Plum Blossom | Completed

Chapter Ten

"I'll take care of it," was all Alex had said to her when she told him about what happened later that day. That was three months ago. Since then, over ninety percent of Mellisa's salary had gone in repaying Alex's debt. She and Amanda had largely been living hand-to-mouth. Cutting corners was an understatement. Mellisa was lucky if she got two square meals a day. It didn't matter. Amanda was priority.

The silver lining in all this was that Alex had been too preoccupied with something else to bother with Amanda and Mellisa. The mother-daughter pair felt like they could breathe for the first time since being back here.

'Only six more months' had been Mellisa's mantra through the difficult days. But she also knew that there was a major possibility of Alex stealing more money.

It added to Mellisa's stress that she had no idea what Alex was doing with all that money. He never seemed to contribute to household expenses, forget about spending any money on Mellisa or Amanda.

But right now, she didn't have time to mull over any of that. Her shift was starting soon.

'If only this day would end!' she thought.

Alas! It was just starting.

"Mel!" Vivian barked as soon as she entered the hospital.

What can I do for you, Viv?"

"Dr. Perez is asking for you in the VIP wing," Dorothy told me.

"The VIP wing? But that's not my section." Mellisa's eyes shot up to her eyebrows.

Vivian shrugged. "He specifically asked for you."

Mellisa quickly made her way to her destination, on the top floor of the hospital. It would be her first time there. The VIP section was usually managed by the more senior nurses.

As the name suggested, this section of the hospital was for the more elite patients. Treating them was high stakes for the hospital, so only the most experienced nurses were stationed here, although doctors had free reign to go in and out. Mellisa had never felt the remotest curiosity to explore the area.

"Good evening, Dr. Perez," Mellisa said as she approached her boss.

"You got here fast. Were you close by?"

"No. I was where I usually am. Just ran up the stairs. Thought it was urgent, since I was told you specifically asked for me," she told him, getting her gloves on.

"You look like you haven't slept in days, Mellisa. How long have you been here?"

"Gee, thanks," she said dryly. "I just got here."

"That doesn't answer my question. What were you doing at home? Did you get any sleet at all?"

"I'm fine, Dr. Perez. I'm not compromised, I promise. Just tell me what needs to be done."

"I didn't call you here as a nurse." Mellisa's eyebrows scrunched up.

"You might want to take a look at these charts," he said, handing her his iPad.

Well, shit!

Almost eight people had been admitted to the VIP wing, and Mellisa knew every single person. What she couldn't figure out was how they knew each other.

"What happened?"

"Sunday barbecue gone wrong," Dr. Perez commented. That didn't tell her much. These people had no business with each other. How did they all land up here?

"I take it you know these people?" Dr. Perez asked, observing Mellisa's facial expression.

"I know them," came her curt reply. "What do you need me to do?"

"Melissa. You can't be working on them," Dr. Perez exasperated.

"That rules applies to surgeons, Dr. P, not nurses," she reminded him.

"I just thought...."

"What?"

"You don't have to be a nurse right now, Mel."

"Then I have no reason to be here," Mellisa said, turning away to head back to her station. She didn't get far.

"Melissa, you just said you knew them."

"So?"

"Half of them share your surname."

"That doesn't mean much Dr. Perez. Adams is a very common name."

"Not if they're in the VIP wing."

Mellisa sighed. "What do you want from me, Dr. Perez?"

"They're your family, Mellisa."

"Not all of them."

"You just said you knew all of them," Dr. Perez said with a confused look on his face. How could such a brilliant doctor be so dumb?

"They are all people I knew once upon a time. I don't anymore. We have nothing to do with each other. Now, since I am not needed here, please excuse me," she said before turning around and walking towards the elevator.

"They demanded the best," Dr. Perez yelled after her.

"Then you should have called Nurse Johnson," Mellisa replied without looking back.

She had every intention of avoiding Dr. Perez since then, and she didn't have to try too hard. The rest of the day was super busy, what with Vivian now responsible for the VIP patients. Her own section felt even more short staffed than it had been for the last few weeks. Budget cuts were killing all the hospitals in the state. They couldn't afford any more hospital staff quitting or going on leave. This new situation was a bigger complication. It was about to be a long night.

Halfway through Mellisa's shift, a haggard looking Vivian came stumbling into the nurses' station where Mellisa sat filling in patient records.

"Are you okay? " Mellisa asked her.

"I don't know how you work such long shifts. I've been in the VIP wing for 12 hours and I feel like I am going to drop."

"Maybe you should sit down," Mellisa offered, getting up to give Vivian her seat.

"Oh, thank you love. I could do with a few minutes. God knows I am not going to get any rest when I get home. I am beyond certain that none of my boys are going to be sleeping when I get home." She was a mother to three sons, aged five to twelve. Vivian's husband was a saint, but their sons were all absolute momma's boys. Vivian was usually the only one who could get them to sleep.

"I just do what needs to be done, honestly. I don't think about anything else until after I am done. I feel the full force of the day after my shift ends. Can't say it's pleasant," Mellisa shrugged.  Vivian gave her a loving look. Vivian Johnson was the closest thing to a friend Mellisa had in the hospital. She rarely talked about her life, and Vivian never pushed her; instead, filling their interactions with stories of her own.