5:30pm

It was the day before Jonny began his new job as Darwin's Clinical Nursing Manager and he and his best friend were enjoying a strong drink in Albie's to celebrate his last night as being a 'plain ol' nurse'. It was one of the few occasions that Mo had been able to pry Jonny away from Bonnie for more than five seconds so she was trying to enjoy every minute of his company.

"So any major changes planned for the ward?" Mo queried before she took a sip of her glass of red wine.

"Definitely. From tomorrow onwards, Darwin is going to be the most efficient ward in the world." Jonny concluded smugly.

"Now tell me the truth." Mo rolled her eyes. She received a playful elbow in return before he took the first sip of his third beer of the evening. "Nah but seriously, what are you actually changing?" She asked curiously.
"A lot. Staffing rotas, theatre lists, people's attitudes to name a few." Jonny listed. "Speaking of which, you know you're always moaning about that pesky Wednesday night shift?"

"You didn't?" Mo smirked.

"Oh I did; you're now working the day shift instead." He smiled.

"And that's why you got the job." Mo proclaimed.

"No, I got the job because a certain consultant threw a strop." Jonny grumbled.

"Oi, don't put yourself down. You're gonna change this ward for the better, I know it."

"Thank you." Jonny said gratefully.

"To the future of Darwin under a new clinical nursing manager." Mo said as she raised her wine glass.

"That's a bit of a mouthful considering this is my third pint." Jonny retorted.

"Alright then, to... A pay rise!" Mo announced.

"Here here." Jonny nodded as he chinked glasses with Mo and then took a large gulp of his beer.

Monday, 8am

Jac was in a fouler mood than usual because not only had the father of her child been promoted to a job that – in her opinion – he didn't deserve but organising a nanny had been harder than anticipated when the father had also been contacting them telling them that their services weren't required. That had only piled on more stress because she knew that Emma's the day that she would be discharged from the hospital was going to be within weeks, not months. She entered her office and sat down at her desk, only to find that there was a black ring binder folder placed in front of her computer with a yellow post-it note on top saying: 'Any questions contact Jonny Maconie, Clinical Nursing Manager of Darwin.'

Out of anger, she screwed the small sticky note and threw it in the bin under her desk before she opened the folder to read it's containments as she knew that if she didn't read it he would only pester her in person. After taking a few glances, she felt like she had unleashed hell.

There was a new rota for her stating that with no pay increase per hour, she would be working sixty-five hours a week at ridiculous times, instead of her current fourty-eight hours. There was also a new restriction on theatre hours stating that she wasn't to exceed a certain number of hours in theatre each day and that if a procedure was to overlap her allotted time then she would have to page another cardiothoracic surgeon. As she delved further into the new changes she could feel her blood boiling and heat rushing to her cheeks. Just as her anger was reaching its peak, there was a knock at the door and in entered the cocky Scottish nurse whom she so longed to throttle.

"Ah, you've had a look over the new documents. Great." Jonny nodded. "Any problems?" He asked innocently. He had done everything possible, within the rules, to annoy her because he knew that the one thing apart from their daughter that Jac loved was her work, or more importantly theatre.

"You can't just make me work seventeen extra hours a week. I mean, I wouldn't normally complain but these shifts are ridiculous." She stated angrily.

"Well, I'm afraid it's just how the computer has worked it out." Jonny said as he tried with all his might to conceal the evil smile. "Besides, your contract states that you have opted out for the maximum fourty-eight hours per week scheme and I have it in writing." Jonny stated.

"Well then I withdraw my written notice." Jac stated.

"Okay, but that contact also states that you would give three months' notice before you begin working fewer than forty-eight hours a week so I'm afraid you'll still have to wait three months. That's not a problem is it?"

"You think you're all that just because you've had a tiny pay increase but you do realise that I still earn about triple your earnings." Jac stated.

"Attitude Ms Naylor, have you not heard about the new equality policy? All employees on Darwin are to be treated equally no matter their position, their pay, gender or race." Jonny recited.

"Let me guess, that's another of your brilliant new inventions." Jac muttered sarcastically to herself.

"Well, I'd better get on. Patients to see and paperwork to be getting on with." Jonny smiled smugly before he left the office and slammed the door with an almighty bang.

Jac looked down at her new timetable for working hours.

Monday - 8am-5pm and 6pm-Midnight
Tuesday - 9am-5pm
Wednesday - 6am-3pm and 6pm-Midnight
Thursday - 8am-5pm
Friday - Midnight-6am and 6pm-Midnight
Saturday - Midnight-8am and 10am-4pm
Sunday - 3am-10am

She was working sixty-five hours a week. That was bloody ridiculous! Usually, she'd be overjoyed but it was the times that her shifts were that bothered her. Operations only took place between 8am and 6pm unless they were emergency so for around half of her shifts, she wouldn't actually be actively operating unless it was emergency.

But she couldn't show weakness. She knew that that was what Jonny was trying to do; he wanted her to admit that he had power too, and that she couldn't make all the decisions about their baby but she wasn't going to back down for certain. Besides, she'd only have to last three months until she could go back to working 48 hours a week, and she was sure that she could last until then. If not, she could try to get Jonny fired by setting him up for things he didn't do, but she didn't want to stoop to that level did she?