Thank you for all the reviews, favourites/follows and those who just quietly read this. This is something I've never tried before as it is a lot more serious than anything I've ever written. There's a warning now for future references to things which may cause concern/be a difficult subject for some. (I'll highlight at the beginning of the chapter if it is one). Please continue to review, thank you so much! x
Chapter 2 – All About You
The hospital was fairly quiet and under control the next day. Charlie and Duffy had just finished speaking to the other nurses, assigning positions for the day ahead. Ethan, Lily and Cal were standing by the nurses' station as Honey approached with three hot drinks. "Morning, thought you could all do with a brew this morning." She flashed a warm smile to Ethan before handing them all over and leaning forward to speak to them all.
Almost on the dot the clicking of heels could be heard throughout the department. Connie stopped at reception to collect her post from Louise before continuing forward towards her office. As she got there she looked towards the staff standing around talking. "Is this what you're paid for? Standing around drinking glorified coffee from a barista who can hardly pronounce her own job role properly?" And as if like that, Connie was back to normal. Cal looked towards her confused as to what the hell was going on in her head.
Everyone hurried around for the rest of the morning, making sure they were always doing something. Connie had remained in her office completing the paperwork she should have been doing yesterday but not got around to. After a while Connie sat back slightly and sighed looking towards her emails where a message from Grace had been sitting for hours now. As she went to open it there was a knock on the door which she resented almost immediately.
"Come in!" Connie didn't look up as the door was opened and closed with someone stepping inside. "Is there something you wanted or did you just plan to waste more of the hospitals money?" Cal moved forward shaking his head. "Are you for real?" Connie finally looked up "Excuse me?" Did he really just speak to her like that? "You know what, one minute you can barely function and now you're snapping at everyone-" "Dr Knight if you don't like the way that I 'snap' at people then I suggest you hand your resignation in now and find somewhere else to work. Maybe somewhere that you're actually paid to stand round and do nothing as that seems to be your specialty right about now."
Cal scoffed at what she was saying. "Seriously?" Her posture didn't falter once, "Unbelievable…" Cal turned around opening the door and slamming it closed behind him. How could someone go from totally broken to barking orders like that in a matter of hours?
Connie remained staring blankly at her computer screen before deciding to answer the email to her only daughter later after calming down. How could Cal even think about speaking to her in that way? She began thinking of things to make his life hell in the hospital but was bought out of her trance from a knocking on the door. "Sorry to interrupt but you're needed in resus. Major RTC on the way in, several young children involved. Damage is yet to be assessed." She nodded to the ginger nurse standing in her doorway before standing up and following her out the door.
After only 15 minutes the first patient had been declared unresponsive by Zoe and Rita, whilst Connie was still working on the youngest of the casualties. There was no output and it wasn't looking good for her. Over the other side of the room Dylan was working with Cal and Lofty on yet another child of only 10 years old who was beginning to come round. "Hey there mate, I need you to stay still for me because you've hurt your leg. I'm a doctor, we're just trying to patch you up and get you out of here alright?" The young boy nodded to Cal and stayed motionless.
Connie was completing the 10th cycle of CPR and still had no output. "Right I want to complete a chest drain to remove some of the fluid from her lungs, it should help her with breathing." Nobody moved as they watched the clinical lead step down and move to the girls side. "Robyn? Sometime today would be brilliant!" The nurse quickly moved to get the equipment she needed and handed it to Connie.
A few moments later and Connie stepped back waiting. Come on, come on… She prayed for some kind of response, anything. The machines slowly beeped back to life and Connie moved to check for a pulse. She sighed before looking to Max "Get her upstairs now, I'll ring them and tell them you're coming."
Connie phoned upstairs before seeing how Dylan was getting on with his patient. "And I think we're all ready to get you moved out of here now." Cal smiled at the young boy who had just been sat up in the bed. Connie watched as some nurses began cleaning the areas they had been working in. They were gossiping about something that had happened earlier in the day and Connie rolled her eyes turning to face them. "I'd appreciate it if you could try and put your personal life's to one side for at least your shift and do what you're paid for."
Cal had witnessed the little outburst as Dylan left resus and turned to his boss. "Was there really any need for that?" Why'd he have to speak? Connie spun to face him "Who do you think you are Dr Knight? Because right now I think you're punching way above your weight and you need to remember exactly who you are." Connie went to walk past him as he reached for her wrist. "Connie-" "DR KNIGHT! My office, now!" She pulled away and left resus with him following her.
As soon as he shut the door she let loose. "I don't know what the hell you think you know, but seriously stop pretending to be some kind of saviour who always knows best. I've had enough of your attitude today and I am seriously close to suspending you after the complete lack of respect that you've been showing. Now get out of my office before I do something we will both regret happening."
Cal stood shocked, shrugging at this mess. "So I come in here to a completely broken down woman, patch her up and get her home safely. Come back and clear the mess that SHE made so that she didn't have to be reminded of it, and yet I'm treated as though I'm crap on the bottom of your shoe! Seriously what the hell is so wrong in your head? I think you need to sort your own messed up life before yelling orders at everyone round here who do nothing but what you yell at them to do… And god forbid those who actually care and try to help you hey…" Cal turned to walk away before looking back "You know what, I should have left you sitting in here in your own mess. I really wish I hadn't have wasted my time with you." Before Connie even had time to answer he was gone with a load bang as the door closed. The argument hadn't been quiet, and everyone was watching as Cal stormed out of the office and out of the ED.
After a few moments Connie left the office with her next target in line. She needed to regain control of everything and seeing as Cal was already gone she had to speak to someone else. "Ah Nurse Freeman. Would you mind trying to keep your staff in line and make sure they do what their paid for-" Rita went to speak but was cut off immediately by Connie. "I've had enough of hearing childish gossip all day, and as for the rate at which they work, my deaf and disabled grandparents could move quicker than them."
Rita was ready to blow. "Okay, for one your staff aren't much better with the gossip. How dare you insult my staff and treat them like they're worthless. Unless you hadn't realised without the nursing team you'd struggle to get through a single day here-" "Well I'm sure we'd be able to try. Sort it out, or I will." She turned her back on the raging blond and went back into her office.
Today had been successful, two pissed off members of staff and several more seriously hating her guts. What more could happen this week?
So all my chapter titles are after various songs. I listen to music whenever I write and they have helped to influence each chapter. The previous chapter was Everyone Goes Your Way by Ella Eyre, this one was All About You also by Ella Eyre.