Poppy's POV

Days like this were the worst. Days when the job I worked really hard to do still wasn't enough. When people who trusted you to care for them ended up leaving this earth because there was nothing I could do to bring them back or to change their fate. Yvonne always knew that this hit me hard. It wasn't often that it happened, but when it did I needed a second to compose myself again. I really appreciated Calum thinking of me when he pressed the call bell and asked me how I was after hearing the ruckus from his room, it was something not many patients would think of doing for their staff – yet for me at that moment, I really needed it.

I walked into the empty staff room despondently, knowing the silence of the room was exactly what I needed right now. It was nearing three in the afternoon and I hadn't had any food or drink since my breakfast this morning, yet I felt full. I trudged over to my locker and grabbed my water bottle and a snack bar, slumping onto the chair to force myself to eat it despite my lack of appetite. I made myself take a few bites of the bar, washing it down with lukewarm water that I'd forgotten to put in the fridge this morning after my encounter with Iliana and her temper. My mind drifted back to how she had acted with Calum, calling him crazy and drunk, saying he had never injured himself when in actual fact he'd had such a serious break in his ankle he was going to need surgery. My body tensed at how she acted, knowing she was a nurse but couldn't actually give enough time to care for anyone.

"I had a feeling I'd find you in here..." Yvonne popped her head round the door and I straightened in my chair.

"Is Calum okay?" I blurted quickly, scared that she'd come to find me because I had missed Calum calling me.

"He's fine." She soothed, taking a few steps into the room before closing the door behind her. "I was worried about you... after Derek." My shoulders sunk again.

"Oh." I mumbled, falling back into the chair into a slouch.

"I know how you get when we lose someone... I just wanted to see that you were alright. You haven't had any breaks yet either. Is everything okay today?" Yvonne questioned me like a concerned mother. I hesitated for a second, knowing what she was going to say. "Take your break now, it's quiet." I offered her a sorry smile, which she already knew was because I was going to turn down her offer.

"Honestly, Yvonne, I don't think I could right now. I'd be thinking about it all too much... Maybe in an hour or so." I shrugged. She nodded but remained silent.

"Alright, Poppy, but look after yourself. I can't afford to lose someone like you." She sighed, looking back out at Calum's room. "How is Calum? Still going to complain about his care?" I hesitated, unsure as to how much to tell her.

"I think so." I said carefully. "Not saying I'm perfect, but he hasn't got any issues with my care. It was Iliana's lack of care that he's mad about. His break is definitely going to need surgery, he's broken ribs too. She was claiming he was drunk and uninjured. That is a huge speculation and hours without appropriate care. The break may have been worsened in those hours he was here, maybe trying to walk around to get some care or medication. I, myself, want to complain about how she was and I'm not the patient. She was irate speaking to me this morning, saying we needed to get him out of the room and how he was awful. He's actually a good man, and his friends are polite and courteous too." There was a long pause as she tried to compute everything I said, her face twitching as I said I would have complained about her too. Yes, we are staff together but I'm here to care for patients, not to make friends with other nurses.

"Of course, believe me I will ensure she gets spoken to, especially now we know more of Calum's background." Yvonne said, sighing as she hung her head in shame. "Look, I need to-"

The door swung open and Sam, the receptionist, stood at the door with the phone in her hand.

"I'm so sorry, Yvonne, but there is a really important phone call for you. It sounds scary." He whispered, his hand covering the mouthpiece of the phone. Yvonne and I exchanged worrying glances before she took the phone, putting it to her ear with her hand shaking.

"Good Afternoon, how may I help you?" She began, but I could quickly hear the male voice on the other end of the phone growing louder and more furious. I could see Yvonne shifting uncomfortably and knew it was probably a good time to dive out of the room and leave her to it. For all I knew, this was already a complaint running from Calum's family. I mouthed to Yvonne that I was going to give her privacy for her phone call and left the room quietly, taking Sam with me.

"What was that about?" I questioned Sam, who was still quivering.

"No idea. They sounded scary, like they were solicitors or something!" Sam said as he ducked back to his desk. Without hesitation, I headed straight to Calum's room and knocked. On being let in, I walked in quietly and shut the door behind me as I always did.

"Calum, are you happy to discuss something with your friends in the room or can I ask them to leave?" I think the urgency in my voice scared them all a little.

"They can stay." He said in a demanding tone, an eyebrow raised at me in confusion.

"If you don't mind me asking, have you put a complaint about Iliana in already?" I asked, suddenly nervous about the answer. Did I really want to know? Was this going to get me in trouble too? He looked taken aback with my question and looked over at his friends in bewilderment.

"No..." He said, drawing the word out for as long as he could. "Why?" I didn't know whether to be honest or not, but something told me he was a good guy so I opted for the truth.

"I don't know, just the head nurse has just got a phone call and they sounded like solicitors or something... Whoever they were they weren't very happy!" I sighed, looking back at the room where Yvonne was still on the phone. I noted all the men exchange glances with each other but chose to ignore it and wait for someone to voice it to me.

"Oh... no idea." Calum said, although something told me it wasn't the whole truth.