Tabby went straight to her father in the medical room instead of going to the filing cabinet. According to the schedule in the hallway, she found out that he was supposed to be there. She held the cards tightly under her arm, knocked carefully and went in.
"Dad? Sorry to bother you…"
Steve Harris looked up from the table, put down his pencil and looked at his daughter. She reminded him so much of Sandra, sometimes it was too painful. But fate cannot be persuaded, he had known that for himself a long time ago. And regretting everything only now was complete nonsense.
"What's going on?" He asked in amazement, because he noticed her rather agitated expression.
She sat down next to him and nervously tugged at the hem of her green work shirt.
"Who is David Hatcher?" She said after a moment.
She surprised him with her question, he didn't really understand where she was going with it. He also realized that her working hours were not over yet. He knew the head nurse Clarissa, she was quite strict with her subordinates and she would certainly not like this, even if it was his own daughter.
"Er... my patient, I mentioned him at home that evening. Why do you ask?" He glanced worriedly at her lap, where she had put the cards in the meantime. David's was right on top, but fortunately he noticed that the seal was not broken. He would not forgive her for this.
"Just like that, I know him by sight. What's wrong with him?" She snorted embarrassedly and lowered her eyes. But Dr. Harris frowned and replied a little grumpily.
"And what about medical confidentiality, doesn't that tell you anything, young lady? I wouldn't expect such an unprofessional question from you. He's quite seriously ill and can't be operated on. I'm trying to at least delay what inevitably awaits him. But I really can't tell you more, not even to you. Now run away quickly before Sister Clarissa finds out you're here. When you get to know her better, you'll understand what I'm talking about."
Tabby shook her head in disappointment. She knew that this would be a difficult matter with her father, he was far too principled. She got up and slowly headed for the door. But before she went out, she turned to him.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be too indiscreet. I was just curious."
He smiled at her and she then ran out into the hallway. That didn't work out. At the thought of David, she felt a sharp pain in her heart, she thoughtfully stroked the seal on the envelope with her finger and tenderly his name, but knowing that she would be breaking the rules here, she headed for the stairs instead. When she returned from the filing cabinet, Clarissa was waiting for her, her hands on her hips and her head shaking angrily.
"Where have you been for so long, my dear? I thought I would search for you!" She said in a rather unpleasant voice.
"Here's your clean laundry and go to number seven immediately, it's around the corner to the right. She just got loose and needs to change the bed. Can you even do that?" She asked sarcastically, giving her a prickly look. Despite the fact that she was the headmistress's daughter, she was obviously not going to give up her strict principles so easily.
"And... yes, of course. I'm running there now." Tabby stammered and loaded everything onto her trolley. This day at work was definitely not a pleasant one. She drove off quickly, but as soon as she turned into the next corridor, Ted suddenly appeared and she almost crashed into him again. He grabbed the trolley from the opposite side and braked it. He smiled broadly and Tabby bristled, waiting to see what else would fall out of it. She was so happy that they hadn't met in the last few days, and now this... perhaps this is the last icing on today's horrible cake, but quite sour...
"And let's see, what a coincidence. Even though it's sometimes very dangerous to be around you, I'm apparently your favorite target, forget-me-not." He hummed at her, smoothed his disgustingly gelled hair and tucked his thumbs behind his belt.
...Of course, I'm out of luck... Tabby thought and frowned. And how dare he even call her forget-me-not?
"Um, excuse me?! I'm in a real hurry and, unlike you, I have quite a lot to do!" She snorted.
"Then I can't keep you up. But just by the way, what about after work? What time do you finish? Maybe I could wait for you and maybe show you the city and stuff." He answered, surely expecting a positive answer, which he was surely used to. But this time he stumbled.
"Um…well, I'm sorry, but I don't have time this afternoon. And I'm going home with my dad, so, by the way…let me?"
She said sharply and moved the cart sharply, causing Ted to stagger. He grinned in disappointment.
"What do you mean, maybe you're making a mistake. But if you do change your mind, here's my number." He reached into his coat pocket and handed her his business card. She didn't take it, so he put it on the laundry.
Then he finally stepped out of her way and she could finish her task. She was quite angry that Ted had gotten in her way. She wanted to say something sharp to him, but she controlled herself. She was slightly relieved when at least she tore his business card into small pieces, which she let fall freely into the wastebasket between her fingers with a malicious smile.
Two hours later she was standing by the elevators going up to the third floor, where the changing rooms and the day room were. She was dying of thirst and her legs were aching terribly. She nervously tapped her arm with her hand, watched the red light, and had the feeling that she would be standing here like this tomorrow. She was so excited about today's rather nourishing day that she didn't even notice that someone quietly approached her from behind.
"I prefer to walk, outside and here..." She suddenly heard it almost in her ear. She smelled a familiar scent, in a moment every hair on her head was on alert and her heart was racing. She turned her head slightly to the side, causing him to lightly touch her hair and temple with his lips again. If she had been struck by lightning right now, she might have been in a much better situation. She tried her best to breathe a sigh of relief, turned completely around and smiled at him.
"Hi, David, I thought you'd be home a long time ago. Thanks for the advice, but today I really can't feel my legs because of fatigue, stairs are out of the question. Unless you carry them with me!" She joked with a laugh. But she immediately regretted what she had said. She remembered what her dad had said to her about him today and tried to suppress the feeling of regret. David hesitated a little, it seemed as if he was struggling fiercely with something inside him, but before she knew it, he was holding her in his arms. She was surprised that he lifted her so lightly, as if she were a feather. She hadn't expected that he would have so much strength with his slender figure. And also because of his illness... But she refused to think about this.
"Wait, what are you doing? Let go, this is impossible!" She screamed and tried to break free from his embrace and stand on her feet. He hugged her even tighter, grinned and shook his head dismissively.
"Thousands of years ago there were no elevators, and this is exactly how Ramses would have carried his tired chosen one to the top of the pyramid..." He winked at her foxily and walked with her towards the staircase. She was surprised by his strange answer. That her bad luck would finally be cornered? She didn't want to get her hopes up too high yet, but she was literally drowning in his eyes, which were watching her with amusement. So she hugged him enthusiastically around the neck, not caring whether anyone was watching them, and his thick, strong hair tickled her face pleasantly. She now fought with all her might against the urge to bury her nose in them and inhale their scent in full breaths. She was a little angry at her weakness, but she thought that if it was possible to die of happiness, it would definitely happen right now. But they had barely taken a few steps, looking into each other's eyes, when Ted appeared in front of them..