POV Jess
After ignoring Nicole's call and parting ways with Roman, I exit the venue parking lot and start my trek home. My phone rings again indicating a second call from Nicole. I grudgingly accept the call and wait for it to connect.
"Hello?" I say less than enthusiastic.
"Sister, great news! I'm engaged!" She squeals out.
Oh yippie…
"Congrats.." I offer.
"Ugh whatever, I'll just chalk up your bad mood to jealousy. He proposed last Sunday at the charity ball. I don't really give a shit about telling you because I knew you'd be such a damper but mom begged me to call you and so here I am doing just that." The snakiness in her voice isn't missed.
"Well anyway, it was a beautiful proposal, a four-carat diamond ring, a full room of mayors and senators, oh gosh it was amazing! We're going to be on the front page of the newspaper the wedding will be one to beat." I can tell she's lost in la-la land as she rambles and brags on and on about the luxuries coming her way. What doesn't go unnoticed to me though is the lack of mention of her new fiancé.
I decide not to bring it up and allow her to continue on with her fake contentment. The way she's talking really makes me wonder how she's allowed to work amongst children.
The act of interest on my part is exhausting me I just want to hang up and give in to my delusions about Roman already. Five agonizing minutes later of listening to her over the top wedding ideas we disconnect from the line. Within that twenty-minute conversation Nicole talked nothing about Dylan, just his family, the new life she's getting into, how one day Dylan will be a senator oh! And maybe even the president. Highly, highly unlikely and I'm doubtful he'd even make it to his father's position of being a mayor. She didn't vocalize how she's excited to be his wife, have children together, grow old, nope just the materialistic benefits of being his wife. I question how she got to this point in life, we grew up in the same household until we were eighteen, and though ma and dad had more money than the average middle-class person they never acted in such a way.
…
I wiggle around, slightly jumping up and down, kick one leg up, and then the other. Why I was inspired to try on my high school skinny jeans is beyond me but here we are. Do they fit? Not exactly but all my other jeans are getting loose and make me look less than put together. I zip and fasten the button before looking in the mirror at my appearance, not bad, as long as I don't do any sudden movements I should be fine. I pair the suffocating skinny jeans with a loose-fitting, white off-the-shoulder top and sepia ankle boots. I opt for the same brown faux leather jacket I wore Wednesday night, the chill tonight is biting. One last fluff of my hair and I'm ready to meet with the girls for Lisa's birthday.
After greeting all the girls, we're seated at a table in the far left corner of the restaurant. Diamond Bay is packed tonight, I guess it is a Saturday night after all. We all engage in light, surface-level conversation until Lisa decides it's a beautiful time to bring up the concert and mention how Roman and I seemed "cozy". All eyes are on me now and I just want to tuck my head to my chest and zip my jacket over it. Why can't we go back to Loren's breastfeeding dilemmas? That was so much more enjoyable, I can get down with talking about clogged milk ducts.
Charlotte is aware of my discomfort, "ehh it was just a friend thing," she waves her hand dismissively and I couldn't be any more grateful for her in this moment.
"He's so hot," Violet fans her face and no one at the table disagrees, regardless of her distaste in men.
"You know who else is hot?" Lisa whispers.
We all lean a little closer and I have no idea why we're doing that because not a single person knows nor cares what we're talking about.
"Cole Carson."
Charlotte rolls her eyes, "he's a prick ladies, stay far away from that."
"Boo," Lindsay slumps in her wooden seat.
"There's also a little thing called violation of professional misconduct…" Charlotte says killing the mood.
"She's right," I say agreeing.
Kelsey throws a French fry at me, "Not you too."
"Sorry girls," I giggle giving Char a high five across the table.
Two hours, full bellies, most of us sober, and one not remembering the meaning of that word later and we're about ready to leave. Lisa slams the rest of her raspberry white claw that she didn't need a single drop more of down her throat and wobbles when her head is straight again. She's wasted…on white claws. I already feel bad for her tomorrow the hangover is going to suck. Luckily Kelsey drove her so there's no worry about her drinking and driving.
We go our separate ways and the excitement for my bed is a true understatement. It's been a busier week for me than I'm used to and the next couple of days will be some true R and R.
…
Two days later I'm getting ready for work when Charlotte sends me several online articles about Nicole and Dylan's engagement announcement. Great Nicole's getting her five minutes, who cares? I still read through them though because ya know, curiosity. In short, the articles are garbage because they paint the picture that Nicole is such a sweet young woman, a pediatrician, a voice for the children. Lies, lies, lies! Nicole is a miserable fuck and enjoys dragging everyone down with her, she's not a pediatrician she's a pediatric nurse and voice for the children? C'mon now that's despicable.
I spend way too much time in the mirror for my upcoming shift wanting to look particularly nice for a certain country-loving man. I want him to not be able to take his eyes off of me. I opt for a pair of form-fitting black scrubs and leave my hair down just like he liked. My nerves are sky high as the time comes to leave for work. I don't know what to expect when I see Roman tonight, will it be natural? Awkward? Who knows but I'll find out soon enough.
I get off the elevator and greet Mary Jean who is sitting in her wheelchair staring out of the floor-to-ceiling window. I greet her and she calls me an unholy whore and I go about my merry way.
I get a more delightful greeting from Loren when I reach the nurses' station.
"Heads up, Dr. Ridley is on one tonight," Loren informs.
I scrunch my eyebrows together and tilt my head in confusion, Roman is barely "on one" so what could have possibly happened between Wednesday night and now?
She shrugs her shoulders and heads into room 304, closing the door behind her.
Minutes later I get settled in and start typing away a report on a patient when Roman hastily walks up and shoves a patient folder in my direction.
"312" is all he says.
I'm completely taken aback by his behavior, Loren was right he's on one today. I take the folder from his hand, I didn't know 312 was occupied. When I got in a few minutes ago I passed that room, the door was open, empty, and dark.
I quizzically inspect the outside of the folder, Roman must have mistaken the room number. I open the folder and to my surprise I read the name aloud, "Cole Carson."
"He'll be down here within the hour," Roman yells out over his shoulder and doesn't say another word, he just walks away like my existence is a disturbance.
I don't know what the hell is going on with him but I don't like it one bit. Of all nights, tonight Cole Carson miraculously gets to be our patient. Lord help me.