The King's Nurse [Elvis]

Chapter 13 - Love or Life? Which Will It Be?

I really appreciate you guys reading my story! I hope you liked it! This is the last chapter before the epilogue.

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My whole body ached from moving constantly for hours. It was like being back at work again, making rounds, checking patients, giving and administering medication, unwrapping and rewrapping bandages... Miraculously, I never thought of what was going on with Elvis until another nurse mentioned that he was cleared to go home around seven o'clock. I checked my watch, and my brows rose.

"Holy macaroni, it's already 6:45? Where the heck did the time go?"

Sometimes, my whole twelve-hour shift would pass without me hardly noticing. From when I started helping Midge with her cases, and I got sucked into everyone else's, to now, it was almost eleven hours. Did I even eat today?

My stomach growled menacingly. Apparently not. That happened sometimes, too—forgetting to eat. I wouldn't even think of it until my body was literally about to give out on me. I headed to the break room, passing patients, doctors, nurses, nurse aids and the occasional civilian as I went. My stomach growled again as I entered the break room, got a cup of water and ate a sandwich that Midge said I could eat sometime today since I came here unexpectedly and didn't bring anything. Most of the staff would go to the cafeteria to eat, but I wanted to get something quick so I could see Elvis off. His termination statement wasn't legitimate until a paper was signed, so I was still his nurse, unless I decided otherwise.

Once I was through with my sandwich, I headed to the area of the floor that Elvis's room was on, and the closer I got, the more I heard the commotion. The reporters never left, and there were fans there as well. As I was pushing my way through everyone, I was being asked questions that I just had my mouth shut on. Once through the double-doors, I took a breath. It was a workout getting through that crowd of maybe thirty people.

Jerry and Billy were in the vacant hallway when I entered. They never left Elvis's room door. "You're here!" Jerry exclaimed and walked up to me rather briskly.

"Yeah. I heard that Elvis is going home. I need to have a hard word with Dr. Brenton about that. He agreed to let Elvis go when he still needs more treatment?"

"That's the thing. Dr. Brenton is in there talking with Elvis and Vernon about it. Apparently, Dr. Brenton is trying to convince Elvis that he can receive medical treatment, but from home. As in, IV, heart monitor, and everything."

My mouth opened in surprise. "Really? Excuse me." I went on in and found the three men in the room, with Elvis still in bed, fully dressed. All of them looked over at me. Before anyone could say anything, I said, "You're agreeing to in-home medical care, Dr. Brenton? I thought you wanted him to stay here."

All the men snickered. "Hello to you, too, Nurse Karen," Dr. Brenton said. "And, yes, I agreed to it. You are still his nurse, so you will be continuing care, but from home. We are going to send all the medical supplies and equipment with you. It will be like a one-person nursing home at Graceland."

Elvis grimaced. "They agreed to this, not me. I told 'em I fired ya."

"But you need to sign the official documentation," Vernon told him. "And we're not giving you that since Karen has been a fine nurse for you."

"You know why she can't be my nurse, Daddy," he said hotly, and my heart jumped, and my mind went back to his love confession. Elvis told his father about that conversation, apparently. But Dr. Brenton seemed confused. He looked over at me.

"And why's that?" he asked me. "I don't see why not. Nurse Karen has been doing a fine job."

"Medically, yes," Elvis said.