Where You Are

Los Angeles

Birgitta

My alarm went off at the usual five AM the next morning. I usually went to bed at an embarrassing eight-thirty before I worked day shifts, but I'd stayed up, tracking Jesse's flight and waiting for him to land. I'd put my phone on the charger and rolled over to go to sleep as soon as the tracker said he was on the ground again. I wondered vaguely if he'd been the one to land the plane before I shut my eyes, trying to get to sleep. It shouldn't have been a problem. I'd only slept four hours out of the last forty-eight.

But then my phone had vibrated and I couldn't help but smile, open my phone again and text him back. It was another half hour after that before I put my phone down again.

I didn't usually dress in light colours when I wasn't working. But some parents and families found my tattoos off-putting enough without dark, plain scrubs. Some parents had even requested a different nurse because of it. So, I owned a variety of brightly-coloured scrubs in soft pinks and dark purples with girly designs. Sometimes I even wore long-sleeved tops under my scrubs, but I didn't want to irritate my new tattoo. So I picked one that was light blue with Disney princesses on it.

I arrived at work on time, the sun was starting to rise a bit earlier this time of year which made the drive to work easier. Spring had progressed a bit further in the UK than it had back home. After I arrived and got report on the babies, the girls caught me up on what I missed while I was away and then it was back to work. It never took long getting back into the swing of things after a trip. Babies were fairly easy to look after.

The hateful doorbell to the unit rang several hours later, signalling that someone outside wanted to come in. The sound always startled me and set my teeth on edge. I hated loud noises.
Hera, the ward clerk, picked up the phone to talk to the person at the door.

'Can I help you?' She said in her ever-pleasant and patient voice. 'Oh! I'll be right there!'

I vaguely registered her hanging up the phone and getting up to answer the door. I was focussed on my charts and making sure I had everything written down properly. It always took a bit to remember everything that needed to be written down and where it needed to be documented.

'Ooh, Birgitta!' Hera's voice returned to the nursing desk. 'Who's sending you flowers?'

'What?' I turned in my chair so fast, my back twinged.

She was holding a colourful bouquet of flowers covered in clear cellophane wrap.

'Who says they're for me?' I asked her, rubbing my lower back.

'The card,' she brandished a small, rectangular piece of paper. 'Who's Jesse?'

'What?' I exclaimed, standing up and snatching the card from her.

Birgitta,
It was brilliant meeting you yesterday, here's just something for you so you don't forget about me'
Jesse

'Oh, shit!' I said out loud.

By now, I had the attention of the other three nurses.

'Who's Jesse?' Jessica, one of the younger nurses asked.

'Um...' I hesitated, turning to the flowers that Hera was starting to unwrap. 'A guy I met on my trip.'

'Ooh!' Both she and Ruby, another new nurse giggled. 'Sounds like he likes you.'

I studied the flowers, speechless. No one had ever sent me flowers before, never. But even I knew that this definitely wasn't a normal floral arrangement, one where each flower and piece of greenery selected to complimented the others. This one seemed to have very specific flowers picked out. There were purple thistles, red roses and silver ferns amongst baby's breath and other greenery.