Night shift - Completed

Chapter 27

Poppy's PoV

"Please, just a couple more minutes..." He pleaded, his puppy dog eyes pulling at my heart strings and making me feel like it was impossible to say no. I let out a small smirk as I sat back down on the chair to his pleasure. "When have you finished your shifts for this week?"

"Saturday." I stated, my eyebrows furrowed as I worked it out. "I'm working again on Thursday night but I'm assuming you'll be out of here by then."

"How do you feel about going out for a meal that day? We can make it casual, I can invite other people if it's too soon." Calum asked, the hope in his tone digging into the regret I was feeling for wanting to turn the offer down. It's not that I didn't want to go out with him, but it was all happening very soon. He wasn't even meant to be out of his bed for another 6 weeks after the operation to make sure his recovery was the best it could be.

"Cal..." My sentence rung off before I'd finished and once again I noticed him droop. "As your nurse, I have to advise against that, you're meant to be on bed rest for at least 6 weeks. You can't be going out and eating in restaurants within a week!" He let out a laugh and shook his head, squeezing my hand.

"Always looking out for me." He said quietly, a smile obvious on his face. "Well, I'll have been discharged then so if I decide against it no one can tell me off."

"You're one tough man to convince sometimes..." I laughed looking away for a second to try and hide the huge grin that wanted to show.

"Come on, what do you say?" He pressed, still hoping for an answer that he wanted to hear. "I can invite the guys if it's too awkward." He added.

"It's not that." I shook my head as I pulled my hand away from his unwillingly. "Don't you want to do something more private first? Make sure you actually want to know me before you and I go out in public and have paparazzi snapping every photo of us together?" I stood up from the chair but stayed beside him, the air suddenly feeling cold and uncomfortable. Had I overstepped the mark and upset him? "I didn't mean that like I don't want to be seen with you. I'm just scared that'll happen and then you'll realise I'm annoying and never want to see me again." I added for clarity. He let out a single breathy laugh.

"I don't think I could ever find you annoying. You've seen me at my worst and I want to show you what I'm like at my best – plus ankle boot." He tried to remain collected but began to giggle just as my smile grew.

"You're an idiot." I said quickly. "But fine. Meal accepted." I stepped away from the bed quickly, making sure he wasn't able to grab my hand again. "Now I need to do my notes, but I'll make sure I come and say goodbye before I leave." I waved as I headed out of the door and towards the staff room where I grabbed my water and a chocolate bar to tide my hunger until my shift finished as I sat and typed up all my notes.

***

Before I knew it, it was handover time and the other nurses had all coming in looking fresh and full of energy – the opposite to how I felt. I finished my notes just in time as Jessie, a newly qualified nurse, headed over to me with a smile on her face. She was lovely and she was still thrilled by her shifts knowing she had so much she could learn, it was refreshing to see someone who came to every shift with a smile on their face and not a grimace as they counted down the minutes.

"Poppy!" She said as she pulled me into a hug. "How are you? You're looking good for just doing a night shift!" She grinned at me as she pulled away, looking at the screen to see what notes I had written up on the patient.

"Thank you Jessie, you're looking really good. Have you been away?" The small talk started which would only last a couple of sentences before we got to business, but it was always nice to make people feel like they were bonding before we shot off to carry on with our lives. She smiled and shook her head.

"Just fake tan but don't tell anyone." She winked at me, her false eyelashes fluttering. She was as young as me but had clearly spent more time learning how to enhance her features and beautify herself a lot more than I had. "So who is my patient?" She interlinked her fingers as she listened, observing everything I did as I handed over.

"Calum Hood." I began, opening up my first set of notes.

"No way. Like THE Calum Hood? Five seconds of summer Calum Hood?" She began to freak out, whether it was beside of the pressure or because she was a fan girl, she suddenly became fidgety and nervous.

"Yes. He's fine, recovering from ankle surgery. They reckon he will be able to go home today on painkillers and bed rest with the boot on. His follow ups have already been booked. He did fracture a rib which during the night caught his lung and caused it to collapse. We got rid of the air and since then he's been fine and stable. They just want him monitored for a few more hours because of the pneumothorax and then he is being reassessed to check the surgery went well, then he can be discharged." I said basically, not wanting to take too much time. "We have had an issue with paparazzi so he has two guards on the door but they have also been trying to interview and interrogate staff looking after him so just make sure you ignore them and don't let them get any pictures of him." Jessie nodded.

"Brilliant. Thanks Poppy, have a great sleep!" She smiled as she stood up.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to quickly say goodbye and then I'll be off." I said, like I did to all staff after I'd watched a patient. I headed back to the side room one last time and let myself in, knocking as I did so. "Hey guys." To my surprise, the rest of the band were now also in the room and they all offered me smiles as I headed in. "I'm heading home now. It's been a pleasure working with you all. I wish you all the best!" I said as each of them came up to me and gave me a hug, thanking me for what I'd done for Calum. I finally made my way over to Calum.

"See you on Saturday?" He whispered in my ear as he pulled me in for a hug.

"Can't wait." I whispered back, my breath causing his skin to go goose-pimply. "See you then." I gave them all a wave and let myself back out of the room, heading home for a much needed rest after the night I had, but it wasn't going to be easy.

"Poppy, is it true something went wrong overnight?" "Was there a complication with Calum?" "Is it true Ashton has feelings for you?" "Which member of the band was rudest to you?"

A bunch of paps were waiting outside the entrance to the hospital, knowing they weren't trespassing doing so. The minute I opened the door, the questions began with the flashing of camera bulbs and recorders being shoved in my face. If anything it just annoyed me that they couldn't do it with any class.

"No comment." I said like a pro as I got in my car and drove away, leaving them in the horizon.