15. Breaking Through

Stassi

S tassi covered her mouth, holding back a yawn. It’d been a long day, working nearly twelve hours and Stassi could feel it in her bones. Her ponytail was in disarray, and she could only imagine what her makeup looked like. Perhaps this was one reason the hospital had a code on what you should and shouldn’t have on your appearance. She grabbed a hand mirror out of her purse and winced. It’s even worse than she thought. She fought the urge to grab her blush and lipstick around her purse and had a little more color on her face.

“You look fine.” She whirled around in her chair, spotting Sage there with a raised eyebrow. Her cheeks pinked up; she dropped the mirror in her purse, then shoved it under the desk and returned to her computer.

“Not that it much mattered,” Stassi nonchalantly replied.

“I can see that.” Sage snickered. “If it makes any difference, I think the lesser the makeup, the purer the beauty.”

Stassi’s cheeks flushed and she looked back at her computer. That sounded like an offhanded compliment, if Stassi wanted to take it all in.

“But as you say, it’s not like it matters.” Stassi looked up and Sage offered her a wink. Sage turned away, just as she yawned, shaking her head to clear herself from it. “I’m exhausted.” “But, you’re the one that should say that. How many hours has it been? Ten?”

“Twelve,” Stassi admitted, then shrugged. “Barely feel the tiredness,” she lied. She turned back to the computer, Sage’s eyes falling back on her. “Just finishing up scheduling Journey’s appointments and getting all the documentation and follow-up notes. Then the night should be a wrap.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.” Sage’s tone was soft and pure. Stassi looked up, noting that Sage had turned to gawk at her. She felt the warmth in her cheeks again. “I mean it. If it weren't for you, I would still have several hours of work.”

“I was happy to help,” Stassi replied. She meant every word. The night brought on a sense of belonging somewhere that she had never felt in her life. She couldn’t have just picked that up anywhere. She needed this moment. Sage nodded, her eyes still fixated on Stassi. “You’re good with your patients, Sage.” This time Sage’s cheeks turned pink, and she looked away. “I mean it. The way you eased in with Journey and made her feel comfortable, it was clear how much she really felt this bond with you.”

“I love my patients,” Sage stated.

“Has this always been what you wanted to do?” Stassi stopped working and focused on Sage. She was intrigued to hear the response and Sage considered the question with great thought as Stassi kept zoned in on her.

“My grandpa had a stroke when I was just a young teenager. I saw out the OT’s were around him and I knew then that I wanted to do this. They were some of the best caregivers he had, healing him from the stroke and taking care of the family in the process. So, you could say that this has been in my blood, longing to help those who were the most in need. And Journey, while I don’t usually have such young patients, they are the ones that I have to care for the hardest. I want her to know that she isn’t in this alone.”

Sage was vulnerable with Stassi and Stassi couldn’t tear her eyes away. “My grandma had cancer when I was twelve. She was the sweetest person I ever knew. She wasn’t the type that would get caught up in a high-maintenance kind of life. She was down-to-earth, loved to laugh, and loved to show everyone how they should lead their lives. When she was in the hospital, I saw the love and devotion the staff gave her through her final days; it felt like they were all part of the family. So, I get what you’re saying. I find it quite admirable that you took that time in your life to decide what you wanted to do when you grew up.”

Sage smiled and then snickered and turned away. She laughed for a moment, then caught her lower lip between her teeth. Stassi smiled but wasn’t sure what they were laughing about.

“Wanna let me in on your joke?”

Sage looked up and shook her head, then snickered again. “It’s nothing. Funny, really.”

“I love to laugh.” Stassi grinned. “Come on. I mean, you kind of need to tell me because it would be rude to leave me hanging.”

“It’s kind of ridiculous. I really can’t believe I’m even saying anything.” Sage’s cheeks turned red again.

“You might as well just come out and say it,” Stassi shrugged. “Who’s going to judge anyway? We’re sort of bonding, so now is the ideal time to share.” Stassi moved in closer, engrossed in what secret Sage had stashed away inside of her.

“Just thinking about something Lena mentioned earlier.” Stassi tilted her head. “She said there was a rumor going around of how you got your job.”

Stassi’s face fell. She quickly looked away, feeling like everything had been stolen from her in one swoop. She would now have to confess that all rumors were true, and her father owned the hospital. Her stomach clenched and she looked back at the computer.

“It’s crazy that anyone would believe the rumors. I mean, getting to know you, you obviously have a big heart. You don’t seem like you’d be that sort of person.”

Stassi frowned and turned to her. “What sort of person?” Stassi asked.

Sage grimaced and shrugged. “To sleep around, just for a job.”

Stassi’s jaw dropped. “What? Those are the rumors going around? That I slept with someone, so I could get this job?” Her face flushed. She thought her secret was out, but hearing this one made her laugh from the gut. She covered her mouth, trying not to be too disrespectful. “But seriously?”

Sage nodded. “I didn’t believe it for a second, but now, it’s even clearer that there’s no way.” She hesitated and Stassi turned back to her computer. She shook her head, then released a laugh.

“People will believe what they want to believe.” She shrugged. “Let them have their thoughts. Those that matter will know the truth.”

There was a part of her that wanted to confess everything to Sage. If she could have one friend in the hospital who knew her story, she wouldn’t feel so alone. But she had made a silent vow to herself. She wasn’t going to get her dad involved and if people knew he owned the hospital they would simply see it as her being privileged in some way. It wasn’t worth it.

But Sage could be that friend you need to talk things through.

Stassi finished up her computer and they both gathered their things and left the floor, taking the elevator to their parking lot. “Again, I really appreciate you being here,” Sage commented as they exited the hospital. “I owe you.”

Stassi shrugged. “I feel like you don’t owe me anything. I got a lot of satisfaction from being there.” She stopped at her car and glanced at Sage. “See you around, Sage.”

“See you, Stassi.” Sage waved and headed off to another row to get her car.” Stassi slid into the car and considered the evening. What harm would it have been to tell her about her father? Yet, it wasn’t something Stassi was fully prepared to involve anyone else in. In due time, perhaps. For now, she would settle on the fact that she had a friend in Sage, which was the first step in making the hospital feel like a home.