𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐑𝐓

36

                                ᴏɴɪᴋᴀ ᴍᴀʀᴀᴊ

I dropped Omari off at school and made my way inside the hospital, settling into my usual routine. After checking in and getting my assignment for the day, I made my way to Ms. Johnson's room.

"Hey, Ms. Johnson," I greeted as I walked in, checking my notes to make sure everything was in order for her assessment.

"Hey there, sweetie!" she greeted with a warm smile, her eyes practically twinkling. "I was just waiting for you to come in."

"How are we feeling today?" I asked, moving to check her vitals.

"Better than yesterday, thank God," she said, shifting slightly in bed. "But I was just watching TV, and let me tell you, I saw this fine man in a commercial. Lord have mercy, he's got me all types of distracted!"

I glanced over at the TV, it was Aubrey, in a Gatorade commercial, looking like he stepped right out of a magazine.

"Girl, I'm telling you," Ms. Johnson went on, "He is so fine. I've seen him before—he's that boxer, right? Drake, is it?"

I froze for just a moment, but then I quickly regained my composure. "Oh, um, I'm not sure. I don't really watch boxing,"

She raised an eyebrow at me, "Really? Well, I've heard of him, and I think he's just got it all, looks, strength, and that kind of presence that makes him unforgettable. You sure you don't know him? I thought you young people had all the connections."

I chuckled nervously, shaking my head. "Nope, not at all. I've just heard of him too."

"Mm-hmm," she said, giving me a playful side-eye. "Well, if I were your age, I'd be trying to get his attention. He's definitely my type."

I smiled but quickly changed the subject, hoping to steer the conversation away from him.

"I'm glad to hear you're feeling better today though. Let's make sure we get you all set so you can go home soon."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Ms. Johnson said, though she was still smiling as she glanced back at the screen. "But honey, I'm telling you—if you do know him, you better tell him Ms. Johnson says hi. He's got my heart racing at my age!"

I laughed softly, "I'll be sure to let him know,"

As I wrapped things up and left the room, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. Ms. Johnson was a character, and though she didn't know the full story, I couldn't blame her for admiring him.

The day was dragging, but I kept moving. After checking in on Mrs. Patel, I made my way to the next room, where I found Mr. Williams, an older gentleman with a history of heart issues.

"Good morning, Mr. Williams," I greeted, walking in and adjusting the charts at the foot of his bed.

"Well, well, look who finally showed up!" he chuckled, sitting up a bit and adjusting his blanket. "I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me."