pov.: Amy
After meeting with my uncle and having a chat with him, I dashed away before he could continue scolding me for taking only a single day off. I raced to the floor's reception, grabbed the files of the admitted patients, and after reviewing them, I started making my rounds. I visited all my patients, talking with them as I checked on them—they were fine, but whenever I asked how the other nurses treated them, they seemed to avert their gaze.
I pressed them for answers, and they eventually revealed that my supposed best friend was mistreating them terribly, berating, insulting, and often hitting them. Hearing this left me outraged and disappointed. I assured my patients I would address the issue promptly.
Leaving the room, I began to gather evidence of her unethical behavior, also questioning those who had been under her care. They detailed their experiences during their hospital stays. Two weeks later, I had compiled all the information I needed to bring accusations against her.
When everything was ready, I submitted my own complaint along with those from the patients. The following day, a meeting was convened with the department heads, the chief nurse, a union representative, her, and myself.
We gathered in my uncle's office. I laid out the case and presented the incriminating evidence and the patient testimonies. The department heads were genuinely outraged upon reviewing the evidence, and they decided to terminate her on the spot. The union representative revoked her license—it was evident she was unfit to nurse. Cornered, she sought my assistance; however, I disregarded her completely.
"Aren't you going to help me?" she said, agitated.
"Anna, you know full well that patients always come before any friendship. I'm sorry, but I cannot and will not assist you," I replied firmly.
"You're damned! I did everything for you! And this is how you repay me?" she exclaimed in anger.
"You never did anything for me. You always thought you were better than me, but the truth is you need to see me humiliated and unhappy for you to feel joy," I retorted.
"I am superior to you; always have been. You are nobody," she declared haughtily.
"You are not superior to me, and you never will be," I stated resolutely. "Now leave. I never want to see you again."
"You'll regret this. You don't know me," she threatened.
"People always say that, but you know what... you don't have what it takes to make it happen," I challenged.
She stormed out of the office, followed by my boss and the union lady. I was left alone with my uncle and let out a deep sigh.
"You did well, Amy. It was the right thing to do," said my uncle before we exited the office. As I walked the corridors, I stopped momentarily, relieved in my contemplation.
"At last, I'm rid of that scum. I couldn't stand her any longer. Hopefully, her replacement won't be the same," I thought to myself.
The next week, as I was walking through the hospital to get to the cafeteria in need of a coffee to wake up from my night shift, I collided with someone around the corner. When I opened my eyes, I could hardly believe it:
"Helen?" I asked in astonishment.
Helen was a dear friend from my nursing and medical school days. She was the only one who had approached me sincerely and was a wonderful person. Despite being three years older, we got along seamlessly.
I vividly remember my nervousness when I started studying. As a 15-year-old freshman, I was a rarity on campus. Wandering the halls in dismay after getting lost, I encountered Helen, and she guided me.
Two years later, she graduated in medicine, and I in nursing. Struggling to find employment due to my youth, Helen came to me one day and suggested that the military was in need of medical staff. We both went, passed the tests, and were sent to the front lines, where we provided aid to the wounded.
I served for two years before returning home to work at my uncle's hospital, while Helen re-enlisted for another two.
"Amy," she greeted me with a smile.
"I see you two know each other," my uncle remarked.
"I didn't see you there, sir. I apologize," I said, embarrassed by my previous obliviousness.
"Amy, she's the new doctor at the hospital," my uncle informed before gesturing to a young woman beside her. "And this is the new nurse, Marga. She'll be working with you."
"That's amazing! Pleased to meet you. I'm Amy," I greeted them enthusiastically, thrilled at the thought of having company.
"Make them feel at home," my uncle instructed.
"I will," I assured him with a smile, and he left us to chat.
"How have you been, Helen?" I asked, smiling. "When did you return?"
"I've been as well as one can be, considering Alfstan wasn't a walk in the park. I came back last week, looking for a job after retiring from the service—I saw your uncle's ad and thought to come along with a friend who also needed work. This is Marga, also a former military nurse. And you?"
"Well, after leaving the service, I started working part-time here to pay for my studies," I explained.
"Studies?" she asked, puzzled.
"Yes, I'm a general physician and still studying," I said with pride.
"That's impressive," Marga interjected, clearly taken aback by my achievements.
"Great to have you both here," I said, shifting gears. "Come with me; I'll show you around the hospital."
"Aren't you a surgeon?" asked Helen, surprised. "You always said you would be one."
"I did say that, and I will do it. I'm in my final year of specialty training, doing my residencies here while working as a nurse," I replied.
"I'm glad to see you haven't changed," she responded brightly.
"I've had some troubles that have changed me a bit. I hope the war hasn't altered you too much."
"Not at all," she assured.
We chatted as I showed them around the hospital, and then we went out for lunch. Over the meal, we caught up, and I also got to know Marga—a very likable person who instantly grew on me. After lunch, we set to work together.
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