“This is not a joke,” Ethan said. “It’s barely noon, and you three are getting drunk in my hospital.”
“Technically, it’s not your hospital,” Dylan said.
“Oh, shut up, Dylan. When I asked you to talk to Rita, I didn’t mean to make her drunk,” Ethan said.
“Hey, it’s not like she forced me, and at least my arm doesn’t hurt anymore,” Rita protested.
“Rita, please,” Ethan said with a frown.
“And anyway, who are you to ask others to talk to me?” Rita said, pushing back her chair with a loud screech.
Ethan winced. “I’m merely looking out for you.”
“Whatever,” Rita said, somewhat unsteady on her feet. “Come on, guys. Let’s go to my place. I’ve got lots of booze stashed away.”
“You’re carrying on with this foolishness?” Ethan said.
“Yes, we are,” Rita said, placing one hand on Amanda’s shoulder. “And I’m borrowing your nurse for the day.”
Dylan stood up as well. “You had me from the word booze, Rita. Count me in.”
Ethan sighed, studying them with a disapproving look. “Maybe it’s for the best. Lord knows you can’t stay here.”
“Well then, we’re going,” Rita announced.
Ethan shot Amanda a hard look. “Enjoy your day off, but I expect you back on duty first thing tomorrow, Nurse Hooper. Understood?”
Amanda nodded. “Yes, Doctor Hayes.”
Ethan turned on his heel and marched away with a stiff spine. He’d barely left the cafeteria when Dylan and Rita burst into laughter.
“What a stiff,” Dylan said.
“Come on, girls,” Rita said. “I’ve got a hankering for tequila shots.”
Amanda perked up, forgetting all about her angry boss. “Did someone say tequila?”
Chapter 4 - Tara
Tara stared at her notes for several minutes before returning to the microscope. She adjusted the knob, her sole focus on the sample in front of her. After a long moment spent squinting at the blood work contained within the slide, she repeated the process. Back and forth, back and forth until her eyes blurred and her head ached.
“I’m missing something, but what?” she said, grinding her teeth in frustration. After weeks spent working on the vaccine, she was on the verge of a breakthrough. She knew it, but she just couldn’t get the final pieces to fall into place. “Stupid virus!”
Thrusting back her chair, she paced across the floor. “What am I not seeing? It’s right in front of me. I’m sure of it.”
After several minutes, she fell back into her chair with a huff. The answer simply wouldn’t come to her.
A knock on the glass wall of her lab stole her attention, and she looked up into the eyes of Saul. He smiled and called out loud, “Bad timing?”
“Not at all,” she cried back. “I’ll be right there.”
She placed her samples back into storage, tossed her gloves, disinfected her hands, and removed her lab coat.
Unlike the labs where smallpox specimens and other horrors were stored, her office and workspace were on a lower level. The Vita virus, though horrific, wasn’t quite the threat it used to be now that they had an effective cure in production.
Tara exited the lab and locked the door behind her. With a happy smile, she stood on tiptoe to greet Saul with a kiss. “What brings you here so early?”
“I thought I’d drop by and say hello. I hope I’m not bothering you?”
“No, you are most welcome,” she said. “I’ve hit a wall, to be honest.”
“Not getting the answers you want?” he asked, eyeing the mound of papers on her desk.
“No, I’m not, and it’s driving me crazy,” she admitted.
“Maybe, all you need to do is take a step back,” he suggested. “Take some time off.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she said, her workaholic nature rebelling at the very thought of such a thing. “How do you get anything done by doing nothing?”
“Not by doing nothing,” Saul said, “but by doing something else.”
Tara quirked an eyebrow at him. “Really?”
Saul shrugged. “Sometimes, all you need is a different perspective. A little distance.”
“That’s…maybe not such a bad idea,” Tara said, mulling it over.
“Best of all, I know what you can do to take your mind off your work for a bit,” Saul added.
“What?”
“A girl’s night,” Saul said.
“You’ve got to be joking,” Tara replied.
“I’m serious,” Saul said.
Tara sighed. “Even if I were up for such a thing, I wouldn’t know where to begin.”
“You don’t have to. Your posse is waiting outside,” Saul said with a grin.
“Posse?” Tara asked, now thoroughly confused.
“That’s right. Dylan, Rita, and Amanda are at the entrance. The security wouldn’t let them in, so they asked me to fetch you.”
“Why won’t security let them in?” Tara asked. “They might not be allowed in here, but they could wait in the lobby.”
“Er, they’re a bit tipsy,” Saul said with a low laugh.
“This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder,” Tara muttered.
“Now, now. They’re good friends, and they haven’t seen you in ages. All they want is for you to join in on the fun,” Saul coaxed.
“Well…” Tara said, still hesitant. “Maybe I could go for a short while.”
“Yes, please!” Saul said, steering her out of the lab. “You need to live a little. All you do is work, work, work.”
“My work is important,” Tara protested, grabbing her key card from the counter.
“It can also wait until tomorrow. Right now, you’re spending time with the girls,” Saul said.
“I don’t know. I need to get this vaccine done. The sooner, the better.”
Saul gripped Tara by her shoulders. “Tara, sweetheart, listen to me. You’re working yourself to death, and while your job is important, you are important too.”
“I know, but—”
“I’m not letting you wiggle out of this,” Saul warned. “You’re going whether you like it or not.”
Tara rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’ll go.”
“Admit it. You need this. It’ll be good for you, you’ll see,” Saul said, drawing her in for a hug.
Tara let him hold her for a few delicious moments as her worries melted into his arms. Finally, she pulled away. “Alright. Just give me a few minutes to put my notes away.”
“I’ll wait outside,” he replied. “And don’t take too long.”
“Whatever,” Tara grumbled, but secretly, she
