Mental Asylum // (Haely's version)

001

"I have some good news for you, Haewon" Dr. Jihyo smiled radiantly, apparently enthusiastic for a reason unknown to me.

It was unusual for her to call me at half past six in the morning when all she needed was a dose of caffeine and nothing to do with the shit she had planned to tell me.

I was a little indecisive to ask my question.

"What's the good news, doctor?"

Jihyo's good news were barely considered good these days.

The other day, nurse Sana was going to recieve good news, and then they sent her to the children's wing, and now she barely slept. The last time I saw her, Sana was a robot nurse in automatic mode.

I shuddered.

Thw young doctor's eyes wrinkled and I already hated the following words that came out of the mouth.

"Dr. Hwang Yeji, as you already know, is still in Malaysia for the seminar, but she and I spoke this morning, and asked me to pass on this news to you, since she will not be here for another week."

"Please, no. She assigned me to the children's wing"

She laughed and waved her hand as if I had said the best joke in the world.
"Of course not, Haewon. You are one of the most hardworking nurses we have, so we kept the best space we had for you. Dr. Hwang is giving you a promotion. You will be transferred to the C wing: that of the mentally insane"

"And?" press.

"You wil get an extra bonus every month, well-paid overtime, and also all your assignment will be covered." she said still working on that plastic smile.

This was too good to be true.

Miracles never happen in my case.

She pushed a plate of chocolate cookies towards me.

"My mother makes the best cookies. Take"

That's how bad it was.

She pratically had to resort ti bribing me with delicious cookies.

When I tried to choose a third one, she removed the plate and placed it under her table.

That smile was disappearing. "You will be assigned to a single patient. You will have to do the usual, give her breakfast, lunch and dinner. Do your routine check-ups, make sure she takes her medicines on time, and help the doctor in charge"

"She?" I asked. "How old is she?"

Jihyo inspected a blue manila file and flipped throught a few pages. "Lily will be twenty-seven next month"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, you want me to change diapers every morning for a crazy twenty-seven-year-old woman. It's no wonder that I got this promotion"

"She's not crazy, just mentally insane"

Fantastic.

She continued. "You don’t have to bathe her or clean her ass. I assure you, she is able to do all that on her own."

"Great. That makes me feel much better" I said sarcastically.

"You will feel even better knowing that you will not have night shifts. Of course, they can call you to help the doctors if necessary, but that would be occasionally. There is no workload here."

That seemed less work and, in general, a good opportunity, but things didn't sit well with me.

" Wasn't nurse Dahyun also transferred to the C wing? Was she also promoted?"