The King Of Cups
It's been about two weeks since I went to see Ms. Bea and I'm still reeling from all the information. Now that I had touched the cards even inadvertently (thanks villain) I had to play. I have never been one to be superstitious but with everything else going wrong how could things get any worse. I really didn't want to see what would happen if I did not play. The first card that fell was The Fool. Ms. Bea said that things are gonna take a turn in my life, a time for new beginnings . We shall see. Then there was the High Priestess. I'm assuming that would have been my meeting with Ms. Bea. She had also given me a cheat sheet so that I would know what the cards meant. 34 more days left.
The last two weeks were pretty uneventful. I would flip a card and I would write down the day and the card and the meaning. I got a card about a celebration, the three of cups it was and I got invited to a birthday party. Nothing too exciting. I also was taking time to look inward. To see how I could better myself, and change my mindset. I've had so many disappointments in my life I just came to accept them. Not realizing that I've been in a completely negative headspace. I think this is why I haven't been successful in many areas of my life. When you think negative you create negative. So I've really been trying to turn that around. I started working out and I even found someone to talk to. Not the therapist that Meka wanted me to see, but surprisingly enough Ms. Beais quite a good listener. She is a very spiritual person and easy to talk to. She is also helping me to meditate. I think about the next 20 days left. So much can happen. So much can go right. So much can go wrong too. Am I really about to keep doing this? You know what? "Fuck it!" I say out loud. What do I have to lose? I shuffle the deck once again and place them face down on my dining room table. Taking a deep breath I turn over thefirst card. The King of cups. You have to be shitting me. I don't even have to refer to the sheet. He is here. This has to be the card for him whoever he is. I guess the universe said time waits for no one and neither does Prince Charming. Ms. Bea said that I would meet him when I was ready. I am so not ready.
I decide to approach the day just like any other day. I take Villain for a walk, work out, eat and shower. Take time to meditate. Run some errands and then head back home. I try not to think about the card I pulled. I tell myself I'll know who he is. So every guy I run into I don't think he's the one. I decide to take a nap before work. Plopping down on the couch I doze off quicker than I thought. I feel myself being held in a deep embrace. It feels warm and inviting. I also smell the faint scent of mahogany and teakwood. I have an intense feeling of being safe and secure. Any anxieties I had began to fade away as I dozed off into a deeper sleep.
My alarm blaring wakes me up just in time to get ready for work. Usually when I wake up I don't even feel refreshed. This time I feel like I can conquer the world or complete my 12 hour shift without hiding in the bathroom at least. The drive into work wasn't that bad either. Meka texts me she's headed in herself. At least if the shift is bad we can struggle through it together.
At work and I'm halfway through my shift and I'm not even thinking about hiding in the bathroom. And it's not because I'm a bad nurse or I think I can't handle my patients. I had a really hard time getting over Stephen. Some days it gets really overwhelming. These past two weeks I haven't even thought about him much though.
Our nursing supervisor usually rounds at the same time every night. 1 am. Tonight she was on the floor early. I'm in the med room doing our narcotic count with Sharon when Meka bursts in the med room. Ladies y'all need to come to the nurses station ASAP! Sharon and I look at each other and say it must be food! With a laugh and head out. Miss.Sloane, our night shift supervisor is at the desk in all her splendor. She definitely did not update with the times. She still wears tights and knee length skirts. She still wears her cap! She takes old school to a whole other level but, she is probably the only person I'd let touch me in this place besides Sharon or Meka.
Everyone I want you to meet our new night shift resident Dr. Andrew Torrez. Dr. Torrez slowly walks up to the desk from behind Miss Sloane. I am still chit chatting with Sharon when Meka taps my hand. "Turn around bitch!" she whispers. I turn around like "what's the big"... As I turn around I meet eyes with the most handsome man I have ever seen. How can I even describe him? He was about 5 feet 10-6 feet. He wore scrubs under his white coat you could tell he was not overly muscular but he was in good shape. He had the most beautiful smooth almond complexion crowned by dark curly hair that was neatly tapered. His beard was full and dark and he had the light hint of freckles across his face. Just like me. Hazel eyes. His lips were so full..I touched mine. I exhaled. Could he be? No way! But I feel so....I can't explain it...
The sound of Miss Sloane's shrill voice brings me back to reality. "Dr. Torrez is new here from our Detroit Network of hospitals." "He is finishing his residency here. Let's be nice ok?" "His pager is 5640." Dr. Torrez says hello and nice to meet us. A few of the nurses clamor over to him and begin the whole eye batting 21 question game. I look away. I walk off to find a computer to check for new orders. I look back and Dr. Torrez is staring at me. He quickly looks away. I turn back around and smile. I wonder if he felt the same thing?
There's about 3 hours left in our shift and Meka has been busy all night. She finally has a chance to take a quick break. She slides into the chair next to me. "Girl!" Meka yells. "What do you think about Dr. Fine?" "I thought his name was Dr. Torrez?" "Oh Zoe!" Meka laughs. I laugh too when I realize what she said. "I think he is very handsome. I hope he is as nice as he is attractive." "Well you're about to find out I had to page him about 114 . I need an order for pain management so he is coming back to assess him first." " Why do I need to find out?" I shrug. "Because I saw the way you were looking at him and I definitely saw the way he was looking at you. I was waiting on y'all to go all 50 shades freed at the nurses station!" she laughs. "Hush!" I laugh. "Nah he is very attractive but there's no way he is interested in me." "There you go always down playing you self! You're gorgeous! Girl here he comes!" We face the computer and stare intently.
"Hey someone paged me about the patient in 114?" His voice is even sexy. Deep and strong. I keep staring at this damn computer, but I feel his eyes on me. Meka perks up "Umm I paged you Dr." "Oh you can call me Drew. My Dad is Dr. Torrez and that makes me feel old and stuffy." They both laugh. She takes him to the room and then he comes back to desk and types in the order. Meka thanks him. He walks by me and I smell the faint scent of mahogany and teakwood and some sort of musk. The same scent I smell in these dreams I've been having! Drew stops, turns back around and says I'm sorry I met everyone else on the floor, may I have the pleasure of meeting you? Zoe I say. "My name is Zoe Miller." "Nice to meet you Zoe. Do you need anything?" "No my group is ok." "Alright I'm headed back down to the bunker." The bunker is just the nickname for the room where the residents stay. He walks off the floor. Meka stares at me bewildered. "Girl it's something with y'all!" "What do you mean?" "I can't put my finger on it but staring at y'all is getting me all hot and bothered." She starts fanning herself. Meka can be so dramatic. But she's also right. I can't explain it either but I definitely feel drawn to him. I wonder if he feels it too?
I try to finish the rest of my shift but I can't stop thinking about Dr. Torrez. I definitely need to call Ms. Bea when I wake up.
Meka and I are casually walking down to the employee exit, when we reach the door who should be standing there but Dr. Torrez. He was talking with one of the physical therapists from another unit. Meka and I slid past both the gentlemen to go out of the door. Andrew reaches for the door to hold it open for us, I say thank you. Andrew excuses himself from the conversation and quickly catches up to us. "Thank you ladies for being so pleasant. my first night here wasn't so bad." Meeks belts out oh your welcome Dr. as he wedges himself between us, he asks if we know of any good coffee shops nearby. "Oh there's a great one by Zoe's house." "I'm sure she would love to show you. I gotta run!" If looks could kill my bff would definitely be in the second floor morgue right now! Andrew turns to me and says only if it's ok with Ms. Miller. I pause for a second…"yes."
Andrew follows me out of the parking garage to Mike's Cafe. It's about 15 minutes from my house and as usual it's bustling with people, particularly medical students from the university and employees from our hospital. I get out to walk him in and give him a few suggestions of the menu.
"Well I'll see you around" as I turn to go he walks in front of me "Whoa, wait! I thought maybe we could have a cup together?" "I don't know anyone here and maybe you can give me the scoop on this town? Will you sit with me?" Why is this man so adorable? Why can't I tell him no? "Sure" I say reluctantly. We grab a seat in my favorite section, a table by a row of bookcases. Having a cup of coffee turned into a two and a half hour conversation. That two and a half hour conversation turned into me agreeing to go on a date when I had some free time. We said goodbye and as I walked to my car I knew that he was the one. So now what?