Bound To Rain

Seeing Harriet

The three of us arrived at the hospital at around 5:50. On the way, we'd told Finch that we were going to be out late. The secretary told us her room, which was the same as yesterday. The three of us stepped inside the room, and Harriet shot up in her bed.

"Olive! Elmer!" She cried. "And Percy?"

"Hey, Harriet." Percy looked at her nervously. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." My sister said sincerely. The brown haired boy looked over at Elmer.

"How do you know each other?" The nineteen year old looked back and forth between Elmer and Harriet.

"He was actin' as my brudda so he could go wit Olive. Jack did too." Harriet told him. "They's pretendin' ta be twins!"

"I don't see it." Percy grinned.

"Well thats 'cause we ain't twins." Elmer nudged Percy jokingly.

"Don't you think I know that?" He nudged the black haired boy in return. I pulled up a chair by Harriet's bedside, and the boys did the same.

"Lorraine says I's can be out in a week or two." The girl with curly blonde hair told us excitedly.

"Lorraine?" I don't know anyone by that name.

"Doctor Charles." She corrected herself. "She wants ta call her by her name. She's super fun."

"D'ya know any more doctor names?" Percy asked, probably trying to strike up conversation.

"My main doctors is Marion Jay and Samuel Culbertson." Harriet told us. "Then Arthur Phillips and Irene Cox."

"They's all tell ya their names?" Elmer leaned forward in his seat.

"No," she grinned. "Lorraine tells me. The secretaries is Penelope Vasquez and Jess Hunter."

"Who's that?" I pointed to a doctor with silver hair walking down the hall briskly.

"I's thinkin' thats Ruby Joiner." Harriet said slowly.

"And that?" Elmer pointed discreetly to a ginger man walking at a slower pace.

"Vance Ryans." She told us matter-of-factly.

"Do you know all the doctors here?" Percy smiled.

"Nah." My sister shook her head and pointed to a doctor of a darker tone talking to Samuel Culbertson. "I don't know him."

"Let's give him a name." I suggested, adjusting my cap. I'm more comfortable to call it my own because I got him a new one. "How's he wit otha patients?"

"Lorraine said dat he trained Samuel." Harriet informed us. 

"How 'bout Trainer?" Percy offered.

"Or Coach?" Elmer grinned.

"Coach Trainer?" I combined them, remembering our compromised name for Honeybelle.

"Perfect." Harriet's lips curved into a smile, then pointed to a woman with long, blonde hair talking to Vance. "How's 'bout her?"

"Anything ya know 'bout her?" I nodded.

"She's kinda short with the patients she's got." She told us.

"Tempa." Elmer leaned back in his seat.

"What're we talking about?" Lorraine came in, then looked at me. "I don't believe we've formally met. I'm Lorraine Charles."

"Olive Robinson." I stood to shake her hand, then the boys did the same.

"Percy Jacobi." Percy told her formally.

"Elmer Robinson." Elmer introduced himself, a glint in his eye. Lorraine sat on the edge of Harriet's bed.

"We's givin' nicknames ta the doctors I dunno." My sister told her.

"Fun!" The doctor exclaimed. "Who've you done so far?"

Harriet pointed at Coach Trainer. "That's Coach Trainer."

"Ah, yes. Richard Tucker. I like yours better." Lorraine grinned.

"Tempa." My sister motioned to the blonde doctor.

"Fitting." She agreed. "Let's do everyone!"

"Yes!" Harriet looked at me, beaming. "Who should Marion be?"

"Blue?" Elmer suggested. "Like Blue Jay?"

"That works." Lorraine gave him an appraising nod. "Samuel?"

"He was pretty dull when he got us." I thought aloud.

"He can be like that." Harriet sighed.

"Maybe Boredom?" Percy snickered.

"He's not always boring." Lorraine shook her head.

"He's usually actin' kinda like a grandparent." Harriet told us.

"Granny!" The brown haired boy snapped his fingers.

"Yes!" Lorraine gave him a high five. "Irene?"

"She's really straight forward." My sister informed me and the boys,

"Bush-less. Cause she don't beat 'round the bush." Elmer suggested.

"Good." Harriet nodded. "Now Arthur don't look like an Arthur. Maybe somethin' with a 'J'?"

"Jack," Lorraine said quickly. "Like your brother."

"James?"

"Jacob?"

"Julian?"

"Julian!" Harriet clapped. "Penelope?"

"Penny?" I offered.

"That's too obvious." My sister shook her head. "Maybe like a different coin."

"Nicole? Like nickle?" Elmer took off his cap.

"Quartet?" Lorraine threw in.

"Nicole." Percy looked at Harriet. She nodded.

"How about Jess?" Lorraine asked.

"Jex." Percy tried.

"Sounds good." Harriet smiled, causing the brown haired boy to blush.

"Ruby should be Red." Lorraine decided, glancing around for approval. We all agreed.

"Vance?" My sister relaxed a bit.

"Ginger?" I suggested.

"Freckle?" Percy proposed.

"Carrots?" Lorraine recommended.

(A/n: I just discovered Thesaurus so now I've got new words!)

"Carrots." The eighteen year old girl complied.

"Well, that looks like everyone working tonight." Lorraine stood up, knees popping. "Oh, and Coach Trainer is Emmett Greene, and Tempa is Sylvia Wry."

"It was nice meeting you." Me and the boys stood up. "We's betta head home."

"It's getting late." Harriet agreed.

"I can stay with you if you want." Percy offered awkwardly.

"No, no, it's okay." The blonde girl waved her hands quickly. "I's gonna see ya soon?"

"Definitely." The brown haired boy vow

"Bye, Harriet." I gave her a hug, Elmer and Percy bid her farewell, so we left. It was about 9. We were in there longer than I'd thought.