A few days went by. It was a little uneventful. Sage worked another ten hour day at the hospital. However, the three young nurses he spoke to the day before had the day off, so he did not see them, nor was he asked questions about how busy work was in the larger cities. He went about as usual, trying to sneak in to help wherever he could. But he felt a little useless. Was there really nothing for him to do?
On his third ten-hour day, Sage was even told he could go home early. He listened, but he had no idea what to do after that! Getting sent home early was basically a nightmare for him.
Sage sat on the bed scooted up by the headboard, leaning against it hugging his knees, and watched a random culinary channel that had been on.
Could he pick up a new cooking hobby? That would be nice. Sage knew how to cook, but everything was basic. Enough to make several different meals so he wasn't eating the same stuff every day. That or he did instant meals. However, the inn rooms did not have a cooking space since they wanted people to use the call-on staff so they could get paid for service. So, all Sage could do was sit and watch.
After three episodes, he got uncomfortable.
Was this really all there was to do?
He called Liwayway.
"Sage?"
"Liwayway," he said.
"You're calling… Is something wrong?"
"Just wondering how it's going."
Liwayway was quiet for a minute before she said, "Let me guess: they're not busy enough to need you at their facility, so they sent you home, and you're lost on what to do, so you're sitting on your inn bed with a dumb, puppy look on your face trying to find some busywork."
Sage frowned and pulled his phone away for a second, glancing at his reflection on the black screen. "I don't look like a dumb puppy."
"No. A dumb, puppy look. Not a dumb puppy look. Puppies aren't dumb. You are."
Sage commented nothing.
"Was I right?"
"Do I really need to answer that," Sage grumbled.
"You should use this time to have a day off, not wonder if you can find more work." Liwayway sighed and said, "You're miserable, Sage. Tell me about this guy you're with!"
"Don't word it like that."
"How else am I supposed to word it? Who is this guy you're fake married to? Who is this guy you're sharing an inn room with every night? Who is this—"
"Alright. Enough. I get it." He sighed and leaned back on the headboard. "His name is Rowan."
"Do I get a last name?"
"No, I don't trust you with that much information."
Liwayway giggled on the other end and said, "Rowan is an attractive name. I bet he's tall."
Sage paused before he said, "He's not that much taller than me. We're practically the same height if he slouches a bit."
"You said nothing about the attractive part!"
"What do you want me to say?" Sage deadpanned.
"You didn't deny it," Liwayway teased.
"Deny what?" Sage was serious as he said, "The guy isn't ugly."
"So, you do think he's hot."
"I'm not saying that, but I will admit he's attractive."
"So, you like him."
"I said he's attractive, not I'm attracted to him," Sage hissed.
"What's the difference?"
"A lot."
"Doesn't sound like much of a difference."
"Liwayway."
"Don't scold me. You called me!"
Sage sighed. "Fine. Okay." He paused, hesitating, before he said, "There is something I'm curious about though."
"Mm?" She was interested.
"He's been calling and texting his ex-wife."
"Hah? The ex-wife you replaced on the trip?"
"Mm," Sage hummed in confirmation.
"How weird!"
"I know."
Liwayway had not much to comment on it. She was also stumped, and she knew less about Rowan than Sage did. There was truly little for her to say. She sighed gently and apologized that she had nothing to help Sage. "Just try and enjoy your vacation, Sage," Liwayway said.
"Thanks. I'll try," he said. Their call came to an end.
Sage had not gotten any answers to his questions, but at least the call did not feel like a complete waste of time. He tossed his phone down and thought about what he could do, but only work passed by in his mind. Though he had no idea how to do what Rowan did, he wondered about asking him if he needed help. To give him something to do.
He picked his phone back up and went to their text messages. The log was empty considering ever since they exchanged phone numbers the first day, they were always together and had no reason to text each other. Earlier when Rowan wanted to get ahold of him, he had called him. So, Sage had to start the conversation. And he really didn't want to be the one to start it, so he threw the phone back down and abandoned that idea.
Sage was entirely lost.
The inn had a nice and large bathroom with a tub placed in the center and a dark green rug on the ground that was warm and fuzzy. He took a long bath, sinking in a tub of moisturizing bath bombs provided by Mira. It was the first time in a long time he had taken a moment to relax. The heat of the room pulled him in. Sage sunk down in the water and leaned his head on the edge of the tub.
"Sage. Sage-e-e."
Sage shot up, water splashing. It had gone cold after a while, and a rim of colored water sat around the edges against the porcelain tub from the bath bomb having long since been dissolved in the water. His fingers and toes had taken on wrinkles. He had fallen asleep.
"I know I'm not a doctor, but staying in a cold tub could make you sick, I think."
The actual doctor snapped his head over. He covered his chest quickly. "What are you doing in here?" he snipped.
"Why are you covering your—you've got other things to worry about showing," Rowan muttered as he stood up.
"I knocked on the door probably five times with no answer, so I thought you were dead. I came in to retrieve your body to bury you out back. I've already dug the hole. All I need is the body."
"Funny," Sage said through his teeth. He fell asleep in the bathtub. Embarrassing. He wanted Rowan to get out.
"I bought take out," Rowan said with his dimpled smile. "Come get some when you're finished," he added before he left.
The last day for Sage to work at the hospital in the area came by. As he walked in, the kind and bright young girl from before ran up to him.
"Doctor Gannon!" she called out. She stopped in front of him with a wide smile. Her hair was braided and pulled back into a ponytail. In the pocket of her light green scrubs were far too many fancy ink pens. "Is it true this is your last day?" she asked with her smile suddenly dropping.
Sage nodded. "It is."
"That's not fair. I haven't been able to show you what I can do yet," she said disappointedly. "Can I shadow you today?"
"I don't mind," Sage said. She was not Liwayway, but she reminded him of her. "But I don't think much will happen."
"That's fine," Mary said. "We can talk. You won't be bored."
By 'talk', Mary had meant to question Sage about who the handsome stud was that picked him up the last time she saw him. However, 'handsome stud' did not click in Sage's head right away, so he had no idea who she was talking about at first.
"You know, that hot guy who picked you up! He said he called you twice and you missed it because we were talking," Mary said.
"Oh." Sage realized. "Rowan."
"Did you go on a date?" she noisily asked. "He said you were going to be late for a reservation."
"It wasn't a date," Sage clarified. "We went out to eat."
"Is that not a date," Mary deadpanned. She was not buying it. "He's super handsome. Is he your husband? You're wearing a ring."
Sage had forgotten all about the ring. Typically, jewelry wasn't allowed in the hospitals if you were a working staff. He did not normally wear any, so he completely forgot they had prop rings to fake being married. He raised his hand and looked at it. If someone paid attention closely, it was clearly made of cheap material, but any quick look wouldn't matter. So, he took the ring off and slid it onto his middle finger and said, "Just put it on the wrong finger."
Mary still did not buy it, but she dropped the topic and continued to follow Sage around for the rest of the day.
She got called around thirty minutes before the end of Sage's shift, so he did not get to say goodbye to her and thought he never would. He felt a little down by the fact, but he still made his way out of the hospital. The same sleek black company car was waiting out front. Sage walked to it.
As he opened the door, the familiar voice of the nurse Mary ran out. She was out of breath; she must have run through the whole hospital to make sure she didn't miss the doctor leaving.
"Doctor Gannon!"
Sage paused with his hand on the top of the door. Rowan, in the driver's seat, was nosy and leaned over to see the young girl head into his field of view.
"I was afraid I'd miss you leaving," she said with a frown. "I wanted to show you what I could do in hopes," she caught her tongue. Though usually brave, Mary got cold feet at the last moment.
"Don't worry," Sage said. "You can show me again in a few months."
"Huh?"
"Before I left, I was told I don't necessarily have to only be a travel doctor," Sage said. "I can recommend doctors too. I already sent a word to my facility about some nurses' talents that were being wasted at a place that didn't need to be so overstaffed. So, this won't be a goodbye forever. You'll be able to show me your talents soon."
Sage had noticed her determination and confidence in being a nurse. Not to mention all the questions about his building. It was clear in her eyes that she wanted to be where the action was. Someone would have to be dumb to not see it. So, Sage had already sent a request for Mary to be transferred if she wished. All that was needed was her acceptance.
"Do you mean it?!" She was elated. Mary couldn't compose herself. She hugged Sage. The doctor had been hugged before by patients from overwhelming emotions, so he reacted like he normally did, which was standing still and accepting the hug until the other party let go with a soft pat on the other's back. "I'll see you soon, Doctor Gannon!" she said, and she sped back off into the hospital.
Sage got in the car.
"Wow."
"What?"
"You don't let me hug you," Rowan teased.
"Why would I let you hug me?" Sage deadpanned.
"I got nice hugs."
"Can you just drive?"
Rowan was not turned off by the bite of Sage's words. He laughed and shifted the gears.
Sage sank down in his seat and sighed. He leaned his head on the car door beside him and closed his eyes, falling asleep and concluding their second week of twelve.