Billy Rae Holland
Billy was busy going over charts and graphs, checking and rechecking his vitals and his hospital background. As she was doing so, a soft voice interrupted her calculations. "Perhaps a glass of water?" Her blue hues rose off the page in alarm. How could she have forgotten that?! Of course he’d be thirsty, poor man had been knocked out for hours! “Oh my God, of course!” she gushed, placing her papers down and flitting over to the sink. She took one of the paper cups that resided under the cabinet and filled it with the water, opening a small round can to reveal itself as an ice bucket. She plopped in two cubes and took the water over to his bed side, placing it on the tray next to his am.
“Sorry it’s not bottled, it never is. Sometimes we leave the room and pretend to go get one, but we don’t. It’s still tap. Don’t tell anyone.” She was smiling the entire time, doing what nurses do best, which is to be warm and welcoming. She went back to her charts and started her calculations over again. She became completely absorbed in her work, so absorbed that she thought she might have heard the door, and then she caught snips of her patient talking to himself. ” They love the attention almost as much as you do." He sounded like his voice was much better after the glass of water. “They love the attention almost as much as you do." Billy began looking through his charts for schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder. "Oh, this is Billy."
At the sound of her name she turned to him with a sad smile, only to have it vanish as quickly as she had materialized it. "Billy, this is Jay." She was speechless. "Pleased to meet you, Billy. Thanks for helping take care of this idiot," came from the would-be charming man. Who the hell did this guy think he was? Her patient was in recovery this was not his living room for idle chit-chat! “Yes, hello, now get out.” Her voice was stern and demanding. “Visiting hours are clearly posted, and this man is in recovery.” Like a mad mother bear, she crossed the room in surprising speed for her height. She yanked the door open and literally shoved the other man out of the room. From the outside, he would hear the distinct click of a locking mechanism.
"Sorry that I've caused you so much trouble.” Billy turned to her patient and softened a little. “You’re no trouble at all. I apologize, but you need your rest. No visitors until the doctor clears you to be well enough for them.” Again, she managed to make her voice sound warm and firm at the same time. The man’s medicines would be kicking in soon, and he’d be passed out all over again. What was it in all of her patients thinking they were superhumans? ‘I got hit by a car!’ Then the next day—‘ I’m completely fine, honest!’ Shaking her head, she finished up with her work and left the room through a side door that adjoined to another patient’s room.
The Friday morning was bright and warm. Amy walked down the halls of the hospital in a bright and cherry mood. She briefly stopped by room 138, smiling brightly. “The reporters are all gone now, and the doctor has cleared you to leave. I just need you to sign out once you’re finished dressing.” Amy gently placed his bag of clothes on the chair beside the door, and then closed said door behind her. She had other work to be doing, room 138 was just one of her many priorities.
Billy didn’t have work in the hospital today, but she did have work in the Café. Today she was dressed in a white shirt that fit her snugly, with the Cafés logo over her left breast. She was play flirting with the grumpy red head behind the counter named Marge. “Here’s your check, Miss Holland, now get out of here you brown-noser,” the woman huffed, her voice sounding as though she’d been smoking for the better half of her life. Billy grinned and took her check. “You look beautiful today, Marge!” she chirped, turning to walk out. Just as she did so, she came chest to chest with Amy’s pacient. “Oh, Mr. Spicer, excuse me!” she gushed, backing up and blushing intensely. “Watch where you’re going, Billy!” came the raspy voice of Marge. “I’m really sorry,” Billy added, side stepping to move out of his way, and in doing so she bumped right into John, the Fedex man, causing him to topple the three boxes he was carrying. Distraught, she began a slew of apologies, rushing to help him pick up the boxes.