Bite Shift

50

It's just a coincidence.

But even as I thought it, I knew it was a lie. You don't have to be a nurse for very long before you realize there are no coincidences. You took in every sign, symptom and clue and used it to figure out what was going on.

It's a sign.

Fuck! What do I say? She is going to think I am nuts!

She grabbed me by my arms, pulled me into the office, and practically threw me into one of the chairs that lined the opposite wall. She slammed the door shut and pulled a chair around to face mine. She dropped into it and leaned into me.

"You have to tell me everything!!! What happened to you? How did you know you were sick? What's the treatment? Do you really have to stay out of the sun? Like, forever? Is Dr. Kitchner really your doctor? What is he like? What is his office like? Did he hug you when he told you? How are the girls? What did Tom say?"

I held up both hands. "Monica! Stop! One thing at a time."

She mimicked zipping her lips shut and leaned back into her chair.

"I got sick. I don't know how to describe how I felt. There is no treatment. Yes, I have to stay out of the sun. Yes, forever. Yes, he is my doctor. He is fine. His office is messy. No, he didn't hug me. They are good. Tom was surprised. He and Sarah have the girls and are being very supportive."

"Okay." She sat up and leaned back into me. "I believe you except for one thing."

"And," I arched an eyebrow, "what don't you believe?"

"That there was no hugging. Tiffany Z. and Tiffany K. said they saw you and Dr. Kitchner in the conference room." I started to argue and she held up one hand to stop me. "Yes, they are gossiping idiots and I don't believe everything they say but, my friend, you smell like his cologne."

Busted. I had to give her something or she wouldn't stop.

"You got me. He wanted to talk about my first day back and not pushing myself too hard and, yes, he hugged me."

She sagged, dramatically, in her chair like all her muscles had gone weak. "Oh my God, I am so freaking jealous!! Can I please get what you have so he will hug me?!"

I grabbed her on by each arm and pulled her upright. I held onto each side of her face, making her look into my eyes. "You do not want what I have, Monica. I can promise you that."

I let go of her face and she kept staring into my eyes. "Kate. Your eyes. They're so beautiful. Holy crap. I mean, they are really beautiful. What did you do?"

Shit. She notices.

I had to think quick. "Blood transfusion. I was low so he gave me two units. Guess it's like the fountain of youth."

"Dang, girl. Your skin is so perfect. Seriously. You look freaking hot."

She was looking too long and I was getting uncomfortable. I needed to change the subject. I needed to focus on the more important issue. "Do you have a cigarette in your right scrub top? A cigarette and a lighter?"

Her eyes grew wide and she moved away from me. "Why do you ask?"

"Do you?"

"You know I quit." She was looking down. She was lying.

I was too quick for her to stop me. I had the items out of her top before she knew what was happening. I opened my hand and faced what I already knew was there: a long, white cigarette and an AC/DC lighter. Fuck, fuck, fuck. It was real. She is going to die.

No way. That is crazy. It is a coincidence. You already suspected she was smoking again. That combined with the story Rhys told plus the scrubs that you know she owns, created a dream. That's all it is.

But I didn't want to find out I was wrong by stumbling over her slaughtered corpse.

"Shit, Kate. I was going to tell you."

I closed my fist over the contraband. "Monica. I don't care that you are smoking, I swear. Please, promise me something."

"What?" She wasn't looking at the floor anymore and was focused on me again.

"Only go out when you absolutely have to and never alone or in the back of the hospital. Take me or someone else. Not Stewart or Rhys. Maybe, one of the Tiffanys. Go in the lighted area in front of the ER. Just, please don't go out alone. Promise me."

She nodded her head but her eyes were filling with fear. "Okay. I promise. But, why?"

"Can you just trust me? I have a really bad feeling. I think it is the moon." I added the last part because I knew Monica believed in that kind of stuff. She was always looking at Tarot cards and horoscopes and moon cycles. She saw a psychic monthly. The last one had told her that she would marry a doctor and she was convinced it was Kitchner. I didn't have to heart to tell her that she had gone in scrubs so the "psychic" had known that she was a nurse, saw no wedding ring and threw out a premonition. Monica had raved about her for an hour. She was positive that the psychic was the real thing and she was destined to be with Alex.

"Oh my God, Kate. I have chills. I was just telling Jackson that I felt some bad energy tonight. You must be more sensitive now that you're sick. They say that a disability can create special abilities in people."

I wasn't going to use that opportunity to explain to her that I was not disabled and decided it was a fight for another night. I was just about to make her promise again when a knock on the door made us both jump.

Irish Tiffany poked her head in. "CBC is back. H & H is low. Dr. K wants two units. She is official yours now. Want me to go get it from the troll downstairs?"

I had so many issues with what she just said but, again, I decided to not have that fight tonight. Besides, it was a chance to tell Rhys about me being different and my vision, maybe, being true. I was leaving the make-out session with Kitchner out of the story. I was already brimming with regret.

"I will go. Thanks."

"Welcome." She disappeared. I stood and Monica pulled her chair back to its original spot.

"I will be your second signature when it comes up."

"Great," I replied. "I am going to go get the blood. You stay here. No cigarette until I can go out with you. Deal?"

"Scout's honor." She held up her right pointer and middle fingers, in a boy scout salute. "Have fun with blood boy. I do not trust him."

I bit my tongue and left the office, asking myself the question I had been avoiding.

Do I trust him?