Her Forever Fling

by Kimmie Ferrell

  If Melissa did receive the job offer to work in the CTICU, and that was a big if, her entire world would be tilted on its axis. There was a lot that went into moving from one state to another, and although she’d begun the process of packing up her personal items and donating unwanted furniture, Melissa hadn’t received any offers on the townhouse. But being in the same city with her best friend and working in the same hospital again made everything she had to do and already did worth it. Especially the smiles on the faces of her parents, brother, niece, and godmother, when she told them her plans to move. Melissa missed them so much and traveling four to six hours to visit them sounded a whole lot better than a fourteen-plus-hour drive.

  But the one thing Melissa hadn’t counted on to factor into her move and a new job was Elijah.

  In her haste to find a job, Melissa had applied to a hospital she’d done little to no research on. Then again, over the last couple of months, she’d been delightfully distracted with her relationship and with living for the present. And when those haunting questions concerning her future would present themselves, or when Melissa would begin to feel the weight of the world on her shoulders, she’d retreat into herself and her head where she would remain until those thoughts passed. Melissa hadn’t wanted to do anything to jinx her luck about her job, and now, she wished she did.

  Hearing her phone ringing, Melissa grabbed her purse off the passenger seat and rummaged through it, locating the device. She connected the call to the car’s Bluetooth system. “Hey, Jay.”

  “Hey, how’d the interview go?”

  “Honestly, I have no idea.” She told Jayla about what happened during the interview, the questions asked, and how Dr. Webster’s demeanor remained the same during the entire ordeal. “I mean, the man didn’t even lift an eyebrow or twitch. He sat there, unblinking, like a damn statue.”

  Jayla barked out a laugh. “Trust me, I know exactly how that looks, but it’s not as bad as it seems. I overheard a couple people talking about it. Apparently, he does that as some kinda intimidation tactic.” She smacked her teeth together. “Little does he know it doesn’t work, especially since he’s like a father figure to everyone. Ole Staff-Puff Marshmallow Soft Ass.”

  “Well, at least he doesn’t wear a permanent scowl,” Melissa said with a laugh. She stuck the key into the ignition to start the car. “I was about ready to recommend he add some fiber to his diet. He looked constipated.”

  “Ahhh, he does. Maybe I’ll go get him one of those green smoothies from the café downstairs. Tell him that my best friend, who he interviewed, felt he needed it.”

  Melissa’s eyes went wide. “Don’t even think about it, Jay. The last thing I need is drama with this job.” I already have more than enough, and I haven’t been hired yet. She groaned inwardly.

  “I guess. Did you get a chance to look around the hospital?”

  “Nurse Kempt and Nurse Collins took me on an unofficial tour. You were right. This place is massive. When I arrived, I almost got lost between the parking lot and the building itself.”

  “I told your ass to leave out when I left so I could show you around.”

  Melissa smiled at the teasing in her friend’s voice. The truth was since she’d decided to move with or without the job offer, Jayla had been a lot happier, although she would deny it if anyone asked her. It was hard watching her best friend leave, and regardless of what happened with this job, Melissa was glad they would be together soon.

  However, there was still one issue she had to handle first despite the voices in her head telling her not to worry yet, reminding her she had a fifty-fifty chance of actually landing the job. So until she heard back from the recruiter, there was no real reason to upset the delicate balance of her life, though Melissa knew prolonging the conversation she needed to have would only make matters worse if she was hired. As much as she wished she could talk to Jayla about what was on her mind, Melissa knew there was only one person who deserved to hear this first. Elijah.

  “Jay, I’m on my way back to the condo. I’ll text you when I make it.”

  “Alright, and don’t forget I’m taking you out to dinner to celebrate your interview. I can’t wait to finally show you why I love Lovely’s so much.”

  Jayla raved about a restaurant-slash-jazz lounge she overheard one of the NICU attendings she worked with talking to his friend about the place. She’d said the food was great, drinks were hitting, but the staff and the atmosphere were why the place stayed packed.

  “We’ll see.” Melissa chuckled, disconnecting the call.

  Instantly, her thoughts shifted to Elijah. There was so much she needed to tell him. So much they needed to sit down and talk about. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard. Although he’d flown to Orlando for a conference, Elijah hadn’t planned to attend any of the demonstrations or lectures. Then again, at the time, all Elijah had wanted to do was spend time with her, but since she canceled, Melissa had no idea what he was doing.

  Slowing to a stop at a red light, Melissa pulled in a deep breath, filling her lungs to capacity, then slowly released the air through her nose. After repeating this twice more, Melissa pressed the button to dial Elijah’s number. He picked up after the third ring.

  “Babe, I’m so sorry, I can’t talk right now, but I’ll give you a call back in a couple hours.”

  Before Melissa could fix her lips to respond, the call was disconnected. Her brows knit together at the urgency in Elijah’s voice. She hoped he contacted her sooner rather than later, because they needed to have a difficult conversation, and it couldn’t wait.

  Chapter Ten

  “Nurse Gaines.”

  Melissa stopped dead in her tracks, almost dropping the phone she clutched in her hand. The thunderous racing of her heart successfully drowned out the noise from the bustling lobby. She took a deep breath and released it slowly while chiding herself and her current predicament. It was far too early—and she was too damned old—to be sneaking around like a thief in the night. Okay, so maybe sneaking around was a bit of a stretch. Melissa was more so overly cautious than anything since it was her first official day as a CTICU nurse at a brand new hospital. She’d received a phone call from the Human Resources department at Baltimore City Memorial Hospital stating they’d received the approved paperwork to her request to change her BSN license from Louisiana to Maryland and hoped Melissa could report immediately, despite her flying in for an in-person interview days prior.

  That was a week ago.

  Spinning on her heels, Melissa released the air trapped in her lungs on a sigh of relief upon recognizing Dr. Simeon—the Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery—walking briskly toward her. She’d met Dr. Simeon while attending the INAPC in Chaud. When HR mentioned having a representative of the hospital at the conference who would interview her, Melissa had no idea she was meeting with the Head of CT until he introduced himself. After she was seated, he launched into information about himself including school, career, and accomplishments. It was one of the few moments in her life where Melissa had been grossly unprepared, having not done any research on the hospital.

  If only I did, I wouldn’t be in this precarious predicament.

  “Yes, Dr. Simeon?”

  “How are you doing?” His thick, bushy eyebrows furrowed, worry lines creased his forehead as his onyx-colored eyes shielded by wire-rimmed glasses searched her face. She shifted uncomfortably under the weight of his scrutiny.

  “I’m doing as well as anyone in my shoes, sir, trying to adjust to life in a new city and working at a new hospital.”

  Dr. Simeon nodded slowly; a wistful smile offset the grim line of his lips. “Ah, yes. I understand. And you’re dealing with new people. I know that starting over and becoming acclimated to a new set of policies and procedures feels daunting, but rest assured, the CTICU staff are more than willing to assist you.”

  “I know, sir, and I’m grateful. Still, it can be a bit overwhelming having to reintroduce yourself to a whole new set of people, learn t
heir work ethics and routines, and try to fit in and remain true to my morals and the codes I’ve taken.” Dr. Simeon opened his mouth to respond, but Melissa continued, “But, I’m eager to do all those things and more.”

  Despite the circumstances, Melissa finally felt at peace with the decision she’d made of quitting her job and applying for several positions farther north. The move from Louisiana had been interesting and tiring, having to fly back to pack her life away in boxes and have it shipped across the country, but knowing she’d left a hurtful part of her life behind her, made her feel at ease.

  “I’m glad to hear that, Nurse Gaines. I know we met under unusual circumstances. I’ve never been asked to meet with a potential new hire before, and certainly not while attending a medical conference on a tropical island. But when Nurse Kemp received your glowing recommendations from your previous employer and your resume, she wanted me to meet with you. Needless to say, we both—along with Chief Webster—knew you would be an asset to the CTICU.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Melissa smiled. “Hearing that really means a lot to me.”

  “You’re welcome. Speaking of which, I know meeting new people is a tad bit overwhelming. This morning you were introduced to some of the nurses and doctors you will be working with, including Dr. Chasity Banks. There’s a lot more staff you’ll meet over the next few days, including another CT attending, and it may feel overwhelming, but if there is anything you need, please feel free to ask.”

  “Will do, sir,” Melissa said with an affirmative nod. After speaking to the head of cardiothoracic surgery for a couple more minutes, Melissa glanced down at the text message she’d been in the middle of composing on her phone before being interrupted.

  She finished typing: Elijah, I really need to talk to you ASAP. Call me as soon as you get this message.

  Her thumbs hovered over the screen before tapping ‘send.’ With her spine straighter and her head a little clearer, Melissa headed toward the bank of elevators. However, her heart was a different story, which brought her back to her lack of research. The last couple of weeks were a whirlwind of activity, and each time she thought about how her life drastically changed, Elijah Grayson popped into her head. Then again, Elijah was never too far from her thoughts. Their time together often replayed like one of those 90’s romance movies featuring an all-Black cast. The same movies she and Jayla used to sneak into when they were younger because nothing or no one could stop them from witnessing the black love those cinematic masterpieces promoted, not even their age or their parents.

  Three months had passed since the week she spent in Chaud soaking up the sun, enjoying the atmosphere, and finally freeing herself from the box she’d been trapped inside, with Elijah by her side along for the ride. Of course, they’d had their fair share of ups and downs, the distance between them playing a significant part in their contention, along with Elijah’s busy schedule, but their relationship flourished. And their two weekends together in Memphis and Savannah assisted in building and strengthening their feelings for one another.

  Melissa truly enjoyed being with him. He’d helped her through her fears, talked her off the edge, and freed her from the pit of depression she’d found herself falling into with each passing day of not hearing anything about the job. Somewhere along the way, Elijah demolished the walls Melissa erected around her heart and showed her what a genuine connection with the right person looked like; what love with the right person could look like.

  Melissa waited until the elevator unloaded before stepping inside and leaning against the far wall. She looked at her phone for the umpteenth time this morning and groaned. Melissa desperately needed to speak to Elijah. It had been a week since she called him to share the good news.

  They would be working together. The hospital Jayla transferred to months ago, the one Melissa applied for a position while in Chaud, was the same hospital where Elijah worked, although he and Jayla had yet to cross paths likely due to conflicting schedules. Melissa hoped he’d find humor in the hand fate dealt them since she hadn’t known where Elijah worked before she’d flown to Baltimore for the in-person interview. But before she could so much as utter a greeting, Elijah told her he would call her back. However, the call never came. Instead, she received a text message a few days later that read:

  Baby, I’m sorry I didn’t call you back, but things have gotten hectic. I promise I’ll call you when they slow down.

  Melissa hadn’t heard from him since. Not that Melissa didn’t understand how busy Elijah was because she did. Nor had Melissa tried reaching out to him again. A part of her was unsure of how Elijah would take the news of them working together. Would he be angry with her for not disclosing where she’d applied? Would he think she’d done so on purpose? Would Elijah feel obligated to date her with them being in the same city? The questions were never-ending the entire week Melissa prepared for and moved into the two-bedroom condo with Jayla.

  Well, today I’ll get my answers.

  Stepping off the elevator, Melissa glanced to her left, then her right, before continuing to her destination. Thanks to her little pow-wow with Dr. Simeon, she would only have a couple minutes to herself before having to make her way to the CTICU. After changing into her scrubs and storing her belongings in the locker room—which looked and felt more like a tiny supply closet—Melissa secured her hair into a top knot. She took one last fleeting glance at herself, took a deep breath, and started to leave, but an angry voice speaking in hushed tones from right outside of the door stopped her in her tracks.

  “I don’t give a damn,” a feminine voice said.

  “M-My apologies, Dr. Banks,—”

  Making her presence known, Melissa yanked open the locker room door, startling both doctors. With a mumbled ‘excuse me,’ she stepped past them, wanting nothing more than to get as far away from them as possible. Melissa rushed down the hall and rounded the nurses’ station with a smile. She stopped and introduced herself to those doctors and nurses she hadn’t met during the morning huddle and received her assignment. Melissa was tasked with taking care of the patients of Dr. Banks. During the staff meeting this morning, she’d briefly met her and thought the woman seemed nice. Whatever the conversation with the young doctor was about, Melissa hoped they worked their issues out.

  The last thing Melissa wanted was to begin working in an environment where people chose not to address their issues. At her last hospital, the tension after her and Steven’s breakup had been so thick, not even the sharpest knife could have sliced it. She definitely didn’t want that here, especially since Melissa was unsure how Elijah would react upon learning they would be working together. She prayed they would be able to get over any expected awkwardness so she could do her job effectively.

  “Nurse Gaines,” a woman who’d introduced herself as Francine Collins called out. “Dr. Simeon has requested you shadow Dr. Banks today. You can find her at the end of the hall. She’s expecting to meet with you.”

  Nodding her thanks, Melissa headed toward the alcove near the entrance of the CTICU where Dr. Banks stood speaking to the same doctor as earlier. But unlike then, when Melissa had been unable to decipher the nature of their conversation, the closer Melissa got to the women, the thicker the blanket of tension grew until it swallowed her whole.

  “Excuse me, Dr. Banks?”

  Dr. Banks glanced over at Melissa, giving her a once-over before her attention returned to the other woman. “Did you even take a second to stop and think about what the outcome would’ve been if Mr. Masterson were allergic to the medicine you administered?”

  Melissa reared her head back in shock at the woman’s regard and ultimate disregard of her standing there.

  The woman, whose badge read Dr. Hashings, looked between Dr. Banks and Melissa before responding, “Ma’am, I—”

  “Did you even consult with an attending physician when you made this decision?”

  The young doctor opened her mouth to respond, thought better of it, and nodded instead. Dr. Ba
nks’ piercing blue eyes narrowed into thin slits, and her pert nostrils flared. “Who? Who did you consult with?”

  “Me,” a deep tenor said, slicing through the interrogation. “Dr. Hashings consulted with me.”

  Melissa didn’t have to turn around to figure out the owner of the melodic voice. It was the same voice that played on a loop in Melissa’s head since the moment she bumped into him all those months ago. Dr. Elijah Grayson. She closed her eyes and willed herself to remain calm. This was not how Melissa wanted Elijah to learn of her employment at BCMH. Elijah would undoubtedly have questions, and there was no way Melissa could answer them with Dr. Hashings and Dr. Banks around. More than anything, Melissa wished somehow, someway, someone would drape a cloak of invisibility over her shoulders so she could disappear or be swallowed by a hole opening in the floor. Anything other than being forced to stand here. As Melissa contemplated her next move, the heat coming from his body in waves surrounded her, much like the familiar notes of his cologne, and that spicy scent Melissa learned was all Elijah. It filled her nostrils, embedding itself into the fabric at the center of her very being.

  “Is there a problem, Dr. Banks?” Stopping right beside Melissa, Elijah folded his arms over his chest, with his feet braced slightly apart. Even though he’d asked the question in an even tone, the intensity in his gaze and his ramrod posture were the only indications of his real mood. Elijah was pissed.

  “Dr. Grayson,” Dr. Banks replied, her words no longer dripping with frost. “I was talking to Dr. Hashings concerning her treatment of my patient. I’m confused as to why I wasn’t paged to assist with this so-called medical emergency.”