Chapter 1: New Opportunities

"I think you should take it, Kate. You'd be nuts not to!" Christine told me as we ate hot dogs in the park.

"I know, I know." I sighed. "But I've been down so long, what if this is too good to be true?"

"You can't stay stuck forever!" Christine insisted. "Besides…" she added, wiping mustard off her lips. "Nurses almost never retire! They're like docents in a museum – tenured and too stubborn to leave unless they're forced out or finally cave and admit they're too old."

"That's true." I admitted. "Betty was…seventy-something, I believe. They had her retirement party at some ritzy hotel last week. I think she went of her own volition, though. And from what I gather she was very popular."

"Even still! This is your shot. Life's handed you lemons and you've made enough lemonade to last the next quarter century…" Christine laughed slightly.

I exhaled somewhat exasperatedly through my nose at the re-visitation of three years' hard luck.

Christine was unfazed. "Look, I've known you've wanted to help people since you could pick up a crayon."

"I do." I said.

"And this Dr. Wilson guy seems like he'd be a good fit for you to work with, given what you've told me." Christine said.

"It's not like I know the man's life story or anything!" I chuckled. "I just know that Dr. Cuddy appointed him to head of Oncology because he genuinely cares about his patients, and that's what cancer patients need."

"Of course." Christine nodded in understanding. "You're caring too; this is why you'd be a fine working pair. Don't you see?"

"Yeah…" I replied, a little confused by my friend's approach. "I'm just a little skeptical of the offer, can you really blame me?"

"No, honestly, I would be too given your financial woes." Christine admitted.

"Which I'm still not entirely through yet, by the way." I noted ruefully. "Lunch time is going to be embarrassing for sure. Ramen noodles and squishy peanut butter sandwiches. Oh joy."

"No one's going to judge you for that!" The expression Christine wore was a trifle incredulous.

"And it's not like I'm going to be divulging that much of my personal life at work anyway." I said, amending my earlier statement.

"Trust me on this, Kate. Life is turning around for you." Christine said, tending to the depths of her purse, trying to find her cell phone which was buzzing.

"Ah crap…" I heard her sigh as she listened to the voicemail of her missed call. "Mr. Jones broke out of his room again."

"Really?" I mused.

"Fourth time this week." She shook her head. "I love the elderly, I do, but sometimes they can make you mental, you know?"

I nodded, a corner of my mouth pulling to one side. "Should we wrap this up then?"

"Yeah, probably. I better get going." She said, standing to throw away what remained of the food.

"I hope everything works out." I said.

"Thanks, you too!" she smiled, adding quickly. "When do you start again?"

"This coming Monday." I said.

"I'll be expecting a full report!" she called as she walked away.

I saluted in response, collecting my own belongings, and turned to head back to my apartment.