Page 50 of Alarm Fatigue

I nod. “They even gave me Yonah’s footprints in blue ink over there. I hope it was consensual.” I grin and Ami goes to take a closer look. She stretches and sits back down.

Glancing again at Mark she says, “I would offer to take his place but I suppose he will not leave.”

“Correct. He must have taken off a bunch of shifts. I do not even know who they have covering me.”

“I guess your relationship is out of the bag.”

“It could only be more out the bag if there was a banner announcing us above the entrance to the hospital. Actually I did not even think about the fact that he could get into trouble.”

“What do you mean?”

“He is one of my attending physicians—it has to be declared to HR if two people are in a ‘power imbalanced’ relationship.” I use air quotes for that.

“Looks to me like he is the one without any power.”

I swat her arm for that comment—which she easily dodges.

“So it turns out he did not get into trouble because he already reported it. The day after that first not-a-date.”

“Wow. Looks like he knew what he wanted all along. Not-a-date, huh? You are never letting that go are you?

“Probably not. I still get mad at him if I think about it too long.”

She looks at my left hand pointedly. “Any other news?”

I roll my eyes at her glance at my left hand. “He is being ridiculous and insists on renting Hannah and me an entire house that is one level and just the next neighborhood over from his for the first thirty days out of the hospital, which is totally over the top, but what can I do? Argue with a grizzly bear? No thank you.”

“What on earth did you do to that poor man?”

“Scared the shit out of him.”

“How are the girls holding up?”

“Actually, can you talk with Gavi? She is the one that found me and could not wake me up. Mark was there just a minute later but I am sure it felt like an hour. Just make sure she is taking care of herself.”

“Of course. What are Aunties for?”

“I am glad you came back home.” My eyes well up with tears. “Damn. It’s okay, it is normal after a heart attack to be teary.”

“I am so glad you are okay, my sister.”

“I am too, Ami. I am too.”

I fell asleep in that moment and when I woke up later in the morning, Ami was gone and some beautiful flowers were on the window sill.

Mark is by my side with a coffee in his hand. “Hello, my love.”

“Hello yourself.”

“Today is the day you get to come home.”

“Yes it is.

“After I get you settled at home tonight, I was going to suggest that Hannah stay and I’m going to go back to work.”

“I was wondering when you were going to have to do that. It must be hard on them to have both of us out of the hospital at the same time and before you try to tell me not to worry about it—of course I am worried about these people—they are my friends not just my colleagues. I hope they get someone from the outside to help out.” Mark shakes his head at me, “I know, I know—stay in my lane.”

“So I will get you over to the new place and help you both settle in before I head back here to work. Hannah is meeting us there.”

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