Open Heart

Chapter 1: The Little Things

OH, SWEET 2020.

"By far the shittiest year in all of history. The year that makes everyone's eye roll," Claire groaned.

Personally, I couldn't fully agree with her. Okay, maybe a little. It's just that I've had nothing to complain about. During this pandemic, when everyone was losing their jobs, my career as a nurse was thriving.

I've wanted to be a nurse ever since five-year-old me helped cure my new friend slash neighbor's malady. Oh, nothing was wrong with her. Luna was simply always good at being the patient, and I, her nurse. So I worked my butt off to become one.

Finally, here I was, three years in as a full-time nurse but seven years total in the field. I worked at the hospital my mother worked at while I was in college. I loved every part of it, both the good and the bad.

Check.

My family, friends, and I were healthy.

Check.

After almost one year with my boyfriend, we were still running strong as we should.

Check.

I was entirely optimistic, despite the chaos 2020 brought along with it. Maybe it was all because I thought highly of the simple things in life. Maybe.

"Like, where can I cancel it? Or unsubscribe? Better yet, delete it," Claire resumed in distress. The 5'2 woman was one of my favorite coworkers, regardless of her constant whining.

Dr. Kai Fishner, my other favorite, snickered.

Judgmental as it may sound, I once felt hostility towards the young, handsome doctor. At first glance, he seemed too flamboyant, with a smile a little too wide to trust.

Never judge a book by its cover? Pfft. That couldn't have been more true because, over the years, I've grown to know him; he was different from what I wrongly assumed.

For one, I've learned that he was far from flamboyant but rather surprisingly humble. He once told Claire and me that he hated the attention he got for his looks and not his personality.

I shook my head at the irony. Being overly beautiful in looks was a problem, but being below average was also a problem.

Life was that messed up.

"Claire, suck it up," Kai started, "We're three months away from this hellhole of a year. Let's pray that 2021 outshines this year."

"Fishner's right," I chipped in, clocking out. "You better start making those New Years' resolutions, Claire bear."

Claire sealed her pieces of equipment in a ziplock bag, sneering at us. "Fuck you both."

Kai rushed over to me to cover my ears. He did not need to crouch, for I was 5'9 and proud. It took me years to finally accept that being one of the tall females in the room was not much of a curse. If at all.

Short girls were cute, and so were the tall ones.

"Now, come on, Claire," Kai scolded. "You know Fatima don't cuss."

I swatted his hands away, snorting a laugh their way. "I don't cuss, yes, but that doesn't mean everyone around me has to stop."

As if they would.

Claire poked Kai in the chest. Hard. Do you know what they say about little people, big attitudes? Well, Claire was the perfect example of that. Minus the little part. Whatever. You get the point, right?

"See, doc? Let the woman hear all the merds I can spit out because I've got a lot more coming. Goodnight. I'm going to get fucked tonight. I'll fill you all on the details Monday."