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“He recognized us; we’ve got to get out of here,” hissed Rob as he and Jerome exited the cafeteria after their brief encounter with the man they knew as Roslyn’s blond on the side. Jerome nodded his head in agreement and, without going back to the locker room to get their clothes, the two men quickly ducked down one of the service hallways and into the service elevator that would grant them safe passage to a different floor of the hospital, and out of sight from anyone that would be looking for them on Roslyn’s floor.

“Now what?” Jerome breathed heavily as Rob hit a button on the panel and the doors to the elevator closed, concealing them inside. Rob looked at him absurdly, his expression sarcastic and slightly irritated.

“Now what? Now you find us a way out of here so we don’t get caught you idiot! You’re the one who knows this hospital inside out, not me, remember?”

Jerome shook his head slightly and looked away as Rob scolded him yet again. He felt like a little kid being yelled at by his dad, and it was starting to wear on him heavily. I’m not your puppet Rob! Why does he talk to me like that? He is supposed to be my friend. I am so ready to just leave his ass here and let him take the fall by himself! Fucking asshole!

The elevator dinged, rousing Jerome from his thoughts and the two men stepped off the elevator into a dim hallway on the fifth floor, three floors up from Roslyn’s floor.

Now’s who’s the idiot, Jerome thought as he racked his brain for a way out of the hospital. He took us up instead of down! Now by the time we make to ground level the whole hospital is going to be looking for us!

“Well?” Rob inquired. He tapped his foot impatiently as he peered around the corner into the main hallway, looking for a sign that they were already being hunted. He saw no one, something he took as a positive indication. Jerome exhaled loudly, his frustration with Rob and the situation he had gotten them into coming across clearly.

“Let’s go this way,” he instructed, leading Rob down the main hallway towards a door at the far end. “This is the back staircase; it comes out by the loading dock.” He stopped talking for a moment, thinking about the next move. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to make it to the car though.”

He left his statement open-ended, with no solution if they couldn’t get to the car. He had no idea what they would do; they would just have to wing it. Without another word, they two men, still dressed in hospital attire, hastily descended the five flights of stairs, stopping at the bottom landing momentarily to listen for sounds of someone following them.

Rob shook his head from side to side, indicating that he heard nothing and then Jerome opened the door leading out of the stairwell and motioned for Rob to follow him. They made it to the door leading outside by the loading dock and were halfway out of it when they heard shouting from behind them.

Without looking back they bolted out the door and dashed towards Jerome’s car, still parked in the employee lot. Pressing the button on the key ring as they approached the vehicle they heard the car start.

“Thank God for remote starters,” shouted Jerome as the two men jumped into the car, Jerome in the drivers seat and Rob in the backseat on the driver’s side. Jerome thrusted the key into the ignition so he could shift gears and seconds later he was squealing out of the parking lot, taking Rob towards freedom after yet another close call.




Nick pushed the door open to Roslyn’s room slightly, just enough to allow him access into it without making too much noise, closing the door again behind him as he entered. It was still dark in there, even though the sun was rising outside, due in large part to the heavy drapes that covered the windows. He walked over to them, spreading them apart cautiously, allowing the breaking dawn to filter into the room gently.

He gazed at Roslyn, still asleep, completely unaware of the events that had unfolded a few hours ago. He sat down in the rocking chair next to the bed, watching her chest rise and fall as she breathed, listening to quiet sounds of her snoring and the clicking of her IV drip. He debated whether or not to tell her about the unwelcome guest that almost paid her a visit last night, wanting so much to protect and keep her out of harm’s way. He knew she would find out anyway, whether he told her or not, and he wanted her to hear it from him instead of someone else.

He reached his hand towards hers, grasping it gently. It startled her, waking her from the slumber that obviously wasn’t as deep as Nick had thought. Her head jolted away from the pillow as she looked around the room, trying to gain her bearings and familiarize herself with her surroundings.

“Shhh, Ros, it’s me,” he cooed, rubbing her hand softly. She rested her head back against the pillow, relief spreading across her face. She laid there silent for a minute or two, letting her heart rate return to normal and her breathing to slow as well.

“He got away didn’t he?” she asked suddenly, breaking the calming silence that was beginning to fill the cozy hospital room.

Nick wasn’t sure how to respond; he wasn’t even sure how she found out Rob had been there. Had she heard the commotion outside? Had one of the nurses told her? Or did she just know?

“Yeah,” he said quietly, deciding not to question it. “I’m sorry.”

“Good morning Miss Bushman,” a voice said from the doorway, interrupting the conversation Nick was hoping to have with Roslyn. He turned around to see Dr. Filpano walking into the room. “How are we feeling this morning?”

Oh, we are feeling just ducky! Why do they always ask it like that, like there’s more than one of me? God, I’m so ready to get the hell out of here.I’m feeling fine; when can I go home?” Roslyn responded, trying to keep her irritation and sarcasm to a minimum.

Dr. Filpano chuckled a little as he read through the information the nurses had put in her chart throughout the night. “Today sometime, possibly after breakfast,” he told her, still reading the chart. His eyes stopped on one of the pages, and he flipped the page back and forth a couple times, apparently comparing the information on the two pages.
“I’ll be right back,” he told her, taking the chart with him. “I just need to check something over.” Roslyn nodded her head, clueless as to what he was talking about.

“Doctors are so weird,” she said with a giggle after Dr. Filpano had left the room. There was silence again for another minute, neither one of them knowing what to say. Roslyn felt like they needed to finish the conversation they had started last night, as did Nick, but no one wanted to start.

They both opened their mouths to talk at the same time, but before they could say anything, Dr. Filpano returned, chart in hand, interrupting them yet again.

“Miss Bushman, I believe you will be ready for discharge before lunch,” he told her. Roslyn’s irritation subsided slowly as a smile spread across her lips.

“Finally,” she said quietly, shaking her head from side to side and rolling her eyes a little. Dr. Filpano stood there for a moment, clearly anticipating his next choice of words. “Is there something else?” Roslyn asked, watching the doctor closely.

“There is something I need to discuss with you, but I insist that we do it privately,” he said, looking at Nick as he said the last word. Nick looked up at Dr. Filpano, then over at Roslyn before standing up. His expression showed hurt and confusion, and Roslyn’s heart sank a little as she watched him make his way towards the door.

“Hey Nick, will you do me a favor? Call Kaci and let her know I’m being discharged.” Nick smiled at her, knowing that she was trying to make him feel better, trying to make him feel important. He nodded his head, letting her know he would do it, and then exited her room silently.

Roslyn turned her attention back to the doctor, waiting for him to enlighten her with the news that was so important Nick had to leave before she could hear it, but as soon as it came out of his mouth, she wished with all her might it hadn’t.