Josie
The shrill sound of my alarm pulled me from the comfort of sleep, its relentless beeping reminding me it was Monday and the start of another week. I groaned, rubbing my eyes as I reached over to silence it.
It was barely six in the morning, and the faint light of dawn crept through my curtains. Stretching, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, willing myself to shake off the sluggishness.
After a quick shower, I tied my hair into a neat bun and headed to the kitchen. Breakfast was simple scrambled eggs and toast, paired with a cup of coffee strong enough to kickstart my brain. As I ate, I mentally went over the patients I needed to check on today. Josh's name, as usual, lingered at the forefront of my mind.
By the time I reached the hospital, the morning rush was already in full swing. Nurses were exchanging updates at the station, and the faint hum of medical equipment filled the air. I clocked in and grabbed my clipboard, ready to begin my rounds.
Josh's room was the third on my list. When I walked in, he was awake, staring out the window with a contemplative look on his face. The bandages on his arm were visible, but he looked better than he had the day before.
"Good morning," I greeted, stepping inside.
He turned toward me, a small smile playing on his lips. "Morning, Nurse Josie. Early shift today?"
I chuckled softly as I approached his bed. "Always. How are you feeling today?"
"Better," he said, leaning back against the pillows. "Though I think I'm starting to miss real food."
"Hospital food not cutting it for you?" I asked, grabbing his chart to check his vitals.
He made a face. "Let's just say it's not my favorite cuisine."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Well, I can't do much about that, but I can make sure you're healing properly. Let me check your vitals."
As I worked, we fell into an easy conversation. Josh told me about his siblings visiting over the weekend and how his twin sister had been fussing over him nonstop.
"She's relentless," he said with a grin. "Keeps telling me I should've been more careful, as if I don't already know that."
"Sounds like she cares about you," I said, jotting down his blood pressure reading.
"She does. All of them do. But sometimes, it's a little overwhelming."
I smiled, setting the clipboard aside. "That's family for you."
Josh studied me for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "What about you? Any siblings?"
I hesitated, caught off guard by the question. "Yeah, one younger brother, John. He's preparing for an exam right now, so I don't see him much these days."
"Must be nice to have someone to look out for," he said.
"It is," I admitted, stepping back to give him some space. "Alright, I'll be back later to check on your wounds. Have you had breakfast yet?"
"Not yet," he replied. "I guess I should call for it soon."
I nodded. "After you've eaten and taken your medications, I'll come back to dress your wounds."
"Looking forward to it," he said, his tone light but sincere.
As I left his room, I couldn't help but feel a strange warmth in my chest. Conversations with Josh were always… easy. Natural. It was a small thing, but in a job where most interactions felt rushed or routine, it stood out.
****************
By the time I returned to Josh's room to dress his wounds, he wasn't alone. A tall man with broad shoulders and an easy smile was sitting by the bed, talking animatedly with Josh.
They both turned toward me as I stepped inside.
"Am I interrupting?" I asked, my gaze shifting between them.
Josh smirked. "Not at all. Josie, meet my best friend, Daniel. We went to engineering school together, and now he works at my father's company."
Daniel stood and extended his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Nurse Josie. I've heard a lot about you."
I raised an eyebrow, shaking his hand. "Oh? I hope only good things."
"Of course," Daniel said with a grin. "Josh here's been singing your praises since he woke up this morning."
Josh groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Ignore him. He exaggerates."
I chuckled, setting my tray of supplies on the nearby table. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Daniel, but I'll need a little privacy to dress his wounds."
"Say no more," Daniel said, grabbing his jacket. "I'll step out and come back later." He gave Josh a teasing look. "Behave yourself, yeah?"
"Out," Josh said, pointing toward the door.
Daniel laughed and left, leaving the two of us alone.
I turned to Josh, arms crossed. "You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
He gave me an almost sheepish look. "I was waiting for the right moment."
"Josh," I said, exasperated. "You can't skip meals, especially not with your injuries. I'll wait while you eat."
He raised an eyebrow. "You're going to babysit me now?"
"If that's what it takes," I shot back, handing him the hospital menu.
He laughed, low and genuine, before placing his order. While we waited for the food to arrive, I busied myself organizing the supplies on the tray.
"So," he said after a moment, "you mentioned you have a younger brother. What's he like?"
"John?" I glanced at him. "He's… ambitious. Wants to go into law. He's always studying or asking me for advice about exams and how to ace his exams."
Josh nodded. "That's cool. You two must be close."
"We are," I said with a small smile. "What about you? What's it like having three siblings?"
"Loud," he replied, leaning back against the pillows. "And chaotic. But I wouldn't trade them for anything. My twin sister, Joanna, is the bossy one. She likes to think she's my second mom."
"She sounds like a handful," I said, laughing softly.
"You have no idea," he said, shaking his head.
His food arrived, breaking the flow of the conversation. I stepped aside as he ate, occasionally stealing glances at him. There was something disarming about Josh he had a way of making even mundane conversations feel engaging.
Once he finished and took his medications, I returned to the task at hand.
"Ready?" I asked, pulling on a pair of gloves.
"Do your worst," he teased, his lips twitching into a grin.
As I gently removed the old bandages, I noticed him watching me intently.
"Do I have something on my face?" I asked, not looking up.
"No," he said, his voice softer now. "I'm just… curious."
"About what?"
"You," he admitted. "You seem so calm and put-together all the time. Doesn't this job ever get to you?"
I paused, meeting his gaze. "It does. Some days are harder than others. But I try to focus on the good moments the patients who recover, the families who are grateful. That's what keeps me going."
He nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I can see why the other nurse said you're amazing at what you do."
Heat rose to my cheeks, but I kept my focus on rewrapping his wound. "You're just saying that because I'm the one holding the gauze."
Josh chuckled. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just stating the truth."
I finished securing the bandage and stepped back. "All done. Try not to mess it up this time, okay?"
"No promises," he said with a playful smirk.
I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide my smile as I packed up the used supplies. Josh was certainly a handful, but there was something about him that made the effort feel worth it.