Chapter one
CHAPTER ONE
The monitor screamed before anyone said a word.
Zohra was already moving.
ER Nurse: "Called from the bedside." Her pressure is dropping
The attending physician looked up from the patient.
Dr. Patel: How low?
ER Nurse: Eighty-two over forty-eight.
Sr. Patel: Okay. Everyone stay calm. Zohra, I need another IV.
Zohra: I’m on it.
She pulled on a fresh pair of gloves and moved around the bed. The patient was a woman in her sixties, pale and barely responsive after arriving with severe abdominal pain that had rapidly turned into something much worse.
The room was crowded without feeling chaotic.
A respiratory therapist stood at the head of the bed. Another nurse was drawing blood. Dr. Patel was reviewing the patient’s vitals while the monitor continued its relentless beeping.
Dr. Patel: Zohra, I need a second set of labs and a type and screen.
Zohra: Already sending them. "She connected the line, checked the flow, then looked toward the monitor." Heart rate one-twenty-six.
Dr. Patel: All right. Let’s get her ready for imaging as soon as she’s stable.
Zohra nodded.
She had been on her feet for almost twelve hours.
She was tired.
But the moment she stepped into a patient’s room, tired stopped being relevant.
Nurse: Pressure coming back up
Dr. Patel: Good. Keep monitoring her.
Zohra glanced at the clock.
6:58 p.m.
Two minutes later, her phone vibrated inside the pocket of her scrub pants.
She ignored it.
It vibrated again.
Zohra finally pulled it out when the room settled enough for her to breathe.
One notification.
Penelope’s bd ❤️
She stared at it for half a second.
Then smiled.
She had almost forgotten.
Almost.
She locked her phone and slipped it back into her pocket.
Dr. Patel: Zohra?
Zohra: Coming.
And just like that, she was back in the room.
By the time Zohra finally changed out of her scrubs, the hospital had swallowed another hour.
She stepped through the staff entrance with her bag hanging from one shoulder, her hair slightly messy from the long shift and the elastic she’d been using all day.
The cold evening air touched her face.
She closed her eyes for a second.
God.
She needed a shower.
“Zohra!”
She turned.
One of the nurses from her shift was walking toward her, keys already in hand.
Colleague: You still going to Penelope’s?
Zohra: Yes
Colleague: I can drop you off.
Zohra: "Smiled." That’s sweet, but I’m okay. I need to stop at my place first anyway.
Colleague: You sure?
Zohra: Yeah. Go home. You look as tired as I feel.
Colleague: "Laughed." Fair.
They hugged quickly before separating.
Zohra had barely reached the sidewalk when her phone buzzed again.
Rya: Tell me you’re still coming.
She smiled as she typed.
Zohra: I am. I just got out.
Another message came almost immediately.
Rya: Good. We saved you food.
Then Cameron.
Cameron: I’m coming to get you.
She laughed under her breath.
Zohra: No.
The reply came instantly.
Cameron: Yes.
Zohra: No. I’m going home first. I’ll Uber.
Cameron: Zohra.
Zohra: Cameron.
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Cameron: Fine. Text me when you get there.
She smiled.
Zohra: I will.
She slipped her phone into her bag and headed home.
The shower was exactly what she needed.
Hot water ran over her shoulders, washing away the hospital smell, the long hours, the tension sitting between her shoulder blades.
When she stepped out, her bathroom mirror had fogged completely.
She wiped a small circle clear with her hand.
Zohra: Okay
She whispered to her reflection.
Tonight was not about work.
Tonight was Penelope.
Music started playing from her phone on the living room.
A Spanish song filled the room.
Zohra moved around slowly at first, applying moisturizer to her arms and legs, then Vaseline lightly over her skin until it caught the light.
She took her time with her face.
Moisturizer.
A little vitamin C.
Sunscreen out of habit, even though the sun was already gone.
Blush.
Brows.
Lip liner.
Gloss.
Nothing heavy.
She wanted to still look like herself.
She pulled her hair into a bun, leaving soft curls loose around her face.
Then she opened her closet.
Her eyes went immediately to the green dress.
She pulled it from the hanger.
It was simple, fitted without being too much, elegant enough for a birthday party but still completely her.
She slipped it on.
Then the heels.
Cute.
Not painful.
At least, that was the plan.
She grabbed Penelope's gift and her handbag and checked herself one last time in the mirror.
Her phone buzzed.
Uber arriving in 3 minutes.
Zohra: Perfect.
She grabbed her coat, checked that she’d locked everything, and walked out.
Penelope’s building was already alive when Zohra stepped through the entrance.
Music traveled down the hallway before she even reached the apartment.
She smiled.
Someone opened the door before she could knock.
Alex: Finally!
Zohra: "Laughed as she stepped inside." I’m here.
Alex: "Pulled her into a quick side hug." Hospital girl.
Zohra: Don’t start.
Cyllian: "Hugged her next." Happy you made it.
Zohra: Happy birthday to my girl.
Alex: "Turned toward the man standing beside him." Zohra, this is Justin.
Justin: "Smiled." Hi.
Zohra: Hi.
They shook hands.
Zohra: You the Justin Alex travels a lot with?
Justin: "Laughed." Already heard about me?
Zohra: A little.
Justin: Only good things, I hope.
Zohra: "Smiled." I’ll decide.
Justin: "Laughed." I like her already.
Zohra: "Shook her head, smiling as she slipped past them." Where’s Penelope?
Alex: Bedroom. The girls are in there.
Zohra: Okay.
She headed down the hallway.
The second she opened the bedroom door, three voices shouted at once.
“ZOHRA!”
She burst out laughing.
Rya reached her first.
They hugged tightly.
Rya: Look at you!
Zohra: Look at you.
Rya: "Stepped back dramatically." No. Look at you.
Alia: "Laughed from the bed." She looks good.
Zohra: "Laughing." Thank you.
The birthday girl was sitting in front of the mirror, looking exhausted and offended at the same time.
Penelope: Don’t look at me.
Zohra: "Immediately walked toward her." Why?
Penelope: I threw up.
Zohra: What?
Penelope: My makeup was ruined.
Rya: "Waved her hand." Three months pregnant and already making everybody suffer.
Penelope: "Rolled her eyes." Excuse me?
Zohra: "Laughed and crouched beside her." Are you okay?
Penelope: I’m fine. Just annoyed.
Zohra: You want me to fix anything?
Alia: We already fixed everything. "Pointed toward Penelope’s face." We rebuilt that entire face.
Penelope: "Smiled." You did.
The girls laughed.
Zohra: "Looked at herself in the mirror again." Wait, we need pictures.
Girls: YES.
Within seconds, the room turned into chaos.
Phones came out.
Someone adjusted the lighting.
Someone else moved a lamp.
Penelope complained about her angle.
Rya told her she looked beautiful.
Alia fixed a curl around Zohra’s face.
Then they took picture after picture.
One serious.
One laughing.
One where Penelope held her stomach.
One where everyone squeezed together.
Rya: Send me that one.
Alia: No, not that one.
Zohr: Why?
Alia: My eyes are closed.
Rya: They’re always closed!
Alia: Delete it!
More laughter.
Eventually, they made their way back into the living room.
The apartment had filled up while they were gone.
The music was playing a little louder now, but the atmosphere had settled into something warmer and slower. People had found their places, conversations overlapping from one corner of the room to another, while the smell of food and whatever was left of the birthday snacks lingered in the air.
Zohra had settled onto the couch beside Alia, one leg tucked underneath her, her drink remaining loosely between her fingers.
Alia: "Was halfway through a story." And then he had the audacity to tell me—
Cyllian: Rya, come dance with me.
Both women looked up.
Cyllian stood in front of Rya with his hand extended.
Rya stared at him.
Then she looked at Zohra.
Zohra looked at Alia.
Alia slowly turned her head toward her boyfriend.
Her eyes narrowed.
She let out a long, exhausted sign.
Alia: Not again.
Cyllian: "Heard her. He looked over his shoulder." What?
Alia said nothing.
Rya covered her mouth, already laughing.
Cyllian: "Looked back at her and held out his hand again." Are you coming?
Rya: "Shook her head." Man, please. No dramas. "She pointed toward Penelope, who was sitting nearby with Alex." It’s her birthday. Let’s not ruin it.
Zohra: "Lifted her water cup." Please, no drama tonight, Cyllian. No drama.
Cyllian: "Looked genuinely confused." I don’t even know what you guys are talking about. "Alia gave him a look. He ignored it." I just saw a beautiful lady who charmed me.
Rya burst out laughing.
Cyllian: "Smiled and extended his hand again, this time with exaggerated politeness." Please, would you like to give me the honor of this dance?
Alia's sister stared at him for a second.
Then she shook her head, laughing.
Rya: You’re ridiculous.
Cyllian: But are you coming?
Rya: Fine.
She took his hand.
Cyllian pulled her gently to her feet.
As they walked toward the open space in the middle of the living room, Alia shook her head.
Zohra: "Leaned toward her." What did I miss?
Alia sighed.
Rya, already laughing as Cyllian started moving to the music, glanced back at them.
Alia: You and your twelve-hour shift are ruining our friendship. "Nodded dramatically." Seriously.
Zohra: "Stared at both of them." Excuse me?
Alia: "Looked at her." You disappear for twelve hours and come back expecting to know everything.
Her friend laughed and immediately leaned into Alia, wrapping an arm around her.
Zohra: Nothing in this world could ruin our friendship. "She squeezed her." I got you, babe. Now tell me everything.
Alia: "Finally smiled." You really want to know?
Zohra: Obviously.
Alia: Fine. "She lowered her voice dramatically." Cyllian and I had a fight.
Zohra: "Eyes widened." What happened?
Alia: "Looked toward the dance floor." He refused to fold the laundry.
Zohra: "Blinked." That’s it?
Alia: Yes.
Zohra: You fought over laundry?
Alia: I washed it.
Zohra: So?
Alia: So I expected him to fold it.
Zohra: And he said?
Alia: He said, ‘You washed it, you fold it.’
Zohra stared at her.
Alia stared back.
For two seconds, neither spoke.
Then she burst out laughing.
Zohra: Oh my God.
Alia: Exactly!
Zohra: You guys are really, really something.
Alia: He made me mad!
Zohra: You fought over folded clothes?
Alia: They were already clean!
Zohra: That makes it worse.
Alia laughed in spite of herself.
Zohra: "Shook her head." I leave you people alone for one shift…
Alia: You’re missing everything.
Zohra: I can see that.
They both looked toward Rya and Cyllian.
Cyllian was dancing with Rya, deliberately making it look like the most innocent thing in the world.
Rya was laughing.
Alia: "Rolled her eyes." Look at him.
Zohra: "Smiled." He loves annoying you.
Alia: He really does.
Zohra: And you love him.
Alia: "Her expression softened despite herself." Unfortunately.
Zohra: "Laughed."Exactly.
They stayed quiet for a moment, watching them.
Alia: "Turned towards her." How’s Zaza?
The question immediately softened Zohra’s expression.
Zohra: He’s good. He’s at my mother’s.
Alia: Still?
Zohra: Yeah. She’ll bring him over tomorrow because I’m off.
Alia: You’re going to miss him.
Zohra: I already do. "Smiled faintly." But he’s having fun with Grandma.
Alia: Good. He’s probably eating everything she gives him. "Laughed." That child eats better than all of us.
Zohra: He does.
From across the room came Penelope’s voice.
Penelope: No, Alex! I told you!
Zohra and Alia turned at the same time.
Alex: "Stood beside Penelope with both hands raised." I didn’t know!
Penelope: You were supposed to tell Cameron!
Alex: I forgot!
Penelope: You forgot?
Alex: I had a lot going on!
Penelope: You had one job!
Zohra covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Alia: "Whispered." Here we go.
Penelope: "Pointed toward the door." The cake is coming!
Alex: I know!
Penelope: You were supposed to tell Cameron how I wanted it!
Alex: I thought you said it was fine!
Penelope: I said the cake was fine. I said I wanted my name written differently!
Alex: "Looked completely defeated." I’m sorry.
Penelope: "Crossed her arms." You’re lucky you’re cute.
Alex: "Smiled." I know.
She tried not to smile.
She failed.
The sound of keys rattling in the lock made everyone look toward the door.
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That’s it for this chapter.
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