***
I arrived at work fifteen minutes early. It was the first time I had shown up with less than thirty minutes to spare. No one said a thing despite my routine being the exact same for the last seven years. I was just that invisible.
Instead of dwelling on how little my coworkers cared about my being there, I focused my energy on my patients. I checked on Gloria’s file and saw that she had been discharged from the hospital the previous morning. Her surgery went well, and I had helped her through the toughest parts of her recovery. Today, I would spend my time doing the same thing with over a dozen patients.
I went into room after room and helped patients get out of bed and into their chairs. From there, we did bathroom runs. One at a time, I helped each person into the bathroom and then back to their seats to get ready for their lunches. It was mandatory that all recovering heart surgery patients ate their meals sitting up in their chairs. It was a manageable way for the staff to make sure that they were getting up at least three times a day. The movement encouraged faster healing, which meant we would have more open beds for the next six patients that came into our ward each and every day.
The first half of my day wasn’t glamorous. As I sank into my seat to take a break, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Renee had said to me that morning.
I looked over at the other nurses. They were all chatting happily amongst themselves. Some were laughing and telling jokes. Each of them seemed like a valued member of the team, which perplexed me because I was the hardest worker on the ward without a doubt. I was also the one who covered the most shifts. That was probably the only time any of them ever spoke to me, when they needed someone to come in and work a shift for them.
I had been the reason many of them were able to take random weekends off here and there. I was the reason they were able to partake in family vacations and weddings and events. If I hadn’t been willing to offer my time for them, they would have had to keep on working, just like me.
After doing everything I could for my patients and my coworkers, I still felt underappreciated.
I put my lunch down and got to my feet. No one looked over at me as I approached the group of ten chatting nurses. I stood on the outside of their little circle with my arms crossed and waited several minutes just to see if one of them would acknowledge me.
When they didn’t even turn their chairs to invite me into the group, I cleared my throat. Still nothing.
So I coughed louder until I caught one of their eyes. Then, one at a time, they all grew quiet.
“Uh, hey, Skylar,” one of the male nurses said.
“Hey,” I said. I let them all squirm in the awkward silence for a while longer. I wasn’t the girl who was going to let anyone put me in a corner anymore. I knew my worth was more than that. Everyone’s worth was more than that. “Are any of you going to bother asking me how my vacation was?”
They all exchanged uneasy glances.
Clearly, no one was willing to take the initiative, so I kept talking. “My trip was great. Thank you for asking. I met some wonderful people. It was the first vacation I have ever taken. Ever. Know why? Because all I ever do with my time is come to this place and work my ass off. Then, when I get a break, I sit by myself because no matter how much I tried in the beginning, you guys weren’t willing to let me into your little clique. Well, I don’t want to be part of this now. I can see all your true colors. I even know what all the patients say about you behind your backs.”
I planted my hands on my hips. They all looked shocked. I was glad for it. It felt good to finally speak my mind and tell them all just how shitty they had made me feel.
“Anyways,” I said. “Thanks for the chat. I feel much better now.”
I turned around, packed up my lunch, and resumed my work routine. For some reason, time went by faster after I had given them all a piece of my mind. They avoided me like I was a walking, airborne virus for the rest of my shift, and I kind of enjoyed the way they nearly pressed themselves against the walls every time we had to pass one another in the hall. I kept my chin up and ignored them the whole time.
When my shift was done, I gathered my things, threw them over one arm, and strode determinedly out of the ward and toward the elevators.
I took a sharp left and fell completely still when my gaze fell upon a man with dark hair, blue eyes, and a bouquet of white roses.
Greyson spotted me, and he stopped walking, too.
Time suddenly felt like it was standing still. I was only dimly aware of people weaving around me as they came around the corner. All I had eyes for was Greyson.
He had a sly smile playing on his lips. He was clean shaven and nicely dressed in dark jeans and a long-sleeved black button-up. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, and a dark gunmetal watch flashed at his wrist. It was probably worth more than my annual salary.
The heels of his boots echoed on the linoleum as he came toward me. I was still paralyzed. I couldn’t move or blink. I was incapable of doing anything other than gaping at him.
When he drew up in front of me, he chuckled deep in his throat. “For some reason, I’m more attracted to you in the scrubs.”
“Shut up,” I whispered.
He grinned, leaned in, and kissed me. The hand holding the flowers went to my back, and he pulled me into him. The kiss was fierce and desperate, and I dropped everything I was holding at my feet to throw my arms around his shoulders and hang off of him as he kissed me.
When he pulled away, he kept his arm around me. “I was an idiot to ever let you go, Skylar. A massive idiot. I should have fought harder to keep you. I have been looking for someone like you my entire life. I just didn’t know it. But now, I do. And I’m not going to give up on us. Not this time.”