I just want to thank everyone for the feedback from chapter 1. I will try to update this fic as frequently as possible, but I'm sitting exams in a few months so I really can't make any promises. Regardless, here's the second chapter :)
It was approaching midday when the phone rang. By then, heavy strips of winter light were pervading the room, painting the interior with a cold golden hue. In the bed, Rita rolled over, inhaling deeply once before stretching her legs out, her back arching in an awkward, drowsy movement. As soon as she opened her eyes she knew something was wrong.
She swore under her breath and sat straight up, fingers jumping to her temple as her head spun with the sudden motion. A glance at the alarm clock confirmed her worries - she was several hours late for work.
Rita reached over for her phone, wincing at the stiffness in her arm and shoulder. The screen appeared too brightly before her ill-accustomed eyes, but she vaguely registered that she had three missed calls and a voicemail, as well as several unread texts. Her fingers poked clumsily at the screen, and it took her a few attempts to open and play the voicemail before she swung her legs to one side to locate the floor.
There was one flat-toned beep before a voice spoke from the device. "Rita, sweetheart, it's Dixie. Look, I don't know what's wrong but let me know once you've heard this, okay?"
The briefest of smiles flickered across her face, and she opened her messages to compose a brief text to the paramedic, slowly rising to her feet as she typed. It was so like Dixie to be concerned about her.
Fifteen minutes later saw the nurse sitting atop her kitchen counter, a bowl of cereal in one hand and an endless list of excuses for being late running through her mind. She knew that ultimately, whichever she chose, Connie would see straight through it anyway. That woman had been out to get her ever since Mark...
But it didn't matter anymore. As long as Connie kept away from the nurses and didn't jeopardise the patients, what she did was really none of Rita's business. And yet the clinical lead still managed to frustrate her more than anyone else ever had. Sometimes she felt that every move she made was monitored, in eager anticipation for her to slip up. The final straw had been Grace's disappearance. Rita had been so certain that her career at Holby was over; she had felt so conflicted. Deep down, she knew that Mark wasn't a predator, and yet her colleagues had all been so quick to blame him. She had called it his 'curse'. His expression had made it clear that he knew she was right. Wherever he was at that moment, she couldn't help but hope he was okay.
Her phone vibrated on the work surface, creating an unpleasant ricocheted banging noise. Rita pulled a face and set her bowl aside to answer the call. Her brow furrowed; she didn't recognise the number. Regardless, she swiped the screen and shuffled down from the counter, balancing the phone on her left shoulder and tilting her head to keep it in place as she started to clean up.
"Hello?"
"Rita, it's Connie." The rich voice sounding from the phone took her by surprise, and she almost let the phone slide from her shoulder in her astonishment.
"Connie. To what do I owe the pleasure?" She managed to keep her tone as free from sarcasm as possible, for what it was worth. She knew what was coming either way.
"You know perfectly well why I'm calling. Your first shift started five hours ago. I expect you have a good reason for not coming in today?"
"Well actually, I overslept," she replied evenly, crouching to slide her bowl into the dishwasher. "I think my alarm's broken, but-"
"Yes, whatever, I don't care," Connie replied, and Rita raised her eyes to the ceiling, exhaling in frustration. "Just come straight to my office as soon as you get here."
Rita opened her mouth to reply, but she was cut off by a single beep, indicating that Connie had hung up. She took her phone in her right hand, glancing at it in silent outrage for a few moments before stuffing it into her pocket. It was a conversation that could afford to be postponed. Right now she had to focus on getting to work.
It took Rita roughly ten minutes to arrive at Holby City ED, and all the while she felt utterly exhausted. The doors swung open before her, and she narrowly missed being trampled on by a rather large, imposing figure of a man, who pushed past without acknowledging her presence. Slightly affronted, she continued to reception. The waiting area appeared to be slightly backed up, and she guessed that nobody would be in a very good mood.
"Rita," Louise's impassive tone greeted her as she neared the desk. "Connie said she wants to see-"
"Yeah, I know, thanks."
"Alright, don't shoot the messenger." The receptionist held up her hands at the nurse's curt tone, lowering her gaze back to her paperwork. "She's in Resus at the moment, though. Maybe you should get changed and then wait."
"Maybe," Rita replied simply, already starting in the direction of the lockers. She had no intention of waiting when there was work to be done, especially if they were understaffed as usual. Whatever Connie had to say to her could wait - patients were their priority. Besides, she thought as she pulled her uniform from her locker, running her fingers over the dark blue material with some degree of pride, she didn't want to give the clinical lead the satisfaction of knowing that she had even a modicum of control over her. Connie's head was much too far up her own backside already, without her knowing that she could influence the nursing staff as well.
Rita pushed her locker closed, letting out a brief sigh and turning to lean against it. Her muscles were feeling particularly achy that day. But she couldn't afford to miss another shift - people would start to wonder, and that was the last thing she needed. To some extent she felt guilty about keeping another secret from her friends, but this one had to be left unknown. Gossip in Holby spread fast; she of all people knew that. Besides, it was much more personal, and she wasn't sure if she could stand the inevitable sympathy that was usually directed towards cancer sufferers.
Somewhere in the ED, there was the sound of bodily fluids hitting the floor. Rita winced, eyes closing as she occupied her mind with the possible details. Perhaps she would let Lofty and Robyn deal with cubicles for the rest of the day. She could take over in Resus.
Another splat sounded from outside. Yes, she thought, stomach turning. She would handle Resus.
