Twelve minutes later, I was pushing through the doors of the ER with my bag over one shoulder.
Since I didn’t have any food in my bag, because I hadn’t had time to make anything last night nor this morning, I stored my bag underneath the nurse’s station and made my way up to Bryan, the charge nurse.
“Bryan,” I said, catching his attention. “I’m sorry I’m late. I had a really long night.”
I didn’t tell him why I had a long night, however.
And he didn’t ask.
He nodded. “Don’t make a habit of it, Pena.”
I nodded, then winced when the movement pulled the skin at my back, reminding me once again of the tattoo I’d gotten just hours ago. And Michael.
“Bryan, when have we become allowed to wear colored shoes?” A snotty female voice belonging to Joslin, asked.
Bryan looked up from his charting to Joslin.
“We’re not allowed to wear colored shoes. You know the rules, white only,” Bryan said, sounding slightly annoyed.
I walked away, knowing where this was going before I’d even had time to process the fact that Joslin was aiming for me today.
“But Nikki’s wearing shoes like that,” Joslin tattled like a two year old.
Bryan’s eyes turned to me, taking in my shoes.
Then quickly turned back to his charting.
It was the soft throat clearing from Joslin that had him sighing and looking at me.
“Go change them, Pena,” Bryan said tiredly.
What the fuck was that?
“You want me to go home to change them?” I asked for clarification.
He nodded. “Yeah. Now.”
I shrugged. “That’s fine with me, but it’s gonna take me another hour or so to get back. I lent my car to my sister for the day. I’m sure she’s already picked it up by now. So I’ll have to call her for a ride home.”
Bryan growled in frustration.
“Nikki,” he said, standing up. “Follow me to the break room. We need to talk.”
Stomach clutching, I followed Bryan out the double doors and down a side hallway that led to our break room, all the while Joslin’s laughing eyes followed me out.
I refrained from flipping her the bird, but only just barely.
I was already in trouble, and I was fairly positive Joslin would just tell him what I’d done anyway. So I put on my big girl panties and followed dutifully behind Bryan.
Once we were in the break room, he sat on the edge of the table and crossed his arms.
“I’ve already had to talk with the director about your constant lateness,” he said without preamble.
I pinched my lips closed.
I had no reason.
I was late.
End of story.
And always would be.
“I’m sorry,” I said sincerely.
And I was.
Not for just past incidences, but for future incidences as well.
He sighed and rolled his head up to the ceiling.
“You need to get your ducks in a row,” he said. “I have a feeling that the only reason they’ve kept you is because you’re such a good worker. You’re always staying late, always picking up shifts and willing to move when we ask you to. But that doesn’t make up for the fact that you’re constantly late, and you need to try harder to get that fixed, otherwise I’ll be obligated to report this to the director, okay?” He asked, sounding tired.
I nodded, uncrossing my arms and placing my hands in my pockets of my scrubs. “Sure.”
I wouldn’t make any promises, though.
That was just me. I was late.
“I’ve also had a complaint about you from a few of the staff members for going off on coffee breaks too often,” he said carefully.
A few staff members my ass!
It was only one staff member!
And that was because she’d just come back from sucking some man’s cock!
Whore!
“I see,” I said carefully. “And does this staff member happen to have a vendetta against me or something?”
He blinked.
“Um, no,” he answered lamely.
Liar!