Finding Real Love

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I thanked Gus after he showed me around the boat. He drooped me off at the 'Womens' Medical Center' where I would be working and staying the whole time.

I walked in and took in my surroundings. There were three cots made up in white sheets all with pink comfortors. There was a tiny medicine cabinet that held oly the basics, as a woman wasn't allowed to treat 'actual diseases'. So there were the usual herbs, a few cloths and a couple bowls for vomit or water. There were tiny birch side tables next to each bed.

At the end of the room there was a door. I walked over to it and opened it. The room inside was the size of a decent cupboard, but whoever furnised this boat had managed to squeeze in two beds and a dresser with only two drawers.

I kneeled down next to the dresser and pulled out the top drawer and filled it with my two dresses, the candles and my mother's chain. The drawer looked strangely empty. I shrugged and closed the drawer putting my bible on the bed with the green comforter as opposed to the one with the worn out pink one which I suspected had once been one of the comforters in the medical room. I hoped whoever was joining me in this room would realized I had claimed this bed.

I stepped out of the cupboard room and back into the Womens' Medical Center. I heard a knock on the door to the center.

"Come in!" I said loudly.

"Can't" Came the muffled reply through the door. I walked over to the door and opened it to reveal Gus carrying a stool. I raised one eyebrow at him and he replied, "Well I can't just 'come in' to an establishment for lassies, now can I?"

"Well..." I trailed off. "I guess not when there is more than just this one 'lassie' inside!"

"Now, since your the only lassie inside, please step aside so I can put this stool down!"

I quickly hurried off to the side of the room. Gus placed the stool close to the medicine cabinet. He turned around and asked, "Is there anything else I can 'elp you with, lass?"

I shook my head. He grinned, "Are ye sure? I'd be happy to 'elp!"

"No, Gus. I'm fine. Really. I'll call for you if I need anything."

"Like a kiss?" He winked at me and walked out, shutting the door behind him. I stood there, stunned, for about five minutes and was only shaken out of it by the door opening yet again.

"Oh! Miss Harrison! I-I didn't quite expect you to be here! Um, I'm Faith Williamson, at your service, miss." The girl who burst through the door rushed her words. She had pale blonde hair and soft green eyes. She looked about 17, so one year younger than myself.

I smiled at her and said, "Please, call me Adella. Are you also a nurse?"

Faith shook her head and replied "No, I'd love to be, but I'm not qualified for it. I'm just your assistant!"

"Are you new here like me?"

"Oh, no. I've been here for a year! The pink bed is mine, by the way!"

"Oh, good!" I sighed. "I took the green one. And the top drawer, is that okay?"

"Fine by me!" Faith replied cheerily. She walked over to the cupboard-room and went inside. She shouted out to me, "Adella! Why are you on a boat, when you're so pretty, young and obviously unmarried?"

"I'm not ready for a husband yet, Faith and I don't really want one."

Faith came out of the room and marched up to me. "Don't make no sense, Adella. You could probably have any man you wanted, and here you are, on a boat, 'curing' noble women of seasickness. Are you sure you ain't betrothed or some such? I mean, what do your parents make of this?"

"I'm quite sure I'm not betrothed, although I was asked yesterday by my friend, to which I refused. And my parents don't make anything out of it because they've passed away."

"Oh, my goodness, Adella. I had no idea! I'm so sorry! You've no siblings?"

"Used to." My sight goes blurry thinking about them. My two brothers. They were twins. They were ten when they died. "Their names were Clement and Clinton. I called them Clem and Clint." I start to really cry now. Suddenly two warm arms surround me in a hug. I snuggle into Faith's embrace.

"How?" She asks quietly.

"A boat sunk. They were on it." I squeeze out.

~*~*~

Hello! Thank you all for reading! Sorry about the long wait for the update! This was more of an explanation chapter, but next chapter will have more plot. :D It will be around 3 to 5 days until the next update! Have a GREAT day!!!!

Eve!