It had been a long shift. Not the worst she had ever had, but the ending hadn’t been the way she had hoped. She hated losing patients, even thought she knew deep down that it happened. You cant save everyone. She knew that. Didnt mean she liked it.
Tossing her keys on the table inside the front door, Kate kicked off her shoes, tossed her bag beside them, and headed for the kitchen.
Her apartment was just as she liked it: clean, compact and comfortable. One bedroom, one bathroom. Big, plush, comfy furniture. Very simple. The only thing she had splurged one when she started making money after med school was her TV and her stereo. She was a movie and music fanatic, it being the one thing she ever let herself go a little crazy for. Her 55 inch flat screen hung on the far wall of the living room, adjacent to a large, black leather couch, cornered with a matching love seat. A respectable stereo sat in the far corner, with a ceiling high bookself of CDs, DVDs and books took up the rest of that wall. This was the room she spent most of her time, other than her bedroom, so she made sure it was as comfortable, and as ‘her’ as possible.
The rest of the apartment was more low key. A nice, large kitchen, stainless steel appliances and a small island in the middle. Not that Kate was much of a cook, but she enjoyed the occasional experiment when time permitted. Her bedroom featured a queen sized wooden sleigh bed with matching dresser and night stand, another smaller TV on the wall across from the bed. Her favourite feature of her room was the French doors leading to the balcony. She had a beautiful view of the city, and spent many nights sitting outside on her lounger, reading or just listening to the sounds around her.
She had fallen in love with the apartment, the building, and the area the moment she moved to Orlando. It had been a scary transition, but one she left she needed. She just couldn’t stay in LA anymore. Everything there had memories, and she was sick of memories. A new scene and new memories was what she was after, so when Orlando General contacted her the year before about a permanent position with them, she jumped at the chance. It wouldn’t have come at a better time.
Moving down to Orlando had been a quick decision, and an even quicker move. Her parents were supportive, albeit a little worried at the hast in which Kate was moving, worrying that she hadn’t thought things through and was reacting out of emotion rather than logic. But she assured them, repeatedly, and she was fine, and that this was what she needed. She needed a new place, new city, and new job.
And with that, she made the move into her new apartment. Her father had offered many times to help her find a larger place, but she declined. She loved her new apartment. It fit her.
She had never been one to need alot of space or things. Although she had alot at her disposal through her parents, she was the complete opposite of the stereotypical ‘rich kid’. She bought her own first car, paid for her own university education, and put herself through med school by waitressing, despite her fathers many complaints that she was working too much, and that although he appreciated that she wanted to do things on her own, that she didn’t have to do everything on her own.
But that was how she liked things. Her way. A self professed ‘control freak’, she liked things a certain way. She had her life plan figured out early, and executed it accordingly. She didn’t allow herself to get side tracked, because any time she did, it generally turned out to be a disaster. Jess always told her that “side tracks lead to you the best things in life”, which in Jess speak usually meant men. But Kate just didn’t have the time, or to be honest, the desire at this point to deal with a guy. Her job and friends kept her busy and fulfilled, and she had enough relationship baggage of her own that she didn’t want to have to deal with anyone elses. She had taken one of Jess’s ‘side tracks’ once before. Never again.
Pulling the fridge open, Kate looked around disgruntled. God, she had to do shopping at some point. She would have to go out and do that before her night shift tomorrow.
Closing the fridge door, she picked up the phone from the kitchen counter, and hit her speed dial saviour....pizza.
Two hours later, Kate was sprawled on the couch, a half eaten pizza on the table in front of her, watching Greys Anatomy, and losing herself in nothingless. This was her post-work ritual. Let herself go in some harmless show or song, and live vicariously through them for a while.
Turning the TV off, Kate stretched her arms over her head, grunting loudly. It was ten at night, and she was exhausted, but for some reason she just wasn’t ready to go to bed. She was working a night shift tomorrow, so staying up late tonight wouldn’t probably be helpful in making the transition.
Standing up, Kate gathered her pizza box and took the leftovers into the kitchen....cold pizza for breakfast tomorrow!
Returning to the living room, she turned to the stereo. She picked up the remote, and clicked on the power, letting the CD that was still in the machine spin to life.
The opening hum of ‘Bye Bye Bye’ filled the room. Kate grinned.
Flopping back down on the couch, she had to admit to herself that she was jealous that Jess was getting to go to the concert tomorrow night. She had agreed to take this night shift before Jess had told her that she had managed to get tickets. They had tried when they originally went on sale, but had no luck. Damn things were like cake a fat camp....didnt last long. What Kate didn’t know was that Jess’s brother had gotten her some for her birthday.....Jess had called Kate that night screaming incoherently. Once she had gotten enough air to form a full sentence, she told Kate that she had gotten tickets....third row tickets!
Unfortunately, Kate had already accepted a shift switch, just the day before. When she told Jess, there was a prolonged silence. A very prolonged silence.
Kate apologized profusely, but she couldn’t back out of this shift now. She had already accepted it, and Marianne needed it off to go to her nieces Christening, or something like that. She was disappointed, but she had promised.
After much whining and complaining, Jess had resigned herself to the fact that she would have to find another “JC stalking buddy” and stopped badgering Kate about missing the concert.
Leaning back to listen to the music, Kate closed her eyes and imagined how good the show was surely going to be. She had never seen NSync in concert before, and was definitely interested. She had watched one of the recorded concert DVDs with Jess and other girls from work one night in a ‘girls night’, but everyone admitted that it was different live.
“You can almost smell the sweat” Heather had said emphatically. She had seen them live twice already.
“In that case, I’ll pass.” Kate said, grinning. “We smell enough sweat at work”
“Thats not sweat....thats Listerine” Jess called from the kitchen.
Smiling at the memory, Kate grabbed the remote again, and skipped to her favourite song.
“When the visions around you....bring tears to your eyes....and all that surrounds you.....are secrets and lies.....” Justin Timberlakes voice filled the room, and Kate sighed with satisfaction.
She could honestly say she didn’t really have a favourite amongst the group. They each had their own endearing quality, and she liked them all. Jess always said she was full of shit, always trying to be diplomatic, but that she knew she had a favourite....everyone did. But Kate honestly didn’t. She loved JCs smooth voice, Chris’s humor, Joeys sincerity, Justins entertainment quality and Lances gentlemanliness. She couldn’t pick just one.
But laying on her couch, eyes closed and relaxed, as Justins voice filled the room around her, Kate could see how she may be swayed into being a Justin-girl if she let herself....
