“I’m pretty sure your dad had a heart attack, Matt.” In the dim light, she was close enough to see his face as his dad was taken away. Gone was the young man she’d admired earlier, and in his place was a scared little boy. Crap. He couldn’t drive like this. “Give me your keys. We’ll follow him to the hospital.” Matt handed them over wordlessly, his gaze still on the door. She didn’t even have to ask Nadia to bring the squad, she already had her keys in hand. All of them trooped out the front door as the ambulance sped up the driveway.
Hours later, the sun was up, and they were all still eager to hear from the doctor. Not wanting to leave Olivia alone, the squad had stayed the night, passing out in a dog pile in the waiting room. They’d all circled around Olivia, who had to be having the worst birthday ever. Through the fog of a light sleep, Rosie heard a man clear his voice. “Are you all here for Sven?”
“Yes! Yes, we are.” Rosie nudged Olivia gently. “Hey, wake up. The doctor’s here.” With that, the girls were awake. Rosie extracted herself and winced. Her neck felt like it was bent sideways. After some grunts and light groaning, the squad untangled themselves.
Mrs. Lundholm was on her feet. “Doctor, how is he?”
“He’ll be fine. He needs to take it easy for a while, and he needs to watch his diet. But your fast thinking at the time of the attack saved him from complications.” The emergency doctor went on to explain how Sven only had a partial blockage, but they’d been able to clear it quickly and he’d need to go on blood thinners. Rosie didn’t miss the green tinge to Olivia’s face when he described the procedure. She rubbed her friend’s back. Her own squeamishness had long ago been desensitized thanks to nursing school.
As his mom went back to her husband, Matt threw his arms around Rosie and squeezed. “You saved him.” Her blood pounded in her ears. Rosie didn’t have the heart to argue.
Chapter 1
Presentday
That weird hospital smell always lingered long after Rosie McGann returned home from work. When she arrived at Union Memorial at the start of her shift, the smell of their particular disinfectant comforted her. It reminded her of the work she was there to do, that the whole hospital did, to keep patients safe and get them healthy. Around hour four, when she’d changed all her charges’ tiny diapers, that disinfectant became a breath of fresh air. But by hour eight or nine she’d be sick of the scent. That’s why she never left her apartment until she’d shed her scrubs, shut the hamper tight and took a shower. Her laundry always smelled like the hospital, so she never fully escaped it. But she sure didn’t want to smell it when she tried to sleep.
Emerging from the steam of her shower, Rosie checked her text messages. There was one from Mia about her birthday party coming up. Her friend was turning twenty-five, and the whole Geek Girl Squad was getting together to celebrate.
The five of them had been tight as sisters since freshman year of college at the University of Maryland. Olivia, Nadia, Rosie, Mia, and Jade even lived in the same apartment building, unable to bear further separation after living together in the dorms for three years. As an only child, Rosie reveled in their friendships and had given thanks every day since they joined forces.
She climbed under the heavy quilt lovingly crafted by her grandmother that celebrated her love of all things science fiction. There were squares with X-wings and TIE Fighters, space-themed fabrics, and a border with “To Boldly Go…” up the sides. She’d even put the Doctor’s TARDIS in one corner, the blue police box floating in space.
Her grandparents had tried the best they could to make her childhood normal, but they really weren’t able to keep up with the younger, more active parents of her peers. Watching the oldStar Trekepisodes while Gram quilted in the living room was one of her fondest memories. And science fiction books and movies had filled her childhood. She regularly maxed out her lending limit for the week at the local library on those. Later on she discovered other franchises likeStar WarsandDoctor Who.
Her obsession with space had made her teachers and grandparents question whether she wanted to be an astronaut, but that had never been her reason for the obsession. These shows and books were her escape from a life where she was always the different one. She hated always feeling like the odd one out. In these stories,everyonewas different.
Rosie shot off a quick text to the squad group chat to let them know she had managed to switch her shift, so she had the day off for the party. Then she pulled up the newest episode ofThe Mandalorianon her laptop. She planned to fall asleep after the episode was done, her blackout curtains keeping the bright light of January from disturbing her. Even now the sun was rising.
Working night shift was hell on her social calendar. She didn’t dare sleep for too long since she wanted to get back on a daylight schedule for a couple days. Tomorrow the squad was going to get the full spa treatment and then go out dancing to celebrate Mia. Rosie couldn’t wait; her feet and legs ached from her long shifts, and she was dying for a pedicure.
Once the episode was over, sleep eluded her. That was alright; staying up would work, too. It happened a lot when she changed shifts, or wanted to do something during the day when she was working nights. Rosie cooked herself a hearty breakfast (or was it dinner?) of eggs and bacon, then cleaned the apartment top to bottom between loads of laundry. If she wasn’t going to sleep, she was certainly going to be productive. Time off was invaluable. And she reallyhadlet the laundry pile up too high.
She started to feel the fatigue as she dragged the fresh, warm clothes up the stairs from the basement laundry facility. Throwing back another cup of coffee, Rosie pushed through and sorted everything on her bed. Underwear, socks, and towels lay piled next to scrubs, t-shirts, and leggings. That was pretty much the entirety of her wardrobe. She had one nice black dress for Christmas Mass and a suit from when she had her interview at the hospital. And a couple of anime costumes she had no idea if she’d ever wear again.
As she put her clothes away, Rosie’s brow furrowed. That dress was too dowdy for the club, and Mia was insistent they go dance somewhere fancy tomorrow for her birthday. She winced as she caught herself chewing at her thumb. The poor technician would have a hard time making her nails presentable if she kept that up. But she had nothing to wear! She texted a photo of the dress to her friends and prayed for their forgiveness.
Rosie: Is this okay for tomorrow? It’s the only dress I have.
Mia: That’s your church dress.
Rosie: I know.
Jade: How attached are you to this dress? I could alter it for you a little, raise the hem, cut off the sleeves. How do you feel about sequin trim?
Rosie: I need it to stay intact, Jade.
Olivia: Put the scissors down, Jade. :laughing emoji:
Rosie: I know this is last minute. I could just wear leggings to the club, right?
Nadia: I’m wearing my leather leggings. And my rock star shirt.
Rosie: Um, mine have … space on them?
Mia: I think you need to come over and see if I have anything you can borrow.
And that's how Rosie found herself in Mia’s apartment on the first floor in a skintight red dress with spaghetti straps that showed too much cleavage. Her face was nearly as red as the dress, she was so embarrassed. And Mia used to be her roommate! It wasn’t like they’d never changed clothes around each other before.
