Me and Galina (2nd Edition)

IV

The morning was much cloudy than yesterday. Today’s weather—this common rainy season—has made everyone grown to the wrong news from the forecast. Galina looked down through the window, seeing people opening their umbrellas. She sipped her cup of raspberry tea and placed it on her desk.

Thea made Galina rent her own Toyota car for £20 per month if she passed her license test. The rain poured, making crystal droplets on the glass frame.

Beside her tea was beside her journal. She’s not been keen on writing since her high school days. But when Galina entered medicine for a nursing degree, the topics forced her to write everything she’d studied.

The notebook’s cover page was rimmed with faded-brown edges. Eyes caught her phone on the bed as she swung around. Her mind was flooded with thoughts about Nikolas. Galina’s curiosity made her think more: to dive into his backstage story.

Was he doing it for fun? Or what are his intentions towards her?

Galina walked towards her bed and grabbed her phone. She checked the messaging box to see what’s inside. Galina expected that he’s sending one, but they’re none. No messages from him. She sighed, shoving the phone into her bag. Her hand grabbed the cup and the notebook from the desk and went out of her room.

The blonde flipped the pancake on the pan. Thea smiled as her friend walked downstairs. Her footsteps can be heard in the kitchen. “Good morning, Gal.” she licked her lower lip. Thea cheerfully looked at her. Her aura boosts Galina’s strength. “Well, let’s be thankful for the weather today. Sweetie!”

Galina smiled. She realized that Thea’s kitchen shelf was full of pancake boxes. “Aren’t you tired of eating these pancakes?” Thea glanced at the shelf and chuckled. “This is my diet since I was nine.” She set the ladle on its handle hanger and wiped her hands on her apron. “It’s only mornings, Gal.”

“So you’re a pancake addict?” Galina raised her eyebrow and smirked. Thea chuckled and shook her head.

“Yeah. So what’s going on? Last night, I saw you smiling dreamily.” She pictured out Galina’s face while walking upstairs. Galina widened her eyes. She uneasily swallowed. “Uh, I met Nikolas.”

“Nikolas! How?” Thea gave her a questioning look.

“He’s the one who dropped me off last Monday. And we just met at the café yesterday.”

“Did he ask for your number? Did he flirt with you? Or was he rude?” Thea babbled, placing her hands on the dining table, and leaned forward. Eager to hear her answer. Galina shook her head. “No, he’s different.” Thea’s jaw dropped. To her surprise, she cannot figure Nikolas acting nice to her. “He stammered, Thea.”

“That’s unusual. He couldn’t do that to other women.” Thea crossed her arms over her chest, thinking. “He’s rude, acting like a typical bad boy.” She sighed. “Was he acting or pretending like that?” her unbelief still reigns in Thea’s mind.

“You can sense it in his eyes.” Galina clutched the bag handle. “Like his freaky gestures… eye contacts?” she shrugged. Thea turned off the stove and shoved the frying pan into the sink. “We can investigate if he’s using me or what?”

“What are you working, nurse or PI? As in Private Investigator?” Thea laughed. Galina rolled her eyes. “It’s just to know him, Thea.” She strode towards the living room and sat on the couch. “Call me a stalker or I’ll choke you hard.

Thea bursts out laughing, crossing her stomach to catch her breath.

Galina narrowed her eyebrows and glared at Thea. Thea breathe and raised her hands. “Okay, don’t choke me. We will investigate.” Galina beamed and stood up, bounces off towards the door. “Bye, I’ll be late. Love you!” When the door slammed close, Thea leaned on the wall and thought with scrunched eyebrows. She’s doing weird lately…

Galina stacked her belongings into the green-painted locker for orthopedic nurses and practitioners. She’s alone in the locker room. Nurses from different fields scattered, working on their own. Her eyes glimpse a man in a white nursing uniform. Coffee brown was the color of his hair, with green sharp eyes, but he had a thin body figure. Galina whipped her head, looking at him as he stood beside her. She smelled the fragrance of his cologne and closed the locker. “Good morning.” She greeted, waiting for his reply.

“Aye! Good morning, beautiful!” He winked, but Galina turned to the other side, taking the bag from the chair. She was about to puke at his flirtatious aura. Then she turned around, giving him a fake smile. “What’s your name, miss?”

“Galina. Eh, what’s yours?”

“Tanner.” He replied. This nurse placed the name badge on his chest. He created a small fist and pounded it on his chest. Pride… duh! “So, you’re going to work this evening?”

“Can you just see her uniform, Tanner?” a female voice sarcastically joined in. An African-descent nurse in a pink uniform rolled her eyes. She’s leaning on the door’s mullion and crossed her arms on her chest. “She’s working and you’re making a trap, brat!”

“I’m not a kid anymore, Rhianna.” Tanner shook his head and walked to her. “This is Galina,” He pointed at Galina while looking at Rhianna. She sighed, pushing him away, and strode towards Galina. “Hey!” Tanner exclaimed, raising his hands in the air.

“I’m Rhianna or call me Rya.” She nudged her, smiling from her scornful look. Tanner shook his head and walked out of the room. Rya pulled Galina’s arm and lead her to the bench. She motions Galina to sit down and followed her pattern. “Was this kid flirting with you?”

Galina chuckled. “Actually, I can say yes… he called me beautiful.” Rya facepalmed and shook her head. She turned to look at Galina and raised her eyebrows. “He said it a billion times to other women.” She emphasizing the words in her accent. “Well… let him suffer.”

“From what?”

“He’s suffering from Acute Flirtation Disorder,” Rya replied with no emotions on her face. “It causes him to flirt with no idea, wooing stupidly with other nurses and flatters. Tanner the Panty-dropper.”

“So what’s the antidote for that?” Galina leaned on the bench. Rya chuckled with a mocking sound, shaking her head while looking at the marbled floor. “Tanner… will have an operation at the Operating Room.” She joked, riding on Galina’s dumb question.

“He’s not tanned. Was he?” Galina shrugged. She finds Tanner’s skin tone much lighter than the definition of his name. At her question, Rya laughed hard. “In Medical definition, he’s still in puberty but at twenty-eight.”

“Anyway, what’s your nursing specialty?” Galina tucked the strands of hair behind her ear. “I mean I’m a new nurse here.”

“Pediatric Nurse.” Rya smiled and glanced at the wall clock. “Well, it’s time for the shift, Galina.” She stood up and pressed her lower lip. “Let’s have a chit-chat after the shift.” She nodded, waving her goodbye when they both standing in the doorway. Galina went to the Orthopedic Area to know who her patients were. As she stepped inside the room, Dr. Catherine caught her gaze and smiled at her. “Your list of patients you’re going to look after. They might be two.” She handled the padded folder.

Galina took it and read the written names. Her eyes grew wide in shock. “Are you serious?” She gazed at Catherine, covering half of her face with the folder. Catherine twisted her lips into a smirk. “Yes, Ms. Ponce. She’s on the 4th floor of room 7.” She swallowed. “Yet you must first go to Zoe at room 4.”

“Okay, Doc.” Galina walked out of the room. Her mind was still buzzing about what she’d read a while ago. The name was purely elegant, seems noble to hear, and everyone actually knew about this patient. Her eyes quickly scanned the number of signs on the doorposts.

Room Number 4

The doorpost was posted with child’s scribbles of dinosaurs, princesses, and houses. Galina clutched the doorknob and twisted it to open. As the door swung open, she gasped to see Rya assisting a little girl suffering cerebral palsy in her wheelchair. “Rya, good that you’re here!”

“Yeah, it’s perfect timing to have you here!” Rya placed a stuffed bear toy beside the patient and smiled. “Zoe, this is Galina,” she introduced Galina to the girl. “She’s your orthopedic nurse.”

Galina waved her hand. “Hello, Zoe.” The little girl waved her hand shyly. Galina noticed her features were more Indian and more like ten years old. She had round yet beautiful eyes with dark skin tone and black curly hair. Rya folded her arms on her chest while smiling. “So Galina, we’re talking about Tanner.”

“Tanner? That nurse with the height of an enormous closet?” Zoe asked, cuddling her teddy.

“Yes, sweetie.” Galina kneeled beside her and looked up at Rya. Rya sighed and rubbed her forehead. “The second patient you’re going to look after is his aunt.”

“Aunt? His AUNT!!” the girls exclaimed in unison. Galina and Zoe exchanged glances. Rya took a wrapped bubble gum from her pocket and opened it up. “Tanner cannot take care of his sick aunt. He’s an OR nurse. Well… he only sticks inside the Operating Room.”

“That’s not fair! His aunt was incredibly famous!” Zoe pouted, with a frown on her face. Galina’s gaze was deep on Rya, well-matched with a sigh.

“As my grandma said, people who aren’t your relatives are more helpful than those who are part of your blood.” Galina cupped Zoe’s cheek with her hand. Zoe twitched her dainty lips as she giggled. She wrapped her arm around her golden brown teddy.

“Right! We should protect ourselves from that bastard!” Rya raised her fist in the air as she declared. Galina closed her eyes and laughed. “Galina… he only wants his aunt’s title for nothing.”

From laughing, Galina choked when she heard Rya saying these words. “What!” her eyes widened in shock. Rya walked over to the empty bed and sat on the mattress. Zoe spoke. “Everyone was expecting Tanner to inherit his dead uncle’s title this year.”

“Does she have a son to inherit her or her husband’s title?” Galina bit her lip. She doesn’t have any clue about this news update. Rya crossed her legs, thinking about what to say about Tanner’s aunt. “I heard some stinky rumor ‘bout this lost boy.” She shrugged. “If that’s true. Even highly trained investigators couldn’t find him. Last month, he’s declared as dead.”

“What if he’s not dead?” Zoe said, while both Galina and Rya carried her from the wheelchair to the bed. “There you go with teddy.” Galina pulled the sheets to the girl’s chest. Zoe giggled and snuggled with teddy. Rya folded the wheelchair and set it beside the desk.

“By the way, everything I said was rumored.” Rya held her waist. “Galina, you can ask for the specific details when you go to your second patient.”

“I’m going to. But I feel like a suspicious paparazzo” Galina chortled, a burst of soft party laughter escaped from her lips. Rya shook her head and turned her heels from the worktable. “Maybe I’ll teach you to ask her in the wisest manner.”

After all, Galina didn’t know what was happening around her. a normal syndrome for first-timers.