Strong

Ch. 2

REMEMBER GUYS THIS IS A STORY THAT STARTS IN THE MIDDLE SO HERE IS THE BEGINNING NOW

*6 months previous*

So I finally got the job.

For my whole life I have dreamed of being a nurse and those long years in medical school can prove that to you. I didn't want to be just any nurse though, so I did my research to find a hospital that stood out from all the rest. 

I found this one here in London that seemed perfect, West Donner Hospital. It's actually made for new nurses like myself. It was technically a hospital, which is why it is the optimal choice for my first go. It actually has a whole different system there too, which was very appealing in my research.

What happens is, a patient comes in and is assigned a nurse practitioner. This nurse is to spend however many hours, days, weeks, month, etc. healing this patient. Typically these are patients that the regular hospital down the street doesn't have time or space to treat, or involve a more therapeutic kind of recovery. I would be receiving my first patient today.

I walked through the automatic doors of this sterile, white building. I took the elevator to the 31st floor, just as I was instructed in my letter of acceptance from the hospital board. I walked down the brighlty illuminated corridor until I found room 439. I reached for the shiny silver knob and pused the door into the room, allowing myself in.

"Leah!" a small group of people shouted.

"Hi there!" I said tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and probably blushing at the amount of attention I was getting. I don't really like when people look at me. 

"Welcome aboard!" a man, whose name tag read John, stepped forward.

"Thank you for having me!" I said, trying to sound as enthusiastic as possible.

"Alrighty, love, you will head back to the elevator and take it down to the 16th floor. You will then take a left and walk almost to the end of the hallway and find room 78, which is your official room! Your first patient should be there in around 40 minutes." the man named John said. He stuck out his hand for me shake it while saying, "By the way, I am your new boss, and if there is anything I can ever do for you here just let me know."

"Thank you very much, sir! I look forward to seeing you again sometime soon!" I say, trying to make a good impression on my first day. And with that I made my way towards the door, but then I felt a hand grab my arm. I was whipped around to meet some very vibrant brown eyes, (which I thought was unusual because it is hard to have vibrant brown eyes).

"Hi I'm Ella!" she said. Ella was average height, and had on a vintage style dark blue dress under her white lab coat. She had short brown hair that just barely reached her shoulders. It hung in loose natural curls, except for her bangs that looked straightened and were pushed to either side of her face according to her part, and tucked behind her ear. She had on ray ban reading glasses and bright rosy cheeks. 

"Hi, I'm Leah!" I replied, trying to sound as peppy as her.

"Don't leave so quickly! You have forty minutes according Mr. Boss over there," she said while pointing to, our boss, John.

"I know, I know. First day jitters I guess," and to that she giggled.

"You like coffee?" she inquired.

"Nah, I'm more of a tea drinker myself. You?"

"Nope, I'd take coffee over tea any day. But regardless, we have both so help yourself!" she said while motioning to a small table that held a coffee maker and a container full of hot water with tea bags next to it. 

"Sounds great! You gonna get some too?" I asked.

"No, unlike lucky Ms. Leah, I have my first patient in 10 minutes."

"Aw too bad! It was nice meeting you Ella!"

"Same to you! See you around!" she said. She grabbed the handle of the door and with that she was gone.

I strolled over to the coffee/tea station and grabbed a paper cup. I put it under the hot water jug and let the water poor out. I ripped open the top of a Twinnings tea bag and placed the pouch in the water. 

"Hey there!" and overly friendly voice said.

"Hi!" I said, turning around to take in this boy. He had the brightest green eyes and a smile that could melt any heart. He was about 3 inches taller than me and had super dark brown hair that was spiked up in the front. 

"I'm Jacob!" he said, flashing another one of his signature smiles at me.

"And as you probably hear when you screamed my name, I'm Leah," I said with a small smile. I earned a smiled and giggled out of Jacob for saying that, which made me want to drop to my knees.

"So you having coffee or tea?" 

"Tea, of course" I answered.

"Me too! It seems like everyone in this office like coffee." 

"Psh. Coffee is so underrated."

"Exactly!" he said. A second later we both started cracking up for no reason. 

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you Leah! I hope to see you soon," he said while walking towards the door.

"Same! See you later Jacob!" I said with a smile so big people from outer space could probably see it. I looked down at my tea just awkwardly tracing the rim of the paper cup and smiling into the cup. I looked down at my watch to see I only had 15 minutes until my patient arrived, so I headed for the door.

I walked back down the long corridor and stepped back into the elevator. I pressed 16 and let the little button light up. As soon as the elevator door opened I took a left just like John said followed the ascending numbered doors until 78 came into view. 

I put my light pink key into the knob and unlocked the door. I took in the room around me. There was a small desk in the far left corner in which I put my tea on. There was an assortment of cabinets on the left wall adjacent to the door, with a sink and counter top that held various glass jars of cotton balls, Q-tips, tongue depressors (the things that look like fat popsicle sticks), etc. Then of course, the last thing that was in this stark white room was a purple examination table (which is what the patient sits on for a check up). 

I sat down behind my desk and saw there was only 3 minutes before my very first patient would arrive.