Cameron leaned back in her chair as her smile spread. “You know, Mama and I used to bejust friendstoo, ya know.”
“What’s that? I can’t hear you. I’m going through a tunnel.”
“Whatever, you little shit.”
“How about I come in this weekend to make it up to you?”
“Don’t toy with my emotions.”
“I’m not.” Jonah pulled open a door to a building. “I gotta get to class, but I’ll talk to you later and see you this weekend. I promise.”
“Bring your girlfriend home with you.”
“Bye, Mom.”
“Bye, baby.”
Hanging up with Jonah, Cameron went back to her text thread with Melanie.
Sorry, babe. Been a rough shift. I’ll fill you in at lunch.
Although Melanie had been working mostly days, she’d picked up a night shift before her regular shift to help cover for someone whose child was sick. Selfishly, Cameron hated that Melanie was working twenty-four hours. But at least they could eat lunch together like they tried to do as often as their schedules allowed. Melanie never left a laboring mom for lunch, so on those days Cameron would eat lunch alone before bringing Melanie something to the nurses’ station.
I’m sorry, baby. You want to go to lunch now?
Yeah. I’m heading down now.
On my way.
Discarding her coat, Cameron left it draped over the back of her chair as she headed down to the cafeteria. Since it was almost noon, the cafeteria was busier than usual. Cameronsearched through the crowd of people in scrubs to find Melanie. She waved from the daily special line as Cameron went to her. She could tell by her eyes that Melanie was indeed having a hard day. As Cameron approached her, she held her arms out to Melanie. She went into them instantly as Cameron enveloped her in a hug.
“Aww, honey. I love you.”
“I love you, too. I ordered for us. I hope that’s okay. I need to get back soon.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah.”
Her face and sigh indicated otherwise.
As they took their trays, Melanie put their lunches on their tab before they found a table to sit. Cameron chose the seat closer to Melanie instead of across from her as she put her hand on her knee.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Melanie nodded. “I had a patient with a rough labor. She came in early on my shift last night and had the baby a few hours ago. But I feel so bad for her because she had no one there with her. She finally admitted she’d had no prenatal care and didn’t have any family I could call for her. So,” Melanie sighed, “I stayed with her the whole time.”
“Aww, honey.”
“And her delivery was rough. Vera was on call, thank God, because she had a shoulder dystopia.”
“Oh, my god. Are she and the baby okay?”
“They are, thank God.” She picked up a fry and popped it into her mouth. “We were able to get the baby out quickly. We had to send him to the NICU for his shallow breathing, though. And Leah just looked so distant the whole time. That’s her name. Leah.”
“I’m glad you and Vera were there for her.” Melanie squeezed her arm.
“I just hate that she went through all that without anyone she knew there.”
