heading home. When she walked into his room, she came to an abrupt stop. A different man slept in his place.
Heart beating hard, she backed out of the room and went to the nurses’ station. Erin wasn’t around so she had no problems accessing David’s information. She stared at his chart.
Released! What? Unbelievable!
Meredith fought against the guilt that plagued her at the realization. Despite her conflicting feelings for David, she still felt she should’ve been present for his discharge regardless of whether or not he was her patient. Not to mention the fact that she hardly thought him ready to be released. Meredith furrowed her brows. Since she didn’t know where he lived, from here on out, she’d probably only see him on television. She cleared her throat. That’s what I want, of course .
Near eleven thirty, she popped into the break room to watch the late news on KVL. She wondered if any mention would be made of David’s release. After a commercial, and the latest game scores, the current sports anchor, Rick Portman, gave the report that David had gone home from the hospital. An image of David appeared on the screen. He was in his hospital bed, surrounded by balloons, flowers, and well-wishers.
“I want to thank everyone for all their prayers, support, and friendship during this difficult time, and I plan to send Rick Portman to the golf course very soon.”
The sports anchor chuckled, made some accompanying remarks and went on to another story.
Meredith stared unseeing at the screen. Had David meant anything by using the word prayer or was it just what one said in such a situation? She shook her head, sure it meant nothing of significance, and went back to her duties.
***
During her next shift, Meredith checked her staff assignment and went into the Med-Surg break room. She found Rosa downing a can of soda. When the can was empty, Rosa tossed it into a bin for recyclables. Meredith was opening her locker to stow her purse when the most unbelievable sound came from behind her. Rosa was in the process of burping the Mickey Mouse Club theme song.
Turning in horror, she hoped to find some burly college dropout responsible for the noise. Instead, the petite, demure Rosa sat there with a grin.
“Pretty good, huh?”
“Please tell me that was a taped recording,” Meredith said faintly.
Patting her tummy, Rosa said, “Nope. You were lucky enough to hear the real thing.”
Meredith let out a nervous titter, noticing Rosa seemed to enjoy her discomfiture.
“Didn’t you have a big brother to teach you all kinds of neat things like that?” she asked.
She shook her head. “I’m beginning to think I’m lucky to be an only child.”
“I could teach you how,” Rosa said helpfully.
Shutting her locker and turning to leave, Meredith quirked her brow. “Thanks, but no thanks. I have enough bad habits to work on without adding to the list.”
Exiting the break room, she heard Rosa’s outraged voice. “Hey, who said I have any bad habits?
Smiling, Meredith met with the day nurse to go over patient reports. What Rosa said about big brothers made her think of David. In some ways he’d been like a big brother. Once he even beat up a kid who’d been harassing me . At the time however, she’d seen him as more of a Prince Charming riding in on a milk white steed than a brother.
Meredith wondered how he was doing, still not comfortable with the notion that he’d been released so soon. She looked up and saw Rosa leaving the break room.
“Rosa!”
Rosa turned her back in a mock huff. “I don’t talk to people who lump my talents in with bad habits.”
Meredith walked up to her, biting back a grin. “You have my most humble apologies.”
Rosa turned, eyes twinkling. “Apology accepted. So what’s up?”
Glancing away for a moment, she felt her face heat up. “Were you around when David Steller was released?”
Rosa put her hands on her hips. “He was my patient. And in my
Heart beating hard, she backed out of the room and went to the nurses’ station. Erin wasn’t around so she had no problems accessing David’s information. She stared at his chart.
Released! What? Unbelievable!
Meredith fought against the guilt that plagued her at the realization. Despite her conflicting feelings for David, she still felt she should’ve been present for his discharge regardless of whether or not he was her patient. Not to mention the fact that she hardly thought him ready to be released. Meredith furrowed her brows. Since she didn’t know where he lived, from here on out, she’d probably only see him on television. She cleared her throat. That’s what I want, of course .
Near eleven thirty, she popped into the break room to watch the late news on KVL. She wondered if any mention would be made of David’s release. After a commercial, and the latest game scores, the current sports anchor, Rick Portman, gave the report that David had gone home from the hospital. An image of David appeared on the screen. He was in his hospital bed, surrounded by balloons, flowers, and well-wishers.
“I want to thank everyone for all their prayers, support, and friendship during this difficult time, and I plan to send Rick Portman to the golf course very soon.”
The sports anchor chuckled, made some accompanying remarks and went on to another story.
Meredith stared unseeing at the screen. Had David meant anything by using the word prayer or was it just what one said in such a situation? She shook her head, sure it meant nothing of significance, and went back to her duties.
***
During her next shift, Meredith checked her staff assignment and went into the Med-Surg break room. She found Rosa downing a can of soda. When the can was empty, Rosa tossed it into a bin for recyclables. Meredith was opening her locker to stow her purse when the most unbelievable sound came from behind her. Rosa was in the process of burping the Mickey Mouse Club theme song.
Turning in horror, she hoped to find some burly college dropout responsible for the noise. Instead, the petite, demure Rosa sat there with a grin.
“Pretty good, huh?”
“Please tell me that was a taped recording,” Meredith said faintly.
Patting her tummy, Rosa said, “Nope. You were lucky enough to hear the real thing.”
Meredith let out a nervous titter, noticing Rosa seemed to enjoy her discomfiture.
“Didn’t you have a big brother to teach you all kinds of neat things like that?” she asked.
She shook her head. “I’m beginning to think I’m lucky to be an only child.”
“I could teach you how,” Rosa said helpfully.
Shutting her locker and turning to leave, Meredith quirked her brow. “Thanks, but no thanks. I have enough bad habits to work on without adding to the list.”
Exiting the break room, she heard Rosa’s outraged voice. “Hey, who said I have any bad habits?
Smiling, Meredith met with the day nurse to go over patient reports. What Rosa said about big brothers made her think of David. In some ways he’d been like a big brother. Once he even beat up a kid who’d been harassing me . At the time however, she’d seen him as more of a Prince Charming riding in on a milk white steed than a brother.
Meredith wondered how he was doing, still not comfortable with the notion that he’d been released so soon. She looked up and saw Rosa leaving the break room.
“Rosa!”
Rosa turned her back in a mock huff. “I don’t talk to people who lump my talents in with bad habits.”
Meredith walked up to her, biting back a grin. “You have my most humble apologies.”
Rosa turned, eyes twinkling. “Apology accepted. So what’s up?”
Glancing away for a moment, she felt her face heat up. “Were you around when David Steller was released?”
Rosa put her hands on her hips. “He was my patient. And in my
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