Story takes place in the 1920s
This is the story Zorell Dupree, a young twenty year old nurse who moves to the city working for a prestigious hospital. She is a small time girl thrown into the fast-paced world of the city.
Her childhood friend Lel...
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Chapter Six: When Lovers Unite
Leland gave Zorell directions in driving to the hospital. She had an inkling of where it was since she had gotten a map of the city months ago, when she decided to take the job offer in the city. She recognized the buildings from pictures she had collected, one being in a local newspaper praising the hospital for saving the life of a famous stage actress.
She was injured on the stage when a prop fell from the rafters and fell on top of her. She lost a lot of blood, because the incidence and wouldn't survive without a blood transfusion. The procedure was successful, but many thought it was an ungodly process and blasted the hospital for participating in a devil's practice.
The argument made her laugh. Medical procedures were meant to help people, not only sustain their lives but make them well and healthy, not just help them to live longer. There were those religious fanatics that believed the medical community was going against nature and God's will by sustaining life when that life was meant to end. She didn't agree with the fanatics and believed that if a life could be saved it should be. It was the main reason that she joined the medical community. After losing her mother in childbirth, she believed these deaths were a waste. Perhaps if her mother had been in a hospital when she had given birth to her, she would have gotten proper medical care.
The Harden Hospital in Chicago was one of the best and most progressive when it came to patient care. Shanee couldn't be in better hands, and it would be here that she had the best chance of recovery. She parked the car, but Leland hesitated on exiting. She turned to him concerned that something was wrong.
"Are you okay?" she asked and touched his hand.
He seemed to come out of whatever trance he was in and turned to her. "I'm fine," he said, but Zorell knew he was lying. "Let's go in."
Zorell exited the car and locked the car before closing it. She approached Leland and strolled up the walkway that led to the entrance doors of the hospital. Since she refused to take the elevator he gave in and climbed the stairwell with her. She hoped one day she would get over her fear, but she doubted it since there was no way an elevator could be made completely safe. It was the same with a car, a train and even an airplane, but somehow the elevator terrified her most. It may have the do with the fact that inside that box she would be completely vulnerable with no means of escape. For a long time, she felt that way about her father, but she managed to escape him. Perhaps, she transferred that fear into the inanimate object that was the elevator.
They soon reached the second floor, and she was a little winded, but it was better than having a panic attack when Leland needed his support more than ever. The hallways were almost bear except for a few nurses and other hospital workers roaming the halls. It felt like a long tunnel of closed doors and two lost travelers walking aimlessly to an unknown destination. Finally, they found a small nurses' station which consisted of a counter the size of a large desk after reaching The Women's Trauma Ward.
The station was devoid of any personnel which made Leland a little crazed. He had waited so long to see Shanee, and now there was another delay. He paced around the area near the nurses' station, and Zorell noticed a waiting area nearby. Leland needed to calm down. There was no way the nurses or the doctors were going to let him she her if he looked like he was about to explode.
"Leland, why don't you sit down for a few minutes," she said, trying to take his hand and led him to an empty chair.
"I can't calm down," he said and paced the floor flailing his arms around. He looked like he wanted to punch the wall or throw something. She had to take control of the situation before things got out of control.
"I'll find someone, but I need you to stay calm until I get back," she said, but he just rolled his eyes and turned away and refused to look at her. He didn't say anything at first, and his silence scared her more than anything. "Promise me."
"Alight, I promise I won't do anything stupid." He raised his hand in surrender, and she believed that he would keep his temper in check.
She walked the hall for several minutes until she found two men in white coats who she assumed were doctors. They were conversing with a middle woman wearing a nurse's uniform. She hated to interrupt a conversation, but she needed some information before Leland completely lost control.
"Excuse me," Zorell said, trying to sound as polite as possible.
The two men and the woman turned to her after hearing her voice. "Can I help you, Miss?" one of the doctors said. He looked to be the friendly type while the other doctor looked rather stern.
"Yes,' she said but for some reason she didn't know what to say. "Well, my friend and I are here to see a patient, but no one was at the desk." She was stumbling over the words which made her feel foolish, but she needed to explain the situation. "Her name is Shanee Lavene, and she was in a car accident a few weeks ago."
"I can help you, dear," the nurse, who looked to be in her forties, said. She had what looked like brown hair with a few streaks of gray.
"Thank you so much," she said, taking her hand in gratitude. She saw her name badge that said Nurse Yvonne Strausser, Head Nurse. So, this woman was going to be her boss. She hoped that she had made a good first impression.
Hey, everyone, I thank you all for getting this story to #134 in ranking for the category of historical.
I have two more parts for this chapter coming today, so I hope you enjoyed this part.
