The heavy wooden door swung open with a sudden rush of air.
Nurse Brenda stepped into the room, her Head Nurse badge pinning a small blue flower to her scrubs. She crossed her arms tightly over her yellow clipboard.
“Why is this monitor silent?” Brenda asked, her voice quick and efficient.
Tessa stepped back from the bed, her face turning a blotchy red. “It must have slipped out when she rolled over.”
“The plug is three feet away from her bed, and she has not moved an inch,” Brenda said, her eyes moving from Tessa to the wall outlet.
Brenda knelt down, picked up the thick black cord, and pushed it back into the socket. The machine hummed instantly, the screen flashing yellow before returning to green.
“I saw you pull it,” Brenda said, looking directly at Tessa.
“You did not see anything of the sort,” Tessa said, her voice rising into a sharp drawl. “My mother and I are trying to take care of her, and we do not need your attitude.”
