When I got back I waved the best I could to Roxie and gave her my best smile and went up to the top floor and sat my cooler under my desk and my bags in my drawer and put my food on the desk with my coffee then carried Madelyn's stuff to her office and she was in a chair across from the couch smoking just like the day at the hospital when she picked me up.
"Finally" she said and sat up "did you get everything?"
I nodded "lunch and coffee" I said and sat the bag down and she pulled out the container and opened it "you didnt say what you wanted so I just threw a guess out there" I hadn't looked at it until I handed her the cooler and noticed I gave her the wrong thing "oh that one's mine yours must be on my desk"
"It's fine I'll take this one"
I was about to say something but she reached out for the cooler so I stayed quiet and handed her the cooler and she opened it and grabbed out a bottle and I handed her another bag "I got you something. Don't worry I paid for it"
"What is it?"
"Open it"
She grabbed the bag and opened it and unzipped the case to reveal a small cooler like thing that held a tall bottle and had two glasses on the otherside and a wine bottle opener. "What made you get this?" She asked looking up at me.
"I saw it and thought you might like it"
"I do, thank you"
"No problem. I'm going to go do those reports now"
"Why don't you bring your lunch in here and eat with me" she offered but I wasn't able to eat that food.
"No thank you, I'm really busy and have to visit Roxanne real quick for the rest of the reports anyways"
"No I insist"
"And I decline"
"Sam"
"It's fine"
"Is it because of earlier?"
"No, that was my fault and I'm sorry about that, I was out of line and I should've handled it better"
"No I was the one out of line Sam"
"No that's enough, eat I'll be working" I said and left before she could object.
I grabbed the bag with her food and went downstairs and seen Roxanne "hi again" she said and smiled up at me from her chair.
"Hi. I should have some reports to pick up"
"Yup right here" she said and grabbed a large stack and put them on the counter.
"Thank you and here you can have this" I said and handed her the bag and she opened it and looked confused "I'm allergic to it remember"
"Why'd you get it then?"
"I mixed up the food and she seemed happy with my order so I just let her have it and figured I'd give you this"
"Why don't you just tell her?"
"It's okay, I'm not that hungry anyways"
"You sure?"
"Yeah of course"
"Well thank you for this sweety"
"No problem" I said and grabbed the reports and went back up to the top and sat the pile on my desk but opened my drawer and opened the numbing cream and suturing kit. I stood up and pulled off my bandages then sat on the floor and got under my desk and googled how to suture my hand but it sent me to wikiHow so I was looking at the photos and I think I understand it so I dump my bag out and ready everything to start so I start undoing the tape and apply the numbing cream and wait for it to take effect and when I can't feel my hand I fold my belt and put it in between my teeth just in case and I put a glove on and ready the needle.
"Sam I need you to...Sam?" Madelyn said but I stayed quiet under the table "I thought she was eating her lunch out here" I heard my phone start to ring so she walks over and picks it up and I stay hidden "hello?...yes it's her...Sam is out on lunch...what!?" I'm in trouble "wait what happened to her hand?" Now I'm definitely in trouble "why am I just now being informed of this...of course I didn't know, do you really think I'd let her work like that...do you know where she is?...great okay I'm hanging up now" I heard her hit the button but then she started hitting buttons then my phone started to ring and I panicked trying to turn it off but she already hung it up so I closed my eyes and I heard her moving around and coming to my side of the desk then I heard her crouch down "what are you doing?" She calmly. She was to calm. She reached over and pulled the belt from my mouth.
"Well I uh...it was either this or liquid glue and I didn't like the idea of having glue holding it together"
"Let me see it" she said and reached her hand out and I hesitantly reached out and gave her my hand "can you not feel it?" She asked touching gently around it.
I used my free hand and grabbed the numbing cream and handed it to her.
"What else do you have under there?" She asked.
I pushed the suturing kit out and she didn't say anything for a good minute.
"Why didn't you say something?"
"Because I could've dealt with it on my own"
"You can't stitch your own hand Sam"
"Ms. Hill remember"
"Sam shut up" she put my hand into better lighting and I heard the elevator open but I couldn't see since I was still under the desk and she didn't bother looking up.
"Ms. Jackson? Is everything okay?"
"Yes Hudson, everything is fine"
"Who's hand is that?"
"It's mine" I said.
"Do you want me to look at it?" She asked.
"We're fine thank you very much" Madelyn said sarcastically.
"Are you sure I studied to be a nurse and if you don't want the hospital I could stitch it up for you"
"Really?" I asked.
"No" Madelyn said.
"I would appreciate that very much" I said. "Ms. Jackson I'm sure you have better things to be doing right now"
She rolled her eyes "fine, if you need me you know where to find me" she said and let go of my hand then walked to her office and Jennifer came over and saw my whole set up but didn't say anything.
She held onto my hand looking at it in the light "it's not to bad. No need for stitches but you were close to needing them this is maybe a 3/16 and a 1/4 is when you should get stitches. You're off by a sixteenth" she grabbed the first aid kit from my bag and put antibiotic cream on it then started dressing the wound "why are you under a table Ms. Hill?"
"I was planning on stitching my own hand and didn't want anybody to see so I hid"
"From what I seen ms. Jackson would've helped you"
"I didn't need her help"
She smiled "I think Ms. Jackson has a crush on you Ms. Hill"
"What? Of course she doesn't"
"She let you sleep in her office"
"She was just helping because she knows I'm caring for a child right now"
"I yawned in her presence one day and she threatened to send me home and not pay me if I was too tired or bored to do my job"
"She's not always the nicest person"
"You don't say. She pays nicely though"
"That she does" I laughed as she finished up.
"Did you have lunch?"
"No"
"You should probably eat something it looks like you lost a good amount of blood. If you're not going home then you're going to need all the energy you can get"
"I'll be okay but thank you for worrying about me"
"No problem"
"Why didn't you go into something with nurses if you already took the classes?" I asked.
"I can't pay for college. I'm hoping that I can save enough with this job to convince them for a loan but I'm already in debt from the last two years of college and I don't know if I can continue"
"Is that your dream?"
She nodded "I've always wanted to help people and I like caring for others. My grandmother was a nurse and I loved her my mom wasn't really present all the time maybe coming once a month or if she needed money from my dad and I was left with my three siblings and they were still young, toddler young and I was always home with them playing the role of mom because she wouldn't do it, I was only twelve when she first left and she'd visit once a week but the time actually started to expand and I had to beg her to come down then tell my siblings lies that she was busy with work and not the truth that she didn't actually care about us but for their sake I kept my mouth shut but my grandmother was there every step of the way and I looked up to her she was my father's mother, my father was always working trying to support us so I didn't get much time with him. It's okay because I had my grandma, we'd sit at the kitchen table and be in our own worlds but I was happy because she was there and she'd tell me stories about her days as a nurse and she inspired me to do what she did and I can only hope I turn out half of what she was. We lost her last year and I wasn't there because of college and the end of the year test and I figured she'd pull through or at least have more time so I could finish my last test then go down and be with her in her last day but after I had gotten out of the testing session I had gotten the call and broke down right there. I missed her last day and it still breaks my heart that I didn't get to see her, to say goodbye. So I'm trying my best to do this because when I'm learning about all of this I feel closer to her like I'm getting a glimpse of what she did and I just wish she would be there to see me follow in her footsteps but I can't afford it and I feel like I'm letting her down"
By the end I had to wipe my eyes and she looked at me "I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you" she apologized.
"No, you didn't. I'm sorry, can I hug you?"
She nodded and I pulled her into me hugging her and she hugged back.
"Thank you for fixing my hand"
"No problem" she said and I let go and she helped clean up the stuff off the floor and I went into Madelyn's office for a second.
I shut the door behind me and walked up to her desk and she didn't even bother looking up "what Sam?"
"I need a huge favor and I know you've done so much for me already but this isn't for me"
"What?"
"I will do anything if you agree to hear me out"
"Anything?" She asked.
"Anything" I confirmed.
She looked up at me and sat her pen down then leaned back crossing her arms "what?"
"Jennifer, I want you to pay for her college. She's in med school but can't finish due to money problems"
"You are aware that'd cost a little over 300 thousand right?"
"Now I am. Please, I'd do anything"
"So you've said"
"Madelyn I heard her story and It's heartbreaking and she's trying to follow in her grandmothers steps because she couldn't say goodbye and this is how she feels close to her again"
"Get out" Madelyn said.
"I need my fifteen minutes break then"
"For what?"
"I'm going down to the bank and pulling off everything I have and requesting a loan"
"No, now get out"
"Madelyn it's my money"
"I know. Now get out like I've requested"
I rolled my eyes and walked out of her office and went to my desk and started on the paperwork.
About half an hour later madelyn walked out and looked at Jennifer and didn't bother even glancing at me "Hudson come, we need to discuss some errors I've been noticing in your work"
"Am I getting fired?" She asked.
Madelyn didn't say anything and just walked back into her office and Jennifer looked terrified but got up and followed and Madelyn met my eyes then closed the blinds so I couldn't see in and I heard the door lock.