Nolem PLC

"What took you so long?" Clara Noman asked Jane, as she struggled to fit into the car, even with her small frame. "The car is big enough Jane, you don't have to struggle." She said.

"Hellooo, I'm pregnant. Don't you see that?" Jane snapped.

"Well, I do. But you're barely in your sixth month. Your bump is not so big."

"Barely, barely, barely. That's your favorite word these days. Said Jane, as she successfully took a seat behind.

Clara nodded, trying so hard to keep shut. Besides, who in their right senses will want to argue with a pregnant woman that has the obvious signs of madness.

"But, what took you so long?" She found herself still asking, unable to keep shut.

"I had to pee, I had to pee twice! I was done the first time, then I went back again because I was still pressed, goddamnit. Do you think I just like being in the bathroom at the godforsaken Nova!" Jane snapped. She fanned her hand in front of her face. "Jesus, it's hot. It's too hot in here. Can't you turn on an air conditioner or something?"

Clara kept her mouth shut as she turned up the air-conditioning. As a nurse with a few years of practice, she knew that Jane was merely a victim of her own hormones, but there were times when Clara thought that the best thing for all concerned would be to lock Jane in a box and not open it until they heard a baby crying.

"That place is too full on weekends. Don't ever bring me here again please." Jane managed around a mouthful of sweet cream. "Goddamn, shouldn't all these people be home, resting up or even at the church! Today is still Sunday right? And it's not even noon yet."

"Yeah, right." Clara managed to say.

"This whole place is a mess. You told me Bramhills was a lovely place and all I've seen since we arrived here is filth and congestion. Look at how packed up the parking lot is." Jane said swooping her spoon in the air. "People just dump their trash here and don't even care about how it gets picked up. Do they expect an invisible waste collector to emerge from nowhere?"

Clara murmured some words of agreement, as Jane continued a roll of complaints about everyone inside the Nova, from the man who was walking around aimlessly, to the one on an endless call, and the fact that they had to stand in a queue to buy ice cream.

Tired of the endless bashing of her lovely city, Clara decided to speak up. "Well," she started. "In my defense, Bramhills is indeed a beautiful place. If we visit the capital which is not quite far from here anyway, you will definitely fall in love. I assure you Babe."

After a while Clara zoned out thinking about the issue she had at work. She was happy that most of the staff at her place of work took her side on the whole brouhaha. It wouldn't have been fair if they didn't. They all knew how dedicated she was at work.

Several years ago, she had taken on a part-time job at the local health center at Lyon city to help sort out the mortgage for their family home in Bramhills, and lately Clara's work at the health center was playing havoc with her schedule at the hospital she works. Normally her job at the hospital requires her to work approximately three to four times in a week, and she use the remaining days to work at the health center. But the later is now requiring more of her time as the facility started registering more patients.

Getting a few days off work just to spend some time with her best friend Jane, was one of the toughest things ever, but fortunately, she succeeded. And they drove all the way from Lyon city to Bramhills. Initially Jane was more than excited to visit, but spending just two days already, Clara knew that Jane was likely to wake up one morning and ask that they return back to Lyon city.

She turned to her friend and smiled. 'So fussy, yet cute.' She admired Jane's courage, her decision to keep her pregnancy despite being ditched by the unborn baby's father. She envied her friend a bit and wished she could have a baby of her own, but without carrying the pregnancy herself. She doubt she will be able to handle the fluctuating hormones and what they do to women. Maybe she will turn to a mad woman, just like her friend.

In that case, it was best to just keep treating children at the hospital. There was something restorative about treating children, and since she do not have a child of her own yet, at least there was something to hold on to. But only if the case of medical malpractice brewing against her at the hospital gets thrown out of the window. She was innocent, completely innocent, but the patient's testimony against her says otherwise.

"I don't know how they think that." Jane screeched, loud enough to get Clara's attention. "For god's sake I'm pregnant not stupid. I wonder why she would assume such without even knowing me."