Page 65 of Iron Will

“I’m not sure if you know this,” I continue, “but my father is Senator Rodney Hart, from Kentucky. I certainly have the means to assemble quite a legal team against you. And as it turns out, he’s quite friendly with the senior senator from Ohio. So…” I pause again. “I suggest you treat your staff —allof your staff — with nothing but the utmost respect and professionalism going forward. Especially the ones who are likely to talk to me after I leave here. Do you understand?”

Blakes eyes are wide. He hasn’t moved a muscle.

He swallows. I watch as his Adam’s apple bobs.

“Goodbye, Blake.”

Without waiting for an answer, I straighten myself to my full height, turn, and walk out of his office.

Inside my brain, I’m doing a whoop of victory, even as part of me wonders what the hell I just did.

I very well may have just committed career suicide. But it’s done now.

And damn, did it feel good.

I exit Blake’s office, doing a mental victory dance. Instead of heading to my office, I decide to go find Katie. I want to tell her I’m pretty sure Blake will drop the matter of Mickey following her into the med closet, and why. And also, I want to make sure she hears the news that I’m leaving from me before anyone else.

Unfortunately, when I get up to the nurses station on the second floor, I remember that today’s her day off. I chat for a few minutes with Megan, one of the nurses on duty, not letting on that there’s anything unusual. Then I go back to my office to start cleaning out my desk, still on a high of adrenaline and righteous pride. I’ll call Katie later, and tell her the news.

It’s only when my cell phone rings and I check the screen that it hits me how badly I’ve just screwed up.

“Hi, Bethany,” I answer, my voice suddenly sounding very far away in my head.

“Laney! I’m so sorry to ask you this, but I really need help. Mickey just stole my car again!”

“What?” I gasp.

“I’m at the motel where we were staying. I came back here to settle the bill before dropping Paisley off at school this afternoon. Turns out, the manager kicked Mickey out of the room because he didn’t think Mickey would pay. So, I go to the manager’s office, to find out what he did with our stuff, and when I come back out with Paisley, my car’s gone!”

I feel ill, but do my best to conceal it. “Are you sure Mickey did it?”

“I mean, I didn’t see him do it, but he’s the only one who has a key besides me.” Her voice rises a notch. “He must be out of jail!”

“Shit!”

“Yeah, shit is right,” she agrees. “So I’m sitting here with Paisley now, with no transportation. And I can’t get hold of Yoda. Look, Laney, I hate to ask this, but could you come pick me up? I figure since I was supposed to come by the hospital anyway to talk to you, maybe it wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience? I can figure out a ride from the hospital afterwards.”

“Sure, I’ll come get you,” I murmur, the words coming out strangled.

“Are you sure?” Bethany asks, misunderstanding my tone. “I mean, if you can’t come get us, it’s okay, I can figure something out.”

“No, no. I’ll be there soon. Sit tight.”

I sit back in my desk chair, feeling numb and horrified. Stunned, I log out of my computer and pack up my few personal items, a heavy lump in the pit of my stomach. When I’m finished, I pick up the box of my belongings and pull my office door closed.

Then I walk down the hall, my mind desperately trying to figure out how I’m going to break the news to Bethany. The news I’ve only just realized myself.

Now that I’m no longer an employee of Morningside Hospital, I don’t have access to the resources to help her.

26

Laney

I’m feeling sick to my stomach when I pull up in front of the motel. Bethany and Paisley are sitting on the curb in the parking lot, in front of a wooden staircase that leads up to the second floor. Next to Paisley is a tiny battered pink rolling suitcase. On Bethany’s other side are two large garbage bags, stuffed full.

I say hello to the two of them and pop the trunk. I help them load their stuff in the back, hoping they don’t ask about the paper ream box of my stuff that’s back there already. Thankfully, they don’t seem to notice it.

As I turn the car out of the parking lot, Bethany frowns. “Aren’t we going to the hospital?”