Learning to Cope

Chapter 1

Andrew:

"I....I really appreciate you being here." Meredith sobbed, I've been by her bedside chatting with her daily to keep her company. "Of course, nobody should have to go through this alone." I smiled but quickly had to bite my lip to keep from crying. "You're so sweet, honey, I'll miss you, you're such a kind boy" she shakily took the ring from her right hand and slipped it into mine.

"You don't have to give me this" I tried to hand it back but she pushed it away. "Andy, I don't have any children to pass this on to. It was my grandmother's ring and I don't have anyone..." she shakily takes a breath and starts tearing up "find a nice girl and give it to her" I chuckled a bit "okay" I all but whispered

She holds my hand for about another hour before I hear the tone. I can't help it. The tears won't stop flowing. I step out of the room as several nurses go in. I leaned against the wall as they brought her out. The wall is freezing and I can't hear anything, I hardly knew this woman two weeks ago but now? I missed her as much as I miss my own grandmother. I'm just grateful that I could give her comfort in her last moments. I'm really starting to regret signing up for this.

"You okay?" A familiar voice asks, it's Ashley. "Yeah... this volunteer program is harder than I thought it would be." She hands me a tissue "and you still want to be a nurse? Pffft you won't last long" I roll my eyes in an exaggerated fashion. "Lunch?" she says in a more cheerful tone. I sigh and follow her to the cafeteria.

Ashley recommended this program to me once she started her residency. It's called "The Golden Angels Program" it's an awful name, I know. Nursing students get to volunteer to keep people company when they need it. Meredith was old and had gotten an infection that kept spreading and since she didn't have any living relatives, I kept her company until she passed. I've been a part of this program for a month and it's definitely not easy.

After grabbing some food from the vending machine, we sat at a table outside pretty close to the entrance. "So, it's safe to say Meredith passed?" I nodded, fighting back tears again. "You really got attached, huh?" she sounded so concerned, she reached out and put her hand on my arm. I open my hand and show her the ring "s-she gave me this because she had no one else..." I look up and she's looking at me with pity on her face. "She wanted me to give it to a pretty girl" I chuckle. Ashley cracks a smile "The kind of pretty girl that is a man? Cuz you're gay?" she laughs "Yeah, maybe I'll have a daughter one day though..." she chuckles. Suddenly it's like all I could hear were sirens.

An ambulance pulled up to the entrance and two nurses practically run to it. "ASH! WE NEED YOU" an older lady yells. Ashley quickly gets up from the table and runs through the small garden separating the tables from the sidewalk and speeds off to the nurses. I slowly follow behind her, my curiosity getting the best of me.

Before I could see the patient, I could hear him. He hissed in pain as the gurney was being unloaded "Son of a bitch!" he groaned. I could see him now, he had dark hair glued to his forehead with dried blood and he was gritting his teeth in pain and his eyes were firmly shut. His head and his hip seemed to be wounded. They rushed past me and took him into the Emergency room.