Mesmerized

veinte.

I'd been called into work just a few hours after leaving my brother's house. It shocked me for several reasons, but mostly because Nurse Tyler was very strict about the hours that each nurse in her charge worked. Despite my confusion, I made my way to the hospital and was met by what I could only describe as a shit storm.

Apparently, a petition to raise the nurses' salary was denied and the hospital's Chief had simultaneously informed the staff of upcoming budget cuts. As a result of that madness, many nurses had staged a walk out in protest, which left Nurse Tyler no choice but to call the day shift back in.

I was infuriated, but I understood both sides. A large portion of my coworkers had second jobs, something that took a toll on them mentally and physically, but they had no choice in the matter if they wanted to support their families. I held my tongue and ignored the arguments that were happening all around me, focusing what little energy I had on my patients. As the hours went on, it seemed like me and the other available nurses from the day shift were unable to dig ourselves out of the enormous pile of shit that had been dropped on us.

After a stressful shift at the hospital, I was happy to see Mahdi waiting for me outside. I'd worked more hours than I should have, pushing myself to help as many people as I could. It wasn't their fault, and I'd be damned if I lost a patient over hospital politics. I would have stayed if I could, but I would've been more of a hinderance than a help with the state I was in. The night shift was incredibly understaffed, but moments like that, no matter how stressful and chaotic, were necessary for the higher ups to understand that they needed us in order for the hospital to run smoothly.

"You're quieter than usual." Mahdi observed as he drove. We'd been on the road for about fifteen minutes, but my mind was still back at the hospital.

I turned to him with a lazy smile on my face, "I'm just tired, that shift was chaotic. We were understaffed."

"We're almost there, then I'll feed you and let you get some rest." He rubbed my thigh briefly before returning his hand to the steering wheel.

Despite my exhaustion, I chuckled softly at his tone. "No puedes dejar de ser papá, ¿eh?" I said under my breath. (You can't stop being a dad, huh?) "You mind if I nap before I eat?"

"Did I little girl you again?" Though he phrased it as a question, I was inclined to believe that it was a rhetorical one. 

Mahdi pulled up to a nice hotel, I immediately stopped him from unbuckling his seatbelt. "This place is expensive, Taylor. A weekend here would be too much money."

"Relax, it's not that bad and I wanted to do it. It won't bankrupt me to spoil you for a weekend, I promise." He winked and offered me a chaste kiss before getting out of the car.

I bit the inside of my cheek and eyed the duffle bag that I'd thrown into his backseat; maybe the venue meant that it was happening. "Let me contribute Mahdi, please." I asked as he opened my door after getting our bags.

"Nope." He laughed, "How about this? First, you can thank me if you want to." Mahdi backed me up against the side of his car. "Then you come with me, take a nap while I get you something to eat, and enjoy our time together before we get thrusted into another hectic week where we have no time for each other? Can you do that for me, Santos?"

My mouth opened and shut a few times as I tried to figure out how to respond. "Thank you for doing this, I'll be on my best behavior." I stole a kiss from him, smiling at his surprise.

"You're welcome, now let's go." Mahdi took my hand and led me towards the entrance, I hung back as he checked in and followed him to the elevator like a lost puppy.