My Sunflower || Lance Sweets

Chapter Five: You've got me Whipped

Three days of downtime tracked along nicely, giving Isabelle the time off that she needed so that she could rest and get up to date with her study days and other chores she had been putting off. Which she still put off by making bread. Mel hadn't complained because she lived for the smell of bread but Isabelle loved to bake and the house was starting to turn into a small bakery with the amount of food she was making.

Mel, much to Isabelle's relief, had been able to arrange her shifts to match Isabelles. It hadn't taken much convincing because Mabel was soft on the two of them. She was made partially aware of the situation and agreed that safety came first. None of the other nurses had contacted them to complain but that didn't mean Mel was going to get of easy with Danika and co.

Stepping into her scrubs, Isabelle grabbed her car keys as Mel grabbed their coffees and the two of them made their way to the car, both of them too tired to talk. The first day back after a weekend was always the hardest, especially when it was a six thirty am start. That usually meant getting up at four thirty to have showers, eat something, and leave so they would be on time.

The good thing about morning shifts, Isabelle thought, is that there's nobody around except nurses at that time. No visitors, no doctors... Just nurses. Made finding a car park alot easier.

Mel snorted to herself when they pulled into a car park, a smile on her face as she sipped her coffee.

"What?"
"I saw the best joke this morning. Why do leprochuns giggle when they play football?" Isabelle opened her car door and raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"
"Because the grass tickles their balls." Mel burst into laughter as she said it, wheezing as she did so. Isabelle couldn't get out of the car because of how hard she was laughing. Mel snorted which caused the two of them to laugh even more, completely unaware of the concerned looks some of the other nurses were giving them as they exited their own cars.

"Oh hell, that's hilarious."
"It's the best. Thanks Facebook for that gem." Mel wiped a year from her eye as she calmed. "Now we gotta go, girl. We can't be late. Mabel might actually hang me if I'm late."
"No she won't." Mel paused.

"You're right. She'll just like me less and give me a patient I don't like." The two exited the car, grabbing their handbags as they did so. Isabelle locked the car and they made for the hospital, walking in time as they went.

When they reached the elevators, Isabelle turned to Mel.

"So we'll meet back here when we're done, right?"
"Right. And you'll let me know if you're going to be late."
"Right. Thanks so much, Mel." Isabelle pulled her friend into a hug, careful not to get a mouthful of thick brown hair. Mel squeezed her back.

"Any time, my friend. Any time. Now have a good shift!" Isabelle grinned as she got on the elevator, watching Mel disappear into ED. With a sigh, she pressed the button that would take her up, ready to begin her day.

*********

"You just need to encourage his oral intake. The doctors will be into review the chest drains at about eleven o'clock so they might take one out today, they might not." Danny shrugged as he passed Isabelle the folder with Sweets notes in it. She nodded and rubbed her eyes.

"Uhm, wound dressings?"
"Changed in the PM shift. If it seems like it's oozing, they change it but they seem to have been doing it every PM shift."
"Cool, thanks Danny."
"No problem. Have a good one." Isabelle turned on her chair as Danny turned to the computer, finishing his online notes for another patient. Opening the file, Isabelle let out a puff of air as she saw the messy scrawl of the doctors notes.