Serenis

Chapter 4

Rochelle moved to sit beside me but something caught her attention and she walked over to the door which she had locked earlier. Just as she turned the latch it opened and a nurse walked in with a pot of tea and an assortment of cookies in little wrappers. It was almost as if her entry was timed to the millisecond. She walked over and put the tray on the table beside my bed and gave me a little wink. Rochelle stood by the door watching her every move although she appeared to be at ease with the nurse who went about checking my blood pressure and listening to my heart. She put her stethoscope back around her neck and gave a little chuckle. 'I see someone got a bit feisty then!'  

She pointed to the hole in the wall where the emergency button had been torn out. I looked at her not knowing what to say and glanced over at Rochelle to assist with my answer. Was I to take the blame for this? Would the little chubby nurse believe that I had ripped an emergency call button clean out, wires and all?  

Rochelle finally came to my rescue and smiled warmly as she spoke to the nurse whose name I soon found out was Belinda. 'It seems we had a little accident with the call button, Belinda. Can you get John down here when he's free, to fix it for me, please?' 

Belinda rolled her eyes and shook her head lightly, her red curls bounced perfectly like little springs around her face. 'I told you not to be so scary Roe. She is nothing to fear and certainly doesn't look like she belongs to the Comp.' She leaned down and brushed my cheek. 'You don't even know what you're capable of yet do you little Evie?' 

She poured some tea and handed me the cup. The warmth was so comforting in my hands; I had almost forgotten how cold I was.  

'Okay, I'll go and call John, though he is not going to be happy with this. Don't know what you want me to tell him this time Roe. Pretty soon he's going to think you are jinxed with all the so called accidents you keep having.' 

Belinda grabbed the empty tray and backed out of the room winking at me one last time. Rochelle went to shut the door as she exited. 'Thanks Belinda. I need to have a... discussion with Evie. I am expecting her father and friend here in a little over ten minutes. Would you mind informing me of when they arrive?' 

Belinda smiled and simply nodded before she and her bouncy curls disappeared through the door. 

'Do you want something to eat?' Rochelle was now sitting in the chair beside my bed. She was so relaxed that she almost looked unrecognizable. Her hard face had softened and as I looked at her properly for the first time, not in fear but as though we had just met, I noticed just how unique this young doctor was. 

Rochelle was tall and slender and every movement she made, even signing her name on my chart, was very controlled and purposeful. Her face was chiseled and quite defined but she did not appear masculine. Her large chocolate Bambi-like eyes softened her appearance and were the obvious warm feature about her. She had light olive skin and almost looked warrioresque, like the women I used to see in all the documentaries our Society and Culture teacher showed us from his years in the jungles of South America. 

As I studied her face and took in as many details as I could, my thoughts were interrupted once again by Rochelle's sharp voice. 'I'm Mexican.' 

I shifted in my bed and tried to sit up a little higher; embarrassed that she could tell what I was thinking. 'And apparently a mind reader.'  

'No, I could just see the look on your face. I am Mexican, though my mother was from a Brazilian bloodline. I am 35 and I have been a Healer for 22 years.' 

I was confused. 'Wait, you mean you have been practicing medicine since you were 13 years old? That's impossible.' 

I could see Rochelle was beginning to become impatient as she sat up a little straighter and fidgeted with her long thin fingers. 'We can talk about me later. Right now, Evie, I need to ask you a couple of questions.'