Chapter 6 HE KEEPS FOLLOWING ME

Four months later...

A soft but surprising tap on Sally's shoulder snapped her out of her daydream. It felt like that touch was a bridge between her thoughts and reality. She turned quickly, a bit startled, and met the gaze of a young woman who seemed just as young as her. This woman had a captivating beauty and moved so gracefully, like a dancer in tune with life's melody. She took a seat beside Sally with a smooth, calming manner, creating a peaceful scene in the busy café.

Curiosity twinkled in those beautiful violet eyes of hers, and a spark of inquiry ignited the air between them. Her voice, a melody of silken notes, caressed the atmosphere as she leaned in.

Her curiosity reached out like friendly fingers, connecting us like pieces of a puzzle. "What thoughts are wandering around in your mind?" she asked with a friendly smile.

Mesmerized by the stranger's charm, Sally felt like she had woken up from her daydream, just like when you wake up in the morning. She gave a little cough and then swirled her spoon around in her coffee cup, like a special dance she always did before taking a sip. "I heard people talking about something," she started, sounding both friendly and a bit nervous. "They said we might be going to a faraway countryside hospital soon. It's like a mission we can't ignore, asking us-the nurses and doctors-to use our skills to help people who are sick and need care."

At that moment, Sally's story turned into a bridge that connected things she imagined with things that were real. Her words created a gentle pathway where understanding and being kind went back and forth, Sounding all poetic and deep, she said, "Our mission is like a beautiful song of kindness," She went on, with her fingers pretending to follow a thread you can't see, like sewing a secret connection between her heart and the people she hasn't met yet. Working under pressure is one of a caregiver's trademarks.

"We'll help and be there for people who're going through hard times, it's our duty and there's no shying away from it anyway. We can only do our best, though", Sally said.

Yet, even amidst the noble purpose, Sally's expression betrayed a shade of uncertainty that wove its way through her words. A sigh, as gentle as a whispered secret, escaped her lips, carrying with it the weight of her apprehension. "And yet, the unknown terrain of this venture unsettles my heart. The prospect of venturing beyond the cocoon of familiarity, of traversing unfamiliar roads both literal and metaphorical... it stirs a flutter of unease within."

She took another sip of her coffee, the sweetness a juxtaposition to the complexities her thoughts wove. The porcelain was cool against her lips, a sensory anchor amidst the torrent of emotions. In that quiet moment, the café became a sanctuary of shared narratives, of stories interweaving like threads in a tapestry, and Sally felt her connection with the beautiful stranger grow stronger.

Sally giggled out loud when she scolded, "No potty mouth at work, Dr. Val" Dora stuck her tongue out to tease Sally then they both laughed out loud echoing the cafeteria in the hospital staff room.

A week later, in the countryside hospital...

"Everyone, please form a line!" Brent yelled as he directed people to the table where a nurse was sitting there giving out the numbers to the patients. Sally ran to check up on one of the old women who suddenly passed out while waiting in line. Her heart beat fast as she heard the young boy start to cry while holding onto his grandma.

Sally kneeled down onto the floor to check up on the elderly woman before she realized that her fever was so high. She looked up at the young boy and consoled him, saying, "Your grandma will be okay. Stop crying, okay? Auntie will go get the doctor and be back real quick." The young boy nodded as Sally raised her hand to wipe his tear away. She flashed him a smile and said, "Good boy,"

She got up on her feet and turned around to run to Doctor Brown. Breathlessly, she stopped in front of him and said, "Doctor Brown, the old woman over there is having a really high fever right now, and she has just passed out. Can you go and check up on her for a second?"

The guy with a big belly in his white coat looked up with an annoyed expression. He raised his brows and then fixed his glasses position before he said, "Can't you see that I am busy?"

We are all busy, what the fuck! Sally cursed in her head at him in anger.

Heaving out loud, she bit her lower lip and said, "This is an emergency,"

Doctor Brown gave her a deadly glare and then said, "Nurse Parton, everyone here is a patient. Do you know why they are here? It is because they are sick, and it is also an emergency for them too. I cannot just leave my patient to go check up on another one. Are you stu-"

"Shut up!" Brent's voice cut him off before Brown could finish his sentence. Brent ignored him and turned his gaze to Sally. "Where is she?" Brent asked, and without hesitating, he followed Sally and made their way to the young boy.

Brent kneeled down and checked up on the grandma's pulses. "Her body is really weak, I am afraid she will have a heart problem. I will carry her to the emergency room for a further check-up." After saying that, Brent lifted the elderly woman up with both hands and carried her to the emergency room, leaving Sally with the young boy.

The young boy cried harder, making Sally kneel down next to him and pull him into a hug. "Your grandma will be okay, stop crying. Believe auntie, she will come back out soon, okay?" Wiping the young boy's tear with both hands on his soft, chubby cheeks, Sally couldn't help but get teary too. The young boy nodded and sobbed at the same time. "Is there anyone else coming with you besides grandma?" The boy shook his head, making Sally frown.

"I only have grandma. I am scared that she will leave me." The young boy said before tears ran down through the corner of his eyes. He wiped them away and continued, "It's okay now. I am a man, I shouldn't cry. You are probably busy now, nurse. You can go help others who need help, and I will stay here waiting for my grandma to come back out."

Sally was shocked at how a young boy who looked around six years old could sound so mature at his age compared to some people. Sally flashed him a smile and nodded, "What a good boy. Okay, Auntie will leave you for now, but promise Auntie to go sit over there waiting for Grandma, okay? Don't go anywhere else, promise?" She held out her pinky finger for the boy before he nodded and crossed his small pinky finger with her.