Love In Despair

There are many different moods in a hospital, and most people visit their loved ones with a mix of joy and fear. Fear is not generally expressed. It was just some hours after the end of visiting time, and people who came to visit their loved ones had all left one after the other. Emma Collins’ experiences at St. Mary’s Hospital every Thursday have been heartbreaking; despite her preparations since she resumed her shift, today seemed to want to be the first without a record of accidents. Emma Collins was already used to the chaos and atmosphere of the emergency room at St. Mary Hospital, New York City. Despite the daily routine of groans from pained patients, blaring sirens, and the and the frantic rush of nurses and doctors, she thrived amidst it all. Her calm demeanor was a beacon of hope for those in need. It was a few minutes away from midnight. While she was still discussing with her colleagues how she was about to experience her first Thursday without a record of accidents or tragic events, the ambulance doors burst open, and the paramedics wheeled in a man on a stretcher. His face was covered with bruises and blood; he was unconscious. Nurse Jenna, Emma's colleague, rushed to gather information concerning the man; after gathering the information, she reported it to Emma. “Car accident on Fifth Avenue, high speed collision; he is really in a bad shape, Emma.” After receiving the information, her mind began racing through the necessary steps to take. “Let's get him into Emergency Room 3. Notify Dr. Williams. We need to stabilize him.” While the man was being moved to the emergency room, Emma used the opportunity to take a closer look at him. Despite the fact that he was stained and soaked in his blood and also had some swelling, she could see how handsome he was, with his chiseled features and dark hair. He was wearing a handmade deep blue suit, which was already torn and soaked in blood. There was not enough time for Emma to question his identity and the event that led to his arrival at the hospital in such a condition. Immediately after the wheeled the man to the emergency room, Emma and her colleagues, under the supervision of Dr. Williams, operated with well-honed efficiency. His vitals were taken, IV lines were placed, he was cleaned up, and scans were requested. Emma was focused, composed, and unflappable. However, while she was cleaning a deep cut on his forehead, the man's eyes suddenly fluttered open. “Where...where am I?” He groaned, his voice weak and raspy. “You're in St. Mary Hospital,” Nurse Emma replied with a gentle and calm voice. “You were in a car accident. You are safe now. Can you tell me your name?” “Lucas...cas Reid,” he muttered before returning to unconsciousness. Emma's heart skipped a beat. Lucas Reid. The name sounded so familiar to her, but she couldn't catch the origin. She quickly shaken off her curiosity and continued her work, this time with much more determination to ensure his survival. After a few hours, Lucas was stabilized and transferred to the intensive care unit. This brought an end to Emma's shift. Despite that, she didn't feel at ease leaving until she gave him one last check. Though she already convinced herself that it was only a work-related concern, she secretly sensed that there was something fascinating about him. She left the hospital with the staff bus, and throughout her journey, she found herself thinking about Lucas. The next morning, Emma resumed work, still unable to shake off the thoughts of Lucas. She found herself peeking into his room to see if he had woken up. To her surprise, he was well and awake, speaking with Dr. Williams. “Ah, Nurse Emma Collins,” Dr. Williams spotted and greeted her. “Mr. Reid here has been asking about you,” he added. Emma walked into the room with a slight blush. “How are you feeling, Mr. Reid?” She asked, arriving in front of him. “Like I've been hit by a truck,” Lucas Reid replied with a weak smile. “But Dr. Williams here told me I owe my life to you and your team. Thank you, Nurse Collinss," he added. “I was just doing my job; I am glad you are feeling better,” Emma replied. She couldn't deny the warmth that ran through her body at his words. Dr. Williams, with a smile of pride at Emma's work, excused himself, leaving Emma Collins and Lucas Reid alone. After his departure, there was an awkward silence, only broken in intervals by the beeping of the monitors. Finally, Lucas spoke. “So, Emma, forgive me. Can I call you Emma?” he asked. “Of course,” she replied with a slight curiosity about where this was going. “I just wanted to say…hmm….I'm not usually this helpless,” he said, giving a hint of vulnerability through his voice. “I am a lawyer, and I am used to being in control. This... this is all very new to me.” Emma smiled softly. “It is very good to see you are on the recovery road. And if it is any consolation, you are a pretty good patient.” Lucas chuckled, then winced at the pain it caused. “I will take that as a compliment. But I am sincerely grateful. Thank you, Emma. I would love to repay you somehow once I'm out of here.” “That won't be necessary, sir; all you need right now is to focus on getting better.” Emma replied quickly. Lucas didn't look like he was buying her reply. “No, I insist. Maybe lunch or dinner, once I'm back on my feet?” Emma thought about it for a moment. Aside from work ethics, personally, she has been cautious about combining her personal and professional lives, but something about Lucas was pushing her to take a risk. “We will see,” she said with a small smile. As she left the room, Emma could not help but feel that this was the beginning of something new. She had no idea how dramatically her life would change.