Syndi Powell - Risk of Falling

“They just need some TLC.” Suzy squeezed past Thoramae. “Is Presley in her office?”

“You bet. Can’t get her to leave.” Thoramae returned to her spot behind the reception desk. “She’s been asking for you.”

“Thanks.” Suzy looked down into her basket. Two of the kittens slept while the third licked its paw. “You’re gonna love Pres. She’ll help you get big and strong.”

Presley sat at her desk and looked up when Suzy walked in. “I’d ask if you always talk to yourself, but I know the answer to that one.” She came around the desk and gave Suzy a hug. “How are you doing today?”

“Fine.” Suzy avoided her friend’s eyes and placed the basket on Presley’s desk. “Tell me you can help these guys.” Presley picked one of the kittens and held him up. “He’s awfully scrawny. Good thing you found them when you did. Temperatures are supposed to fall over the weekend. They could have frozen out there.” She held the kitten close to her chest and stroked his head. “With a little time and a lot of food, they should be fine.”

Suzy wilted with relief into a chair. “Good. I can’t deal with any more loss.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Presley put down the kitten and turned her attention to Suzy. Probed her with the same intensity she usually reserved for her animal patients. “We haven’t hung out lately. Or talked much.”

“Well, you know my work schedule. Midnight shifts don’t help a social life.” Suzy gave a forced chuckle. “I’m fine. Tired, maybe. They had me working six days last week.” Her friend seemed to accept her words. At least for now. Suzy leaned in closer to Presley. “But I did meet a guy.”

Presley clapped her hands and perched on the edge of her desk. “When? How? Details, details.”

“Actually he showed up at my front door.” Suzy let that sink in then laughed at Presley’s expression. “He’s some kind of code enforcement inspector who knew Mama. Told her she had to clean up the backyard.”

“I can figure out how well that went over.”

Suzy rolled her eyes. “No kidding. He’s given me two weeks to clean it up. Or else.”

“Or else what?”

Suzy shrugged. “They charge me to get someone else to clean it up, I guess.” She thought about the mess. “It might be easier if they did. It’s not like they’d take the house from me. Right?” She wished she sounded more confident.

“You can’t afford that, Suze. Besides, I can help you.” Her friend crossed her legs at her ankles. For a moment, Suzy envied her long legs since she’d been born with short ones. Pres leaned back on her desk. “Anytime. Just ask.”

“But your job here...”

Presley laughed and shook her head. “Despite what Thoramae says, I do take time off from here occasionally.” She bit her lip and watched Suzy. “I notice you talked about what he did. But not what he looks like. That good, huh?”

Suzy fanned herself. “Hotter than hot. In an uptight, strait-laced kind of way.” She thought back to Mr. Stone. “He kind of reminds me of that guy who plays James Bond now.”

Presley smiled wider. “Yummy.”

“No kidding.” Suzy stood and hitched her purse higher on her shoulder. She glanced at the clock behind Presley’s desk and sighed. “I’ve got to get going, but...” She glanced at the kittens one more time. “You’ll keep me updated?”

“Absolutely.” Presley hugged her again. “And I mean it. I’ll help you. You don’t have to do this on your own, Suze.”

“I know.” That’s what she said, but she didn’t quite believe it.

CHAPTER THREE

THIS WAS THE longest two hours in history. Had to be. Maybe time had stopped. Will glanced at his watch then held it up to his ear. Nope. Watch still ticked. Hands still moved. Seconds. Minutes. Hours.

He slammed the magazine he’d been reading onto the plastic chair next to him and stretched. Moments later, he walked to the wall of windows that overlooked the parking lot and put his palm against the cool glass. He watched as a woman hurried into the hospital. Did she have a loved one here fighting for their life too? Maybe her daughter had had a baby. Or a friend needed a ride home from work.

He shook his head, scattering the thoughts like wind blowing dried leaves. If he didn’t get out of here soon, he’d be writing poetry about hospital visiting hours or penning that mystery novel he’d always dreamed of. He turned from the window and found that Tori had nodded off, her head back, mouth open. He took his cell phone from his pocket and snapped a quick picture. She’d kill him if he posted it on Facebook, but it might be fun.

Tori stirred, then squeezed her eyes shut before opening them and finding him watching her. She rubbed her face. “Did I miss the surgeon?”

He shook his head. “How late did you tell Teresa you’d be? It’s close to seven already.”

“It’s okay. She said she’d feed the hooligans dinner.” She took out her cell phone and started texting. “But I’ll let them know I’m still here.”

“I can’t believe you got them cell phones. They’re only fourteen.” He took the seat next to her.

Tori finished typing and frowned at him. “Fourteen and involved in so many activities that I feel more like a chauffeur than a mom some days. They need to be able to get a hold of me at all times.”

“We didn’t have phones when we were their age.”

“Well, Dad wasn’t exactly generous, was he? No, he lived by rules of shoulds and should nots.” Tori stopped texting. “Don’t get me wrong. I loved him, but I don’t think he had any clue about how kids should be raised.”

“He was a Marine captain. He had to know how to lead his men into battle not raise kids.” Will couldn’t let it go. “So are you overcompensating for Dad’s strictness or Shawn’s absence?”

Tori’s head snapped up, her eyes blazing. She’d be breathing fire if she could. “Don’t tell me how to bring up my sons because that’s an argument you won’t win. You’re as clueless as Dad was.”

He bit back his retort mostly because she was right. He didn’t have the first clue about raising kids. He marveled at how well Tori was doing on her own.

They sat in silence for a while. Then Will reached over and grabbed his sister’s hand. “You’re a good mom.”

Tori squeezed his hand. “Thanks.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “Maybe I do indulge them more than I would if Shawn was still around, but they’re missing out on so much.”

“Shawn’s the one missing out.” He kissed the top of her head.

She sighed then got to her feet. “I’m going to get some coffee or something. You want anything?”

“Coffee sounds perfect.” He picked up the magazine he’d discarded. “Think I’ll take this quiz and see what kind of girlfriend I am.”

Tori rolled her eyes, but laughed. He watched her leave then started flipping pages. Where was that quiz?

* * *

SUZY PULLED INTO the parking lot of the nursing home and finished singing with an edgy rock song before grabbing her work bag and heading inside. Still humming, she opened the door for a couple leaving. As she passed the front desk, her shift supervisor Rita glanced from Suzy to the clock on the wall. Five minutes early. Whew.

Suzy walked to the employee lounge and put her work bag in the locker. The frozen dinner and bottle of water she’d dug out first, she put in the staff fridge. She’d chosen her flashiest scrubs for today: bright purple top with neon yellow bottoms and yellow crocs. The seniors seemed to like the bright colors. Those who could still see anyway.

She checked the schedule posted on the bulletin board and flexed her shoulders. She enjoyed the seven at night to seven in the morning shift. More patients, less families. Too much family only reminded her of what she didn’t have.