Sucked!

Monica ran from patient to patient, hour to hour. Tents had been set up outside in an open field for those who were ready to go home, but didn’t have a home to go to. There were children in another tent who had yet to have a parent or family member collect them. The despair started to weigh on Monica.

She’d heard Walt mumbling about their leaving. Already four members were slated to depart within twenty-four hours. “But there’s still so much to do.”

“I know,” Walt had said.

“How long are you staying?”

“Another week.”

Monica had thought she couldn’t be in Jamaica, but without a job to go home to, what was her hurry? Wouldn’t it just be like Pat to force her to come home just to throw her job out the window.

She needed to talk to Walt about her options but he’d already returned to the main hospital. The poor guy was being dragged around more than she was.

Tauni held a teenage girl’s leg as Monica wrapped it in a bandage. “Do we have any more four-by-fours?” The square bandage material was in extremely short supply.

Tauni moved her hand to give Monica room to tie off the bandage. “Less than half a box.”

“I’ll call Walt and ask if he can spare more when he comes back tomorrow.”

“The government says we’ll get more soon.”

The government, as Tauni called them, promised all kinds of things soon. Yet soon had yet to come. They brought food with armed guards and had no problem pushing people away from the trucks with excessive force. It was downright scary. Hunger was becoming the next national disaster.

People were becoming short with each other, the goodwill effort was bending to the basic human needs. Goodwill was in the toilet when your family was hungry.

Monica released the girl’s leg and offered a smile. “It’s looking good. Healing perfectly,” she told the mother who sat at the girl’s side.

“Thank you.”

Tauni nudged Monica’s shoulder and nodded toward the door. “Looks like you have a visitor.”

Monica glanced up and saw Trent. Beside him was an even more familiar face.

She squealed and all but ran to hug her brother-in-law.

“Hey?”

She felt a hand on her arm, pulling her away from Jack.

“Hey?” Trent’s frown was lethal. He kept looking between the two of them. “You two know each other?”

“Yeah, he’s—”

Trent threw his hands in the air, stopping her words. “I don’t want to know.” He turned and started to storm away.

“Wait up.” Monica grabbed Trent’s arm and spun him around. What the hell was his problem? “What’s wrong with you?”

“Me?” Trent glared at Jack and returned his glare to Monica. “What about you? I wouldn’t have kissed you if I’d known there was someone waiting for you at home.”

Monica’s jaw dropped.

“Kissed you?” She heard Jack say.

She poked a finger in the middle of Trent’s chest. “You might wanna check your testosterone at the door, buddy. Jack is my brother-in-law. As in married to my sister.”

It was Trent’s turn to drop his jaw.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh! You thought I’d…” God, what he must think of her. Never, even in all her Ice Queen days, did she fool around with more than one guy at a time. She couldn’t even date different guys. She turned her back on Trent and placed all her attention on Jack. “Hi.”

Jack winked. “Hey, darlin’. You look… well, you look like crap.”

She laughed, despite the turmoil in her belly placed there by the man whose stare was boring holes in her back.

“Only family would say that. Even if it’s true.” She made sure the word family could be heard by anyone within ten feet. “Speaking of family, how’s Jessie… you know my sister? Your wife?”

Jack glanced over Monica’s shoulder and offered a pained look at Trent. “You’re in so much trouble. Monica’s like a burr in a saddle when she’s mad.” Jack glanced back at Monica. “And she’s pissed.”

Monica didn’t even turn toward Trent. She grabbed Jack’s arm and pulled him out of the room and out the back door. Maybe Mr. Testosterone would get the hint and leave them alone.

Jerk.

She dragged Jack to the shade tree she’d dubbed her break room and pulled up a patch of grass. “Jessie told me you were coming. You didn’t have to search me out.”

“Jessie would skin me alive if I hadn’t checked on you personally.”

Monica smiled. Jack would do anything for her sister. “Well, I’d say it wasn’t necessary, but I’m so happy to see a familiar face I can’t tell you.”

“I don’t know how you do it, darlin’. Your sister is so proud of you. We all are. Katie wanted me to tell you there’s a spa day planned the minute you get home.”

Katie was Jack’s sister, and although not truly Monica’s sister-in-law, she might as well be. “Tell her I’m counting on it. Looks like I may have all kinds of time on my hands when I get home.”

“Oh… why’s that?”

“It’s complicated. My boss took me off the schedule. She’s always looked for a reason to fire me.”

Jack’s dimpled smile fell. “She what?”

Monica waved off his concern. “I’m sure it will be fixed when I get back.” She wasn’t sure of anything.