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When Lucy walked back into the ER, she immediately found Jade and called her into the office.
Jade plopped down in the chair in front of Lucy’s desk. “Yes?”
“You going to come in and finish these charts?”
“I haven’t gotten McMasters to come in yet.”
“Do you think you can?” Lucy could almost see the speech bubble over Jade’s head saying I don’t need your help.
Then Jade did something unexpected. “I can’t do it. Not without a miracle. Not without... help.”
Lucy drummed her fingers on the desk as her mind raced with solutions. “What if I can?”
“What? Now you perform miracles too?”
“It’s possible.”
Jade rested her hands on the desk. “Tell you what, you get him to agree to come in and take care of this mess, I’ll agree.”
“You’re telling me that you’re willing to commit insurance fraud instead of clearing your name?”
“Lucy, despite what you think of me, I didn’t do anything wrong. I promise you, I did everything I was supposed to.”
“Then explain to me what’s going on.” Lucy held up the file holder.
Looking away, Jade shook her head. “I honestly don’t know, but I do know nothing I say will convince you I didn’t do anything wrong.”
A yawn took over Lucy’s frustration.
“Thomas keeping you up late?”
“I know you and Thomas are longtime friends, but that’s wildly inappropriate. Please stay out of my personal life and stop changing the subject. I’m trying to help you.”
A curious look replaced Jade’s defiance “I can’t figure you out. You seem to want me gone and then you’re trying to help me. Why?”
“There’s really nothing confusing about me. I work my ass off. I expect no less from the people I work with.”
“Are we done here?”
Before Lucy could begin to answer Jade had her hand on the door handle. “And Jade.”
Her shoulders sank. “What, Lucy?”
“By Friday, I want you here in my office to finalize these charts so we can send them to insurance.”
Spinning on her heels, Jade’s eyes were wide with anger. “That’s great. I’ll be here and Dr. McMasters will be?”
“Here.” Although I have no idea how.
Waving her off, Jade laughed. “Oh, okay, well, when you get him to come in, let me know.”
“You need to take care of this.”
“And what if I don’t. What if I don’t do what you say?”
“You’re fired.” Lucy expected an explosion, but Jade simply walked out of her office without a word. She didn’t even throw the door open as she left.
“Now all I have to do is figure out how to get Dr. McMasters in here,” Lucy mumbled as she turned off the light and began to gather her things, but her exhausted body simply wouldn’t get out of the chair after she sat down again.
She sat in the silence of the room only lit up by the sunshine pouring in from outside.
The back door whooshed open and two familiar voices came in.
“I think this is a great idea, Thomas,” Evan exclaimed. “I don’t know why we didn’t think of it before.”
Lucy leaned forward as they stood outside the office, hoping to surprise Thomas. As she reached for the door, Thomas said, “I appreciate you bringing me on full-time. This director’s position is a good happy medium.”
“Agreed.” Evan asked, “You told Lucy, yet?”
Thomas coughed several times. “No, I had the contract last night, but haven’t told her yet. Wanted to surprise her over breakfast, but she got called in. Wonder where she is?”
Their voices faded down the hall, but Lucy froze as her heart shattered.
What did they just say? Director.
She sank into the chair next to her as her legs gave way, her body weighed down by the overwhelming blanket of betrayal.
He lied to me.
She cursed herself for thinking getting through a broken heart would be so easy.
No broken bone feels this bad.
