Chapter 1.2 - A Day Ahead

I got up at around 6:30, I really panicked for a second there.

I got up late.

Oh gosh!! I really can't be late. It's still not that long when I first started working at the hospital, it'd be so embarrassing!

Would they think that I'm incompetent? Or, or ---

Deep breaths...

...

Haaa...

---Okay Lesley, stop thinking about this! You can still make it!

I took a sip of coffee and a slice of bread before starting on the day's work: I had my job at a hospital a little far away from my house.

When it was almost 6:45, I was getting ready to go.

I put on my light blue nurse uniform and my white shoes.

Still trying to keep track of time. I walked out of the house to go to the bus station.

One of the reason that I moved in my house, is because it's near the bus station.

I walked for a little like five or seven minutes to reach the bus station.

Luckily, I got to the hospital early at around 7:30, since the traffic is surprisingly not too heavy today.

In fact, I'm pretty punctual, since the time for work is 8:30, I always leave the house at around 6:10 in case of heavy traffic, and since I don't have my own car, I have to take public trasportation that always have long waiting lines.

But then it hit me, today would be the day I get promoted to Assistant Head Nurse, right?!

My thoughts flew as I opened the glass door entrance of the hospital building.

"Good morning miss Lesley! Early as always!"

All the thoughts cleared up as I heard Aunt Lyn's bright and cheerful voice.

"Good morning Aunt Lyn!" I responded happily.

Aunt Lyn was one of the most friendly people here.

I think she is around 35 or 37, but she asked me to call her aunty, it's kind of weird cause I'm 28 and calling someone aged 35 'aunty' is...ummm...

It's new to me.

When I first got here, around June, she was the one who taught me a lot of things and guided me up until now. But strangely, after one month of my stay here, she asked the hospital director to change her post to front desk.

I don't get it though.

Hmmm...

Ah, yes!

Today is my promotion!! And this'll be the first time I'll see the Hospital Director face to face!

"You seem to be thinking about something Miss Lesley"

"Oh, yes. Yes, um - I was just thinking...today is my promotion, I'm really nervous..." I said mindlessly as I leaned in to the counter, closer to Aunt Lyn.

"Oh, yes! I also heard about that!" She exclaimed joyfully.

"Congratulations!"

"I bet you will love it!"

"What do you mean?"

Aunt Lyn looked at me, with reminiscing eyes.

"I was once also an Assistant Head Nurse, it's actually tiring, rea~lly tiring. But it's a great experience, you get to learn a lot from the Head Nurse"

Aunt Lyn leaned closer to me, as if to tell me some sort of secret.

"Though, the Head Nurse right now - Dr. Andrew..."

Aunt Lyn placed her chin above her knuckles "hmmm..."

"How should I say this.... I once talked to Dr. Andrew, he's polite which is very rare in these times. And he is really competent in his work."

Aunt Lyn said cheerfully, I guess she really likes the Head Nurse.

"Though some of the nurses complain to the front desk how tiring and strict Dr. Andrew when they work with him." as she continuously nodded her head.

I'm starting to get skeptical about this promotion, I guess additional stress is on the way~

Aunt Lyn looked straight at me, smiling.

"I remember, Dr. Andrew is just as much the same age as you, maybe a few years older. So maybe you'll be good friends with him too!"

Friends my a**, I can already see other regular nurses looking at me with sharp eyes, cause who would've thought that after only five months, I'd already be promoted to an Assistant Head Nurse.

I shrugged as I don't want to think about all the stress these changes would bring to me.

But when I think about it, there are actually rumors around that the Head Nurse is more of a workaholic...and really strict.

"I remember when I got that promotion, I was so nervous, just as much as you."

Aunt Lyn looked down with a sigh.

I looked at her, a little confused as to why she suddenly looked sad to me.

She noticed me and got back to her usual bright smile.

I thought for a second, maybe my eyes were just playing tricks on me.

Cause my mind has always been.

I subconsciously put my right hand on my forehead.

Haa~ I really don't know anymore.

"Don't worry too much Miss Lesley, just focus and you'll definitely do well!" Aunt Lyn said energetically.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

An announcement echoed through the whole hospital building.

"Announcement. Nurse Lesley Olerro and Head Nurse Andrew Willard, please proceed to the Director's Office in the fifth floor.

...

Announcement, Nurse Lesley Olerro and Head Nurse Andrew Willard, please proceed to the Director's Office in the fifth floor."

"Oh, would you look at the time now, it's already 8 o'clock, the Hospital Director should be busy the whole day so I guess he'll hold your promotion earlier." Aunt Lyn said as she looked at me to say goodbye.

"Yes, I guess so" I replied

"Well, I think it's time for me to go now, I'll see you later"

I walked inside the elevator.

It makes me happy. I guess it has been some time since I've actually talked with Aunt Lyn this much, since I've been busy in the past two weeks.

The elevators are huge, the buttons has the names of the ground floor parking - GP - to the highest floor in the building, ths sixth floor - F6.

I pressed the F5 button for the fifth floor.

Ding!

"The elevator door is closing"

Okay

Breath in...

Breath out...

Breath in...

Breath out...

Okay Lesley!! You can do it! Don't be too nervous, the Director and the Head Nurse are humans too, there's no reason to be too nervous.

I spent the whole time with silence as strangely, I am the only one in it.

I watched silently as the floor indicator above the elevator door changed from the first floor to second.

...

Second Floor

...

Third Floor

...

Until the sound echoed in the room.

Ding!

The elevator door opened, but not in the fifth floor, it opened on the fourth floor.

A tall man holding a hospital document in his right hand, walked in while skimming through some medical papers.

He also wears light blue uniform like me, so I guess he's also a nurse.

I can't see his face fully but I can see that he wears glasses and has sharp eyes.

He's physic is big, but not in an intimidating way, it's like a gentleman's physic, one that would make you look beautiful and elegant in anything that you wear.

Even the light blue nurse uniform that I always see in the hospital, it seems to be more beautiful when he's the one who wears it.

The man stood on the right side of the elevator room, while I stayed on the left side.

...

I looked at the floor number indicator on the top of the elevator door, it's still on the fourth floor.

I start to subconsciously silently tap my foot on the elevator floor.

This silence is really suffocating.

This is really giving me weird feelings.

I smiled and looked at him.

"Uh... Aren't you going to press your floor button?"

The man put the medical documents down and said

"I'm also going to the fifth floor" he replied in a deep and husky voice.

...

I don't want to admit it, but I think I saw the words Head Nurse: Andrew Willard on the silver name tag on the tall man's chest when he brought the paper's down.

I looked down to hide my face.

I feel like time is passing so slowly right now, this feels like forever.

...

No! I'm not ready to face him yet!

I thought I will have some time to practice myself first before all!

A cold voice cut my overthinking

"Aren't you going out?"

I looked up to see him looking straight at me.

...

"We're already in the fifth floor" the man said

"Ye-yes, I'm going out" I hurriedly replied

As the Head Nurse walked swiftly, out of the elevator and in to the Director's Office.