Page 18 of The Candle Palace (Jamison Valley 6)
I brought over her textbook and a three-ring binder full of papers and assignments her parents brought to her each week from the school. “I’ll be back in a bit. Call if you get stuck on a question.”
“Thanks, Sara. ”
While she never had an issue cranking through her English without help, I’d dusted off my high school algebra and trigonometry skills to help her with the occasional worksheet problem. I was going to miss those worksheets when she left next week.
Leaving her to her homework, I returned to the hallway, where my eyes immediately tracked to Milo’s door. Every cell in my body wanted to walk in and make sure he wasn’t upset. But there was no reason to go in there. No professional reason, anyway.
His dressings were fresh. Dr. Vernon had checked all of his burns. He was in a lot of pain and things weren’t easy by any means, but as his nurse, there was nothing more I could do at the moment.
And I was just his nurse.
I turned away, my heart sinking as I walked in the opposite direction. I found Kym at the nurses station.
“How’s it going?” I asked.
She sank down into a chair and put her hands to her temples. “It’s okay. I have a horrible headache.”
“Oh, no. Can I get you anything?”
“I took some ibuprofen.”
“Would you like to swap sides?” The suggestion, though practical and necessary, felt like the worst idea I’d had since the perm I’d gotten in sixth grade. “It’s pretty quiet today. Luna is out next week, pending her final exam. Milo will need his dressings changed.”
The other patient on my side had been discharged yesterday, leaving me with only two, while her side still had four.
“Really?” Her eyes filled with hope. “I could use a lighter day.”
I nodded. “Really. In fact, why don’t you just take Milo and I’ll keep Luna on my rotation too?”
“Thanks, Sara.” Her shoulders relaxed. “I don’t want to use sick time and go home because of a stupid headache.”
I smiled. “No problem.”
We quickly exchanged notes and Kym gave me a summary of what she’d done for her patients already, then we set off in different directions.
I worked the day with focus and efficiency, spending time getting caught up with patients I hadn’t seen since before my New Year’s vacation, as well as one new man who’d come in for a three-day stay because of a huge second-degree burn on his leg.
It was a busy day, not unlike most, except without the intensity of Milo’s room. There were no heated stares. My heart didn’t jump when I knocked on any doors. My breath didn’t catch when other patients said my name.
I did my best not to stare at Milo’s room whenever it came into view. I failed more often than I succeeded. By the time the evening shift arrived, I knew if I didn’t collect my things from the locker room and sprint out of the building, I’d give in to the magnetic pull of his closed door.
“Good night, Sara,” Kym said, standing in front of her locker and zipping up her coat. “Thanks again for today.”
“No problem. How’s your headache?”
“It’s fading, thank God. I was worried it might turn into a migraine. See you tomorrow.”
I nodded. “Yep. See you tomorrow.”
Alone in the room, I collected my purse and pulled the strap onto my shoulder. I hung my coat over my forearm and shut the locker door.
Go home.
Walking out, I kept my eyes fixed on the linoleum tiles as I made my way toward the stairwell. If I could just make it down one flight of cement steps, I’d be set.
Except that damn door wouldn’t let me go. I twisted my head over my shoulder just enough to see Milo’s door once before I made my escape. My hands rested on the metal bar of the steel door. I couldn’t push it open.
Why was his light on? Unless he was having his dressings changed or Dr. Vernon was doing an exam, he kept the room dark. Had Kym forgotten to shut them off? Or was something wrong?
