Sunday Snippet: Camden General

Whew. What a day. But I had a great week. I'm getting ready to start a very exciting new project and moving along on another one. I also got to spend three days with one of my friends at a gorgeous Airbnb not far from where I live.

Actually stayed pretty much caught up on my regular viewing schedule—watching ahead a little definitely helped.

Started a new Classic Who arc and kind of enjoyed the storyline. Looking forward to seeing what happens this week.

Watched another episode of Most Terrifying Places in America. This one had Devil's Playground as the title and it kind of fit based on the anecdotes.

Caught the second episode of Moon Knight and enjoyed it. I like the series so far and look forward to another episode.

Enjoyed another episode of Harrow. I have two episodes left and I'm pretty interested in seeing how they play out. I loved the mention of the two big bads from the earlier seasons. I'm glad someone finally kind of connected those dots.

Watched another episode of Blue Heelers and things took a turn I didn't expect, which is always fun. Looking forward to the next episode.

Completed another MasterClass with Roxane Gay. She focused on research this time and, again, I got some good ideas from her lesson.

Caught another episode of The Babysitter's Club. I like the new girls and I love how much growth Christy showed. Actually, all the girls showed some growth and it's terrific to see.

Enjoyed two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. Oddly, they were very Angelica-centric which I didn't remember.

Watched an episode of Chicago Med and enjoyed it, even if it ended up being a little soap-operaish. I did like the way the storylines played out.

Finished up the opening epsiodes of Batman: the Animated Series. Looking forward to really diving back into this series.

Started season three of Driven, a Passionflix original series. Terrific premiere episode. I'm excited to see where things go from this point.

Also caught another episode of The Snoopy Show. This one had a great mix of the characters and each vignette had great humor.

That's pretty much it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Camden General, a novella where a shared loss brings two of the emergency department together.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jayden and Whit, two of Camden General's best emergency department staff, come together after losing a patient. Trying to navigate the fallout becomes even more difficult when their one-time hookup turns into a very personal relationship.

And a snippety peek…

Jayden glanced at the clock. "Time of death 2217." Her gut twisted when she said the words.

She'd give the new guy credit. He never gave up. First night on and they lose their patient—his first one in his new role. Her heart broke a little. She hated hit and runs. Two hours of nonstop work—plugging up one injury only to find two more.

She removed her gloves and waited until Wendy and Whit met her gaze. "Tough loss, but you two did a stellar job trying to save her." The staff at Camden couldn't be better.

Wendy nodded and went back to disconnecting the monitor. Whit lifted his chin and turned to start cleaning up the debris from their efforts. Neither nurse spoke, which Jayden appreciated. She had to get her head on straight.

Her shoulders slumped. Now the hard part. Telling the family. She'd been in that position once when a kind-faced doctor delivered the news that her mom didn't make it.

Exiting the trauma bay, she went to Millie. "Is her family here?" Millie gave a nod and indicated her husband and parents were in the waiting area.

Jayden took a steadying breath and went out to greet the trio. She led them to a private consulting area to deliver the news and give them some time.

She sat across from the husband. "I'm very sorry. We did everything we could to save your wife." She looked toward the parents. "And your daughter."

The solemn doctor sat in the chair next to Jayden. "I'm sorry. We couldn't save your mom." He glanced at her head. "Are you doing okay?" His fingers touched the bandage where a different doctor had put stitches in along her hairline.

Jayden gave a nod, tears dripping down her cheeks. "My head hurts and I have to wait for my grandma. Daddy's not home right now." Her fingers plucked at her pants, a small tear from when her leg caught on the door showing her knee.

Doctor Barns took her hand. "Let's see if there's anything in the lounge. You could probably use something to drink and maybe even a little something to eat. If you're feeling up to it." He led her down the long hallway and into a room with chairs and tables and nurses bussing about.

And he stayed with her until her grandmother arrived. Something Jayden would never forget.

She spent time answering questions from Mary's husband and her parents then gave them some space and time to collect themselves before they left.

When Jayden left the room, she flagged Millie down. "I'd like to take a few minutes. Do you need me for anything?" She had to get herself together and work through her childhood memories.

Millie waved Jayden off. "We're good, Dr. Betts. I'll page you if we need you."

Jayden could've hugged Millie in that moment. Instead, she found an empty assessment room and closed the door before sinking down on a stool close to the wall. Leaning her head back, she let the tears fall.

I love writing relationships that start on a weird note. Jayden and Whit truly fit that mold.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Camden General

May 17, 2020

Well … my youngest is pretty much officially a graduated senior. She got to walk outside—the weather cooperated—and received her diploma in a socially careful ceremony. The entire thing will be shown next week on the scheduled night of commencement. I'm scared and excited for her future. Times are weird, what else can I say?

Semi-decent week of television viewing. Still haven't finished up the third episode of Picard but hope to get to it this week.

Caught an episode of Gargoyles and remembered this one. I like it when they dive into the mythology of the show.

Watched four episodes of Danger Man. I'm enjoying the longer format of the second season. I also really like the black and white episodes. I think the show moves to color in the next season.

Caught another episode of The Witcher. I love this show! The fluid timeline can be a little confusing but I'm staying pretty clear on what's going on. Based on what I've read, by the end of the season, the timelines converge. Here's hoping that's actually the case.

Finally watched the season finale of Murdoch Mysteries. I'll honestly say I'm pleasantly surprised by the way everything unfolded. Not sure I'm keen on Violet getting a second chance but I'll see how things go. I do believe the moral quandary of not always being able to go by the book comes through in a terrific way. It's also quite nice to see William understand things can't always be firmly put into one column or the other. I so love this show!

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers but didn't get very far before I had to pause. I'll try to finish it up this week.

Also in the middle of a Strike Back episode. Quite happy with how they've moved the timeline forward but we still get to see what happened to Mac play out. That was a massive cliffhanger at the end of the previous episode.

And that's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Camden General, a novella where the characters do things a little backward, which is one of my favorite tropes.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jayden and Whit, two of Camden General's best emergency department staff, come together after losing a patient. Trying to navigate the fallout becomes even more difficult when their one-time hookup turns into a very personal relationship.

And a snippety peek…

"Hey, Whit. We've got a hit and run victim coming in. Tag trauma room two, will you?" Millie scurried down the corridor and stopped in at the next treatment room to speak with Wendy.

Whit dashed across the hall and pulled the curtains for trauma two. He flipped the switch to activate the light, alerting all personnel to stay clear for an incoming case. Double-timing it, he made his way to the emergency doors to wait for the ambulance.

Wendy scooted in behind him. "You know who's on shift tonight?" She donned gloves and watched for the squad to arrive.

Whit pulled some latex on. "It's a three-unit day, but I don't know who got the call." Camden bordered on the downtown area of the city but its status as a trauma center meant they got a lot of outlying traffic in their ED.

 The rig pulled up and backed in. Whit had one brief moment to push past the weird sensation of being on this side of the doors. The medics pushed the cot forward and the auto doors swung apart to let them enter.

Doug Rafferty gave Whit a nod. "Hey, Brack. Good to see you." He pushed the patient at the head of the gurney.

His partner, Lola Guess, entered at the victim's side, jotting vitals down.

"Give me the bullet." The doctor appeared at Whit's side.

He glanced down to her credentials. Dr. Jayden Betts. Okay, good to know.

Lola fell into step beside Dr. Betts and gave her the rundown. Whit did a mental triage while Lola relayed the details.

"Vic is thirty-one. Out for a jog on Grandview and lost a battle with an SUV doing forty-five in a twenty-five. She was thrown fifteen feet…" Lola continued the barrage and Whit got a good look at the patient.

His gut sank. She didn't look good. Cuts and abrasions marred her skin and bruising covered her torso. Lola handed him the board with the patient info. Mary Daniels. Whit took over, writing Dr. Betts's immediate orders. Based on the extent of Mary's injuries, he hoped like hell they could save her.

Dr. Betts jumped right in, directing Whit and Wendy with calm efficiency. Whit focused on Mary but the new doctor impressed the hell out of him. She carried out several procedures with deft movements and let the nurses do their jobs.

"I need the panels ASAP and that X-ray right away." She paused a moment to don a surgical gown. "Let's get started on the chest tube."

Whit moved forward, ready to assist with whatever Dr. Betts needed.

This one is coming together slowly but I like where the story is going. It took a small turn I didn't expect. J

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Camden General

Whew. What a crazy week. I'm still in the throes of trying to get the house cleaned up so we can decorate our tree. We usually wait until Christmas Eve to add the ornaments, which is a good thing because I've misplaced a package I bought to go along with our superhero theme this year.

I'm behind on my shows again. Between shopping, editing, and writing, I need about four more hours each day to get stuff done. LOL That said, I'm almost through the first season of Chicago Fire and, yeah, I really love the show. I'm going the DVD route because I never watch first run anything on NBC. I'm in about year twenty of a boycott and don't see that changing anytime soon.

I've also been enjoying holiday episodes of my favorite shows. There are so many classic television shows with themed episodes and I'm trying to build my collection. I also discovered a new to us channel on my local feeds and it shows a lot of old favorites. I won't complain. It's fun to revisit stuff I loved back in the day.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Camden General, a novella that explores what happens when a one-time hookup becomes way more personal.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jayden and Whit, two of Camden General's best emergency department staff, come together after losing a patient. Trying to navigate the fallout becomes even more difficult when their one-time hookup turns into a very personal relationship.

And a snippety peek…

Dr. Jayden Betts entered the staff lounge and noticed a new face on the nursing board. She checked the roster and discovered the handsome image belonged to Whit Brackenreid. The name pinged but she couldn't place why.

Shrugging a shoulder, she turned, poured a mug of coffee, and tried to remember where she'd seen the surname. "Too many case files in too short a time." Probably stupid of her to go back through the last six months but she liked to get a feel for the types of cases she'd be dealing with.

Her transfer to Camden General a week ago still had her head in a whirl. "And I've still got that new Doc smell." She added a little creamer to her coffee and stirred.

"What's that, Doctor Betts?" Wendy popped into the room and opened the fridge.

Jayden shook her head. "We've got a new nurse? Does that mean I'm no longer the ED newbie?" She added a hopeful smile and waggled her eyebrows.

Wendy laughed. "Well… kind of but kind of not." She put her dinner in the microwave and moved closer to the table. "Whit's a very familiar face around here—to most of us." She leaned in. "He's a former paramedic making the transition to our side." She put air quotes around the "our side".

Jayden gave an exaggerated sigh. "Damn. That figures. I'm still the local new guy."

Wendy gave her a commiserating pat on the shoulder. "Sorry, Doc. Seems so." She got and retrieved her food. "You'll like Whit. He's smart, quick on his feet—he had to be when he was running squad—and, whoa boy, very easy on the eyes." She dropped down and vented the lid of her meal.

Jayden quirked an eyebrow. "Is there anything there… between you two?" Not really her business, but she didn't like to step on toes.

Wendy shook her head. "Nah. He's a total flirt but not inappropriate. And he's all business during a trauma." She tilted her head to one side. "At least he was when he ran on the fire department." Blowing across her fork, she popped the bite into her mouth.

Jayden nodded. "Good to know." She got up and drained her mug. "Hopefully, we'll have a light evening and I can remember everyone's names." Rinsing her cup, she put it in the strainer and waved to Wendy on the way out of the lounge.

She should have known voicing the desire for a light night would blow up in her face.

I'm truly happy with the possibilities here. If everything comes together for this story, I might have some additional ideas for follow-ups.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Camden General

Great news! Killjoys and Dark Matter will both have a second season. I'm doing my happy chair dance right now. LOL

The Last Ship appears to have delivered my greatest wish, but… I may have hoped too soon. I have a feeling a different foe will prove more formidable than those who will remain nameless for now. LOL I can't wait for tonight's episode!

I got to watch the season four trailer for Arrow and ohhhh… can't wait for October to get here. Looking forward to The Flash and Agent Carter, also.

Syfy has a couple of shows I'm going to try, but eh, their slate isn't what I'd hoped it would be. Maybe I'll be surprised, who knows.

Tonight's post is from Camden General, a novella where a hook-up turns into something more.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jayden and Whit, two of Camden General's best emergency department staff, come together after losing a patient. Trying to navigate the fallout becomes even more difficult when their one time hook-up turns into a very personal relationship.

And a snippety peek…

Whit Brackenreid clocked in for his first shift at Camden General. He knew the hospital inside and out, having worked as a medic for ten years before making the switch to full-time nursing. He had something of an in, knowing most of the emergency department staff from coming in on the other end.

But he'd be lying if he didn't admit to having some nervous tension surrounding his first day. The two week vacation he took gave him a lot of time to think about everything that could go wrong.

"Hey, Whit! I heard you were joining us." Millie Traynor clapped him on the back. "Gonna give me a run for my money?"

Whit smiled. "Nah, Millie. You trained me well. Until I get a solid feel for being on this side of things, I'll follow everyone's lead."

Millie unofficially ran the emergency department. She didn't take any kind of shit from anyone. Gangbangers, veteran cops, street pimps, grizzled fire chiefs. None of them stood a chance against her. And everyone loved her.

She grabbed his arm and led him out to the triage area. "Heads up. We've got a rookie." She jerked her head toward Whit. "But at least he's a familiar face."

Bart Hammond gave Whit a fist bump. "Joining our ranks? Good to have you."

Wendy Jones rolled her eyes. "I can't believe they gave you a license, Whit. Are you sure it's legit?" Her smirk took the sting out of the words.

Whit shrugged. "Guess I'll just have to show you my skills." He waggled his eyebrows.

Millie wagged her finger. "Nuh uh, Mr. Brackenreid. You keep your hands off my nurses."

Whit chuckled. "Millie. I am one of your nurses now."

She shot his a hard look. "If you want it to stay that way, keep your hands to yourself."

Whit winked. "I hear you, Millie. Hands off. Got it."

Millie is a hoot to write and she'll have plenty of advice for Whit in the near future.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Camden General

Greetings!

Another great TV week. The 50^th anniversary of Doctor Who truly made my entire week. Sooooo nice to watch a show I love on BBC America and not get stuck with ninety-seven episodes of some Gordon Ramsay show and/or Top Gear. Don't get me wrong, both shows are okay, I'm just really tired of how often they're on during the day. The BBC has a HUGE library and I used to love watching all the various offerings before the network got overrun with a chef and three car enthusiasts. *sigh*

Anyway, Arrow delivered and provided several off the charts levels of awesome. Seriously, I live for Wednesdays. Let's see, Sons of Anarchy brought some good stuff to the table. Sometimes I think if certain people would shut up and other certain folks would sit down and have an actual conversation, things might go a whole lot easier. I may have a nice, long post on my TV blog—which rarely gets used—once the season is over.

I could go on but since it seems like next week is hiatus for the Turkey Day holiday, I'll save some reactions for that post.

Tonight's snippet is from Camden General—a working title because I can't think of anything else at the moment—and will probably stay in short erotic territory. The sages are keeping mum at the moment.

Here's the tagline:

Jayden and Whit, two of Camden General's best emergency department staff, come together after losing a patient. Trying to navigate the fallout becomes even more difficult when their one time hook-up turns into a very personal relationship.

And a snippety peek…

Whit finished the patient notes and finally let reaction set in. He'd left the streets to do more with victims, yet his first day on the job with a mega trauma and the lady didn't make it. He wanted five minutes to wrap his head around the death then he'd move on. He ducked into the first assessment room and let the door swing shut. Leaning against the cool surface, he let his eye adjust to the dark space.

A sniffle caught his attention and he straightened, ready to back out of the room. "Uh, sorry. Didn't know anyone was in here." He cracked the door open to exit.

Jayden's hand shot out, halting his progress. She rose up from the stool and backed him into the slab of wood, shutting out the rest of the hospital. Her mouth slammed over his, her lips mashing his against his teeth.

Whit responded, wrapping an arm around the doctor, hauling her close. A little surprised, he hadn't pegged her as being one for emotion. She'd been damned cool during the fight to save their victim's life. But his respect kicked up a notch when he felt her tears against his cheek.

Jayden eased away long enough to issue a request. "Door."

She didn't have to ask twice, or explain. Completely in tune, Whit flipped the lock, open to whatever she had in mind.

Jayden grabbed the front of his scrubs, tugging him forward. "Bed." Her lips burned a hot trail along his jaw.

Okay, he could get on board with the suggestion. His hands slid up under her shirt, skimming her ribs and he guided her back, inching closer to the bed. Her butt hit the mattress and she stopped, her fingers working the drawstring of his pants loose. Whit slipped his palm lower and found an elastic waistband—easy to work with—and thanked the universe. The doc didn't seem interested in finesse.

She shoved his pants down and grasped his erection, her mouth working over his throat. Whit pushed her scrubs down and cupped her ass, urging her to sit on the bed. She scrambled up, keeping hold of his cock, firmly tugging. Whit grabbed his shirt and yanked it over his head. He moved forward, his hand sliding between her thighs, nudging them apart. She leaned back and he followed, finally able to tease and taste her. His lips ghosted over her tummy, his fingers inching under the hemline, trailing a path upward to cup a breast through her lacy bra.

Jayden moaned and bucked her hips. "Now." Her legs wrapped around him, hauling him close.

Whit aimed to please, guiding his shaft to her heated core. He worked the tip along her folds, getting slick to ease the way. Jayden hissed out a breath and writhed against him. Not a patient woman. Whit didn't keep her waiting, thrusting hard and going deep.

Jayden groaned low in her throat. "God, feels good." In the dim light, her gaze met his. "I need to feel good."

Whit braced an arm above her shoulder and dragged his other hand between them, using his fingers to stimulate her clit. "I know, Doc. I'll make it better than good." He pumped his hips, building friction.

Her eyes slid closed and she relaxed, almost like melting into the sex. Whit had no clue if she even knew his name and didn't care. He'd be happy to handle introductions later. The feel of her gripping his dick and grinding against his groin chased every thought but giving her a mind-blowing orgasm away.

Sorry to leave it there, but feel free to imagine what happens next. :D

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin