19
ADAIR
“You look so handsome in your scrubs, Addy. Strange color choice, though.”
I snorted and crossed my arms. “Is that so?”
She smirked like she had a secret, but I knew her game. These scrubs had listed their color on the tag, so I knew, in theory, what color they were. Dark green.
“Aren’t you going to comment on how handsome I am?” she asked, gesturing to her own scrubs, which were patterned with little dogs.
“You look very handsome, Delly. The handsomest.”
She beamed, and I pulled her into a quick hug. “Have a great first official day. I’ll see you at lunch.”
“You’re not going to cry today? On my first full day at my first summer healthcare job? Like you did on my first day of middle school? And high school? And college?”
“I cried in the shower this morning, like a lady,” I said with a smile, not at all ashamed of my man tears.
Delly giggled. “Are you going to tell me why you’ve been using my shower?”
I shrugged. I wasn’t going to risk making Irelanduncomfortable. Ormoreuncomfortable. Which was why I’d used Delly’s shower since the incident.
Delly looked around the quiet hallways of Zinnia House. “Think we’ll finally see our roommate today?”
“Maybe? She seems pretty busy.”
A busy phantom. That was what Ireland Sewell was.
For the entire weekend, she’d only existed in glimpses and reports of glimpses. I thought the whole thing would blow over quickly, especially after she left that note and the peace-offering egg sandwiches, which had been delicious. But then she’d gone and avoided us—orme,more specifically—and it was time for us to resolve the social trauma of her seeing me naked.
I’d stayed in my room Sunday evening after dinner at Jillie’s, not wanting to sit in the living room as if I were waiting up for Ireland to return. But I was. It seemed I couldn’t even try to go to bed until I knew she was back. That she was safe.
As soon as Delly had texted me that she’d seen Ireland, and after I’d heard Ireland’s bedroom door close softly, I’d eased out into the house and double-checked all the locks. And then I’d taken a pack of sticky notes from the kitchen counter and written a response to her note, leaving it on her bedroom door.
I’d frowned at the funny little saying printed at the top of the note before writing my message back below it.
Not only is my short-term memory terrible, but so is my short-term memory
Thank you. They were delicious.
P.S. Ilove eggs.
-Adair
I inwardly cringed as I thought of at least a dozen things better than writing “I love eggs,” and said bye to Delly before heading to the second floor, where I was assigned for the day. I checked in with my supervisor and started going through patient charts on a tablet at the nurse’s station.
My official title here at Live Oak was Community Paramedic. I got my certifications for Alabama squared away last month and was officially licensed to do a variety of things here at Zinnia House and at the Locc too.
I kept stealing glances at the bench where I’d bandaged Ireland’s knee. There had to be a way to break the ice. I didn’t want her to feel she needed to not take up space at the house.
I prepared the morning meds for Mrs. Hammond in Apartment 2E, then double- and triple-checked them against the info on my tablet. Finally satisfied I wasn’t about to majorly mess up, I rolled on my wheeled stool to this floor’s nurse on duty, an older woman with a no-nonsense attitude that reminded me of one of my chiefs at the station.
She was my shadow as I rolled myself and Mrs. Hammond’s medications into the small dorm-like room. Dozens of photos of dancing couples were hung on the walls, with wedding and other special event photos scattered among them.
I was glad to see how many rooms were decorated like real homes here. Mrs. Hammond was pleasant but disconnected as I delivered her medications. Her husband sat by her side, holding her hand and double-checking my work.
When I asked Mrs. Hammond about one of the photos, she finally looked up at me and smiled. “Summer of ’73. Dominated the competition with my Viennese waltz.”
