Page 6 of What If I Knew You

Mandy nods one more time. “Okay.”

I give her a friendly smile and then scrunch my nose and whisper, “Sorry my accent isn’t very good.”

With her parents following behind, I wheel Mandy to the radiology department for her x-ray and wish her and her family well before heading back to the emergency room. After working a nearly double shift it is well past time for me to go home.

I need sleep.

And food.

And then more sleep.

“Hey Corri, you heading home?”

My keys in hand, I turn to find my very best friend in the whole wide world, Layken Hobbs leaning on the counter of the nurse’s station. “Yeah what are you doing down here?” Layken is the Development Director for the hospital’s Foundation and her office is on the fourth floor. I rarely get to see her during workdays.

“I knew your shift was about done and wanted to be here to walk out with you.”

“You’re leaving now?”

“Yep. Should’ve left an hour ago but I had enough to do to keep busy so I waited for you.”

“You’re the best.” I smile, albeit sleepily. “I feel like I’m sleepwalking already. Thank God my last patient was a simple one.”

“We still on for tomorrow?”

“The book signing, right? Hell yes, I’m so there.” I point at her. “And next year, you’re going to be there as a signing author and I’m going to be your book bitch.”

She laughs and rolls her eyes. “Doubtful.”

I shake my head, disagreeing with her. “Nope. It’s time to put that shit out into the universe, Layken. Positive affirmations. You’ve got this. I believe in you.”

Layken took the job as the Development Director about a year after I started with Pacific Children’s when I told her about the position. She’s great at it and has made the hospital a lotof money over the years thanks to her outgoing personality and willingness to roll up her sleeves and get to work. But her real passion lies with writing. She’s a hopeless romantic and started writing her first romance novel about seven months ago. One day we’re going to see that book in all the bookstores throughout California, I just know it.

“Well, I’m not quitting my day job just yet.”

“Good! I don’t see you often enough as it is. I need my bestie close by always!”

“Cause living in the same apartment building as you isn’t enough.” She snickers and links her arm with mine as we walk to the parking garage together. “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Does it feel good to be back home?

I suppose it doesn’t feel bad.

At least Layken and I never lost touch and were able to pick up our bond right where we left off.

And I’m far away from Leo Abbot and his tiny pin prick of a penis.

“Good to be back. G’night.”

Once I’m home I kick off my shoes and toss my keys onto the table right inside my door. I stop at the fridge and pull it open hoping to find a five-star meal waiting for me. Maybe an entire cooked turkey that I can tear the leg off of and dig into on my way to the shower. Or even a bowl of homemade ramen I can slurp while the water washes away the grossness of the E.R. Alas, my refrigerator is empty except for a half gallon of milk, a few slices of cheese, some butter, grape jelly, a jar of mayonnaise, and a few expired packages of half-eaten lunch meat.

I need to do some serious grocery shopping.

“Tomorrow,” I murmur, closing the door to the fridge. “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

That’s what I always say.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I send a quick order to my favorite take-out place for Chinese dumplings and sweet and sour chicken and then hop in the shower to clean the last eighteen hours from my body. When my phone dings twenty minutes later, I expect it to be Door Dash letting me know my dinner is approaching, but instead, I get an unsolicited picture of a bowl of pasta and a message that reads,

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