Not His Dream Girl

A Usual Monday

"Mrs.Reynolds needs to cut down on her salt. She has been getting high blood pressure every checkup." I said as I looked at the chart. Doctor L.Raganathan had handed it to me when we started consulting about our patients. One of the things we did daily thought we went into a little more detail today as it was a Monday. "Hector and I will need to have a chat. Sugar in the food is crazy high too. I don't know why he insists on serving dessert every day."

"We've had a lot of birthdays lately. You're the one who bought the cake for your dead boyfriend's birthday last week." He berated me but grabbed my hand. I swatted him away. "Still on your period?"

"Yes," I said, keeping my eyes on my patients' reports and doing my best to look extra busy.

"Come on, don't be like that. We had fun a few weeks ago." He smiled, and his shiny white teeth were visible through my peripheral vision. I could see him running a hand through his hand, and I knew, without even looking, a bang hit his left eye as it fell back onto his forehead because it always did. I was getting too attached.

"And I told you it was the last time, Lucky," I said,

"You said that the time before, but you still hit me up at 12 at night. Getting kind of offended that I am just a booty call." Lucky faked anger.

"Mr.Charlie needs more fiber in his diet. He's been complaining about constipation for the last two weeks." I changed the topic.

"Real romantic. And I've also told Jenny and Kim to add stool softener to his medications."

"Great, thanks. Still going to talk to Hector about giving Charlie a side of veggies with at least one of his meals." I said, collecting all my patients' reports and getting ready to leave Lucky's office.

"Are you going to see him?" He said, looking at his watch. "Dumb question. It's lunchtime. Of course, you are."

I rolled my eyes at him as I made my way to the second floor of our care home and made it to room 217. I walked through familiar hallways filled with nurses and our patients, each saying hello to me as I made my way to my everyday lunch date–not date.

As soon as I opened the door to room 217, I saw Nick–well, not really Nick–hooked up to several machines that beep and buzzed. Nick lay unmoving on his bed as he had a tube breath for him.

"Hi, Nicky! Before you ask, I am eating healthy today. Starting the week out right since I finished a whole bottle of wine all by myself this weekend–don't judge me, it was the only weekend this month I wasn't on call–so I ordered a salad today instead of a sandwich from Hector." I said, pulling the chair on the corner closest to the bed. "Lucky was being creepy again today, but I think it's working; he is getting to me. I'll spare you the details, though."

The machine next to me beeped three times.

"Oh, Mrs.Reynolds waited three days for her ungrateful asshole son to show up. He kept calling and telling her tomorrow I'll come. Then today, he yelled at her. What a dick."

The machine gave another three beeps. I shook the clear plastic container Hector left for me at the stand next to the bed and stabbed a few leafy greens with my plastic fork, shoving the contents that stuck into my mouth. I chewed and swallowed the bland leaves. "Yuck, I am getting a grease ball sandwich with four cheese slices tomorrow. Something you would never have."

Nick's pale white face, now covered in a light five o'clock shade of his dark blonde hair, gave no indication he heard me, but I continued. "Maybe after you wake up, you'll crave shitty food too." I hopefully whispered.

Three more beeps.

I finished my lunch updating Nick on my clients that I serve as a dietitian at our care house, Cider Park. Nick had been housed in the same place since his motorcycle accident almost 2 years ago.