The Day Care

Chapter 4

Zyra's POV

It's 4:30 when the last kiddo is picked up. And I immediately get to work disinfecting all the surfaces. There's a cleaning crew that does a deep clean on Friday nights but I like to keep things as clean as possible in the meantime.

When I'm all done, I grab my bag and walk out to the front. The large bouquet that Elliot brought me is sitting on the counter and I can't help but smile as I look at them again. I notice a small card sitting in the middle and reach in to grab it.

Ms. Zyra,

Thank you for your kindness and generosity in accepting Oliver into your program. We look forward to spending the semester with you.

-Elliot

The message is really sweet and I tuck it into my back pocket before sniffing one of the roses. It smells so, so good.

I decide to take the flowers home because they'll brighten up my kitchen. Plus the travel nurse Meghan is supposed to be arriving this evening after her orientation. It'll be nice to have fresh flowers.

I get home around 5pm and an hour later, there's a knock at the door.

"Hi!!" Meghan says excitedly. She's a tall blonde woman with lips and cheeks that have had way too much filler. She's wearing navy blue scrubs and matching Hokas. "I'm Meghan!"

She's high energy and I silently hope that once she starts working nights, we won't have to interact too much.

"Nice to meet you Meghan." I shake her hand. "Zyra. Come on in."

I show her to her room, which is down a short hallway just past the dining area.

We enter her room and I smile a little at how well it came together. My favorite part of hosting travel nurses is creating a little sanctuary for them to come home to.

The walls are painted a soft beige and there's a glass chandelier hanging over the bed.

In the middle of the room, is a canopy queen sized bed from Pottery Barn. There are two white, down comforters on the bed and 6 pillows. There's also a cream-colored, super fluffy throw blanket. Either side of the bed has a night stand and the night stands are stocked with eye masks, ear plugs and an extra iPhone and android charger.

"Wow, this room is gorgeous." She glances at the walls, which hold a couple abstract style paintings I got at Homegoods. There's a small loveseat at the edge of the bed and a TV.

Blackout curtains line the windows to make it easier for her to sleep during the day.

"I'll show you the bathroom," I say and she follows me into the bathroom. There's a cream colored rug on the floor and a matching shower curtain. There's also a small chandelier that has a fan attached and it matches the chandelier in her room.

"The floors are heated, which you can turn on here." I show her the wall switch. "And everything in the bathroom is yours."

I open one drawer that has micellar water, cotton pads, Cerave face wash, moisturizer, Aveeno body lotion and five lush bubble bars. I show her where the extra towels and linens are in the small linen closet in the bathroom.

"I've been travel nursing for three years and I've never stayed in a place this nice," Meghan comments. "This is so gorgeous."

"I'm really glad you like it," I say. "I worked in the PICU for awhile and I know how important it is to come home to a cozy spot."

We head out of the bathroom and back into the room. "I'll just show you a couple more things," I say, leading her into the small hallway. "The washer and dryer are here. And help yourself to any detergent." I slide open the closet door where the washer and dryer are. There's a shelf above the washer and dryer where I have a few labeled jars. One is filled with laundry pods, another with fabric softening beads, one with bleach and a fourth container filled with dryer balls.