Challenges
1325 Words
Nicholas’s destination was a large, barren house surrounded by forest statues and trees.
Located at 1234 Walnut Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93305, the house had been his mother’s home for the past two months.
Her salary increase from her new job as a caregiver at a nursing home allowed them to rent a nicer house compared to their previous small, dilapidated apartment.
Nicholas regretted spending more money on Paula, who had betrayed him, than on his mother, who deserved it more.
He took a deep breath and sat silently in the car, watching Giselle water the yard.
“I’m sorry, Mom!” he whispered.
If only he could turn back time, he wished he’d saved his money and rented his mother a decent house long ago.
Indescribable pain and deep disappointment surged in his heart.
He bowed his head and shed tears.
His feelings were in turmoil, and his anger over Paula’s betrayal resurfaced. Yet, he couldn’t do anything about it now.
His reverie lasted until he noticed Giselle standing beside the car door, knocking on the window.
“Nich! Honey!” Giselle shouted, smiling broadly.
Her face glowed in the midday sun.
Even in her later years, Giselle remained lovely, and her elegant appearance couldn’t hide her Hamilton family heritage.
Nicholas smiled and got out of the car.
“I thought you were still at the hospital, dear!” Giselle said, hugging her son.
“Ah, Mom, I was detained!” Nicholas replied.
Thinking he was serious, Giselle stared intently at him, gently stroking his face.
“Did something happen?” Her trembling voice betrayed her concern.
Tears welled in her eyes as she gazed at him until he finally hugged her tightly and chuckled.
“I had so many patients, Mom! Really! I felt like I was in jail because they kept calling me!” Nicholas said, breaking the tension.
Suddenly, Giselle slapped her son’s back hard and scolded him.
“Oh my goodness! You made my heart stop beating just now!” she shouted angrily.
Her face quickly softened, and the wrinkles on her forehead faded, though she continued scolding Nicholas as she walked inside.
“Hurry in! I’ll cook your favorite meal!” Giselle shouted.
A moment later, she was busy in the kitchen, chatting with Nicholas, who’d lost weight in just one month. While Giselle was busy, Nicholas chose to rest in his room.
He wanted to use his remaining rest before returning to the hospital tomorrow.
Night fell, and Nicholas awoke to find Giselle sewing in the living room.
“Are you awake?” Giselle asked.
“Why didn’t you wake me, Mom?” Nicholas asked.
He slipped into his mother’s arms like a child and lay on her lap.
“You were sleeping so soundly I couldn’t bear to wake you. Besides, the food can be reheated.”
Giselle stroked her son’s head and then returned to the kitchen to warm dinner.
The two then sat at the dining table and enjoyed Giselle’s cooking, which Nicholas had missed.
“Why isn’t Paula here?” Giselle suddenly asked.
The short question instantly killed Nicholas’s appetite.
“I tried calling her earlier, but she didn’t answer,” Giselle added.
Nicholas cleared his throat and forced a smile.
“She’s busy at the hospital working on her thesis, Mom,” he answered briefly.
Giselle, seemingly sharp-eyed, put down her fork and looked intently at her son.
Her gaze was gentle yet made him uncomfortable, as if she were dissecting him silently.
“You two aren’t having problems, are you?”
As usual, Giselle’s guess was spot on.
But Nicholas evaded the question. He wasn’t ready to discuss it.
“Nothing. We’re just busy with our own things,” he replied. “It’s best if you don’t bother her for now.”
Giselle didn’t argue but didn’t dismiss her unease about their relationship.
“You’re almost married, Nicholas,” Giselle said. “Talk everything through calmly and try to understand her difficulties. Don’t make her feel alone with you.”
Nicholas’s heart felt tightly squeezed, and a bitter smile appeared.
His mother’s words showed such respect for Paula’s feelings, starkly contrasting Paula’s own attitude. Nicholas’s hands clenched tightly unconsciously.
“If you’re not busy, come choose a wedding dress! Okay?” Giselle said.
Nicholas nodded faintly.
He lowered his head and continued eating his bland dinner, mixed with heart’s bitterness.
He struggled to hold back threatening tears. Nicholas clenched his lips tightly and took several deep breaths.
“Let me wash the dishes, Mom!” Nicholas said, changing the subject.
It worked because Giselle immediately protested, refusing his help. Their conversation shifted to a playful sink struggle filled with laughter.
That night, Nicholas invited Giselle to marathon their favorite series until dawn.
**
Unfortunately, their fun ended the next day.
Nicholas rushed to the hospital after dropping Giselle at work.
Giselle’s lunchbox was a precious token of love to start Nicholas’s daily battle.
Nicholas was reassigned to the ward as the on-call doctor after August took indefinite leave.
Honestly, Nicholas had grown to enjoy the emergency department chaos and now missed it. He only passed through after greeting Timothy.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t fully relax yet.
Upon arriving at the ward, Dr. Robert asked him to handle a female patient known for being talkative and difficult.
“Why won’t any doctor take responsibility for her?” Nicholas asked.
“Uh... sorry, Doctor,” a nurse replied. “The patient acts strangely, making many doctors uncomfortable.”
Nicholas furrowed his brow, curious about the behavior overwhelming his seniors.
While reviewing patient health reports, including Magdalena’s, Nicholas tried scheduling time to visit her.
After seeing other patients, he planned to visit her room last.
He decided this, unsure how long she’d take. He also needed to control his emotions for the day’s many patients.
“Mrs. Magdalena. Age 55. Complaints: asthma, persistent cough, and allergies.”
The nurse accompanying Nicholas on rounds explained.
“This morning, she received nebulizer treatment and remains on oxygen. Her oxygen saturation is rising, and blood pressure is stable.”
“What is she allergic to?” Nicholas asked.
“Sweet foods?” The nurse seemed unsure.
Nicholas stopped walking.
“Sorry, Doctor. The issue is the patient refuses allergy testing. We haven’t pinpointed the exact trigger, but her cough occasionally worsens after hospital meals.”
Understanding, Nicholas nodded.
“Give me a list of foods she’s been given, then connect me with her nutritionist!” Nicholas ordered.
“Yes, Doctor.”
Nicholas decided to enter Magdalena’s room alone.
He knocked politely and entered slowly. Magdalena jumped up and straightened her back.
“No need to sit, ma’am,” Nicholas said. “Please lie back down.”
But Magdalena remained silent. She glared at Nicholas as if wanting to devour him alive.
Nicholas wasn’t intimidated.
He approached and placed the stethoscope on her chest to check her breathing.
“Aren’t you afraid of me?” Magdalena asked, her expression odd.
Nicholas met her gaze and tried to smile. But Magdalena’s hand moved quickly, touching a sensitive spot on his chest, causing him to flinch.
“Madam! Please control yourself!” Nicholas pleaded.
Unfortunately, Magdalena wouldn’t listen. She kept touching him until he, unconsciously, stepped back and left the room, sweating profusely.
His breath was labored, and his heart raced.
Nurses who noticed his behavior stared and whispered.
“Damn!” Nicholas cursed silently.
He patted his chest repeatedly and shook his head, trying to erase Magdalena’s terrifying image.
He closed his eyes.
After calming down, he resolved to face her as her doctor, no matter what.
He couldn’t lose.
Once more, he took a deep breath, controlling his thoughts and emotions, before reopening Magdalena’s door.
“Ma’am, it seems you need special attention,” he said with a broad smile.
Magdalena gave him another strange look. But Nicholas was no longer afraid.
“I will give you that attention!”
***
- Writer
