Lessons in Respect
Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious.
A/N:
Chapter 10 (Hard Work)
As the clock chimed 8:31, the front door of the medical free clinic swung open and Jade charged in. Tori sat at the reception window, tapping the counter. She met Jade's eyes and started to frown. "Jade, you're late. Mom's not going to be able to wait much longer before she can start teaching."
"Sorry." Jade's chest was heaving and her eyes were darting anxiously about her. Her hair was windswept and her body had a light tremble. "I tried to get here as fast as I could. Traffic was hell, then I couldn't find the place!" Holly had that problem for some time the first few days of working here, so Trina wasn't surprised. "What about Cat, Andre and Robbie? Did they make it?"
"Yeah." Tori pointed to the door leading from the waiting room to the hallway for all the nurses and doctors. Patients wouldn't start arriving until 9:00, so Jade had thirty minutes to learn what she could from Holly, but it would be rough. "The others were here on time, so you might just want to follow them around. Holly will be supervising all of you, and you're only going to be doing vitals. No shots administered because you don't have any formal medical training…vitals really aren't difficult."
"Okay. Thank you." Tori nodded and watched Jade rush into the door. Her mother was not going to be happy with Jade, but it was out of her hands now. She looked down to the textbook before her and smiled at the printed paper resting on top of it. It was a list of questions that Ian gave her to work on, questions that would make her search throughout the textbook. He was being hard on her, but for good cause. She could see herself miraculously pulling off an A in Science with his help.
Her teacher was even allowing her to make up some assignments to remove a few zeros.
She went through ten questions before deciding to take a break. Her eyes lifted up to the clock and she saw ten minutes before the clinic really started. Her mom was the head nurse here on Saturdays and it was still nearly as hectic as working at the hospital.
The main doctor already arrived, and the office woman was at her desk, checking appointments and other important things. Tori was usually free to do as she pleased. "Tori?" She looked over her shoulder at the doorway leading into the hallway. Holly was looking at her with a come-hither smile. "I need you to assist, but how are your studies coming?"
"They're good, I'm taking a bit of a breather so I'll come help." She got up and followed her mom. "What do you need help with, Momma?"
"I have them checking vitals and giving the cap sticks for the diabetes check." Every patient that came in would have their blood sugar tested. "I would like for you to work with Jade, since I've been working with Cat and having Robbie and Andre work with each other. I would also like for you to help explain to Jade how we document the information."
"So, act like a patient for Jade?"
"Yes, but first treat her as a patient. That way she'll see how you do it and she will be able to try the same."
"Okay. Mom, what are you going to do with them?" Holly closed her eyes and lifted her shoulders.
"When I first started working as a nurse at the hospital, I had a hellish boss. Everything I did was wrong, nothing was right, I had to work harder to please my boss but everything I went through helped me to grow. That was the intent, obviously, so that's what I'm going to have to do. It's for their benefit. They need the critique so they can improve. Not to mention, it should help improve their attitude."
"Right. That beatdown Trina gave Beck sure didn't help. Poor guy's at Dad's mercy now."
"Yes, it's unfortunate. I don't know why we're letting your other friends off scot free."
"We're not, they're all suspects in the case Dad's investigating. You know they're all going to spend that day in jail." It's to see consequences for actions and what would happen if they kept doing the things they'd been doing, so even Jade would see how close she came to nearly receiving a murder charge without being charged. Unless, of course, she was the one behind Trina's fall. Tori didn't think she was, but at this point, she didn't know if any of her friends were innocent or guilty. "They're all going to be questioned, and whoever was responsible will be up for trial…"
"It's only fair after what happened to my baby girl. Nobody hurts my babies and gets away with it without due consequence…" She saw the wild look in her mom's eyes and had to calm the woman before she got any dastardly ideas. The others didn't know how much of a mama bear Holly was. They only saw her at her exhausted points. "If I didn't know I'd lose my license I'd draw blood from Jade until she passed out. An eye for an eye."
"You really didn't raise me or Trina that way, Momma."
"That's right, baby, revenge is never the answer. No matter how nice it feels or how tempting it is. A bitter cake, that's what it is." Tori's eyebrow arched up as Holly folded her arms over her chest. "It looks sweet, looks nice and tasty but is really bitter and sour inside."
"Exactly, Momma…" Holly scared her sometimes. David may be frightening and truly protective, but it was Holly that had the vindictive streak. Even still, the mother knew her limits and where the line was drawn.
They walked into the small room where the friends were practicing vitals. Tori sat before Jade, who was seated beside an end table with a basket holding all the needed supplies. "Okay Jade, Mom wants me to help you. After this, she'll be watching you throughout the day."
"I know," Jade muttered, "She's already been hard on me. You should have heard her shout at me for being late. I know I messed up but damn…"
"Honestly? She can be scarier than dad sometimes. You should have seen the guy Trina dated several years ago." Jade frowned as Tori grabbed the blood pressure cuff. "Dad gave him a beat down for what he did to her, the guy wound up in jail too. Of course, when he got out, mom went after him…No idea what happened to him after that, I think he moved, and at Mom's order. Whatever she did to him scared him that much."
"Damn…what did he do to Trina?" Tori shrugged and pulled the corner of her lip back, forming a small indention on the right side of her face.
"Not my place to say what Trina's gone through with boyfriends. You remember Danny?"
"Yes. Didn't he disappear after dating Cat?"
"That's the key. When he and I dated years ago and he cheated on me, Dad may have given him a lashing, but Mom's the one that scared him into transferring away. He came back, dated Cat and then kissed me, Mom went to have a talk with him. He moved, is what happened."
Jade chuckled softly and looked to Holly, who was sitting in front of Cat, explaining capillary punctures. "Your mom's cool, Tori…I probably won't say that much, but she is. I didn't know she was that protective."
"Yeah, she's made her mistakes, but never faltered from being a mom. She's far from lazy and is a very hard worker, as you'll find out today. She's going to expect hard work and nothing less. 'You're working with human life, you can't afford to mess anything up', she'll say. Not to mention, she'll probably constantly bring up legal issues that all medical professionals need to look out for."
"Such as?"
Tori slipped the blood pressure cuff up Jade's arm, furrowing her brow as she pulled up the girl's sleeve. "I know you don't want to be reminded about it again-and mom's likely going to bring it up a million times today-that's how she is-big time guilt trip…"
"The blood thing?"
"Yes. That nurse responsible got fired, do you know why?" Jade shook her head and tucked her lower lip under her teeth. "Okay, malpractice. A medical professional knows not to drain too much blood from a patient. That woman continually drew blood even though she should have stopped. A patient can sue at their discretion-and suing typically ruins the reputation of a doctor. Would you see a doctor that you knew his staff endangered patients?"
"No…"
"Exactly. Mom is going to expect a lot out of you guys today, just like I expect a lot from you guys now. You're going to have to learn that actions do have consequences, but that part is where Dad comes in…"
"Your dad?"
"Yeah."
"Tori!" Holly exclaimed. "You're taking too long over there, snap to it dear."
"Yes Momma."
As the day progressed, Tori watched her mom make good on her promise to not take it easy. Anything less than perfection was what she strove for, so the friends did not have it easy. Robbie was the one to complain most about no breaks, no easy time, and of course, Holly told him that time was naturally stringent.
The waiting room grew heavy with a large mass of people to keep everyone busy.
Tori would check on the friends every now and then to see how they were faring with Holly. There were times when they weren't taking the vitals fast enough, so the mom would push them out of the way and start doing the job herself.
Jade and Cat did their very best to work as hard as possible, Andre was cracking under the pressure, and Tori was noticing an abundant amount of restroom breaks from Robbie.
This was indicative of him using the restroom as an excuse to take mini breaks, so she reported to Holly, who revoked his right to use the restroom for the next four hours.
At the end of the day, Holly told the gang how proud she was of them. They were happy, but lethargic. They sat in the empty waiting room, moaning softly. "I will never call the woman lazy again," Andre whimpered.
Tori chuckled softly and checked her cell phone, seeing a text message from Ian. Her body warmed and her heart skipped a beat as she checked his message. How is the studying going? How are you and your friends faring at the clinic?
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before rushing to answer. "Everything is going great. I really think they're starting to see something in mom that they haven't seen before. She actually has been offering them praise on occasion through the day, so I think that's affecting things. I'll include that in my research. Also, studying is going well."
"Good to hear," his response came nearly a minute later. "I guess your dad's next?"
"Yes. One more lesson for them. Unless of course, you'd like to deal with them."
"Haha, I have nothing I want to do or say to them."
"Fair enough." She hovered her fingers over the send button and lifted her head slightly while eyeing the screen for her next text. Her cheeks flushed and her heart began to pound as she started to type something extra. "Ian. Can we have a study date tonight?"
It was a long few seconds before his response came, and her nerves grew painfully sharp as she checked his answer, fearing rejection. To her surprise and pleasure, he said yes! She pulled the phone to her chest, hugging it as her lips turned to a bright grin and her eyes closed tight. Tori practically jumped for joy, she finally had a date with Ian!
After a few minutes, the clinic doors opened once more. Her eyes flicked up to see her father standing in the doorway. He was wearing his police uniform with the Assistant Chief insignia on his shoulders. Black shades rested on the top of his nose, shielding his sharp gaze. He wore a black cowboy hat that he reached up to tuck the brim downwards.
Next to him was his friend from Las Vegas, DB Russell, the specialist in questioning and crime scene investigations. Charlie Russell was also there, he was really just starting out as a cop working for his dad, he had a ways to go. There were other police officers entering as well, all waiting for David's instruction.
"Mr. Vega," Andre smiled and waved at the man, "Hey what brings you here?" David moved his hands to his hips and tightened his jaw. Andre lowered his hand and groaned as Robbie began to tremble before the man. Cat and Jade stood, both frowning.
"Can it, Harris," David instructed. "I have played nice cop for far too long, you've had too much free reign with my daughters. That ends today." Andre paled as an officer grabbed his arms and slapped the handcuffs onto him.
"What! Sir? I beg of you!"
Robbie started to run, which Tori found suspicious, but another officer grabbed him and pressed him up against the wall. Tears dripped from Robbie's face as he too was cuffed. "What is happening!" He cried. David tilted his head and slowly removed his shades, revealing narrow eyes.
"You're all being taken in for questioning regarding an attempted murder."
"No!"
"No arrest has been made yet, but an arrest will be made." Jade's eyes widened and Cat whimpered as the police advanced upon them. "I will no longer allow you to get away with the crimes you have or may in the future commit. I am not a police officer to take lightly…"
"I'm not a criminal!" Cat pleaded. "Sam, maybe, but not me!"
"I don't think we have a choice," Jade whispered. The girls were cuffed and led over to Andre and Robbie. Tori frowned at her friends and averted eye contact. All she could do was hope her dad wouldn't be hard on them. If she had any control over this part, she'd say not to send them all to the jail, but it was a police investigation and she could not hinder it.
What more, she had to tell him what Andre told her about having sent Trina to that spot where she walked into a gang fight. He confirmed it with Trina. Tori wasn't sure if it was a criminal charge or not, but regardless, her father wanted her around Andre even less than before.
"Good luck guys," She whispered, "Please remember what I said about honesty…It's the only thing that's going to help you now."
The clinic I modeled after the free clinic I did an externship at and volunteered at. 2 chapters left.