Innocent Bystander | T. Stark ✔️

two ▼ a phone call

"Isn't it time for you to go home, sweetheart?"

Juliet tore her attention from the paper work in her hands to look at her watch. A tired sigh breezed past her lips; it was 7:34 and her shift had ended at 7:00.

She looked up to Marla, one of the many nurses she worked with. "I guess I got distracted."

The older woman shook her head with an amused smile. "What, was a twelve hour shift not long enough for you?"

"Oh no, twelve hours was plenty." Juliet assured her as she began emptying the pockets of her scrubs on the reception desk in front of her; she produced a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff and an oximeter. 

Marla laughed lightly as Juliet stifled a yawn. "You work yourself too hard. It's Friday night, honey. Get out of here and do something fun."

"Oh, I will."

By the time Juliet made the short drive home to her apartment, she could barely hold her eyelids open. The soles of her feet ached from being on them all day and the unpleasant smells found in the acute care unit of the hospital clung to her uniform.

After changing into her pajamas, she settled into her lumpy couch and turned the TV on. Part of her brain was telling her that she needed sleep while the other half insisted that what she truly needed was not a full night of rest, but a TV show marathon. The illogical and stubborn side won as it so often did.

"I'm hopeless and awkward and desperate for love!"

The line from the TV barely registered in her foggy and clouded mind. Leaning deeper into the cushions, she let her eyes flutter closed-

-only to jolt upright a moment later at the sound of her ringing phone.

Juliet heaved a sigh as she reached to the other end of the couch where her phone lay. Tapping the screen to answer, she brought it to her ear.

"Is this Juliet Ward?"

"Yes, and who is this?"

"My name is Pepper Potts. I'm calling to make you a job offer."

All at once, this woman, this stranger, had Juliet's full attention.

For nine years, since she had graduated from the nursing program, Juliet had worked at the same hospital. It was simply convenient; it was only a half hour drive from her mother, the town was comfortably small, and her co workers were bearable.

The fact that a simple offer without any real information was enough to excite her made her cringe. Her life had become monotonous, tedious, even if she wasn't willing to admit the truth.

"What kind of a job offer?"

"You would be acting as a live in nurse of sorts. My sources tell me that you have an impressive understanding of psychology. We could use that."

Psychology and neuro science had always come easily to Juliet. Beyond that, it intrigued her.

"Is this a temporary job?"

"Honestly, I don't have an answer to that question. With him...it's hard to say," Pepper paused, taking in a deep breath that was audible through the phone. "The pay would be more than sufficient and your living expenses would be taken care of. You would, however, have to relocate to Malibu."