First fanfic! Edward is a major bastard in the beginning of this story, Bella though is not the sweetest either. They make a great pair :) Let me know what you think! Hopefully constructive criticism...
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The cold bite to the air has me rushing from the parking lot; toward the building I love and at times detest the most. Working as a cardiac nurse had always been a dream of mine after college, funny how dreams sometimes turn out to only skim our realities. Gosh I was in a mood today, I really needed my morning coffee, already felt the headache creeping up from withdrawal. Walking briskly up the winding stairs I come out of the quiet stairwell into the chaos I call my home, just another day at Virginia Mason Hospital.
"Hey Bella, ready for a bright new day?" Emmet, the house supervisor, or whom I would like to call boss man from time to time smiled with a wink.
"I was ready yesterday, then working sixteen hours kind of killed my mood. Your lucky I'm here at all." I really, really need coffee! Emmet holds his hands our as if in surrender, a sheepish look on his face.
"I know, I know, we were extra nice in your assignment though today, you know you love me."
"In your dreams."
"Best place to be, if I say so myself." I roll my eyes at his comment, he is so fucking cheesy sometimes, but I can't help but smile.
Morning rounds went by pretty fast, like a blur, and like Emmet had informed me, my assignment was a good one. One patient I was caring for though had me wondering what the best course to take with her was. I couldn't help but feel frustrated, but also sorry for her. Her name was Esme Cullen, a dignified little slip of a woman, only forty-five, but acting like she was ninety. She had no drive after open-heart surgery. I had a sneaking suspicion one reason was because it seemed she had no real support.
"Do you have any family Esme?" I questioned after helping her back into bed. Our walk had been a slow and treacherous one. Her eyes light up for the first time, it surprises me because in report they told me no one has been here to see her.
"My son, last time I heard he was in New York. He is a very important man, deals with many business ventures." She gushes almost like a schoolgirl, but then quickly regains her composure. This is the most she has spoken to me; I look at her almost in shock. You can tell when someone is dealing with post-surgical depression, but I can also tell there are underlying aspects to her lack of recovery.
"Would you call my Son? I haven't talked to him, if you could give him my number so that he could call when he's free, I would really appreciate it." She has such a look of yearning on her face, if only she would show this much passion in getting healthy again.
"Of course Esme, I'll call and let you know, now you get some rest. We will start this process all over again in the next few hours." She looks at me for a second with despair, and then closes her eyes.
I couldn't wait to talk to this Mr. Cullen. Important man my ass. What kind of son would stay away from his mother after such a risky and life threatening surgery? Pisses me off.
I call the number provided in her chart for an Edward Cullen, aka bratty son.
"Hello, Cullen Enterprises, how may I direct your call?" A cherry, fake voice answers. His work number, you have got to be fucking kidding me. My anger increases up to boiling.
"Yes, if you could direct me to Edward Cullen, I would appreciate it." I voice with sarcasm.
"I'm sorry, he is not taking calls at this time, if you could call back later after lunch."
"This is from the hospital in Seattle regarding his mother, I would like to talk to him now." The anger I am trying to suppress comes into my voice.
"Yes, and what is your name please?" She seems a bit nervous now, and this causes me to smile.
"Bella, his mothers nurse for today."
"Yes Bella, I will put you through right away." I am on hold for only a moment.
"What precisely do you need, nurse Bella?" A crisp, no-nonsense voice questions on the line. He is young, and his deep baritone has me wondering what he looks like.
Stupid, I tell myself, I need to stay focused and not think about the quality of his voice. He is after all mocking me.
"It's not what I need Mr. Cullen, it's what your mother needs. She is deteriorating after surgery, which is very unusual with her age and condition. If she keeps this up, I wouldn't be surprised if she needed to stay in a nursing home." My contempt escapes for this man I've never met.
"This is what I pay you for, what is your hospital doing then if she is deteriorating?" He seems exasperated, good, I hope to increase that and make him see sense. I ignore his question.
"She is asking for your Mr. Cullen, that is the main reason why I am calling. She would like to talk to you, and from what I can see she is really in need of encouragement. Not from a stranger like me, but from someone she cares about. It would be better if she could actually see someone, and have that encouragement. I think it would make a world of difference in her recovery." I can't help but say this forcefully, like I am scolding a small child.
"I will call her, but I am not so sure about a visit." He replies with a clipped tone, betraying nothing else in his voice.
I give him the phone number to her room and quickly hang up, knowing without a doubt that is the most I will get from this self-important man. I take some satisfaction in knowing that at least I had gained what Esme had asked for, even if it doesn't seem enough to me.
How can some people have no sense of decency? It amazes me that a man with supposedly so much power and responsibility doesn't have enough smarts to see when his presence is most needed. I don't know the back-story, but no matter what it entails I know he should be here. These thoughts trail off as I do my next round.