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Chapter 3

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“Okay, you will feel a sharp scratch,” I told my new favorite patient, Mrs. Davies. She braced herself, so I waited for her to relax before I slid the needle into her arm. Mrs. Davies was eighty-seven years old and riddled with all sorts of health issues, but she had a positive outlook on life which I adored. We saw a lot of different people in the hospital, and it was always the positive ones that left their mark upon me.

“Ooh you are good at this,” she commented with a happy grin, getting through this with sheer strength. “Are you sure this is your first time working in a hospital?”

“Well I’ve done training, but this is my first time properly, yes.” I couldn’t stop smiling around Mrs. Davies, she just had that awesome aura around her.

“You’re very good. Pretty too. Before my hair went grey mine was a little like yours.” She reached out and touched my hair with her liver spotted, wrinkled skin. “It was what attracted my husband.”

I checked my watch, disappointment coursing through my veins. “I could stay here and talk to you all day long, Mrs. Davies...”

“Please, call me Edna.”

“Well, Edna, I have a lot of other patients to see this morning but if I get some more time later in the day I’d love to come back and hear more about your husband. I would love to know about the man who managed to make an honest woman out of you.”

“Really?” She gave me a skeptical look that I understood fully. All the medical staff spent their lives rushed off their feet. They didn’t have time to sit and chat, but I needed to be different. I didn’t get into this job just to see everyone as a number on a never-ending train. “Would you?”

“Of course.” I giggled and held onto Edna’s hand. I truly did like her, and I found her fascinating. I knew that she’d been in for a while too, with absolutely no visitors. She deserved a listening ear, and I believed that lifting someone’s spirits could aid with their recovery. “I would love to, if you want to talk to me of course.”

“Oh my goodness, that would be lovely.” Her face fell and my heart went out to her. “I know that I have to be here, but it does get lonely sometimes. I know that my family lives too far away to visit, but still I do feel all by myself.”

I glanced at my watch again, not wanting to get behind schedule. “I will be back soon, I promise you.” I was utterly determined to stick to that promise. Edna needed me and I really wanted to get to know her better.

***

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I DIDN’T ACTUALLY REMEMBER my conversation with Edna which culminated in my promise until the end of the day flew around and I was grabbing hold of my backpack. I hadn’t even stopped for lunch, it had all been a blur, but now that her face had filled my mind once more I knew that I couldn’t leave her disappointed.

It was time for me to leave, my shift was over, but I wouldn’t be able to settle at home. It was worth taking an hour just to see her again. I knew myself well and there wasn’t a chance that I’d get any sleep knowing that I’d left her alone.

I flew down the hallway, feeling terrible as I moved. Edna had probably been sitting around waiting for me all afternoon long. What if she’d stayed awake rather than resting, just on the off chance that I’d come back? What sort of person did it make me that I hadn’t? It was only because I got busy, I really didn’t mean to!

“I’m so sorry,” I cried out breathlessly as I pushed the door to her room open. “It got crazy, but I’m here now.”

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting you!” Her eyes widened in surprise. Edna propped herself up onto her elbows and she gave me a confused look. “Especially not this late. Aren’t you finished now?”

“Not yet,” I lied so she wouldn’t feel bad. I sat in the chair by her bed feeling warm and fuzzy. This was definitely the right thing to do. “Now, let’s pick up where we left off earlier on.”

“What was I talking about? The time I travelled across Asia on the Orient Express?”

“No,” I exclaimed with glee. “It sounds like you’ve had a really exciting life. I want to hear about all of it.”

The wrist with my watch fell to the side, I was no longer interested in the time, it didn’t matter to me how long this took. With Edna talking at me at a hundred miles an hour, it really didn’t matter. I didn’t even feel tired anymore.

We spoke for hours, until darkness and a hush fell over the hospital. I’d been in other medical buildings at night time, but never this place, and it changed the whole atmosphere of the place. It felt like somewhere completely new. There were still the artificial lights flickering, but it wasn’t the same as natural light.

“Oh, I am sorry, Violet,” Edna finally declared. “The meds are kicking in now and I need to get some sleep. I don’t mean to be rude.”

“Oh my goodness, it’s nearly ten o clock.” I jumped up and moved to her bed to wrap my arms around her, as much as I could with all the tubes and wires sticking out of her. “I’m so sorry, I probably kept you awake.”

“I’ve had a wonderful time. I hope we can do it again.”

“Oh for sure, there’s still a lot that you haven’t told me yet. If you’re up for it tomorrow, I would like to do this again. It’s been awesome.”

“Yes, thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She turned onto her side and almost immediately started breathing deeper. Then I crept out of the room, leaving her to rest.