Page 7 of Stolen Kisses
Mandy laughed. “You’re amazing with him. I’m so glad you’re here.”
Krista hugged Adam’s chart to her chest. “You know, there’s a caregiver support group that meets downstairs once a week. I know it’s beneficial for a lot of friends and family members who frequent here. You should go.”
Mandy shook her head. “I don’t have anyone to leave him with when we’re home.”
Krista knew Mandy didn’t work. Adam had what the medical community referred to as PAD—primary antibody deficiency. His little immune system had a difficult time fighting off even a basic cold. He came to the hospital once a month to receive an intravenous blood product heavy in antibodies that would help him fight off germs for the next few weeks—but even so, he sometimes landed in here with an infection. This week’s diagnosis was pneumonia. Mandy couldn’t hold down a job because she was always carting him to and from the ER, so they lived on child support checks from Adam’s father, who preferred to pay big bucks to keep the weighty responsibility of Adam’s illness off him—the bastard.
“My parents are older. They can’t manage a seven-year-old boy,” Mandy said.
Krista pulled a pen and notepad out of her pocket and jotted down her cellphone number, which broke one of the unwritten rules in nursing: Never give your personal information to patients. All contact goes through the hospital. “Here. You just said it yourself. I’m great with Adam. Once he’s discharged, feel free to call me anytime. If I’m not working, I’ll be glad to come over and watch him so you can take some much deserved ‘you’ time.”
A smile pushed up Mandy’s sunken cheeks. “Are you serious?”
“Of course I am. I love Adam.” Krista turned to look at the sleeping boy. “And you need a break.”
Mandy pocketed Krista’s phone number. “I’m going to take you up on that. I haven’t had a free night to myself since he was diagnosed.”
“Good. And right now I want you to go home and get some sleep. He’s fine here. I promise.”
Mandy pulled her lower lip between her teeth and slowly stood. “Okay. But please call if he needs me.”
“Of course. Otherwise, you need to get some sleep.” Krista offered a reassuring smile, then watched as Mandy collected her purse, gave one last hesitating glance at her sleeping son, and headed out the door—which Krista’s boss was standing at.
Krista offered up another smile, this one meant to cover up the oh-crap-caught-in-the-act look that was probably on her face. “Hi, Karen,” she said enthusiastically, but quietly. Adam was sleeping and she didn’t want to wake him.
“Can I see you in my office for a minute?” Karen asked. There was a pinched expression on her face.
Krista’s smile dropped. She gave one last glance at the sleeping boy, and then exited the room, following the older nurse down the hall to the nice office space on the left. The head nurse was the only one to get an office. All the others shared the nurse’s station at the center of the floor. “What’s up, Karen?” Krista intertwined her fingers in front of her. She had nothing to be nervous about, though. So what if her boss had heard her extend a personal invitation to a patient—again. What she did outside the walls of Blushing Bay Memorial was none of Karen’s concern.
“You know why I called you in here, Krista.”
Krista unclasped her hands and sat down in the chair in front of Karen’s desk. “That mom needs time to herself. She’s been in and out since he was born.” And Krista had always been his nurse. “She’s no good to Adam or herself if she’s exhausted.”
“That’s not your job.”
“Not as a nurse, but as a person with a heart, it is. I love Adam. It’s no problem to watch him. Really.”
Karen cocked her head. “I thought you wanted to take my place when I retire.”
Krista straightened. “I’m a good nurse, Karen. You know I am.”
“Not questioning that fact. You’re one of the best. And, while young, you’re by far the most experienced here. You’ve been volunteering here since you were a kid. You interned here.”
“And this was my first job.” As far as Krista was concerned, it’d be her last job, too. She was committed. She’d always known where she belonged and it was here.
“I’m just looking out for you, Krista, when I advise you to keep your distance. If you become head nurse, there’ll be no one to tell you that, and you need to hear it.Reallyhear it. I used to be like you, and it got harder and harder to draw the line between work and my personal life. Once those lines blur, it’s trouble. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Krista shook her head. “Karen, all I offered to do was babysit a boy for his exhausted mother.”
Karen gave her a long, assessing look. “Personal space, Krista. Heed my advice.”
Krista started to stand, hoping that the conversation was over.
“And, on that note, why are your nights so free? Isn’t it time you found yourself a nice guy?”
Krista met her boss’s now teasing expression. “Is that a job requirement for head nurse, too?” she asked, only half teasing. Now she was frustrated, irritated, confused, and holy-not-in-the-mood to discuss her lack of a love life, especially with Karen.
“No, but you deserve happiness as much as the next person. I hear that Jane in the cardiology department found herself a man on that new online dating site.”
