Claudia
I shut my locker and begin unpacking all of my work uniform. I slipped on a white pants and my white shirt. I ditched the nurse shoes they had given us and slipped on matching sneakers. I heard some talking in the back, as usual. t
There will be gossipers. No water where you go.
I wanted to ignore it-- and I should have -- but I couldn't help but overhear what they were saying.
"I saw him,"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, and there's no way I'm letting that hot stud go." She spoke with such confidence. "Why would you? It's Luciano Rivera. A man who looks like he was sculpted by the Greek Gods."
She wasn't lying.
"Yeah, but some girls don't care much about that,"
"Because his blind?"
"Yeah,"
"That's stupid,"
Again, she wasn't lying. I wasn't against anybody's choices- well, specifically in this topic. They could choose whoever they want to end up with but leaving somebody for something that is out of their control? Why be with them in the first place?
"This generation is fucked up. It's better that way," The same voice speaks up. "than the other girls just using him for money. Rather than leading him on and claiming they love him,"
This had to be the only gossip that made sense.
A voice snaps me out of my easedropping. "Hey Mami," I turn around to a big grin that was plastered on her face.
"Someone's in a good mood," I smirk.
"Aren't I always?"
"Yeah, but today's different," I squint my eyes. Observing the blonde next to me. Her hangover seemed to be far gone by her nonchalant mood. Her sunglasses were gone, revealing her bright blue eyes that had a tint of green existing.
Her hair was tied back, a few strands creeping out. Instead of the white pants and shirt, I usually wore, she wore the white dress and paired it with white sneakers. Her lips were naturally fuller, and the pink gloss made them only pop.
I recall the first time we started working as junior nurses, we were told to wear pumps. Diane refused and went up against that, and they finally let us -- female nurses wear sneakers.
"How so?"
"You're glowing," I state as matter- of- factly. She giggles and I couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Did you just-?"
"I did," she laughs along with me. I sigh after I had calmed down. "Oh, the things love does to you," Her expression changes quickly and she turns to me. A tiny frown destroying her smile. "Hey, what's wrong? Is it what I said or...?"
"No! It's nothing," She brushes it off with a slight smile, I knew she was faking. "Diane-"
"Claudia de Alice, we need you in ER right now!" Someone says. "You should go,"
"This conversation is not over, Diane," I give her the look and start walking out of the locker room. I quickly tie my hair back as I walk.
Once I reach the 2nd floor, I see a boy in his adolescent years, running towards me. "Nurse, excuse me nurse. Are you Claudia? Claudia de Alice?" My eyes trail around all his cuts and bruises all over his face and arms. "Yes, that's me,"
"I- I need your help. You need to help him. You need to," he breathes heavily. His shaking hands on my shoulders as if he was trying to calm himself down. "Ok, I'm going to need to you take a deep breath and tell me who you're talking about," He does as I say and utters the words, "M- my br-brother,"
"Nurse Claudia de Alice!" I look into the direction where I hear my name and see a tiny girl. Red hair, she's dressed casually and has a clipboard in her hand. "T- that's my- my b-brothhher," He points in the direction to where I see a boy with blood all over his face. I run in the direction of bed. "Where's everybody?" I ask the student nurse. "They left after they brought him,"
Pathetic.
And they didn't bother calling a doctor?
Her tiny and helpless state makes me feel bad for the way I asked the question. "What's your name?"
"Rita,"
She's a student nurse.
"Is he g- g- going to b-be okay?" The older brother comes in. "Okay, Rita, I am going to need your help," I tell her and she seems hesitant but nods. "What's your brother's, name, age, and tell me what happened to him. His barely responding," I say. "Rita, please grab me the cloth over there," She does as I say and I slip a pair gloves on immediately, wrapping and tying a cloth around his small arm to stop the bleeding. I get a hold of the baby wipes and hand them over to Rita. She then begins cleaning up his face.
"Matteo, his 17 We were driving-"
"Who was driving?"
"Eric, my older brother," he sighs. It was all my f-fault. He was s-speeding and I tried telling him not to drive so fast but h-he didn't listen. We c-crashed into a-- a truck-"
"Calm down," Rita tells him as he begins hyperventilating. "How can I calm down when I killed my own brother," He stutters again.
"Oh no," My heart clenches. Matteo's face twitches, as well as his arms. "His about to have a seizure, we need a doctor. Rita, ley the receptionist know we need Doctor Conac,"
"Matteo," The older brother comes into view. "Niño, step away," [boy] I order him. "Now,"
He finally does and Raya comes running back. "They say she hasn't come in yet,"
"What? Matteo is on the verge of dying and she's not here?" I try to process this information.
"Niño, I need you to leave," I glance at the other brother. He doesn't budge so I stare him longer. He sighs and leaves without protesting.
"Rita, you're going to have to help me save him," I say closing the curtain.
"Wha-"
"Just trust me,"
"I need a pillow," I raise my voice. My heart begins beating out of my chest as I watch the boy have a seizure. I choose to remain calm and with little strength -- I gently turn is body on the side and Rita hands me a pillow that I place under his head. I remove his chain so he could breath easily.
"Now what?" Rita turns to me, panic filled in her eyes. "We need to inject him with benzodiazepines," I mutter. Knowing I could only get that from the doctor herself.
But I immediately thought of someone.
"Stay here," I tell her and before she could say anything, I walk out. I remove the bloody gloves, throwing them away in the trash bin and make my way to the lift. The lift doesn't seem to respond. I slam my hand on it and run to the stairs
Why is everything so useless today?
After a while of going up the stairs, I reach the 3rd floor. Which was the 1st ER floor and I ran over to the janitors room and that's when my eyes caught Gladice.
Oh Thank God!
The only person-- outside the doctors who has access to the medicine.
"Gladice I'm so glad I found you," She looks up to me with her brow arched. "I need some benzodiazepine,"
"What?" She looks at me wide-eyed. "You know you need a doctors letter for that right?"
"Jeez, I know but Doctor Conac is not here," I tell her. She bites her lip anxiously. "Gladice please," I plea.
"Okay fine," She walks into the room and I follow in. I inhale the smell of all different types of medicine but I'm too anxious to be bothered.
I can't be the only one who doesn't like the smell of medicine.
A few moments later, she then hands me exactly what I need. "Thank you," I quickly said and run off. I try the elevator again and this time it works.
Once I get there, I find Rita exactly where I left her. I grab a pair of clean gloves somewhere. I then inject the drug onto the drip so it could work even faster.
The drug slowly but surely began working as his movements became weaker and weaker by the second. I let out a sigh of a relief once the seizure subsided.
"You did it," Rita grins. "Without Doctor Conac or any other doctor,"
"We did it," I emphasize the word, we. "Don't let Doctor Conac hear you say that," I open the curtain and the older brother stands as soon as he sees me. His eyes are bloodshot and puffy.
My eyes also catch his fresh wounds.
"H-how is-"
"Matteo's safe," I tell him. "But you are not, " I gesture to his fresh deep cuts. "I'm fine,"
"You better be, cause I need to have a talk with you, but first, Rita," I look over to her. She snaps out of whatever daze she was in and turns to look at both of us. "Please make sure the young man over here gets all cleaned up and that he goes to cafeteria," He turns to me, looking at me like I was crazy. "No buts,"