Where You Are

Moncton Hospital

Birgitta

I was still practically giddy two days later when I returned to work. I couldn't stop thinking about Jesse or looking at the pictures we'd both taken while he was here. I didn't know if it would be weird or not to set a countdown on my phone to when I'd see him next. Nineteen days now, but who was counting? I guess I didn't need a countdown after all.

'Well?' Annalee, one of the other nurses turned to me as soon as we'd finished change-of-shift that morning. 'How was it? I saw the pictures, you made things official, I see!'

I spoke with the girls at work more often than I did with anyone else. After the flowers had arrived a couple of weeks ago and I'd left them on the unit for everyone to enjoy, news had spread pretty quickly that there was a man in my life. They knew all that Jesse was coming to visit. I'd hardly been able to shut up about it. They knew more about my personal life than my own family. I used the younger nurses for their knowledge of fashion, makeup and men where I had very little. I'd been so worried about what to wear, especially considering I definitely hadn't been wearing very flattering clothing when we'd met. I wanted to make a good impression. They, however, seemed to think dressing like I usually did was the best idea. It did make sense. He'd somehow been attracted to me the night we met, and I didn't want to pretend to be someone I wasn't.

'He's really dreamy,' Jessica sighed. 'Does he have any brothers?'

'Yeah, two,' I grinned. 'Both married with kids.'

'Damn,' she grimaced.

'How did it go?' Annalee asked again.

'Really, really well,' I grinned a bit wider.

'Tell us everything!'

'I can't tell you everything!' I laughed. 'It was like, three of four dates squished into two nights!'

'Okay, so what were the three or four dates?' Annalee asked, leaning forward in her chair towards me.

'Um... well, the first night we went out for supper in Halifax,' I lifted a finger. 'Then we did the hike the next day,' I lifted another finger. 'Um... then we went out for supper and drinks the second night.' I lifted a third finger. 'I guess that's three then. Oh, and he made breakfast both mornings.'

'Really?' Jessica's eyes went a bit wide. 'He made breakfast?'

'Yeah, he said he was jet lagged and up anyway,' I said.

'Did you... you know,' Annalee asked, raising her eyebrows suggestively. I felt my cheeks go red.

'We made out a little, but no, not all the way,' I said, averting my gaze.

'But you had three dates!' Annalee pressed. 'Four if you count that first night in Toronto! Plus, he sent you flowers.'

Oh, shit.

'Is that normal?' I asked, my voice cracking. I tried to clear my throat with what I hoped was a discreet cough.

Had Jesse been expecting sex? Was I that naive? I definitely been more than a little tipsy that second night, maybe that was a turn off. But, he hadn't said anything about it either. I feel like he was the type of guy that would have told me that's what he wanted.

'Well, he is British, he may just be more of a gentleman than Canadian men,' Jessica said.

'Oh, right,' I said.

I turned to the chart rack and pulled my patients' charts from them, eager to hide my red face and hopefully move on to a different topic.

'He's cute though, for sure,' Annalee went on. 'The pictures were sweet. He did alright on the hike?'