AN: I own nothing. This is unbeta'd. I don't know how the hiring process I talk about in this chapter actually goes. It may be right but I'm guessing most of it is complete fiction. Also from what I've read, having your license switch to Illinois can be a pain. So I'm going to bypass that part of it all. Enjoy! =]

Chapter Three-

Monday morning came around a whole lot faster than I had wanted it to. I wish I hadn't told Alice I would go to the hospital today. I guess it was time to stop living off of Renee's "I'm sorry I sucked as a mother" money she and her husband Phil gave me. He was wealthy and until that point my mother, and I use the term lightly, never gave a penny to Charlie to help raise me. He had done everything for me.

Like I said though, it was time to stop using it. I had a degree in something I loved and with job blocking jackass out of the picture, I could go work in whatever field I wanted. I don't know when I had become so dependent on him. Obviously not financially but I did what he wanted even when he wouldn't compromise on anything for me!

Sunday, between sleeping and lounging, I made list for how my life would be.

-Get a Job I love.

-Start dating again

-Become Nurse Practitioner

-Get married

-Pop out a kid or two

I would also make sure the guy I ended up with was more like Jasper and less like Tyler. I deserved it. I should be treated with respect and as an equal in the relationship. I was ready to start crossing things off on that list (and in that order).

As much as I didn't want to get out of bed and dressed for the day, I did. Bella Swan needed to be an adult today.

-WoS-

I took a cab to Childrens. Alice had texted me the night before and said she called in a favor and got me an appointment with a woman in HR named . I was surprised that I got there 10 minutes early. Traffic was good today. Once I was there I asked for directions from the woman at the front who gave everyone badges so they could be in the hospital. I found my way with 5 minutes to spare.

"Hi there. How can I help you?" asked the receptionist. Her name plate read Jessica.

"Hello. My name is Bella Swan. I have an appointment with at 9:30 with Mrs Cope." I replied with a smile.

"Oh okay. You can have a seat and I will call her to tell her you're here." She said.

"Thanks." I answered as I took a seat. About 10 minutes later a lady with short curly blonde hair came out. She looked to be in her late 40's.

"Bella?" She asked as she looked at me.

"Yes." I said.

"Hi. I'm Mrs. Cope but you can call me Sheryl. I've heard so much about you from Miss Brandon." She said as she stuck her hand out.

I quickly reached mine out and took hers. "It's nice to meet you. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I really appreciate it." I replied eagerly.

"Well if you will follow me back to my office." She said "Oh and Jessica please hold my calls while I'm with Miss Swan."

We walked down a hall way with a few doors. She stopped at the last one to the left and went in. I followed silently and took a seat in one of the chairs near her desk. She sat down and typed what looked to be a username and password into her computer.

"So Bella, Alice told me that you are looking for a job." She said.

"Yes. I graduated with my BSN from the University of Washington last year." I replied.

"And have you had a nursing job? Actually do you have your resume?" She asked

"Um, yeah. Here you go." I answered as I dug through a folder looking for it. "I haven't actually had a nursing job yet. For a while I was living with my father in a small town and they weren't hiring. I recently moved to Chicago. I really love kids and thought that this is the first place I would want to apply." I answered with a smile.

Sheryl gave my resume a look over. "I understand how it can be. Well we're hiring on a couple of different floors for night nurses. There is a pay differential with night shifts. We have some of the best pediatric doctors in the country." She said.

"Yeah. Alice has been talking about you guys since she started working here. She really loves it."

"Well, here is the list of openings. You just need to fill out this application and I will get back to you after we check everything out with your license and background check."

"Okay. Can I just fill it out now?"

"Yes. Of course you can. Here is the application and here is a pen." She said.

The application didn't take me to long to fill out. I was glad that I had volunteered at the local hospitals in Seattle while I was going to school there. At least it looked good right.

"Okay. Well thank you for coming in. I will give you a call as soon as we have decided on who we're hiring." Sheryl said.

"Thanks. And thank you again for seeing my on such short notice." I replied.

"It was no problem really. Let me walk you out." She said as she opened the door. Of course I wasn't paying attention and bumped into someone.

"Oh. I'm so sorry." I said as I gripped on to their arms to steady them.

I looked up and noticed I was hanging onto an older woman with beautiful honey colored hair. She was probably around the same age as Sheryl and wearing a grey lab coat that had Attending written on it. She laughed. "It's no problem dear. Accidents happen right?" She said. Her eyes looked so familiar but I couldn't place them.

At that moment Sheryl came out. "Oh hi Esme, I see you've met Bella. She's an applicant for one of the nursing openings." Sheryl said.

"Well not formally. We bumped into each other" She said with another laugh. "Hi Bella. My name is Doctor Esme Cullen. I'm an attending on the neuro floor." She held out her hand for me to shake.

"Hi Esme." I said as I shook her hand. I didn't really know what else to do so I just stood there and smiled.

"Anyway, Sheryl do you have a minute I need to talk to you." Esme asked.

"Yeah, let me just walk Bella out." She replied.

"Oh it's no big deal. I think I can manage" I said.

"Are you sure?" Sheryl asked.

"Yeah. I'm supposed to be meeting with Alice for her break anyway. I'm good but thank you again and I look forward to hearing from you." I answered.

"Okay. I'll talk to you soon Bella." She replied.

"It was nice to meet you Bella. Maybe we will be working together soon." She said with a wink.

I let out a small laugh. "You to Doctor Cullen."

-WoS-

As soon as I was out of the offices, I texted Allie. She told me to go to the basement and meet her in the cafeteria. Lucky for me that was pretty easy to find with all the signs. I grabbed myself a coffee and a fruit cup and waited for Alice to show up.

I must have been spacing out again because Alice was standing in front of me trying to get my attention.

"Earth to Bella! Anyone in there?" She said with a laugh.

"Harty-Har-Har Alice." I said sarcastically.

"So? How did it go? I only have 15 minutes." She said.

I told her everything Sheryl and I talked about. I also told her about running into Doctor Cullen.

"Oh so you met Doctor Cullen?" Allie asked.

"Yea she was really nice. Not like some of the doctors when we were doing clinicals." I said laughing.

"Being a doctor runs in their family, I swear. Her husband is a surgeon at Loyola. Their oldest son, who is also my wedding planner's husband, is a dermatologist with his own practice. Oh their youngest son is going to be starting his residency here soon. Esme talks about her family all the time. She's very proud of her kids, especially." Alice said with a grin. "And her son's are some sexy pieces let me tell you."

I giggled. "Dude. I made a list. I told you last night. Get a job, then find a man." I didn't want to get tied down without accomplishing my goals ever again. I needed to get that done for me.

"I know. I know." Alice said. "Well from the way you said Sheryl was talking, I bet you'll get the job. It took them a couple of weeks to tell me so be prepared that it may be a wait. Also you can apply to some of the other hospitals in the area online. I just wanted you to do this one in person. I have a really good feeling about this Bells. Anyway, I have to get going. My breaks almost over. I'll call you later when my shift ends, okay?"

"Sure Allie. I'll talk to you then." I said.

Alice's feeling about things we not usually wrong so I hoped this one followed that same path. I knew I would love this place from way she talked about it and the doctor I met today. I just hoped they called soon. I wanted to start working!

AN: Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!