Page 50 of Wrong Pucking Jersey

Oh!

“I saw the lightbulb click in your mind,” she teases and leans in, “I had to work very hard to keep this position when that stuff came out, but I gained a lot of respect from my community, so I’m more confident expressing it out in the open.”

“As you should be,” I firmly declare. “I don’t really go that way ‘cause I’m addicted to pretty cocks, but everyone should be allowed to love and be loved. No matter the individual or even how many are in the relationship.”

“Preach,” she cheers and claps her hands. “You’ll fit right in, Mikayla. I’ll forewarn you, there are a few old school staff still around who got transferred to this new build, but don’t let them get to you. Your focus for this internship is to be an amazing team nurse and gain further knowledge in this practice. I’m sure once you’re done, you’ll be able to snag something here, but that doesn’t mean you should slack, alright?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I declare, and she laughs.

“Eww. Ma’am makes me sound so damn old.” She cringes at the mere idea. “I’m twenty-nine, but this place makes me feel like I’m fifty.”

I can’t help but laugh before giving her a beaming smile.

“Well, I actually thought you were younger or at least my age, so you’re aging nicely, Amelia.”

“REALLY?” She gasps in pure happiness. “Goodness, I hope so. I’m using all these new anti-aging skin care stuff from Sephora, but I feel like I need to up my game at this rate.

“Nah. You look amazing. Plus, mixing too many skincare brands is bad for the skin. Can cause skin cancer.”

“Shit, really?!” She looks nervous.

“I’m not an expert, but I really focused on learning about various cancers, especially when it comes to the skin. If you’re really into skin care products, you just have to invest in the right ones. Drunken Elephant is one of the top brands. Tatcha isn’t bad either, but they’re missing a lot of additional products that can help bring skin care full circle. I can go into detail later when you’re free.”

“I’d appreciate that dearly!” It’s like she has stars in her eyes as she looks at me with so much hope. “If this hockey stuff doesn’t appeal to you, you should enter the beauty industry, Mikayla. I bet you could easily get your nurse practitioner degree and focus on skincare and Botox injections.”

“That’s my backup plan,” I say with a wink. “I’m not as enthusiastic about sports, but everyone in my life is obsessed with it, so I’m rather excited for my placement.”

“As you should be! This is a really rare opportunity. Normally, with newly established teams, they just transfer older staff or encourage retired ones to come back for a short period of time to help the teams get their footing. For the CEO herself to encourage new hires across the board and encourage internships is literally unheard of.” She drops her voice further as she leans in to whisper in my ear.

“Trust me when I say, a lot is at stake with this huge investment. It’s the first time we’re being run by a female CEO. Matching that with one of the teams being made up of individuals all born in Strattonville is a really big deal. I’m sure Saskatchewan is just as pumped to have a new team, but they’re annoyed we got the pretty new stadium, and they have to stay here for training.”

“I didn’t know that.” I feel like I’m going to have to do a lot more research if I want to ensure I don’t slip up. Amelia may be super nice, but not everyone is open and carries a kind personality.

“Once you choose your team, we’ll finalize the paperwork, and I’ll get into the details. I know you’re a Strattonville resident, but your internship includes housing. This ensures you’re close by and can be here in a timely manner for home games. Despite this lovely new establishment, not all the roads here are finished or open, so traffic is a pain in everyone’s ass,” she groans. “So, my best advice is, don’t leave these parts on game days, or you’ll be stuck trying to get in or out.”

“Good to know, though I don’t have a car or anything.”

“Nothing you need to worry about. All internships include car access. Unlike some teams, we actually acknowledge all team staff needs access to a vehicle. As the team nurse, there may be times you’ll need to drive down to the nearby cities or even do long distance if another nurse is at a game and suddenly falls ill. I’m aware you have your driver’s license, so once things are finalized, we’ll allow you to decide which vehicle you’re comfortable driving for your internship. There’s registered parking for all staff in the new parking lot just next to the new dorms.”

Wow.

It feels like I won the lottery with this internship. To have access to all these perks while having administrative staff acknowledge you as a true member of the team is wild to me.

Nurses are normally underrated in hospital settings, which is why I avoid it altogether. Having patients dismiss your intelligence because you didn’t go to medical school or a doctor’s residency makes you feel like an illiterate when you point out something alarming that they didn’t catch first. The list of instances goes on and on, which is why I couldn’t do it anymore. The moment I finished placement, I said thank you very much and promised myself to no hospital or community nursing.

“Impressed?” My silence is obviously noticed by Amelia who’s smiling from ear to ear.

“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to feel so part of the team,” I admit. “In nursing… well, it’s difficult. I felt shadowed. My opinion didn’t matter to the next person if they were higher up in rank or education. The doctors were somewhat nice, but their residents were horrifying. They made you feel like your analysis, observant characteristics, and hindsight were only a burden on them because it made them look bad if they didn’t catch onto these things first. It was just miserable. I’m not really the humble and stay quiet type, so you can imagine, I didn’t fit in much.”

“Trust me, my dear, we want nothing but honesty and immediate reaction when it comes to injuries or first aid execution,” she stresses. “I don’t care about how many years someone has worked in the field or their bloody ego. If you, the new team nurse, see something that can potentially become a big problem for the team, you say it. If any of the doctors give you shit, you tell me.” She pats my shoulder and winks. “I used to be a nurse way back when.”

“Way back when? Amelia, you said you’re twenty-nine.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m making myself sound old, but I completed my Bachelor’s in Nursing and absolutely hated the hospital for the same reasons you did. Got my way into the world of sports, furthered my education, and climbed up the ladder fast, thanks to my quick wit. Now, I’m the Operational Manager and if anyone needs me in other departments, I can do that, too.”

It’s like I’m staring into the eyes of an idol.

“You’ve got spark, Mikayla. It’s actually why I volunteered to take you around and help you get a feel of Strattonville Stadium of the Sporting Arts. Don’t bother remembering the rest of the name after ‘stadium.’ I think the Boss wants to axe it.” She gives me a wink. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me or Dakota. We’re here to help, especially when you’re in a male dominating sport.

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