A Prescription for Love

Chapter One

New Story: This is different from the norm. In all of the stories that I've read or that I've seen, all of the characters are disgustingly perfect unless they are written with very clear flaws. This story is about love (um, duh! Look who's writing it. I'm the queen of romance), and finding it in the least likely place with the least likely person.

Now, this story is based in a hospital. My medical training comes from...WebMD. I'm not a doctor, nor do I claim to be. I'm a music teacher who has a wild imagination and a penchant for all things Twilight. Which brings me to my disclaimer: None of this is mine. I'm not, nor ever will be, Stephenie Meyer. If was, I'd be rolling in the dough from her insane imagination that gave us Bella and Edward. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter One:

BPOV

"Here's your extra pillow, Mr. Tomlinson," I said as I fluffed it behind his head. "Is that comfortable?"

"You're a lard ass," he snapped. "Go on a diet."

"I'll take that into consideration, Mr. Tomlinson," I said, ignoring the biting comment from our resident crazy man. He was found on the streets, mumbling that the rats were eating his eyeballs and that his shoes ran away. The police brought him in and he was staying in the ER until a bed opened up in the psych ward. I got the dubious honor of getting Mr. Tomlinson as my patient. That meant I had to wash his crusty old body and listen to his demeaning commentary about everybody in the ER. The main person receiving his barbs was me. Yes, I was, um, plump, but I wasn't unhealthy. I was just fat. "Do you want anything to eat?"

"Always thinking with your stomach, tubbo?"

"Mr. Tomlinson, please be respectful," I sighed. "I didn't make any comments about your hemorrhoids when I was cleaning your ass."

"Bitch," he barked. I rolled my eyes and shut his curtain, walking to the circulation desk.

"Tomlinson is being extra crotchety today," my friend, Angela noted. "Really rude to you."

"He's a lonely old man with schizophrenia. I try not to take his words to heart," I shrugged. "However, I will be happy when his scabby ass is upstairs in the psych ward."

"How bad was it?" Angela asked, wrinkling her nose.

"I need a shower. Or twelve," I shuddered. "These were not the scrubs I arrived in, Ang."

"Yeah, they're not your usual happy duckie scrubs," Angela teased. "It's standard hospital blue."

"He shit on me," I groaned. "Anyhow, I'm going to finish charting and then I'm heading home."

"Bella, why don't you come out with me and the girls," Angela begged. "We're going to this new club. It'll be fun!"

"No, thanks. I have to get home to my dad. He's still laid up from his injury," I sighed. Honestly, I'd rather go out with the girls. My father makes Mr. Tomlinson look like a kitten. The hatred my father has for me is shocking but I couldn't leave him. Not now. He lost his leg after a bullet wound got infected and he wasn't coping. And he was taking it out on me.

"Fine. But next time, I'm not taking no for an answer. You hear me?" Angela asked, arching a brow.

"Yes, Ang. I'll see you tomorrow," I smiled. She waved and skipped to the lounge at the end of the hall. I finished making my notes, speaking to the nurse who was taking over my patients and walked to my locker. Opening it up, I slipped on my coat and checked my phone.

No messages.

But then again, why would there be. All of my friends are here at work. Well, scratch that, Angela is my friend. The rest are acquaintances. With a heavy sigh, I bundled up and headed out into the chilled Chicago air. I worked at Cook County Hospital as a nurse. I earned my nursing degree while working full time since my dad wouldn't pay for my college education. I worked as a nurse's aide in a nursing home, caring for elderly patients in the dementia wing while I completed my course work. I hated working there; seeing those poor people who were just shells of who they once were. I made the decision that I would not work in geriatrics once I got my degree, finding the time in the ER to be the most exciting and challenging.