Love

“This is the longest shift of my life.” Bridget sighed as she collapsed into an office chair at the nurses station. She had been working for eight straight hours, and this was her first chance to sit down since she arrived. She hadn't even had the chance to pee yet. She sighed again, glancing at her watch, hoping she could get through the next four hours. If only she could manage to take a few bites of her lunch before being summoned away from the desk. Just as she pulled out her lunch box, the phone at the nurses station trilled loudly. Bridget glared at the receiver before picking up the call.

“Nurses station,” she muttered, unwrapping her sandwich.

“Bed two in room 315 needs a central line, stat,” barked the voice on the other end.

“Can it wait 5 minutes? I need to eat something before I pass out.” She pleaded with the voice, already knowing the answer. Dr. Hemorrhoid waits for nothing and no one.

“You can eat when the central line is done. NOW, NURSE.” He was yelling now. She knew by his tone that she had 10 minutes to prep and place that line before Dr. Fuck-face came down to check her work.

“Fine.” She hung up on him before he could bark any more orders in her ear. She frowned, and took a bite of her sandwich. Reaching into the front pocket of her purple scrub shirt, she pulled out her phone quickly.

B: I’m having the worse day, can’t wait to see you later!

She hit send as she thought about the date she and Jack had planned for the next day. She couldn’t wait to get out of this hospital for the night.

After placing the central line, Bridget rounded the corner to the nurses station. She was thinking about her abandoned sandwich when she spotted Jack walking toward the desk. He was holding a Kit Kat bar and a Red Bull. Her favourite stress snacks.

“Hey you!” she said, coming up behind him as he was chatting with one of the other nurses behind the desk.

“Hey! I’m sorry you’re having a rough day, I thought this might help.” He held out the offerings to her.

Her cheeks flushed as a smile crept across her face. No one had ever done anything like this for her before. For the first time in possibly forever, she didn’t know what to say.

“Thank you! This is amazing. You’re amazing,” her face turned a darker shade of scarlet. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I’ve got to head over to room 310, I’ll see you later?”

“You bet, Princess.” He winked and turned to leave. She watched him walk away, and as she turned back toward the desk she heard Kristen stifling giggles.

“I love that guy,” she mumbled, half to herself and half to Kristen, who was open-mouth staring at Jack’s backside. She hadn’t said the words out loud yet. It felt good. It felt right. She did love him. How did this happen? She supposed she hadn’t really noticed, their time together was so easy and familiar, it felt like they had been together a lot longer than just a few months. There was a connection she didn’t expect.

“That’s who you’ve been seeing?” asked Kristen, seemingly in shock. “He’s a keeper,” she muttered softly, watching Jack disappear around the corner.

“Absolutely.” Bridget smiled as she cracked open the Red Bull.