Favourite nurse 💊 [Story]

Bianca gave the hospital room door a soft knock and, without waiting for an answer, eased it open. Just as she'd expected, her patient was already awake. The old man lay in a tall hospital bed, tucked beneath a white blanket that reached almost to his chest. His body had long since stopped obeying him, leaving only his head and right arm with any real movement, yet nothing in his face betrayed it. His gray eyes still held a lively, almost boyish spark. The moment he saw the nurse, he broke into a wide grin.

"Back again?"

"Good morning, Mr. Harper."

"Not such a good morning. You caught me again."

Bianca raised an eyebrow.

"Another ten seconds and I'd have made it to the parking lot." He dramatically lifted his right hand a few inches off the bed. "I almost escaped."

She let out a quiet laugh. "If you say so. Now let me do my job."

Setting her tablet on the bedside table, Bianca began checking the monitor with practiced efficiency. "Blood pressure looks good... pulse is steady... Seems your body's not ready to let you go just yet."

He chuckled. "I'm tougher than I look. Might even outlive you."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Mm-hm."

Over the past few months, exchanges like this had become an almost daily ritual. Sometimes she wondered if Mr. Harper looked forward to seeing her even more than he looked forward to his meal.

"You're in a good mood today," she observed.

"Naturally. My favorite nurse came to visit."

Bianca only smiled and continued making notes. A moment later, the old man narrowed his eyes.

"Hold on..." He tilted his head ever so slightly. "I never noticed before... Are you married?"

Bianca's gaze dropped to the thin gold band on her ring finger. For a few seconds, she said nothing.

"...No."

"But the ring..."

Almost absentmindedly, she ran her thumb over the smooth metal. "Just an old habit... We got divorced almost a year ago."

She said it calmly, but her eyes lingered on the floor. "I keep meaning to take it off... and I always forget."

For a moment, the room fell unexpectedly quiet. The old man studied her face. His familiar smile softened."Well, that's fortunate."

Bianca blinked in surprise. "...Excuse me?"

"Because it means you're available." A grin spread across his face. "Maybe they'll finally let me get properly drunk at our wedding."

She couldn't hold back her laughter. "That's ridiculous."

"No," he said with mock dignity. "That's romantic, sweetheart."

"I'm afraid you're about forty years too late."

"That's all right. I'm good at waiting."

"Really now?"

"Of course. I've already spent the last half hour waiting for them to bring me a decent lunch."

She laughed again. "You're impossible."

"Not at all. It's just that the hospital kitchen has no standards. Is it really so hard to serve freshly cooked lobster for lunch? Hell... I miss Morocco."

Her laughter gradually faded. Closing her tablet, Bianca gave him a warm, grateful smile.

"Thank you."

He looked genuinely puzzled. "For what?"

"For trying to cheer me up."

He shrugged as much as his body allowed. "That's what old people are for. We've lived through enough that we can afford to spend what's left making other people smile."

A gentle knock interrupted them.

"Come in."

Another young nurse peeked into the room. "Sorry to interrupt... Mr. Harper, you have a visitor."

"...If it's the IRS, tell them I'm dead."

"Um... No, sir. It's your granddaughter, Madison."

The change in his expression was immediate. His playful grin melted into a warm, genuine smile. "My Maddie?"

"She's waiting in the hallway."

"Then what's she doing out there? Send her in."

Bianca picked up her tablet. "I'll leave you two alone."

Mr. Harper opened his mouth as if to say something before she left, but the moment he caught sight of his granddaughter in the doorway, he changed his mind. Still... a small part of him wished Bianca had stayed just a little longer.

((The whole story didn't fit in a post, so this is an article 😖))