*Louise's POV*
I roll out of bed bright and early at 4:30 AM the next morning so I can be on time to pick up Pattie's shift.
Judy stirs in her sleep and sits up, rubbing her eyes. "Mama?" She asks.
I turn, smiling at her. "Mama has to go to work, do you wanna go sleep with JoJo?"
She nods, extending her arms for me to pick her up.
Her head rests on my shoulder as we walk downstairs to Jolene's room.
"What?" Jolene asks, half awake.
"I'm bringing Judy in to sleep with you since I'm leaving. I don't wanna leave her upstairs in bed alone.''
She rolls over to face us as I playfully drop Judy on the bed. "Be good for JoJo, ok?" I kiss her forehead.
She nods. I start to leave but Jolene grabs my wrist, stopping me. "Please." She says softly.
"I will. But remember what I said." I tell her. She lays her head back on the pillow, closing her eyes.
The sun isnt even up yet as I arrive at work at 5:15. I drove Jolene's car, just in the event that I do get Norman out.
The main lobby is deserted, dim, and cold as everyone is most likely asleep. Before getting started on my work, I decide to peek in Norman's room, just incase he's awake by some slim chance.
I lightly tap on his door as I open it. The dim light washes in on the small room, cascading over his lanky figure under the cheap wool blanket. His eyes and nose scrunch up, and he starts to mumble in his sleep, though its hard to make out what he's saying. I close the door softly and start toward the desk to get ready for the other nurses.
6:00 A.M. rolls around and the day shift employees start to pile in. Dr. Vincent comes behind the nurses counter and requests I make him a cup of coffee and fetch him a newspaper. As I'm brewing the coffee, I hear him come in behind me. "It's really nice of you to fill in for Pattie." He says. I feel his warm breath on my neck, which makes goosepimples appear on my arms.
"Yeah, well, it was the least I could do. I have a child too so I know how frustrating it can be to try to find someone to care for them last minute."
I turn, mixing in a few scoops of Sweet N Low.
"You know," he places his hands on my shoulders "I bet Pattie forgot to tell you about the part of her job where she comes to see me on her lunch break. You know, just for a bit of fun. I'd assume you'll take me up on that?"
I freeze. Didn't Pattie say she has a husband? She did say he was away. Maybe she's one of those women who can't satisfy herself for the length of a business trip. I shake my head. "No, I think I'm gonna pass on that."
He begins to massage my shoulders. "Are you sure?" He moves my hair off of my neck, on one shoulder.
"I'm pretty sure. Dr. Vincent, please stop. This isnt professional." I grab a napkin to wrap around his coffee mug.
"It is when I'm the boss. James isnt here." He says. I start to reply but pause when I feel his lips on my neck.
I quickly turn, shoving him and throwing the contents of the coffee cup on his shirt.
"What the hell are you doing?" He shouts. The cup shatters as it hits the floor and I put my finger in his face.
"You don't ever do that to me again, got it? I'm not your whore. Make your own damn cup of coffee." I spit, leaving the office in a haste.
-Midday-
Dr. Vincent hasn't come out of his office since our incident this morning. Maybe I shouldn't have poured fresh hot coffee on his front, but he shouldn't have tried to take advantage of me like that.
It's around noon now, one more hour until lunch. It's been a little nerve-wracking knowing I'm pretty much security for the front door, since I'm about 5'2 and 105 pounds.
I look down at my desk trying to figure out how to fill out this paperwork Pattie left, and how to fill in the spaces on this crossword puzzle from the newspaper. "Three letter synonym for 'cry'? What I feel like doing, sob…" I say to myself.
"Why do you want to sob?" I jump back, surprised at the voice above me. I look up and see Norman standing on the other side of the counter.
"Jesus, Norman. You scared me." I scoff. "I'm sorry. I was just going to ask how your shift is going."
"It's great, but what were you really gonna ask?"
He sighs, "Do you know how I'm getting out yet?"
I lean forward, resting on my folded arms. "Not yet, I'm working on it. I'm not sure what obstacles I have to plan around."
He rocks on his feet. "Well, lunch is in an hour. Nobody will be in the lobby so anytime Mr. James or Dr. Vincent hear the door open they come out. But we don't need to do it when other patients are out here because they'll try to follow in my footsteps."
"Mr. James isn't here today."
He nods. "So basically, you just need to distract Dr. Vincent so I can go out the front without anyone seeing me."
Suddenly a lightbulb goes off in my head. "I know how you're going to get out."
He smiles slightly "How?"
"Meet me up here about a half hour into lunch."