<strong>Kate, Attending to Mrs. Staudemeyer With Amaya, Flirting with Mox</strong><br/><br/>Kate stared quizzically at Amaya for a long, long moment. She raised a finger, opened her mouth, as if to say something … and then closed it. She closed her eyes as well.<em>No, two lines of coke was probably right,</em>she thought, sighing.<em>God help me, this one better be fun off-duty, because she’s going to try my patience on-duty …</em><br/><br/>Opening her eyes, Kate looked at Amaya and smiled pleasantly. “Yes, dear, that’s a great idea. Measure her blood pressure, you’re right, we wouldn’t want you getting sick.”<br/><br/>Kate turned a bit to Mox, giving him a little dramatic eyeroll that only he could see.<em>Can you believe this shit?</em>the look seemed to say. She grinned as he mentioned taking a break, and smoking some reefer.<br/><br/>“Sounds perfect,” Kate murmured under her breath. “And, y’know, if you happen to have any other, um, ‘party favors’ for later tonight … or later this weekend … I might have my own favor for you, later.” She lightly ran his hand across his thigh as he moved to join the other doctors, hoping to get him a little more revved up for later. Kate certainly felt revved up … and besides, she liked Mox. Not in a boyfriend sort of way – the guy definitely had issues, and she guessed he’d seen some things in the war that had really fucked him up – but he had a wicked, sarcastic sense of humor, he was great to hang out with, and he was a fun casual fuck. Top that with the fact he’d occasionally slide some recreational drugs her way in exchange for sex, and he was one of her favorite doctors at Calvin Coolidge.<br/><br/>She couldn’t wait for break time.<br/><br/>But in the meantime …<br/><br/>Kate watched as Amaya took Mrs. Staudemeyer’s blood pressure. She did that competently, as well as taking the old woman’s heart rate, so that was something. Mercifully, the old gomere was asleep or unconscious, so the only inane prattling that Kate had to hear was Amaya’s. Which, to be honest, Kate didn’t mind. It was only two years ago that Kate had come to Calvin Coolidge, fresh-faced, wide-eyed, and innocent, thinking about how she was going to help so many people and change the world … she saw a lot of that in Amaya. So she understood the new nurse’s attitude.<br/><br/>However, Kate also knew Amaya probably needed some heavy doses of reality.<br/><br/>Picking up Mrs. Staudemeyer’s chart again, Kate read it more closely … and saw some of the morning notes left on it. An evil smile crossed Kate’s face.<em>Should I be really cruel, and make her do both?</em>Kate thought.<em>Or be kind, and just do the one …</em><br/><br/>Kate sighed, and put the chart back.<em>It’s her first day. Be kind.</em><br/><br/><em>Sort of.</em><br/><br/>“Um, Amaya?” Kate said. “When you’re done measuring Mrs. Staudemeyer’s heart rate and blood pressure, be sure to write those figures down on the chart, with the date and time. And you’ll also see on the chart … her bedpan needs to be changed. So if you can take away the dirty one and get her a clean one, that’d be great.”<br/><br/>“And while you do that, I’ll … I’ll take out her catheter.”<br/><br/>Taking a deep breath, Kate reached into a drawer at the side of Mrs. Staudemeyer’s bed. She pulled on some gloves, and slowly pulled away the bedsheets away from the old woman, thinking of her upcoming break with Mox as her hands moved to the catheter.