The First Friday Back

Hedy stands at the door of ward four. Her badge is new. Her coat is old. Six months is a long break.

The hall smells of soap. A phone rings at the desk. Nobody looks at her. She takes a deep breath and walks in.

Dilan, the head nurse, waves from the desk. "Hedy! You are back!"

"Yes, I am back," Hedy says. "I am a little slow today."

"Slow is fine," Dilan says. "Here is your list."

Hedy reads the list. She has three patients. Room two needs a clean bandage. Room five needs a short walk in the hall. Room six needs water and a quiet voice.

She works all morning. The ward is busy and loud. A cart rolls past her door. A bell rings twice. Hedy moves slowly at first. Her hands remember everything. She checks a pulse. She writes a note. She smiles at a small boy in room two. He shows her his toy truck. It has a broken wheel. "Can you fix it?" he asks. Hedy smiles and says, "I can try after lunch."

At noon, Hedy sits in the break room. She opens her lunch box. Her phone buzzes on the table.

The message is from Gael. He is a night nurse. He writes, "Welcome back, Hedy! Can you work my shift on Friday? I need one night off. Please say yes."

Hedy looks at the message for a long time. She reads it again. She knows the night shift is hard. Gael is always there when the ward needs help. Her lunch gets cold. Friday night is special for her. Her daughter has a school show at seven. Hedy always says she will come.

She wants to help Gael. He is kind. He is a good friend to her. But she also wants to see the show. Her thumb waits over the screen.

Dilan comes in and sits down. She has a cup of water. "You are very quiet," she says. "Is something wrong?"

"Gael wants my Friday shift," Hedy says. "I do not know what to say."

"What do you want?" Dilan asks.

"I want to see my daughter's show."

"Then tell him that," Dilan says. "A short, clear no is kind."

"He will be sad," Hedy says.

"Maybe for a minute," Dilan says. "Then he will ask someone else. I have the night list. I can help him."

Hedy thinks about it. Her daughter has a paper star on the fridge. The star says, "Mom, please come." Hedy thinks of that star. Her first day back is long. She does not want a week full of yeses. She wants a Friday night with her daughter.

She picks up the phone. She types slowly. "Sorry, Gael. I cannot work on Friday. My daughter has a show. Please ask Dilan for the night list."

She reads the words two times. They are short and clear. Her hand is not shaking now. She presses send.

Dilan smiles and goes back to the desk. Hedy eats a little cold rice. The phone is quiet for one minute. Then it buzzes again.

"No problem!" Gael writes. "Have fun at the show. See you on Monday."

Hedy puts the phone in her pocket. Her shoulders feel light. She straightens her badge. Then she walks back to room six. The patient there needs water and a quiet voice.