didn’t even think about how I had only just met her.

  “All I’m saying is go have fun, but don’t pack the U-Haul just yet.”

  I burst out laughing. “It’s scary how well you know me, Dorey.”

  “Seriously?” she asked, frowning.

  “No, not seriously. I’m too old to be driving a U-Haul around. She’ll have to move in with me.”

  “Oh, my God. Michele—”

  “Calm down. I was only kidding. Look, the only thing that I’m hoping for from this date is that someone makes me feel special for a couple of hours. I don’t need anything more than that.”

  “So, a one-night stand would be okay with you?”

  I shrugged, thinking “My usual type of one-night stands consists of going straight to bed, doing the deed and waking up alone. Even if it is just one date tonight, it will be so much more than I’ve had in a long time.”

  The three new temporary guards were all completely different. Jasmine Bailey, age twenty-one, looked like a baby up next to Eugene Kozlowski, age fifty-one. Jasmine was bubbly and vivacious, cute and innocent. Eugene had deep crags of skin puckering his cheeks and appeared to have a permanent scowl on his face. Gary Bennett, aged thirty-six, landed somewhere in between. Clean shaven and showered, he looked professional and interested. I had a feeling that one sour look from our chief and Jasmine would be running for the door. The other two I wasn’t so sure of, although as sour as Eugene looked, he’d probably think she was coming on to him.

  “Good morning, everyone. My name is Dorey Davis and I am one of your team leaders.”

  Jasmine chirped good morning, Gary nodded and Eugene scowled.

  Dorey waved her hand toward me. “And you’ve met our resident go-to woman, Michele Michaels. If you have any questions about hospital regs or policies, just ask her. Well, technically, you can ask any of us, but she’s likely to have the fastest answer. Now if it’s questions about security and what is expected of you, which I will be training you on, then ask me or any of our full-time officers; Josh, Barney, Robby, and Lucas, whom you’ll meet as the days go on, and Lula, who was just hired today. Josh Hamilton is your other team leader. Okay. Any questions so far?”

  Josh, Lula, Barney and Lucas had worked the nightshift, so they had finally gone home. Robby was making rounds, which left Dorey and the new recruits.

  Jasmine shot her hand up as if she were in grade school, and said, “I have a question.”

  Dorey nodded. “Yes, Ms. Bailey?”

  “Where’s the bathroom? I really need to pee.”

  “Uh, okay,” Dorey said, looking at me.

  Laughing, I waved at Jasmine to follow me. The bathroom, a unisex two-seater, was wedged in between the conference room and the breakroom. I had printed out a two-sided sheet with one side saying women and the other saying men. If the door was closed that meant it was occupied and the laminated sign I had made would indicate which sex was occupying it.

  “That’s the men’s room. I can’t go in there,” Jasmine said despondently.

  I explained about the door being open and showed her how to flip the sign. She clapped her tiny little hands together and smiled. That is until she saw that the toilet seat was up. She read the sign taped to the wall behind the toilet. We must coexist, so don’t miss with your piss.

  “Oh! This is a men’s restroom,” she cried, turning to leave. “I can’t be in here.”

  I put my hand up to stop her. “Jasmine, it’s all right. We only have the one bathroom, like I said, so everyone uses it. Don’t worry, the bathroom is cleaned daily.”

  I wasn’t about to upset her more by explaining that it was a man who put that sign up there. Josh was irritated because he noticed that Barney missed the toilet one time when they were both in the bathroom together. Bless his heart, Barney was coming off nightshift and was probably half asleep at the time. And not surprisingly, the sign did absolutely no good whatsoever. I’d taken to calling
environmental services the first thing in the mornings on any day that Barney worked the night before and eventually, ES put the security department on their list to clean first. Now we have a very understanding housekeeper who takes good care of us.

  When we got back to the conference room and Jasmine had sat down, she immediately raised her hand. “Are you still taking questions?” she asked.

  “Sure,” Dorey replied. “Do you have a question?”

  “No,” Jasmine said with a smile. “I was just wondering if you were.”

  Dorey’s mouth fell open and I couldn’t help but snicker. “Uh… okay then. Any other questions?”

  “Yeah, I’ve got one,” Gary said. He hadn’t done much talking up until then and his voice sounded gravelly, like he had just woken up. It didn’t seem to fit his looks.

  “Go ahead,” Dorey said with a nod.

  “I saw on the news about that lady who was murdered here. Has that happened before?”

  “No, and I can assure you that it won’t happen again,” Dorey stated. “It wasn’t premeditated. It was sloppy, rushed, and desperate.”

  “Is that the opinion of the police?” Eugene asked.

  Dorey shook her head. “No. My opinion only, for what it’s worth.”

  “Not much,” Eugene muttered to himself.

  I heard him but I don’t think Dorey did.

  “But let me be clear about one thing,” Dorey continued. “If you want to speculate, do it here, in this office. Don’t gossip out on the floors because the staff will think that with us being security, we know what we’re talking about. We don’t.”

  “At this point, no one knows for sure,” I added.

  Jasmine raised her hand again and Dorey nodded at her. “Um, I think there’s been a mix-up.”

  “How so?”

  “I wanted to work at the mall, like at Dillard’s or someplace. I didn’t know there would be murders and such. I’m not… I can’t be here.”

  Dorey smiled, whether it was from what Jasmine said or the fact that she was quitting, I couldn’t tell.

  “I understand, Jasmine,” Dorey said. “We understand if you want to go back to the temp agency.”