Our Safeguard

Chapter 48

Chapter 48

~Jerome~

       Sometimes when I was at work, I just wanted to hide in a corner and pretend I was doing my job. I would be easy if I was a floor staff but right now, I was assigned to the cash register. It wasn't that bad, but there were always customers that made my job extremely hard.

       There were some customers that demanded discounts when there were none, tried to blame me because the store was out of what they were looking for, even got mad when they were reminded that we didn't have plastic bags anymore.

       A customer once yelled at me for looking at my phone. I was using a barcode scanner.

       I totally loved getting paid minimum wage and having to put up with customers like them.

       I could feel my phone buzz a few times while I was trying to work, so I had to try my best to ignore the call. I kept forgetting to take the device off of vibrate if I kept it in my pocket. I know I should be keeping it in my locker, but I didn't trust a certain coworker of mine. He had been accused multiple times of stealing some cash and change from lockers so he could buy a meal, but no one was able to prove it was him. 

       We all knew it was him.

       Throughout my shift, my phone would buzz on and off as if someone was really trying to get a hold of me. The more it rang, the worse I began to feel. Of course, I started overthinking. What if something happened to someone? What if it was my mom trying to get a hold of me despite not being able to?

       Finally, I was able to take a break, so I took my phone out of my pocket as I walked to the break room. An unrecognizable number was the one that had been trying to call me and sure enough, they called once again right as I was about to call them back. I accepted the call and held the phone up to my ear. "Hello?"

       "Hi, is this Jerome Roy?" a soft voice on the other line asked.

       "This is."

       "I'm calling from Yellowwood General Hospital. Your husband has been admitted here."

       My heart dropped the moment I heard that news. "I-Is he okay? What happened?"

       "He's currently being treated for smoke inhalation, but he'll be okay."

       I released a sigh of relief upon hearing that he would be okay, but I still couldn't help but think exactly what happened to him. "Thank you. I'll be on my way."

       I hung up the call and first found my manager, asking if I could leave early because Nolan was in the hospital. She was actually quite familiar with Nolan after all the times he would study here and I would hang out with him on the break, so she let me leave as well as hoping he got better soon. Though even if she didn't know him, she would definitely let me leave early. 

       I went to the break room and grabbed all my stuff before leaving the store. I had to try my best not to speed to the hospital because the last thing I needed was to get arrested when I was trying to see Nolan.

       When I got there, I asked the receptionist about Nolan and she told me what room he was in. I quickly went there, feeling even more relieved when I saw the state he was in. He was just sitting on the hospital bed with a nose tube connected to him. He was keeping himself entertained by watching videos on his phone.

       "Nolan," I said. He looked at me and smiled, and I couldn't help but hurry over to him and hug him tightly. "Are you okay? What happened?"

       "I'm okay," Nolan said. "I'm just a bit more shaken up if anything."