CHAPTER ONE – THE NEW NURSE

Laura Jay groaned as her alarm blared, cutting through the peaceful morning silence. She fumbled for her phone, squinting at the bright screen. "5:30 AM," she muttered. "Another day, another dollar." She swung her legs out of bed, padding to the bathroom. As she brushed her teeth, she mentally ran through her to-do list for the day. "Okay, Laura," she said to her reflection. "You've got this. Just another shift at Miami General." After a quick shower, she pulled on her scrubs and tied her hair back. In the kitchen, she poured herself a cup of coffee and grabbed a granola bar. Her phone buzzed. A text from her boyfriend, Mark. Mark: Good morning, beautiful. Have a great shift today. Love you! Laura smiled, typing out a quick reply. Laura: Thanks, babe. Love you too. Talk later! She grabbed her keys and headed out the door. The Miami morning was already warm and humid. Laura climbed into her car, cranking up the AC. As she navigated the early morning traffic, her mind wandered to the day ahead. She hoped it wouldn't be too chaotic, but in her experience, that was rarely the case at Miami General. Pulling into the staff parking lot, she spotted her colleague, Dr. Carter, getting out of his sleek sports car. She sighed, steeling herself for another day of his unwanted attention. "Good morning, Nurse Jay," Dr. Carter called out, flashing what he probably thought was a charming smile. "Morning, Dr. Carter," Laura replied politely, quickening her pace. "Hey, wait up," he said, jogging to catch up with her. "I was wondering if you'd like to grab dinner sometime this week?" Laura forced a smile. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm seeing someone." Dr. Carter's smile faltered for a moment before returning full force. "Ah, well. Can't blame a guy for trying. Maybe next time." Laura nodded noncommittally and hurried into the hospital, relieved when Dr. Carter veered off towards the doctors' lounge. At the nurses' station, she was greeted by the night shift nurse, Eva. "Morning, Laura," Eva said, stifling a yawn. "Ready for another exciting day in paradise?" Laura chuckled. "As ready as I'll ever be. How was the night shift?" Eva rolled her eyes. "Oh, you know. The usual chaos. Mr. Wilkins in 302 was particularly charming last night." "Oh no," Laura groaned. "What did he do this time?" "Complained about everything under the sun," Eva replied. "The food, the pillows, the TV channels. You name it, he hated it." Laura sighed. "Great. Something to look forward to." As they chatted, a young woman in crisp new scrubs approached the desk, looking nervous. "Excuse me," she said hesitantly. "I'm Mia. It's my first day." Laura smiled warmly. "Welcome, Mia! I'm Laura. I'll be showing you the ropes today." Mia's relief was palpable. "Oh, thank goodness. I'm so nervous." "Don't worry," Laura assured her. "We've all been there. You'll do great." As Laura began orienting Mia to the floor, they were interrupted by a commotion from Room 302. "Nurse! Nurse!" a gruff voice bellowed. Laura sighed. "And so it begins. Come on, Mia. Time to meet Mr. Wilkins." They entered the room to find an elderly man scowling at a tray of food. "Good morning, Mr. Wilkins," Laura said cheerfully. "How are we doing today?" "Terrible!" Mr. Wilkins snapped. "This food is inedible! And my pillow is as flat as a pancake!" Laura maintained her smile. "I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Wilkins. Let's see what we can do to make you more comfortable." As Laura adjusted Mr. Wilkins' pillows, Mia hovered uncertainly nearby. "Who's this?" Mr. Wilkins demanded, eyeing Mia suspiciously. "This is Mia," Laura explained. "She's a new nurse, and she'll be helping to take care of you today." Mr. Wilkins harrumphed. "Well, I hope she's better than the last one. Couldn't even take my blood pressure properly." Mia's face fell, and Laura quickly intervened. "Mr. Wilkins, I can assure you that Mia is very capable. Now, let's talk about your breakfast. What would you prefer instead?" As they negotiated Mr. Wilkins' meal preferences, Laura noticed Mia's discomfort. "Mia," she said gently, "why don't you go check Mr. Wilkins' vitals while I finish up here?" Grateful for the task, Mia nodded and began taking Mr. Wilkins' blood pressure. After they left the room, Laura pulled Mia aside. "Don't let Mr. Wilkins get to you. He's grumpy with everyone." Mia nodded, still looking shaken. "I just... I want to do a good job, you know?" Laura squeezed her shoulder. "You will. It takes time, but you'll get there." As the morning progressed, Laura juggled her patients' needs while showing Mia the ropes. They were in the middle of changing Mrs. Rodriguez's IV when Dr. Carter appeared in the doorway. "Nurse Jay," he said, his tone overly friendly. "I need a consult on a patient in 305." Laura resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Of course, Dr. Carter. I'll be there as soon as we're finished here." As they left Mrs. Rodriguez's room, Mia whispered, "Is it just me, or does Dr. Carter seem a bit... intense?" Laura chuckled. "You're not imagining it. Just try to keep your distance." They approached Room 305, where Dr. Carter was waiting. As Laura reviewed the patient's chart, Dr. Carter leaned in close. "You know, Laura," he murmured, "I think we'd make a great team. In more ways than one." Laura stiffened. "Dr. Carter, I've already told you I'm not interested. Please, let's keep things professional." Dr. Carter held up his hands. "Hey, no harm in asking, right? You can't blame a guy for appreciating beauty when he sees it." Laura bit back a retort, focusing on the patient's information instead. "The patient's labs look normal. What exactly were you concerned about?" Dr. Carter shrugged. "Oh, you know. Just wanted a second opinion. And a chance to work closely with you, of course." Laura handed the chart back to him. "Well, everything looks fine to me. If you'll excuse us, we have other patients to attend to." As they walked away, Mia looked at Laura with concern. "Is he always like that?" Laura sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. But don't worry, I can handle him."