Sarah walked into the hospital room, carrying a bouquet of flowers and a big smile. Emily's face lit up as she saw Sarah, and she quickly scrambled out of bed to give her a hug.
"Sarah! I'm so glad you're here!" Emily exclaimed, wrapping her arms tightly around Sarah's waist.
Sarah laughed, hugging Emily back. "I'm glad to be here, kiddo. How are you feeling today?"
Emily pulled back, looking up at Sarah with big, sad eyes. "I miss my mommy," she said, her voice trembling.
Sarah's heart went out to the little girl, and she knelt down to give her another hug. "I know, sweetie. It's okay to miss her. But I'm here for you now, and I'll take care of you until we can figure out what's next."
Emily nodded, sniffling, and Sarah handed her the bouquet of flowers. "I brought these for you. I thought they might cheer you up."
Emily's face lit up as she took the flowers, and she buried her face in their sweet scent. "They smell like my mommy's garden," she said, her voice filled with wonder.
Sarah smiled, feeling a pang of sadness. She knew that Emily's mother was gone, and that nothing could bring her back. But she also knew that she had to be strong for Emily, to help her through this difficult time.
As they sat down to talk, Sarah realized that she had a lot to learn about Emily's mother and their life together. She asked Emily questions, listening intently as the little girl told her about her favorite memories with her mother.
As they talked, Sarah felt a connection growing between them. She realized that she had been so focused on her own problems and worries that she had forgotten what it was like to connect with someone else.
As the visit came to an end, Sarah hugged Emily tightly. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?" she promised.
Emily nodded, smiling, and Sarah knew that she had found a new purpose in life. She was going to take care of Emily, and help her through this difficult time.
Sarah picked up her purse and walked out of the room.
"Hey, Sarah," a voice called out as she walked down the hallway.
Sarah turned to see a handsome young doctor smiling at her. "Hi," she said.
"I'm Dr. Thompson," the doctor said, holding out his hand. "I've been taking care of Emily. You're the one who's been visiting her, right?"
Sarah nodded, taking his hand in hers. "That's right. I'm Sarah."
Dr. Thompson's eyes locked onto hers, and Sarah felt a spark of attraction. "It's nice to meet you, Sarah," he said, his voice low and smooth.
Sarah smiled. She had a feeling that this was just the beginning of a beautiful connection.
Sarah couldn't help but notice the way Dr. Thompson's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. She felt a flutter in her chest as he held her hand, his touch sending shivers down her spine.
"It's nice to meet you, Sarah," Dr. Thompson repeated, his voice low and smooth. "I've heard a lot about you from Emily. She's really taken to you."
Sarah smiled, feeling a sense of pride. "I've really taken to her too," she said. "She's an amazing kid."
Dr. Thompson nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Yes, she is. And I think she's really lucky to have you in her life right now."
Sarah felt a blush rise to her cheeks as Dr. Thompson's words sent a warm glow through her body. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this way about someone.
As they stood there, the tension between them grew thicker, until Sarah felt like she could hardly breathe. She knew she had to break the spell, but she didn't want to.
Finally, Dr. Thompson spoke up, his voice breaking the silence. "I should probably get back to my rounds," he said. "But it was really great meeting you, Sarah."
Sarah nodded, feeling a pang of disappointment. "Yeah, it was great meeting you too," she said.
As Dr. Thompson turned to leave, Sarah felt like she had or was about to lose something. She didn't want him to go, didn't want the moment to end.
But then, just as he was about to disappear around the corner, Dr. Thompson turned back to her. "Hey, Sarah?" he said, his voice very low.
Sarah's heart skipped a beat as she turned to him, her eyes locking onto his. "Yeah?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dr. Thompson smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Would you like to grab a cup of coffee with me sometime? Maybe we could discuss Emily's case further?"
Sarah's heart soared as she nodded, feeling a sense of excitement. "I'd love to," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dr. Thompson grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Great," he said. "I'll pick you up at 7pm tomorrow night?"
Sarah nodded, feeling a sense of anticipation. She couldn't wait to see Dr. Thompson again, to feel the spark of attraction that had flared between them.
Dr. Thompson turned and walked away. She knew that this was just the beginning of something special, something that could change her life forever.