Her Name Was

CHAPTER VII

My life basically carried on after that night, and I never complained about it. I stopped talking to Malcolm and Lisa, allowed Hamish to distract me with drunken guys night outs, and continued with the awkward family dinners that my mother begged me to attend. My life was so sad that I basically spent my Christmas with my little brother, along with my nieces and nephews - the only ones who made no judgement on my life and simply enjoyed the company of a sad grown man.

I pretty much did whatever I could to forget what had happened a month ago, but no matter how much I tried to convince myself, I knew that if she were to walk into the hospital doors right and ask for forgiveness by declaring her love for me, I probably would have dropped what I was doing and rushed into her arms like a lovesick fool.

That's how my emotions were at the moment, a sore heart being distracted and mended by a wandering mind. I held in a yawn as I completed my nightly rounds at the hospital. Tonight was New Years Eve, and although Hamish and Jenna had invited me out to a few parties, I could not find myself surrounded by couples kissing and welcoming the New Year in romantic bliss, no matter how drunk I could get.

So I opted for the unwanted, but very much needed night shift at the hospital, working with my supervisor Marissa, Doctor Bridges and a few other nurses and doctors. I glanced at my wristwatch and saw that there was just under two hours until the new year, and Marissa had invited us to some sparkling juice and cake by the reception. I was tempted to take an early break and sleep into the New Year, but my plans were disrupted as I heard shouting from down the hall.

Rushing to the Emergency Room entrance, I saw a couple of paramedics rushing in a patient, with ER Doctor Stein shouting orders behind them as the nurses took over the girdle, rushing it to the operating room. "Terry! Terry!", Marissa called.

I shifted my gaze from the rushed paramedics and turned to Marissa, rushing to her when I saw her occupied with more injuries. We worked tirelessly as we tried to calm the scene and patch up those injured.

It looked as though as someone was drunk and had lost control of their vehicle, crashing into a nearby outside party. There were very few major casualties, and soon we managed to complete stitching, sedating and admitting the incoming patients, which was a total of fifteen. Marissa and I fell onto an empty bed in one of the rooms, giving our feet a break.

"Why not take your break now Wagner? The other nurses are watching the patients, and I know you'll be nearby", Marissa instructed but I didn't move. "Go on Terry, you look like you need a break. Go watch the countdown on the television in reception", she insisted. I grunted a response and pushed myself off the bed, sending a small smile as I trudged to the reception, which luckily was at the end of the hall.

I reached the reception and opted for some cake made by one our matron nurses. Biting into the deliciously soft vanilla sponge cake, I decided to exit the hospital and listen out for the countdown. There was officially twenty minutes to the new year, and I started thinking back to what I would change and what I wanted in the new year.

I didn't believe in new year resolutions. In fact, I found them pointless, since I barely finished the first three I always made whilst growing up.

I was engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't hear someone walking up to me, or that a white rose was placed directly in my view, blocking my view of my crappy, yet comfortable tennis shoes. I really needed to pay attention to my surroundings, I drift off too often.

I raised an eyebrow at the emergence of this lone flower, paying more attention to the cocoa coloured hand holding the stem of the flower. I recognised the rings on that hand and my head snapped up to confirm my thoughts. She was here, she was actually here in front of me. My jaw went slack as I could not find the words to say to her.