Page 25 of Changing Lanes

“That you tried to poison him with your health food? He did.”

I roll my eyes, busy climbing the ladder out of the pool.

“You guys are so immature.”

Tysen joins me as I towel off, grabbing one for himself as well.

“I know you are but what am I?”

Giving him my best annoyed look, I ask, “seriously?” before turning to leave.

I hear a “yep” next to my ear a second before I’m pushed back into the cold water, towel and all.

Oh, it’s on.

CHAPTER 7

Paige

I’m finishing up with the last of my charts for the night when Vernon appears in the nurses’ station. His graying hair is slicked back and he’s sporting a new watch—another new one. Nurses don’t have glamorous jobs to begin with then you throw in our required uniform of basic scrubs every day and it can seriously stifle some people’s sense of style. I’ve seen people try to mix things up with little details here and there as a way to still express themselves, and watches, which are a requirement for our line of work, are a popular way to do it. I always wear my smartwatch but Vernon would never bother with something so popular. I’ve seen him with no less than seven different watches since I started working here, each one fancier than the last. This one is so shiny I almost miss the storm forming across his pinched face.

Ever since Beckett’s interference a couple weeks ago, Vernon’s kept his distance, minus the nasty looks aimed my way I still catch when he thinks I’m not looking.

I grew up with four brothers—I’m always looking over my shoulder.

I ignore him altogether, standing to retrieve my bag.

Waiting until my feet cross the threshold, Vernon sneers, “Snitch.”

The area is empty, save for the old grump and myself. I spin to face Vernon, whose eyes are now tiny slits of fury.

“Do you have something you’d like to say to me?” Keeping my voice clear but low for his ears only, I lean casually against the counter, acting like I’m not itching to get out of here. I figured my first Friday night dinner with my roommates’ family would be a perfect excuse to get my family together, too. So far, I’ve gotten exactly zero replies from tonight’s invite though, not even from Tysen who never turns down free food.

“I think you heard me just fine, snitch. You tattled to Rosie that ‘I wasn’t doing my job’.” He says this with wrinkled fingers shaped into quotation marks, like it’s some far-fetched notion.

“No, I simply informed Rosie Ms. Christensen’s chart has been lacking important information lately. If you’re to blame for that as the floor nurse, then maybe you haven’t been doing your job.”

“Your mommy hasn’t been eating her regular meals which means I can’t give her the medication she needs. Hers must be taken on a full stomach but she hasn’t had one of those since you forced her to switch facilities unnecessarily.” The jab has me pinching the material at my hips between my thumb and middle finger. “It’s not my job to feed the patients and I refuse to give special treatment to anybody, even if you don’t.”

I let his many snide and unnecessary remarks slide to hone in on the only one that actually matters.

“What do you mean she hasn’t had a full meal since she’s been here? You haven’t given her any medication since when? Her first day?”

He cocks his head to the side like I’m an idiot. And maybe, just maybe I fucking am. Maybe I shouldn’t have moved her after all. Was it solely for my mother or was it for my own selfish reasons like everyone seems to think?

“Vernon, why didn’t you say anything? I need to know that!” I can’t stop my voice from rising or the shake it unveils.

“Like I said, I don’t give special treatment. If you really cared about your mom, you could’ve asked somebody instead of running to Rosie about something you clearly know nothing about.”

But I do know. I do…know.

Right?

I’ve been checking in every shift. I’ve been watching her like nobody else ever would. I’ve…been busy looking at her from a daughter’s point of view, forgetting to cover the nurse side, too.

Hands now balled at my sides, I say, “If you-”

Cynthia bounces around the corner then, completely oblivious to the tension between her coworkers coiling tighter and tighter, and says, “Hey, girl, ready to go?”