POV Jess
I waste no time pulling the black elastic from my hair and shaking it out. Oh god, what am I doing? Why am I even listening to Cole? I'm allowed to wear my hair in a ponytail for work I'm a fucking nurse for Christ's sake.
I'm about to pull it back up when by some freaking coincidence Roman appears, "Did you do something new with your hair? It looks nice."
I'm getting the feeling Cole paid him off to say that.
"Oh, uh no," I say running my blonde locks through my hair just in case there's anything out of place.
"Hmm," he rubs his chin, "well hey, I gotta go check on the CT scans for 301, I'll be back in a bit."
I give him a megawatt smile. "Okay bye!"
I'm such a loser. I have zero game. If Cole just watched this encounter, he'd probably have second-hand embarrassment.
After hitting my palm against my forehead in self-punishment I whip out my phone as I'm left alone in the sterile hallway.
Me: I think I just made a deal with the devil
Char:?
Me: with Cole
Char: Go on..?
Me: he wants me to spill the truth about the accident in exchange for help with landing a date with Roman
Char: Jess….
Me: I know I know you don't have to say it. He caught me in a weak moment
Char: tread lightly
Me: yeah yeah
I log into my laptop and go through my patient charts. I'm waiting on lab results for Darlene, the sweet old chit chatter. She's expected to be discharged in the morning as long as all of her tests come back normal.
Loren plops down in the chair next to mine, "Is this shift over yet?"
It's only 7:20, twenty minutes into our shift, I laugh, "Tell me about it."
"We have an incoming patient from the emergency department expected within the hour, she wants to be your patient," Loren hands me her chart and my stomach drops.
"Eleanor is back already? What happened?" I turn my chair towards her waiting for her response.
"Ascites, apparently she's been experiencing abdominal pain, bloating, and nausea/vomiting."
Ascites, there's fluid building up in her abdomen. A rift forms in my heart, this poor girl. She's so young, life is supposed to be hers for the taking. I overstepped my boundaries as a caregiver by giving her false hope. It was only human nature to cheer her life on, to lift her spirits and I should have known better than to give her something I couldn't provide. I mean Ascites? It's advanced. What has oncology said? What sort of quality of life could she have left? Drugged up because of the pain?
I hold back the tears I so desperately want to release, "Okay, thanks."
"There's something else Jess, ER has been in contact with Dr. Ridley, primary care, and oncology. There's talk about Eleanor going into hospice care." The news she just delivered does me in. I lose the battle as the evidence of heartbreak streams down my face. Loren squeezes my shoulder in understanding and walks away to give me the minute that I so desperately need before Eleanor makes her arrival.