Cristiano
“I want to set up her schedule so she’s always on my team,” I say to Monique, our HR lady.
“Doctor Cristiano, I can’t do that,” she says.
I’m not taking no for an answer. I want to be with Rose all the time. I want her by my side twenty-four seven.
Between the dinner conversation and our other time together I’ve gotten to know her well. It may sound crazy being that we’ve only known each other for a short time but I know. I know she’s right for me in every way because I know she’s just like me.
She’s young and hungry and wants to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Okay, I may not be so young but two outta three ain’t bad as the saying goes.
A majority of nurses and health care professionals are absolutely outstanding. They start for the right reasons, but after all the bureaucracy, red tape, lobbyists, HMOs and people full of GMOs they don’t know which way to go, as in they get handcuffed by rules and regulations and their ability to help gets stymied. Sometimes they eventually wear out and the profession just eventually becomes a job.
I know that it happens often, but I know it won’t happen with Rose, but I still want her right there with me. I want us to feed off each other’s high levels of passion and our dedication to the craft of saving lives. Yes, it really is a craft.
And nobody’s going to tell me otherwise.
“I need it to happen, Monique. What do we need to do to make it happen right now?”
She purses her lips and her eyebrows raise. “Well, for starters we’d have to get her a job here at the hospital.”
“Huh?”
Has she lost her mind?
“She was let go this morning. It’s more of a restructuring which allowed the newer RNs to take up employment at an affiliated clinic, but in—“
“Wait a second. What did you say?” I interrupt.
“She was let go with some of the other newer staff. I’m really sorry, doctor. I didn’t know she was that important to you.”
A million thoughts race through my brain but I have to stay calm.
Why didn’t she tell me? What in the heck is going on?
“When did you give her this news?”
“About twenty minutes ago,” Monique says after looking at the clock.
I high tail it out of the HR office and straight out of the building.
I’m not tolerating this kind of treatment to my woman.
She’s got my back and I’ve got hers. If the hospital just up and decides to let her go then they’ve actually lost the both of us whether they know it or not.
We’re a package deal.
When I told her I was going to make her mine I meant it. And I’m just as much hers now as she is mine.
That’s the way it works.
For life.
And now I’ve got to find her and get our life straightened out. Together.