One Last Shot

chapter fifteen: public

• • •
Tayla

First rule of boy scouts: always be prepared.

Of course I was never in boy scouts... but nevertheless, still a great motto.

I swivel the rolling chair I'm sitting on around in slow circles while my head stares at the fluorescent lights on the ceiling. I swear I'm pulling myself into some sort of trance before a familiar voice knocks me out of it. "Tayla hey. What are ya doing here? I thought you weren't on call today." Without looking I know exactly who it is. My work has what feels like a million employees, but I'm honestly only close to a few.

"I'm not but I got a call from IT saying they couldn't figure out my transferred notes so I had to come in an decipher them." Anytime we physically write down something on paper we have to scan it so the material can be stored on the online cloud and accessible to anyone at anytime. Of course yesterday when I was trying to make my quick escape from Lins, my nicely written letters turned into something an undiscovered artist made.

"Why am I not surprised?" I finally sit up and am met with the beautiful eyes of Imani. Imani is an OR nurse I'm almost always with because we are typically scheduled in a lot of the same surgeries together. She smiles at me when our eyes met and I can't help but raise my lips just as big as her. Imani has the brightest blue eyes that are accentuated against her dark umber skin. She is definitely one of the shyest people I've ever met, but your heart can't help but just melt for her once she opens up. I'm grateful I'm in a place in my life that somehow I found amazing friends that are absolutely stunning on the inside and out.

"Well it's just my luck I have to come in on my day off right?" I slump by shoulders into the back of the chair and extend my legs out.

Coming around the station, Imani plops down into the chair next to me and scans her badge onto the computer. "Yeah well it's my luck I'm stuck with Gregory for my PCI." She sticks her tongue out in disgust. Gregory is one of the anesthesiologists here and although we are both in the same specialty, I rarely come in contact with him. He isn't my supervisor and my hospital doesn't require both an anesthesiologist as well as a CRNA present during surgeries so it's rare I cross paths with him. When I do though, I'm usually miserable.

     I try to see the best in everyone I come across, but he is just one that has proved to me that some people are meant to just simply stay work colleagues and nothing more. He constantly interjects himself into other peoples business and smells like anchovies. You can just see the bad vibes from him a mile away.

     "Yikes. If I had any luck I'd send it your way I promise." I stare back at the ceiling.

     "What's with the pissy mood?" She asks while she types into the computer. I know why she is asking. I am never this cranky at work but I've also had no reason to be until now.

     "Can I ask you a question? One that you'd give me a sincere and honest answer to?" I swivel my chair to face her and she swivels her, giving me her complete attention.

     "Of course Tayla."

     I take a deep breath. "Does this outfit work for a basketball game?" I blurt out.

     Yes ladies and gentlemen, today is my first ever Bulls game as Noah Hayes' girlfriend. On the car ride home yesterday he informed me that Emily thought it was time to come out to the media about our relationship, and ever since then I've been a nervous wreck, hence my cranky mood. Obviously I agreed to this, but now that the time has come I feel like my heart is in my throat.

     Tonight is going to change my life.

     Imani blinks at me as her piercing ocean eyes study my outfit. "Uhm, well your chest looks extraordinary." She offers.