While I agree that Robby is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, I would also like to point out Kiara (the social worker) has had to deal with
- a teen with a ‘girls to eliminate’ list disappearing from the hospital
- calling CPS on parents after their child ingested THC
- supporting siblings who had to pull the plug on their father
- supporting parents after their son died of an overdose
- handling a possible human/sex trafficking case
- helping the ‘Kraken’ after he woke up
- supporting a family when their daughter died from drowning
- having to identify the deceased shooting victims and tell the families
in the same day as everyone else. A lot of horrible no good day to go around.
Occupation: Poet, theologian, actress, suffragette, social worker, labour activist
Note: The work of Eva Gore-Booth, alongside that of Esther Roper was responsible for the close link between the struggle for women's rights in industry and the struggle for women's right to vote.
You loved the night shift, you really did. However it was also stressful, especially for yourself, the ER social worker.
Tonight, in particular was a difficult night. You'd had to console at least three families after the loss of their loved ones and speak to a multitude of different people with the same dark thoughts. That was nothing new to you. Upsetting, but nothing you hadn't dealt with and didn't know how to help with.
However there was one case tonight that really stood out to you. It was a little girl you had to speak to after both her parents had passed in a car accident. You could remember the second the tears had started, how the child shook as you hugged her, how devastated she looked.
You'd stayed with her for over an hour whilst a relative came to collect her. It was possibly one of the hardest hours of your life in that room with her.
Once she'd been collected you didn't even get a minute to process the last case before being called to a new one.
It was safe to say that by the end of the shift you were drained. That did not go unnoticed by anyone around you, especially your dad.
***
"kid, go take a break." Jack told you.
"you sure?"
"yeah. That case with the kids was difficult, go clear your head. I'll come join you when i'm done with this patient."
You walked away and jack assumed you were heading to the break room. You weren't. You went up to the roof, you needed a space where the chaos of the ER couldn't reach you.
***
The cold air hit you immediately as you stepped outside in only your scrubs. It was refreshing and a very welcome contrast to how warm the ER could get. You went and stood over by the railing to overlook the city.
The darkness meant that you couldn't see a whole lot, mainly buildings and cars but that was enough to help clear your head. You stood there alone for around 10 minutes before you heard the door to the roof open.
You didn't need to look to know that it was your dad. You knew that this would be the second place he looked after the break room, he spent enough time up here to know how calming it could be.
Unlike you, he wore a jacket over his scrubs, the same one he wore all the time. He started to make his way over to where you were stood. At first he didn't say anything, he just stood with you.
He took a deep breath before speaking. "thought i'd find you here."
"yeah?"
"yeah."
That was it for a little while. You were stood in silence again. Jack always knew that silence helped you to speak, to feel heard. He didn't pressure you to speak to him though, he was just there incase you wanted to
"talking to that kid really fucked with me." you say.
"it'd fuck with anyone." he answers. "you're not weak for feeling something for your patients or their loved ones. It actually just shows how good you really are at the job. You have empathy for anyone that you speak to and that is something you should be proud of, not ashamed of."
"thanks.." you reply, your voice breaking slightly as your eyes begin to gloss over with tears.
You glance at him for a moment and see the way he overlooks the city, the same way you had just done. You lean against him and he wraps his arm round you.
"you'll never stop being my kid y'know?" He says.
"yeah?"
"yeah. No matter how independent you get, still my kid." He declares with absolute certainty.
You were about to say something back when the door to the roof opens again. The heavy footsteps and huffing indicates that it's Robby. Neither of you turn to look at him, not wanting to break the peace you'd only just been able to find.
"handover already?" Jack asks Robby.
"unfortunately.."
"alright." He starts, moving away from you and towards Robby to finish the last bit of his shift. However, before he goes back inside he hands you his jacket. "Don't stay up here too long. Shifts over."
You nod appreciatively as you watch him leave. You only stay there for around five more minutes before deciding to head back down to get in your car and go home.
***
As you start to walk towards your car you see someone standing beside it. Jack.
You look at him for a moment before unlocking your car. Before you can get into the driver's seat, he gets in.
"what are you doing?" You ask
"taking you home." He states as if it's obvious. "I'm not letting you drive back like this."
You nod and get in the car.
"I'm still your dad ya know, no matter how old you get. You're still my bug." You don't say anything about his declaration, hoping he'd continue.
"just.. working on that kids parents knowing they weren't making it and she'd be alone, it.. it just.. made me think of us and your mother." He explained eyes laser focused on the road. "Don't forget I'm always here for you ok?"
"thanks dad.."
***
Jack parks your car outside your house. He gets out of the car and turns to start walking to his own house when you call out to him.
"dad?"
"yeah kid?"
"can we watch a movie?"
"If you want to." He answers already turning back around. "SpongeBob again?"
"yes." You reply as he places his arm around your shoulders and walks you into your home.
It didn't matter how old you got or how independent, jack wasn't ever going to leave you. You could never escape or avoid your dad, and maybe you never wanted to.
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Thank you for reading and please feel free to send any requests :))
Would any of y’all be at all interested in it if I made a post detailing how Whitaker would’ve been an amazing social worker if he hadn’t been a doctor? I’m probably gonna post it anyway but 👀
spending my night with oskar. for my new moots: oskar was given to me from my social worker for christmas 4 years ago and i was really touched cuz my real mother hates my plushies and pays no respect. getting a plushie from another adult person showed so much love and respect. i'm really thankful for oskar and he's one of my most important plushies.
