New Beginnings (24 page)

Nurse Supervisor.

Minding his own business, he changed into hospital scrubs and headed downstairs to Med/Surg. So he didn’t get the promotion. What did it matter? With the boys getting older, he and Fern had a chance to spend more time together.

A fancy title couldn’t compare with that, although a bigger paycheck would be nice.

Lorraine Wilder wasn’t at her desk so he set to work checking the patient census and med schedule. He was about to have the night nurse pass off the patients to him when Jessica Jones arrived at the nurses’ station.

“Hi, James, they’ve switched me to day shift. They told me to rotate up here this morning.” A blonde nurse in her early thirties, Jessica usually worked in the ICU.

“Here? Why?”

“The mysterious ways of hospital management.” The easy lift of her shoulders said she wouldn’t try to explain the workings of the hospital. “I just do what they tell me to do.”

“Okay. I was about to—”

The phone at the nurses’ station rang. James picked it up.

“Hello, James. This is Lorraine.”

James assumed she’d called to say she’d be late coming in for some reason. That wouldn’t be a problem. If there was a crisis, he could fill in for her.

“Has Jessica shown up?” she asked.

He glanced at the young nurse. “Yes, she’s right here. Do you want to speak to her?”

“No, I want you to give her a brief orientation on the unit. She’s well experienced from her ICU work. Then come down to Mr. Varner’s office.”

“Okay.” Frowning, James wondered if Varner was going to tell him in person that he hadn’t gotten the promotion. But why would Lorraine be there to hear the bad news? Forcefully, he set aside his questions. He’d find out soon enough. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

He toured the unit with Jessica, introducing her to the patients, most of whom he’d cared for when they’d been admitted during the prior week.

“Are you comfortable handling the unit until I get back?” he asked.

“Sure. The patients are all stable, which is a big change from ICU.”

“I don’t think I’ll be long. Page me if you need me.”

Still puzzled why he’d been called to Varner’s office, he took the stairs, quickly arriving at the CEO’s office.

Penny’s smile of welcome hinted that she was actually pleased to see him. “Go right in. They’re waiting for you.”

He wiped his palms on his pants and stepped into Varner’s office.

“Ah, there you are, James.” Mr. Varner stood behind his desk. “Lovely affair Saturday, wasn’t it? We’re sending Anabelle off in style, wouldn’t you say?”

“Yes, sir.” James’s gaze shifted toward Lorraine, who had been sitting in one of the guest chairs and now stood, and his eyes questioned her.

“Don’t look so worried,” she said in an easy, well-modulated voice. “It’s good news.”

“It is?” Good news that some relative of Frederick Innisk had been chosen over James to replace Anabelle?

“Please sit down, both of you.” As Varner took his seat, his blue eyes twinkled and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “First, you may want to congratulate Ms. Wilder. She’s been promoted to Nursing Administrator, effective immediately.”

James’s head jerked up. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” She grinned at him. “I’d applied for the position, but I’m almost as surprised as you that I got it.”

“I’m not surprised. You deserve it. I just wasn’t thinking about—”

Mr. Varner cleared his throat. “I suspect you were considering your prospects for a promotion.”

Snared by the truth, James’s face heated up. “Yes, sir, I was.”

“The good news is, my first act as nursing administrator”—Lorraine paused and smiled at James—“is to offer you the position of nurse supervisor in the General Medicine/Surgical Unit.”

His mouth dropped open. “Whoa! Are you kidding me?” A rush of adrenaline accelerated his heart rate.

Lorraine regarded him with eyes that were kind and warm and filled with approval. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have replace me on the unit. You’re an extremely skilled nurse, James, and well organized. Not to mention, you’ve gone to the greatest lengths to care for your patients. Your willingness to retrieve the liver was heroic. I know that Med/Surg will thrive in your hands.”

Not quite believing what he was hearing, James shot a curious look at Mr. Varner.

“I find Ms. Wilder is an excellent judge of character.” For emphasis, Varner tapped the eraser end of a pencil on his desktop. “I heartily agree with her assessment.”

Lorraine told him the starting salary he’d earn in his new position.

Breathless, James leaned back in his chair. Better than a 10 percent increase right off with retention increases in the future. His financial fears already felt lighter. “Thank you both for your confidence in me. I admit, I’d heard rumors—”

“I imagine so,” Varner said. “Rumors spread so fast in this hospital, I have considered saving money by eliminating all of the phones. They seem quite unnecessary as a means of communication.”

James’s lips twitched. He couldn’t disagree with Varner’s assessment.

“If you’re talking about Cindy Rutledge,” Lorraine said, “Mr. Varner and I agree that she has excellent experience and references, specifically in cardiac care. While we’d both rather promote from within our own staff, we don’t have anyone interested in the position with the qualifications we’d like to see. As soon as we’re done here, I’ll be making the offer to Cindy to take Anabelle’s position. I believe once the rest of the staff gets to know Cindy, they’ll find she is both charming and a skilled nurse.”

“You two have been busy,” James commented.

“We have.” Varner held out his hands as if to confess he had a vigorous management style. “I would have preferred that Leila had given more notice, but with Ms. Wilder’s assistance we’ve worked our way through the puzzle of how best to staff our leadership positions.”

“I certainly appreciate your faith in me,” James repeated.

Lorraine stood. “I know you’re a busy man, Mr. Varner. We’ll leave you to your other duties, and I’ll place that call to Cindy Rutledge.”

James made it as far as the hallway before he did a terrible imitation of an Irish jig.

Lorraine’s laughter echoed in the hallway, and a couple of passing visitors slanted them amused looks.

“I can’t thank you enough, Lorraine. Getting this promotion means a lot to me.”

“No thanks are necessary. Particularly with your military background, your experience is broader and deeper than any other member of our nursing staff. Promoting you was an easy decision.”

It might have been easy for Lorraine, but James had worried the whole thing nearly to death. Finally, after he’d left the decision in God’s hands, he’d fretted less. At least marginally less.

“I’ve got to go call my wife,” he said.

“Go ahead. I’ll make my call and then come upstairs to brief you on anything that’s not familiar to you. Although I’m confident you know as much or more than I do about being a nurse supervisor.”

James thanked her again and flew up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He burst into the hallway and nearly collided with Elena.

She jumped back out of his way. “Hey, where’s the fire?”

“No fire. I got the promotion!” His cheeks hurt, he was grinning so broadly.

“Anabelle’s job?”

“No, Lorraine’s.”

Elena gaped at him.

“Lorraine’s the new Nursing Administrator. I’m taking her place in Med/Surg.”

Elena blinked once and then hugged him. “That’s so perfect. Why didn’t we think of that?”

Laughing, he hugged her back, cherishing her friendship anew. “I don’t know why, but I’ve got to call Fern.”

Reaching the nurses’ station, he was nearly breathless. He stepped into the supply room to calm himself and realized there was someone else he needed to thank before he called Fern.

He knelt in the back of the supply room between shelves of extra linens and bedpans and lowered his head.

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day and the opportunity You have given me to serve others. Give me the strength, wisdom, and skills to assist Your healing hand. Keep me humble, conscious that it is only through Your grace that I achieve success. Bless and watch over my family. I ask this in Thy holy name. Amen
.

T
HE FIRST MORNING OF HER RETIREMENT, ANABELLE
woke at her usual hour. Wrapped in her velour bathrobe, she went downstairs to let Sarge out.

It was still dark outside, so she flipped on the exterior light. Sarge raced down the steps and into the yard, his tail wagging. He dashed from one winter-dried flowerbed to another in search of telltale signs that his domain had been invaded overnight.

The lawn was brown, the trees lifeless, the yard waiting silently for the arrival of spring and Cam’s careful cultivation of his garden. In spring, splashes of color would be everywhere: daffodils and tulips, pansies and alyssum edging the borders, shrubs bursting with blooms.

Gooseflesh rose on her arms. “Come on, Sarge. Let’s not dawdle. It’s cold out here.”

He came bounding back to her, still very much a puppy despite the way he’d grown into his big feet in the past two years.

“That’s a good boy.” She let him back inside and filled his dish with fresh kibbles, which he attacked with the same enthusiasm as he had demonstrated to explore the backyard for new scents.

In the kitchen, she poured herself a cup of coffee that had been automatically brewed and sat down at the kitchen table. Over the years, she’d never been able to linger over her morning coffee on a workday.

This, however, was not a workday.

Nor would tomorrow be a workday.

She frowned and idly watched the steam rise from her cup. Later, when the day had warmed a little, she’d take Sarge for a walk.

After a while, she heard Cam’s slippered footsteps in the hallway. He placed the newspaper he’d retrieved from the driveway on the table.

“Good morning, lass. I thought you might sleep late this morning.” He bent to kiss her.

“I couldn’t. My eyes popped open as if the alarm had gone off.”

He poured himself a cup of coffee and joined her at the table. “You’ll get over that.”

“Seems a waste to wake up so early when I don’t have to go to work.”

He flipped open the paper, took a sip of coffee and started to read the front page. “You want some of this paper?”

“I suppose.” Except on Sundays, she rarely had time to read the paper.

He handed her the Community section. Putting on her reading glasses, she skimmed the headline about the school board reducing the number of counselors and another article about the school science fair.

Not that she didn’t care about the local schools. But her children were grown. Kirstie off in Chicago. She had trouble getting worked up over counselors or the science fair.

Putting the paper aside, she sighed and looked over the top of her glasses. “What am I going to do with my time?”

“You’ll find something.” Cam continued reading the news.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have retired.”

He eyed her across the table. “This is only your first day. You’ll get the hang of it.”

Maybe. She did have her quilting. With Ainslee expecting again and Candace with two on the way, she could start on those projects.

Perhaps in the spring she could take a position on the Deerford Quilting Guild board. They always needed volunteers. She’d have time now to get more involved with the organization.

“Would you like me to fix you some eggs and toast?” she asked Cam.

“No need. I’ll get myself a bowl of cereal in a minute. I have to be at the nursery about eight to talk with Evan.”

“How is it going for Evan and Maureen? Does she wear her ring?”

Cam folded the paper and set it aside. “I don’t know about the ring. But Evan said she wouldn’t be wearing it to work. I think he eats at her house a couple of times a week. It’s hard for them both to take time off together.”

“I think we should invite Evan, Maureen, and the children over to dinner. We haven’t seen them since Evan made the engagement official. In fact, maybe we should throw an engagement party for them.”

“Easy, luv. Before you get too carried away, why don’t you talk with Evan? See what he and Maureen would like.”

“Well, of course, I’d do that first.” With a huff of indignation, she went about fixing her own breakfast. Something special for her first day as a retiree. Eggs Benedict wouldn’t take long to prepare.

Then she’d dress and take Sarge for a nice long walk. When she returned home, she’d call Ainslee and see if she wanted to go with her to Peoria to the yardage store. Ainslee, Lindsay Belle, and Anabelle could make a day of it.

Yes, that’s exactly how she’d spend her first day of retirement.

On the way to work, Candace said, “I don’t see how I’ll be able to work after the twins are born.”

Heath turned onto Main Street. At this early hour, traffic was light, only the gas station at the edge of town open.

“There’ll be no reason for you to work. My salary will carry us,” he said.

“Maybe for now, but when the children are older our expenses will go up. Brooke will be in high school next fall. There will be all sorts of extras to buy. She’ll want to go to school dances—”

“No daughter of mine is going to a dance with a boy until she’s twenty-nine years old!”

Candace burst into laughter. “Oh yes, I’m sure you’ll be able to enforce that rule.”

He shrugged easily and his grin kicked up. “Well, I can try.”

To Candace’s delight, Brooke and Howie had been thrilled at the prospect of having twin siblings, one for each of them to spoil. Still, the reality might not be as much fun as they anticipated once the babies were here with their constant need for attention.

“With Brooke and Howie, I worked almost until my due date. I don’t think I’ll be able to do that with the twins. Premature births are too common with multiples to take that risk.”

“I’m not seeing a problem, Candace.” He pulled into the hospital parking lot. “Although we won’t be able to save much, my salary will cover all of our expenses for now. Maybe, when the twins are older, and only if you want to, you could go back to nursing full-time.”