Nadie Necesita Saberlo (Nobody needs to know)

New Year's Eve

 In the Heights, title track

Vanderbilt Hospital was, as expected, understaffed this holiday evening. They'd called me because they knew I wouldn't say no. I'd been a floating nurse there for almost two years, and in that time I'd proven my worth as someone who thrived in chaos.  You'd probably never know this by my demeanor-I was dripping with sweet, southern charm and spoke slow and quiet whenever I sat, quietly singing at the bedside of an ailing patient.  

The path I took to becoming a nurse was winding an unexpected, but I'd landed doing what I loved, but never thought I could. I was raised in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, deep in the heart of Cajun Country. Both my parents passed away before I was 18, so I set out to carve my own path. I had always had an abiding love of music, but lacked the direction to do anything with it.  I'd wandered somewhat aimlessly through life thus far, though I always knew I'd wind up in caretaking of some sort. After my sophomore year, I decided that I wasn't on the right path for me. I'd made friends with all the local drag queens, because they were the first to welcome me to the city with open arms. Somehow, I developed a love of  hair and makeup through helping out with shows. I decided then that I wanted to help people feel beautiful.It seemed to aid my own flailing self esteem. After a couple of years in the industry, I got an offer to be a nanny for a client who would soon be relocating to Nashville. Her husband played for the New Orleans Saints, and had just been traded to the Tennessee Titans. She and her children had been regulars at the salon where I worked on Canal Street. They all loved me dearly, and I them. I took a leap of faith and traveled with them to Music City. I always wanted to live in a bigger city, especially one where music seemed to come out of the rocks and trees. Working for a famous athlete was a way for me to meet celebrities from all walks of life, including famous musicians. The family, with whom I signed an NDA to protect their privacy, took me everywhere, all over the world with them. I felt so blessed to have a family who treated me like one of their own. But then I met Cash Lee. A dashing young attorney, fresh out of Vanderbilt Law School, and I was smitten. We were married after six months of dating.  I had been with my nanny family for five years at this point, and I knew it would end eventually, as the children were growing up and becoming more self sufficient. I stayed close with them even after I went on my way to new horizons. I was 29 years old and felt like I'd already lived enough for five lifetimes. I knew I wanted to continue caring, but I didn't know how. A trip to India changed that. I'd gone as a volunteer through a non-profit organization that worked exclusively with children in orphanages. While there, I worked alongside a team of medical professionals who'd come along to donate their services to the children. I knew then that I wanted to be a nurse. I only lacked a few college credits from being able, and by the time I was 30, I was admitted to nursing school at Cumberland University. I had never been a great student, but once I was in, I flourished. I graduated at the top of my class and immediately accepted a position as a floating nurse at Vanderbilt Hospital. 

On this particular day, as I drove my Nissan X-Terra cautiously down Interstate 440, all the while blasting my show tunes to get myself revved up to work a 24-hour shift in the ER. Broadway musicals usually did the trick to get me hyped up, and today I was blasting In the Heights. I found myself completely enraptured by Lin Manuel Miranda. I guess as cheesy as it sounds, if I had a "free pass" from my marriage, it would definitely be him. Of course, that small tidbit was only known by my husband himself, as I found it embarrassing to share with anyone else.

I was in desperate need of a caffeine jolt. The biting cold summoned me to stop at my favorite little gas station around the corner from work. My dear friend Sameer always had a fresh pot made for me upon my arrival. He was a gentle, Indian man in his mid-50's, and we'd become close after I helped find an oncologist who aided his wife into remission from lymphoma. He always had a warm, welcoming smile for me every time I passed through the doors of his station.

"My favorite nurse!" he exclaimed, pressing his hands to his cheeks with excitement.

I took his hands in mine, and he shook them warmly.

"You got some fresh coffee this morning, Sameer?" I asked.

"Always for you, my friend!"

"How is Daksha?"

He walked to me, my coffee already in hand and made to perfection with sugar and evaporated milk.

"She is better than ever. Doctors say no more check ups for 6 months!"

"That makes me so happy, Sameer. I've gotta get to work, but we'll catch up soon, ok?"

"Here, I have gift for you, friend," He handed me a lottery ticket, "No charge!"

"Wow, it's getting pretty high, huh?"

$998 Million.....one of the highest in history.

"Yes, king's ransom!" he said, "I hope you win!"

I passed him the $10 bill I'd intended to use for my coffee.

"Buy a couple for yourself." I said, patting his hand and sliding the money over, "I insist."

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Work was brutal that day; there were far more car accidents than I'd ever thought possible, even one GSW, and after 24 straight hours with only a few hours of sleep here and there, I was ready to retreat to the sanctity of my home.

Cash, waited for me as I crept in around 10pm. He'd been playing Destiny with his friends most of the day, enjoying the holiday before he returned to his job as at attorney for the DA's office. He paused the game when I came in and stood to greet me asking if I cared to join him. His hair was disheveled and he wore a vintage Wu Tang shirt with loose fitting basketball shorts.

"Rough day at the office?" he asked, kissing my cheek before resuming his game.

"Nothing I couldn't handle," I said, knowing full well I was only telling a half truth.

I reached in the fridge for a cold beverage, and quickly noticed a Stella Artois all by its lonesome on the top shelf. I strode wearily down the hall and knocked on my stepdaughter's door. Harper- Harper Lee, named after my favorite author (by her mother, of course) was 12 years old. I had known her since she was 6, and shortly thereafter we took her in after her mother died of a drug overdose. You'd never know that she'd weathered such storms at such a young age-she was exuberant, kind, and funny.

"Hey, knucklehead," I said

"Hey yourself," she giggled, "Where you been?"

"Just doing typical superhero stuff, saving lives and whatnot,"

"If you say so!"

"I'm gonna take a bath and then you and I can watch a scary movie together. That sound good?"

"Yup!"

I winked, and slinked down the hall, running a bath and sinking into it.

$998 Million....who could I help? where would I go? 

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