“Hey,” Sam goes on, playfully nudging me with his elbow. “At least you have the OR to keep you busy, right?”
“Actually…” I bit my lip and look at my brothers. “Anyone want to drink with me?”I put my head in my hands and sigh. “I have no job, no boyfriend, and pretty soon, I won’t have a place to live.” I’m sitting at the kitchen table with my brothers, and Sam made us all Jack and Cokes. I haven’t touched mine yet, stomach still queasy over the thought of putting any more alcohol in it.
“Don’t say that too loud or Mom will try to move you back in here,” Jacob says as he breezes through the kitchen, grabbing two banana-nut muffins from the plate on the center of the island counter. “And you’ll find another job.”
“I’m sure I will eventually,” I reply, being the optimist that I try to be. “Though nursing jobs in Silver Ridge are few and far between.” I heft back in my chair and let out a sigh. I’m not dramatic or anything, not at all. “Until then, I should start digging up the backyard in hopes of finding a mammoth bone or something I can sell to science.”
“I don’t think you’ll get too much for it,” Jacob says, wrapping the muffins in a napkin. “And the ground is still frozen.”
“Fine, then I’ll be a black widow.”
“Like the superhero?” Mason asks, brows going up.
“Yes,” I tell my brother, rolling my eyes. “I’m going to find the real-life Avengers and have them hire me as the newest member of their team. I hear their dental insurance is amazing.”
“Hilarious,” Mason grumbles and goes back to his food.
“Then what do you mean?” Sam asks, eyeing the cookies and muffins on the counter that are meant for dessert. It’s been a Harris family rule for, well forever, that we don’t eat until everyone is here. Dad is still at work and Mom is in her office, finishing last-minute alterations to a pretty ivory-colored wedding dress.
“I mean, I’ll marry rich old men only to kill them and take their money.” I nod as I think about it. “It’ll probably be less stress than working as a nurse, actually.”
“Right.” My oldest brother slowly nods. “Avoiding murder charges sounds super relaxing.”
“I’ll be good enough not to get caught.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Ohh, maybe I could be their caretaker and make it look natural. Oh, sorry, Mr. Bennet, but I warned you not to sneak any more cookies. Your blood sugar skyrocketed, and even though I tried to save you, it was too late.”
All three of my brothers stare at me incredulously.
“You know I have to take threats of murder seriously,” Mason says slowly.
“She’s joking,” Jacob says. “Right? It’s hard to tell sometimes.” Jacob shakes his head. “I got a colicky horse I need to go see. Tell Mom I should be back by dinner. Don’t kill anyone, sis. Orange is not your color.” He pats my head on his way out the door, much like he used to do when we were younger, purposely messing up my hair just to piss me off.
I let out another sigh and try not to worry. I’m a nurse, and I like being a nurse. It’s what I’ve always wanted to be, and when Sam was going through hell in med school, I knew I made the right decision. I get to take care of people, improve both my patients’ and their families’ lives, and really feel like I’m making a difference. “There’s just not a lot of options around here,” I lament.
“I might be able to help you out, sis.” Sam leans back and the old wooden chair creaks. The sound is familiar, reminding me of family dinners from years past. It’s funny how he still sits in the same spot that he did when we were kids. We all do, actually, and there’s something comforting in knowing that we’ll always have a place around this old, worn table.
“Are they hiring where you are?” I ask hopefully. Sam is an anesthesiologist at an award-winning trauma-center in Chicago. He’s only been there for two years now, but he loves it. “You can put in a good word for me and think of how much fun it would be to work together.” I give my brother a big smile.
“We just hired two new physicians and five nurses. But I know somewhere that is looking for a new OR nurse. Do you remember my friend Archer Jones? We roomed together during our residency?”
“Ohhhh,” I say as his face comes into mind. “The sexy surgeon. Yes, I very much remember him. Is he single and looking to settle down with a hot, slightly neurotic, yet very skilled nurse?”
“Only slightly neurotic?” Mason mumbles, earning a glare from me.