All's fair in love and war

Chapter 21 - Sophia

It’s been a few months since I answered the door to the man that gave me the news about Charlie and Noah. Every day I think about him. Evelynn seems to be doing ok, but most of the time I think she is just putting on a brave face. If one thing is certain she has been working a lot more.

I walk into the hospital ready to start my shift. “Morning, Sophia.”

“Morning, Frederick.” I say as he smiles at me. Whenever I see Frederick I think of Charlie and Evelynn telling me he likes me more than a friend, but I never have time to think about it too much because of my patients.

“Morning, Mr Roberts.” I say as I take his stats.

“How are you Sophia?” He asks as he gives me a sad look in his eyes and I feel my eyes narrow. Why is he looking at me like that?

“I’m good, thank you.” I say and he still looks at me the same way.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” I say as I note down his stats and sign his documents.

“You don’t look ok. You look sad.” Frederick looks at me as he deals with the patient just beside mine.

“I’m fine.” I say as look at both of them now looking at me with sad eyes and I walk out of the ward.

I wish people would stop looking at me with that look in their eyes. I take a deep breath before walking into another ward to see to my next patient. I pick up the documents and see that another nurse has already seen to her and I place the documents back down and turn around to see if I can find the nurse. “Sophia.” Frederick says my name and I walk in the opposite direction, I almost know exactly what it is he is going to say just from hearing the way he said my name.

“Don’t, Frederick.” I say as I keep walking.

“You haven’t spoken to anyone about Charlie.” He pauses. “Soph.” I feel his hand wrap around. I take a deep breath.

“I talk to Evelynn.”

“That isn’t the same.”

“How is it not? She knows what I’m going through.”

“You and Evelynn don’t do heart to heart, you both hide most of your pain behind a false smile.”

“That isn’t true.” It is true, everything he just said is true.

“Is it not?” He asks. “Sophia, talk to me.” I shake my head and he places his hand on my face and I feel myself take another deep breath.

“I don’t want to talk about it, Frederick.”  I pull away and walk down the corridor and see Peter standing at the end of the corridor and I change direction again. I don’t want to talk to either of them, I thought I was ok but Frederick proved that I’m exactly the opposite. I walk into an unused room and I close the door behind me I hold onto the handle for a few moments before I turn around and slide down the door till I hit the ground. My knees are pulled up against my chest and I place my head onto them. I sit with tears soaking my pinafore, for what felt like forever. I take a deep breath and stand up as I wipe the tears from my cheeks and dry my eyes. I slowly open the door and walk back into the corridor and continue to see my patients. I can’t wait till the end of the day so I am able to go home and sleep.

*****

Evelynn

It’s been a long day today, I’ve finally finished with my last patient for the night I go get changed back into something Evelynn would wear and I head home using the exit at the back of the hospital, a part of me wonders what was wrong with Sophia earlier today but the other part of me knows exactly what it is. I walk up the street and I see a man sat in a car outside the house. As I get closer he opens the door and steps outside, walking towards me. “Evelynn.” The man says as he walks towards me.