The Watcher On The Ward (updated weekly)

Chapter 7- A Child's Heart

Karla moved swiftly through the hallway, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor as she made her way toward the paediatric bay. She was wearing a crisp white blouse and a tailored blazer in an effort to seem more put together than she was feeling inside. It had been a long day, and as she glanced at the chart in her hand, she felt a familiar pang in her chest—a young child with severe asthma, struggling to breathe. The weight of responsibility pressed down on her, but she took a deep breath and pushed it aside. She had a job to do.

As Karla entered the paediatric bay, she found a small boy, no older than seven, sitting on the edge of the bed. His dark curls were damp with sweat, his small chest heaving with each laboured breath. His eyes were wide with fear, clinging to his stuffed dinosaur with one hand while the other gripped the side of the bed.

"Hey there Liam," Karla said softly, her voice gentle as she approached him. "My name's Dr Holt. I'm here to help you feel better, okay?"

The boy nodded, his grip tightening on the stuffed toy. His mother, a woman in her late twenties, stood beside him, her eyes filled with worry as she smoothed her son's hair.

"Thank you for seeing him," the mother said, her voice trembling slightly. "He's had asthma since he was a baby, but it's never been this bad."

Karla offered her a reassuring smile. "We'll take good care of him. Let's get him hooked up to a nebulizer to help him breathe more easily."

As Karla worked quickly to set up the nebulizer, she kept talking to the boy, her voice calm and steady. "This is going to help open up your airways, Liam. It might feel a little strange at first, but you're going to be just fine."

Liam's eyes followed her every move, trusting her implicitly. Karla secured the mask over his mouth and nose, watching as the cool mist began to flow. His breathing was still strained, but there was already a slight improvement.

"Good job," Karla said, her heart warming as she saw the fear slowly drain from his eyes.

As she monitored Liam's progress, she heard footsteps behind her. Turning slightly, she saw Jason walking into the bay, his presence a comforting one. He was dressed smartly, his shirt sleeves rolled up, revealing the toned muscles of his forearms. His wavy hair was neatly styled, the sharp lines highlighting his strong features.

"Hey, I came up here to see how you were doing." he greeted Karla, his voice low and filled with warmth.

"Hey, Jason," Karla replied, a smile touching her lips. "Just helping Liam here with his breathing."

Jason looked at the boy, his expression softening immediately. "Hey, buddy. How're you doing?"

Liam glanced up at Jason, still holding his dinosaur close. "Okay," he mumbled through the mask.

"That's good," Jason said, crouching down to be at eye level with him. "You know, when I was your age, I had a toy just like that. His name was Dino. He used to go on all kinds of adventures with me."

Karla raised an eyebrow at the choice of name.

Liam's eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

"Really," Jason confirmed with a nod. "He was with me all the time. Especially when I wasn't feeling well. Just like your dinosaur is with you right now."

Liam's grip on the toy loosened a little, his breathing becoming a bit easier as he listened to Jason. Karla watched the interaction, her heart warming. He had a way with people, a gentleness that was sometimes hidden beneath his strong exterior.

"Do you still have Dino?" Liam asked, his curiosity piqued.

Jason hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking briefly to Karla before returning to Liam. "No, buddy. I don't have him anymore. But he was with me when I needed him the most."