Hello. It's Kirsty here. Im going to tell you what its like working in the ED department in Holby. Its dreadful. Our favourite boss stepped down so they stepped an idiot up. If I knew they were handing the job to anyone I would have applied myself just I thought you needed more qualifications than to occasionally turn up and do some work. She held an important meeting and someone's phone went off.
"Whose ever phone that is can you switch it off", Linda said.
"I think its yours", I replied.
Seriously though, how do you not know your own ringtone. Is she that unpopular that no one even rings her? Why can't Tess just take her job back. Adam keeps saying I need to give Linda a chance. I swear his met her before and isn't saying anything. In a relationship your meant to tell each other everything so he better not be lying. She called another meeting yesterday and yes you guessed it she messed that one up too. She had hiccups and didn't even realise it. Don't get me wrong, I know she can't help it but you would of thought she'd realise.
"Whoever has hiccups get a glass of water and drink it upside down, it works everytime", Linda said while hiccuping.
"I think that's you who has the hiccups", I replied.
Seriously how did she even pass to qualify to be a nurse if she doesn't even know what her own hiccups sound or feel like. Its quite concerning. Actually I don't know how she's managed to live this long. Why can't we have Tess back, she was much better in the job. Linda's just annoying and she doesn't care about anything. She also thinks she's funny.
"Kirsty. What do you call a belt made of watches", Linda said.
"I'm busy", I tried to reply.
"A waist of time", Linda replied.
"Really", I said.
"Come on that was funny", Linda replied.
It seriously wasn't funny. I get that every single day. The fact my new boss think she's a comedian is quite worrying. Yesterday it was something about glasses and fish and chip shops. You know she tripped over her own shoelsce and her lace wasn't even undone. Don't get me wrong, she's caring but just a little bit thick. I got on with my job hoping to avoid Linda as much as possible. Its actually quite easy when you know she's hiding in Tess' I mean her office. I needed a second opinion. I saw Jay and walked over
"Jay", I said.
"Kirsty", Jay replied.
"Can you help me with my paitient", I asked.
"Sorry, I'm in resus", Jay replied.
I looked over at Linda's well Tess' office, I knew Linda was in there so I took a slow walk over and knocked on the door.
"Come in", Linda said.
I walked in and the first think she did was offer me a cookie. Ok I couldn't resist and I had a cookie but then I got on with what I wanted.
"Can you come and give me a second opinion on my paitient", I asked.
"Sure", Linda replied.
She put her shoes back on which from my position seemed like forever and then we finally went to my patient. We walked in together and Linda examined the paitent and then we walked outside.
"What do you think", I asked.
"Defiantly a sprained wrist and the xray shows a hairline fracture", Linda replied.
I walked to the xray, how could I had missed that. I quickly fixed my fault and my patient was discharged before four hours. I guess I have Linda to thank for that as she was the one who spotted it. I walked over to her office but she wasn't in there. I looked over at Noel, he seemed quite friendly with Linda so he might know where she is.
"You seen Linda", I asked.
"She not in her office", Noel asked.
"No", I replied.
"Should I call the missing person hotline", Noel asked.
"That's not even funny", I replied.
Ok, I'll admit I was laughing but it is unlike Linda not to be hiding in her office. I walked over to resus but she wasn't in there either. I found her outside just standing there. I walked over to her and she looked up.
"Thank you for noticing the hairline fracture", I said.
Linda didn't say anything back but she smiled. I left her alone, maybe she'd just witnessed her first death working in Holby and everyone is different. I walked back inside but she did seem upset but I hardly know here to get involved. I walked in and Adam pulled me over and kissed me. I looked at him and we kissed some more. When we lock lips it feels like everything will be ok. It was finally the end of my shift and Adam's was now starting so Im not doing much tonight. I walked into the staff room to get my things and Linda was crying on the sofa. I rolled my eyes and walked over.
"What's wrong", I asked.
Linda shook her head and went into her office. I know I can be a cow at times but I'm not going to leave her crying. I walked into her office and she was sat on the floor crying. I sat next to her. It was silent except from Linda's crying for what seemed like what was forever. Ok so Linda's crying didn't make it silent but you get what I mean.
"What's wrong", I asked.
Linda thought about it for a while, I don't blame her to be honest, we hardly know each other and none of us has made the effort to even try and get to know one another.
"My friend passed away a few days ago", Linda said crying.
"I'm so sorry, you could come to mine for dinner", I replied.
We both went and stood at the bus stop and looked at each other and then burst out laughing. Both our cars were in the garage. The bus came and I paid the fair, Linda was cleaver to buy an all day ticket but I was still half asleep this morning. She sat by the window and I sat next to her. The journey was silent like we were two strangers. We got to the bus station and I guided Linda to the number twelve bus which is my route. I looked at her to make sure she was ok. We got on and sat down.
"Should we get a take away tonight", I asked.
"Yeah", Linda replied.
I have loads of leaflets at home we can go through. We eventually got to my stop and we got off and walked to my house, Nita was staying at a friends for the night while they did a project. We walked in.
"Take a seat", I said.
Linda sat down and I went through the draws to get the take away menus. I brought them down and a picture fell out of one of them. Linda picked it up and just stared at it for ages.
"You ok", I asked.
"That's Amelia and Lucas", Linda said.
"Who", I asked.
"My friend who died, Jessica, they are her kids", Linda replied.
I found myself putting my arm around Linda, it was a weird feeling considering we are hardly friends. I sat with her as she wiped her tears away. She went through tbetake away menu's and choose my favourite, Holby Pizza. Linda choose to have ham and pineapple and I just went for plan cheese and tomato. She looked up at the picture of Nita I have hanging up.
"Who's that", Linda asked.
"That's Nita, she's my daughter, she's staying at a friend called Britney's house tonight", I replied.
"My son would had been 16 months now", Linda replied.
"What happened to him", I asked.
"Sullivan was in a car accident in America, he died at the scene. My baby boy shoukd be learning to walk and talk and if he twists the door he can smile at mummy as she tries to pee and have water play when Im in the bath", Linda replied.
"Sullivan is still in your heart", I replied.
"I burried him in Holby", Linda said.
I gave Linda a hug and she randomly hiccuped. We both burst into laughter. She seemed quite embarrassed by it.
"Its ok to hiccup you know", I said.
"I'm sorry about having hiccups during the meeting", Linda replied.
"Its fine. Your hiccups are quite cute the way they squeak", I said.
I went to put the menu's away and I came across a photo of a baby. The picture wasn't of Nita and the baby was wearing blue so I assumed its a baby boy. I brought the picture in.
"Found this in my hall way, must had belonged to the previous owner", I said.
"That's baby Harry", Linda replied.
"I'll leave this with you then as you know him", I replied.
"You'll see Adam before me, his Adam's son but he sadly passed away", Linda replied.
Wait. Adam has well had a son. He never told me about that and I thought we told each other everything. I sat in front of my sofa and stared. The door bell rand and I couldn't be bothered to answer it, I was in too much shock. Luckily Linda got up and answered it. She brought both the pizza's and the Dr Peppers in and she gave me mine.
"Who did he have a baby with", I asked.
"Jessica Harrison. They were married", Linda replied.
"His lied to me", I said.
I started to cry and Linda opened up my pizza box. Apparently pizza always cheers her up so she thought it might work for me too. So my new boss thinks you can cheer people up with pizza, to be honest she's not wrong, I love pizza. We finished the pizza and sat and chatted for a little while. It was getting really late and I didn't want Linda going home alone at this hour.
"Stay here for the night, I have spare pajama's and you can put yesterday's clothes in the wash", I said.
"You sure", Linda asked.
"Yeah", I replied.
I gave her some pink pajama's and waited for her to come down as she got dressed upstairs. A few minutes later she came down with her blonde curly hair brushed out. Pink really suits her whereas it looks hideous on me. I went upstairs and put my blue pajama's on. I came back down and Linda smiled. Adam came home and right now he wasn't in my good books. I got up and gave the picture of Harry back to him.
"So when were you going to tell me you were married and had a baby", I asked.
"Kirsty, I'm so sorry. How did you find out", Adam asked.
"Linda's here. She told me everything", I replied.
Adam stormed into my living room and started to have a go at Linda. She started to cry but Adam just shouted more. I quickly put a stop to it.
"I found the photo", I said.
Adam came away from Linda who was crying. He looked over at me and then at Linda who was crying on the floor. We went into the hall way.
"I'm so sorry", Adam said.
"Right now its not me you should be apologising to", I replied.
I know I can be a selfish bitch at times but I can't just stand here and let Linda cry in my living room, that's not very fair. Adam walked back into the room and I could see the terror in Linda's eyes as she sobbed.
"Linda Im sorry", Adam said.
"Get out", I replied.
"Kirsty", Adam said.
"I said get out", I repeated.
"Kirsty you don't mean that", Adam replid.
"I'll call the police if you don't leave", I said.
Adam left and I walked back into the living room, Linda's face was tear stained with mascara and foundation. She looked up at me and tried to stop crying. I sat next to her and carefully pulled her towards me and gave her a hug.
"Let it all out", I said.
It was hard sitting there listening to Linda's cries. However it made me realise how much she is trying to live up to Tess' expectations. It can't be easy when you've not had practice. She stopped crying and we just sat in the corner of my room.
"I never really thought about it before but when it came out I'd been abused you looked so concerned about me, you even care for those who don't like you, you have the biggest heart I've ever seen anyone have", I said.
"Thanks, I guess", Linda replied.
"You're not too bad you know. I was wrong to judge you because your not Tess", I said.
"Its ok", Linda replied.
"Why were you so concerned about me? Its not like we were friends", I asked being nosey.
"I was abused too. The locum doctor Simon Ropper, he used to abuse me. I ran away fourty eight hours before the wedding day with a sling on one arm and pregnant with our son, I was ok with Sullivan not knowing his dad that way he couldn't get hurt but I guess even from far away Simon still hurt me. Our baby boy died", Linda replied.
I was shocked over two things the first was that there was someone to talk to about Warren the whole time and I was too stuck up to see it. Tge second was the fact Mr Jordan had aloud him to work in the ED. I had heard about Linda trying to stop the locum from coming in. It just proves how much people actually listen in that place, they don't. I looked at Linda she was taking her make up off with make up wipes. I saw she had a tiny bruise just under her eye.
"How did you get that", I asked.
My nursing instinct just clicked in. I looked at Linda waiting for and answer but wouldn't say. Obviously hiding something I went and sat with her. I waited for Linda to see if she'd tell me, she didn't have to of course but the bruise looked nasty and new.
"He hit me", Linda said.
"Who", I asked.
"Simon", Linda replied.
I broke inside. Before Nita pushed him down tge stairs Warren used to abuse me. I couldn't sit and watch someone else go through it. Linda started to cry and I found myself comforting her. Adam arrived and he let himself in he stared at us.
"Am I interrupting something", Adam asked.
"When were you planning to tell me you were married with a kid? On our wedding day, honeymoon or never", I asked.
"How did you find out", Adam asked.
"You dropped this and Jessica is it, she showed Linda a photo of Harry", I replied.
Adam looked at Linda and he was furious. He didn't like the fact I'd found out about Jessica and Harry. I looked over at him.
"Why didn't you just tell me? I told you about Warren and you met Nita, it would of made no difference that you had a wife before me and as for your son, im sorry his not here", I replied.
"My ex wife ran off with her", Adam said.
"Who", I asked.
"Linda", Adam replied.
"I never thought she'd come. I was joking when I asked her", Linda replied.
"What. So you're saying you never wanted Jessica there", Adam replied.
Linda went quiet. Adam could tell that it was true and she didn't actually want Jessica to come. I could see Adam getting angry.
"IS THAT WHY YOU CAME BACK", Adam shouted.
"No", Linda replied.
"Then why", Adam asked.
"To make room for the new baby. Jess remarried and they have a son called Cody. There was no oom for me after he was born and got to five months", Linda replied.
I looked at Adam. I could see he felt as if Jessica had replaced there son Harry with Cody. I sat Adam down and made him a coffee. Linda was sat on the sfloor still. I came back in to find Adam had moved to the floor and was sat with Linda.
"Did you choose to move out", Adam asked.
"Brick and Jess chucked me out", Linda replied.
"So Jessica picked some guy she's know two minutes over a girl she's known for eighteen years, I can't believe I'm saying this but your better off without her", Adam replied.
"She sat and watched me suffer as I suffered a miscarriage", Linda replied.
"Losing Harry was hard. I understand that but you could had been seriously ill", Adam replied.
"I wanted to be a mum this time. I wanted to have my go", Linda said.
"You're thirty four. There's still time", I replied.
"That baby was my last chance", Linda replied.
I looked at Adam, when Linda first came I wasn't keen on her but I'd never chuck her out over a new man or baby. We sat together and watched Eastenders.
Today I learnt not to be so judgemental. Once getting to know her Linda was actually really nice and told me things about Adam that I didn't even know. From now on Im going to be a better person.