I just had to get away.
“Stan?”
“Kitty, what’s wrong? Take a breath,bedda mia.Nice and deep.”
Ducking into the nearest restroom, I barricaded myself into a stall. I sucked down air at his suggestion and blurted, “Asswipe Alan won’t let me come home.”
“Who the fuck is Asswipe Alan? Does he have a gun?”
“What? No! Jesus, Stan.” Still, I sniffled around a laugh. “He has a shitty attitude and a pen-pusher’s morality.” I couldn’t swipe at my eyes without it hurting, so I dabbed them with a piece of toilet paper and hissed in pain with every touch. “He says they’re short-staffed and they need me to work.”
“Did he look at you?Duci, you’re glorious as always, but dear god, you look like you got into a fight with a truck and the truck won.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You know I’m right. Otherwise, you’d never have agreed to take the day off.”
“Yeah. Am I being a wuss?” I wondered.
“A wuss? No. Your boss is an asshole who deserves to feel my gun up said asshole, and then he won’t have to worry about hisasshole anymore.” He released what could only be described as a growl. If I were capable of melting, I would have. “Kitty?”
“Yes?” I sniffled again because I was in too much pain to appreciate that growl, which sucked.
“Say ‘fuck it.’”
“What do you mean?”
“I need a nurse?—”
“What for? Sponge baths?” I managed to jeer.
He guffawed in my ear, the sound so loaded with humor that it absorbed some of my tears and made it a little easier to breathe. “No, but I wouldn’t argue if you decided I needed one.”
“I bet you wouldn’t.”
“I meant for Currau.”
“You think I should transfer?”
“No. Aurora’s been talking about bringing him home.”
“He needs around-the-clock care,” I reasoned, straightening up at the distraction because I liked Currau and wouldn’t let them fuck around with his healthcare.
“She knows. We’re hiring a team. Head that team. You have the qualifications for it. You can work at the house. And, I can guarantee that the boss will let you have as many days off as you need?—”
“Stan.” I groaned. “You can’t be serious. I can’t work for you!”
“Why not? Does Currau not require nursing?”
“Yeah, but?—”
“And Rory says she’s sick of him being in a hospital. We managed to get him to consent to a kidney transplant last year and he’s a lot better. She wants him home. I also guarantee you’ll ace the job interview.”
“What if…?”
“What if what,duci?”
“What if we don’t work out?” I blurted in a rush. “I need a job?—”
