Another day, another chapter. Please review! They give me warm fuzzies, and I love to get warm fuzzies!

"It's about time you get home." Nicole said to Raina the next day when she walked into the house.

"Why did you insist on watching Honey if you didn't really want too? I tried taking her to work so you wouldn't have to deal with her, but you insisted I didn't."

"I didn't realize how much of a pain in the ass she is." Nicole said.

"What is wrong with you? You have been so bitchy lately."

"So now I'm a bitch?"

Raina gave her roommate a look, confused as to where this was all coming from.

"You're the one who has been nothing but a lying bitch." She added.

"How?"

"If you are planning on moving out, then just do it." Nicole said, angry.

"Move out? Who said I was moving out?"

"This relationship of yours with Crosby can't stay long distance forever. You leave almost every weekend to be with him. It's coming."

"Nicole, I'm not moving out. You can get that out of your head." Raina said, shaking her head.

"He can't move in here." She said.

"He's not moving in here either. Just chill out."

Raina walked into her room with her suitcase in tow and was greeted by Honey on her bed, meowing in her happiness to see her.

"Hey baby girl." Raina said, kissing the top of her head. She started unpacking her things when she heard her cell phone signaling she had a text.

"Miss you already." The text from Crosby read. She smiled at the sight of it, immediately feeling sad that he was not there with her.

"Wish you were here. Missing you like crazy as well." She responded back.

Raina took a load of laundry to the laundry room and started her first load. She then headed to the kitchen to grab herself a bottle of water, then headed back to her room to get back to cleaning, something she was currently wishing she did before she left town.

She realized she had another text at that point, and grabbed it to read it.

"Do I really have to wait a whole month to see you again?" He asked.

She frowned, not wanting to wait as long either, but didn't see any way around it.

"Job will kill me if I asked another weekend off, expecially with me being gone for two weeks next month. I really shouldn't push my luck." She responded. It was then that she wished she was independently wealthy and didn't have to work.

Right after she hit send, her phone started to ring. She glanced at it to see that Brandi was calling her.

"What's up bitch?" Raina answered, smiling.

"I was hoping you'd answer. How was your trip to Iowa?" She asked.

"Short. I actually ended up going to Seattle for the weekend."

"What? When did that decision happen, and why wasn't I informed?"

Raina laughed at her reaction.

"My brothers bought me a ticket there, and I got there on Saturday, and just left today." Raina explained.

"How was Crosby?" She asked. Raina could almost hear her smiling on the other end.

"He is fine. I almost wish I didn't go." She said, sighing.

"Why do you say that?" Brandi asked, confused.

"Makes me miss him more and more every time I see him." She explained, sounding a little depressed.

"The joys of long distance relationships. Planning on seeing him soon?"

"He is coming to Iowa with me."

"There ya' go. Two weeks stuck with each other in the middle of nowhere." She joked, laughing. "That will test any relationship."

Raina laughed in response.

"Anyway, I thought I'd call to give you a heads up about work before you go in tomorrow."

"What about work?"

"They are talking layoffs." She said, getting serious.

"What?" Raina was astonished at the sound of what she said.

"Nobody has gotten axed yet, but they are talking it. I heard the managers and owners talking the other day, and they are giving first round slips next week."

"How can they staff the hospital if they are going to lay off people?"

"Spread us thin. What else?"

Raina groaned.

"I probably will get axed first. I ask off work too much."

"Nah, I doubt that would be the reason they lay anybody off." Brandi said. "Just make sure you are on you're A game."

"I kind of wish I wasn't going on vacation now." Raina admitted nervously.

"Don't even worry about it. You have had this vacation planned for over a year. They won't take it away from you or anything like that."

"I'm not worried about that. I'm worried that they will let me go next week, and then I'm screwed."

"Nah, you'll be fine. Just don't let it get to you, and remember to always be on your best." She said.

Raina sighed.

"Anyway, I am going to go. I will see you tomorrow at work."

Raina agreed, and then hung up the phone. She laid down on her bed, depressed. She knew she could always go back to the Oyster Shack if she had too, but she really didn't want to go back if she didn't have too. She enjoyed her job she had now, and loved what she did.

"Maybe I'll just have to surprise you or something one day and show up."

Raina smiled at the thought, but she got a sick feeling in her stomach, not sure if she should even ask off for a weekend to spend with him. She didn't want to give them any more reason to lay her off, but she would hate it if he came down and she was stuck working all weekend.

"That would make for a perfect surprise." She found herself sending him. She couldn't help but wish that he was there.

The next day, Raina went into work, not knowing what to expect. She was sure that rumors were flying like crazy, and that tensions were high. She was just hoping for an easy work day.

"Hey, how was your trip?" Sandy asked when she walked in the door.

"It was good." Raina responded with a smile.

"We are working with only you on the desk today, if you are okay with that. I will be around in case things get crazy, but we are trying something new today." Sandy explained.

Raina nodded, not saying a word in protest, as she put her things in her locker.

The day went by quickly, which normally happened when things were busy, which they were. Normally, it wouldn't seem busy with the normal two person receptions crew, however, when she worked alone, she was doing the work of two people, and she had a very hard time keeping up, but did her best. By the time the end of the day came to an end, and the next receptionist came in for the overnight shift, Raina was exhausted.

"If I had to do that every day, I'd cry." Raina said to Brandi as they stood out back of the animal hospital while Brandi had a cigarette.

"You handled it better than Cheri did yesterday." Brandi said. "I think Cheri cried a couple times."

Raina shook her head, glancing at her newly painted car.

"Ready to enter it in the show in a couple of weeks?" Brandi asked when she watched Raina stare at her car.

"I didn't even ask it off, and to be honest, I'm not going too. If I am off, then yes. If not, then oh well."

"You're no fun." Brandi joked.

Raina smiled at her friend.

"I am going home, Brandi. I am exhausted, and I am doing it all over again tomorrow."

"You and me both. I will see you in the morning." She said, smiling.

Raina climbed into her car and started it, then sat back in her seat and took a deep breath. She stared at the building she worked in and wondered if everything she went through that day was worth the paycheck. She groaned, putting her car in drive and drove towards her house.

When she got there, she noticed that Nicole wasn't home, which she was grateful for at that moment, and made her way inside. She was immediately greeted by Honey, who was begging for food. The cat walked ahead of Raina, leading the way to her bedroom, and immediately jumped on the table where her bowls were located, and then cried out to her, watching Raina's every move.

"I get the picture, Honey." Raina laughed. She grabbed the container of Honey's food and filled her bowl, then continued to strip her work scrubs off, throwing them in a pile on the floor. She then walked into her bathroom and started herself a shower. She took a long shower, loving the feeling of the warm water on her sore muscles, wishing that it wouldn't end.

She was quickly snapped out of her daze when she heard her phone ring. She groaned, wondering if she should end her shower early to answer it, or if she should let her voicemail pick it up. After debating for a moment, she turned off the shower, grabbing her towel, and wrapped it around herself. When she reached her phone, she realized that Crosby was calling her.

"Hey, I'm so glad it's you." Raina answered, lying on her bed.

"Well that's good to hear." Crosby laughed.

"I have had the day from hell, and hearing your voice just makes my day end better."

"What happened?" He asked, concerned.

"They are doing layoffs at work." She said. "And they had me on the desk by myself all day. I am exhausted."

"How did it go?"

"I handled it. I had a couple clients yell at me for taking awhile, but there was nothing I could do."

"Well that's no fun."

"Tell me about it. Me working by myself, and them doing layoffs, is not client centered at all. I don't know what they are thinking. I don't know what's going to happen. Part of me doesn't want to lose my job, but the other part of me wonders if it is even worth it."

"That is something that only you can answer. Do you like it there?"

"I like what I do, but not too happy there right now."

"I say give it a little longer. At least until your vacation so you don't lose that. Then, make your decision."

She sighed.

"You're right." She agreed. "I would be stupid to quit now when I have paid vacation coming."

"And keep doing what they ask, so you don't get laid off. That would suck as well."

Raina laughed a little.

"How was your day?" She asked, running her fingers through her wet hair.

"Fine. I'm back home now. Had a nice relaxing day, doing a whole lot of nothing." He said, smiling.

"Any big plans coming up?" She asked him as she watched Honey jump up on her bed and then lay down next to her.

"Just spending time with the family, and some friends. We are planning on having a big camping trip here in a few weeks that we do every year."

"I miss doing that." Raina said, making a face. "None of my friends like to do that here in Florida."

"You should come up for it." He suggested.

"When is it?" She asked.

"It is scheduled for a couple weeks after your brother gets married."

"I can see if I can ask off for the weekend, but I'm afraid to ask off with everything going on. I'm afraid to breathe funny at work right now."

"I don't blame you, but honestly, is the job worth it to be on pins and needles all the time?"

Raina sighed.

"Maybe it is time to find something different?" He suggested. "Because if they are wanting to get rid of people that badly, it may be worth at least starting to look."

"You're right." She said, groaning.

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right." He joked, laughing.

"Sure you are." She said with a smile.

"If you want to come up, the offer is there. I mean, I am meeting your family, it only seems fair you meet mine." He laughed.

"Oh, I see what you are doing. Ulterior motives here, eh?"

He laughed.

"I will see what the boss says. I will talk to them about a week after the first set of pink slips get handed out. That way things are calming down, and not still as bad as things are now. At least I'm hoping anyway."

"I have faith that things will get better." He said to her, his voice getting more serious.

"I hope so. I can only take so much." She sighed.

"Work tomorrow?"

"Yup. Only I work a twelve hour shift by myself instead of an eight, so this will be interesting."

"Then I will let you go so you can get a good nights sleep. You need it." He said to her. She could almost hear how sorry he felt for her.

"Thanks." She said to him, petting Honey while talking to him.

"Call me when you are done tomorrow?"

"Will do." She answered.

"Night." He said to her. She slowly ended the phone call, and she tossed her phone on the pillow. She stared at the ceiling, losing the will to even get up to blow dry her hair. Her laziness got the better of her, and she crawled into bed, turning off her light, and went to sleep for the night, deciding to worry about her hair in the morning.

There you have it! Remember, PLEASE review! I want to make sure that you guys still like this story! :)