New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set

by Hope Sinclair

  Rose ignored Andrew’s words and put the mask in front of his mouth. He tried to say something else, but, in the process, he breathed in the ether fumes—and, a brief moment later, he was silent.

  Rose went on to stitch Andrew’s wound without further distraction or complication. Once she was done, she collected her equipment, left the room, and returned to business as usual

  As she finished out her shift, Rose was haunted by thoughts of Andrew’s behavior. But, again, she accepted it as part of her job, and she figured, since Andrew was now on the mend, that the worst of it was through.

  Sadly, however, she was wrong.

  THREE

  When Rose arrived at work the next day, the nurse she was relieving greeted her with an agitated expression.

  “That police officer in Room 4 has been putting up quite the fuss,” the other nurse told her. “I went to change his bandages and administer his medication earlier this morning, but he refused to let me care for him. He said he’d only let you do such things.”

  Rose felt shivers go down her spine.

  “He’s supposed to leave the hospital today,” the other nurse went on. “But, if he doesn’t get his bandages changed and take his medication, he could get a serious infection that’d make him much sicker and prolong his stay… So, you’d better get in there and tend to him as soon as you can.”

  Rose nodded at her coworker and swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. She didn’t want to care for Andrew. But, then again, she certainly didn’t want him staying on in the hospital any longer than absolutely necessary.

  Rose gathered everything she needed, then headed to Room 4. As soon as she walked into the room, Andrew’s face lit up. “There you are!” he exclaimed cheerily. “My angel has returned!”

  Rose weighed her thoughts carefully, considering how to reply.

  “Yes, sir, I am here,” she said respectfully, walking closer to him. “But, I am not an angel. I am a nurse, and I am here to take care of your medical needs.”

  The happy expression on Andrew’s face turned a bit sour.

  “You needn’t act like such a shrew,” he said disparagingly.

  Rose ignored Andrew’s insult. She set her medical kit down on the bedside table and prepared to change his bandages. As she did, the sour look on Andrew’s face turned sweet again.

  “I’m sorry for saying something so mean,” he opined, gazing at her adoringly. “It’s just that I’ve missed you and was very much looking forward to seeing you today. I was hoping we could pick up the discussion we started yesterday—the one we were having before you sedated me to stitch my wound.”

  Rose’s mind was spinning, and she didn’t know quite how to respond.

  “Have you thought about what you’d like to do together once I am released and well again?” Andrew went on. “I mentioned dancing, fishing, and a few other things. But, if those activities don’t interest you, I can think of more. There’s a weekly swap meet just outside of town. Or, the church near the river has barbecues on the weekend this time of year.”

  Rose took a deep breath. She knew now that Andrew’s behavior was based on more than his immediate sense of shock at his condition, and she knew that she needed to do something to stop what had already begun.

  “I’m sorry, Officer Meyer,” Rose said in an unwavering tone. “But, I am not interested or available to do such things with you. I am engaged to another man.”

  “What?” Andrew hissed. “You’re engaged? Why didn’t you tell me this yesterday, instead of leading me on and letting me think I had a chance?” There was something very ugly in his voice, and it scared Rose.

  “You came in here for emergency care,” Rose answered.

  “My primary concern was tending to your wound. So, I couldn’t be bothered with what else you had to say. Plus, I figured you were speaking in haste, out of shock, since you’d just been stabbed.”

  Andrew gave Rose a seething look. “You couldn’t be bothered with what else I had to say?” he sneered. “What a horrible remark!”

  “Please, I didn’t mean it to sound so harsh,” Rose retorted. She was frightened and shaking, but she did her best to maintain her composure. “All I meant is, I needed to give my attention to your wound, not your words.”

  “You really are a shrew,” Andrew fired back.

  Again, Rose ignored Andrew’s insult. She reached for her medical kit, to start changing his bandages. But, just as she reached her hand out, Andrew reached his out too. He moved his hand swiftly through the air and slammed it hard against her medical kit, causing it to crash onto the floor. The contents of the kit spilled out, and Rose’s eyes widened in fear.

  “Get out of here!” Andrew shouted at the top of his lungs.

  “I won’t have a shrew like you care for me. Be gone! Send in some other nurse… now!”

  Rose bent down to pick up the contents of her medical kit. But, Andrew wouldn’t have it. He sat up in the bed and leaned forward, closer to her.

  “I said get out!” he shouted even louder. “Be gone!”

  Rose jumped up quickly, then turned and rushed out of the room, leaving her supplies on the floor. She was on the brink of tears as she made her way to the nurses’ station, and was short on both patience and breath.

  “What’s wrong?” Dr. Simmons inquired when she nearly ran into him as he exited another patient’s room. Rose explained what had just happened, reiterating Andrew’s name-calling and outburst.

  “Oh dear,” the doctor replied with a concerned look. “Go calm yourself, and I’ll go to his room. I’ll take care of his bandages, and have a talk with him about his behavior.”

  Rose smiled and nodded appreciatively, then went and sat at her desk. She closed her eyes and took a few slow, deep breaths.

  Several minutes later, Dr. Simmons came over to her station and cleared his throat to call her to attention.

  “I’ve taken care of Officer Meyer,” Dr. Simmons stated once Rose’s attention was on him. “His bandages are changed, and he’s taken his medication. Everything looks good, and he is set to leave later today.”

  Rose sighed a sigh of relief and collected herself to go on with her work.

  But, before Rose could do anything else, Dr. Simmons leaned down over her desk and went on. “I spoke with him about his behavior,” he said. “He was very embarrassed and sorry about it—and, he asked me to apologize to you on his behalf.”

  Rose rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to reply.

  “Ease up a bit, dear,” Dr. Simmons went on, cutting her off. “Officer Meyer seems like a good man, and he sincerely felt bad for what he did. You know as well as I do just how volatile some patients can be when they are in fear for their lives and livelihood. And, you must bear in mind that not only was his body injured—so, too, was his pride.

  “He explained to me that he’d tried to woo you, only to learn that you belonged to another man. So, all things considered, I can’t say I blame him for acting out a bit. And, really, I think you should cut him some slack and accept his apology. He’s going through a very trying time.”

  Rose was at a loss for words. She simply could not believe what Dr. Simmons had just said. As her superior and coworker, he was supposed to be her ally. But, it seemed as though he’d taken Andrew’s side.

  Rose took another deep breath and nodded her head.

  “Thank you, sir,” she said before getting up to go on with her work. She walked past Dr. Simmons, and, as she passed him, she left his advice behind. She had no intention of accepting Andrew’s apology, or of dealing with him again in any way.

  For the rest of Rose’s shift, she did whatever she could to stay clear of Andrew. She had the other nurse check on him and deliver his lunch, and she even went so far as to take the long way around the hallway to avoid walking past his room.

  As Dr. Simmons had indicated, Andrew was released later that day. When she learned that he was preparing to leave, Rose hid in the storage closet at the far end of the h
allway, under the premise of taking inventory. She watched from a crack in the door as Andrew left and didn’t come out until she was sure he was gone.

  FOUR

  The next few days were uneventful, at least as far as unnecessary drama in Rose’s life was concerned. As usual, she worked hard in the hospital and kept to herself when not at work. Things were back to normal, for all she could tell.

  But, then, one day, when Rose came into work, something unexpected occurred. As soon as she arrived at her desk, she found a huge bouquet of flowers. At first, Rose smiled at the display. But, then, when she read the card attached to the vase, her smile faded.

  I’m sorry for lashing out the other day, the card read. Please accept these flowers as my apology. I hope that our relationship can bloom as lovely as they have.

  The card was not signed. But, nonetheless, Rose knew it was from Andrew, and it caused her great concern. She didn’t want any type of gift from him, and she certainly didn’t want anything to “bloom” between them.

  Rose crumpled the card and threw it into the trash can, then took the flowers and gave them to a lonely old widow who’d been stuck in the hospital for days. The older woman was pleased at the beauty of them, and Rose was pleased to be rid of them.

  By the time Rose was done with her shift, she’d all but forgotten about Andrew’s gesture. But, once she walked out of the hospital, she couldn’t avoid thoughts of him anymore—for, there he was, waiting outside.

  “Did you get my flowers?” Andrew asked ever so sweetly, as if nothing unsavory had ever transpired between them.

  “Yes,” Rose replied, too intimidated to ignore him.

  “You loved them, didn’t you?” Andrew smiled, bouncing closer toward her with a silly smile on his face. “But, why don’t you have them with you to take home?” he added, narrowing his eyes.

  “I… I… I had to hand them off to a patient,” Rose stuttered, scrambling for words. “I’m allergic to one of the types that was in the bunch.”

  “Oh, no! I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Andrew whined, like a child.

  “It’s alright,” Rose replied. She was locked in place, afraid to move.

  “Let me make it up to you somehow,” Andrew went on.

  “I can take you out to dinner tonight. Or, we can go by the bakery, and I’ll buy you some cookies, perhaps a small cake we can share.”

  “I’m not hungry,” Rose lied. “I ate during my shift… And, right now, I just want to go home and rest.”

  “Fine,” Andrew smiled. “I’ll walk you home.”

  Rose shook her head from side to side and opened her mouth to speak.

  “I insist,” Andrew said firmly. “I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. The robber who stabbed me is still at large. The streets are not safe.”

  Rose’s heart pounded with fear. She wasn’t afraid of the robber, but, rather, of the man who offered to protect her from him. But, still, she knew there was little she could do at the moment Andrew had said he wouldn’t take “no” for an answer, and she knew he’d follow her if she did not oblige.

  So, Rose sucked up her insecurities and nodded.

  “Alright,” she said. “You can walk me home. But, that’s it. I can’t make any stops along the way. And, I can’t have you in to my apartment. Such things would be inappropriate.”

  “Of course,” Andrew replied. His eyes were twinkling like stars, and Rose did all she could to avoid looking directly at them.

  Fortunately, Rose didn’t live far from the hospital. But, nonetheless, her trek home felt like it dragged on for hours. Andrew chose to walk at a slow, leisurely pace, and she had to force herself to follow his stride.

  As they walked, Andrew talked on an on. Rose didn’t contribute to the conversation much, but that didn’t stop Andrew. He kept rambling, listing his many achievements as a police officer and noting how accomplished he was in other facets of life.

  When they finally arrived at Rose’s apartment building, Rose stopped outside and thanked Andrew for walking her home. It was a hollow remark, but Rose saw it as a good way to end the evening.

  “You’re quite welcome,” Andrew cooed, gazing at Rose adoringly. He kept his eyes fixed on her as she made her way up the front steps.

  Just before Rose opened the door, Andrew called out.

  “Oh, Rose,” he said in a much-too-sweet voice, “I was wondering if you were free tomorrow night. Since we couldn’t get dinner tonight, perhaps we can tomorrow?”

  Rose was facing the door. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning around to look at Andrew.

  “No thank you,” she answered. “As I told you, I’m engaged to another man. Therefore, I am not interested in seeing you socially, even as a friend or acquaintance.”

  “Ha!” Andrew laughed sinisterly, slowly stepping up onto one of the stairs. “You’re engaged to another man, are you? Where is he?”

  Rose recoiled in fear. She shook her head, unable to respond with words.

  “Why isn’t he walking you home from work, sending you gifts, or taking you out for dinner?” Andrew persisted, stepping up another step.

  Rose recoiled even further, so that her back was now pressed against the door.

  “Some man!” Andrew chuckled. “He must not care for you very much. He’s likely stringing you along. He probably has a few other dumb women he’s ‘engaged to’ as well.”

  Rose’s entire body was shaking, and her lip quivered as she opened her mouth to speak. “I… I…,” she stuttered, searching for words.

  In an instant, Andrew’s demeanor changed, and he walked back down the steps. “I’m sorry to have yelled like that,” he said, softening both his voice and his expression.

  “It just angers me to see another man toy with your heart.”

  “He’s… he’s not toying with my heart,” Rose said, still scared. “It’s just that… we both have… very demanding lives… and we’re waiting for… the right time to wed.”

  “I see,” Andrew replied, eying every inch of Rose’s form. “Well, I hope that’s true, and I wish you both well… And, should the right time never come, or not come soon enough, I hope you’ll come find me to fill the void.”

  Andrew tipped his head at Rose, then walked away. Given what he’d just said, Rose hoped that meant he was walking away from her for good. Though, naturally, she wasn’t foolish enough to assume it did.

  Rose stood on her stoop for another minute or so, to calm herself and make sure Andrew didn’t come back, then she turned and went into her building.

  Immediately upon entering, Rose was greeted by her landlady, Ms. Carter. The spinster had witnessed the tail-end of her ordeal with Andrew and was concerned. Rose briefly explained the situation, noting that Andrew was a former patient who’d taken a liking to her. She assured her landlady that she’d set the man straight (even though she, herself, wasn’t so sure she had), and, then, excused herself to go to her apartment.

  Before Rose could even make it to the staircase, Ms. Carter stopped her.

  “I have something for you,” Ms. Carter said, reaching into her pocket. “I was at the post office today, and the post master asked me to give this to you.”

  Ms. Carter handed Rose an envelope, and, as soon as Rose saw the writing on it, her mood drastically changed.

  “Oh, thank you so much,” Rose smiled joyfully. She took the envelope, stared at it for a moment, a put it in her pocket.

  Ms. Carter was pleased to see the change in Rose’s mood, and she bid the younger woman a good evening.

  Once Rose was upstairs in her apartment, she sat down on her couch and retracted the envelope from her pocket. The letter came from Gabe Rogers, of Belleville, California, and it came at the perfect time. After the day she’d just had, Rose needed something comforting, and she knew that this letter would do the trick.

  Rose carefully opened the envelope, then just as carefully unfolded the page within. Her heart fluttered as she looked down at the words.

&nbs
p; My Dearest Rose, the letter read. I can’t wait until the day we can be together and be wed. And, I am writing to you to tell you that that day will be soon. Both my body and my business have recovered enough, such that I feel confident in starting our life together. So, if it suits you, please leave for Belleville in one month’s time from the date of this letter.

  Rose read the letter again, then looked at the date on the top of it. Gabe had written the letter two weeks earlier, which meant that, according to his timeline, she would leave in two more weeks. Rose’s heart fluttered at the thought, and she held the letter to her chest. After nearly a year of communicating back and forth with Gabe, she would finally get to leave Baltimore to become his bride.

  As Rose had begun to tell Mrs. Johnson before the hospital’s emergency bell rang and brought Andrew into her life, Rose had met Gabe through a mail-order bride periodical, the Matrimonial Gazette. She’d become complacent with her life and began craving “more.” She wanted a life partner. But, since there weren’t many eligible bachelors in Baltimore, she turned to a variety of mail-order bride periodicals to explore her other options.

  When Rose found Gabe’s advertisement in the Matrimonial Gazette, she was immediately drawn to it. It read: Kind-hearted, hard-working rancher, age 28, seeks wife who is open-minded and helpful. Looking for a partner to love, someone with whom I can share responsibilities and celebrate the simple things in life.

  Rose eagerly responded to Gabe’s ad, and, in turn, he eagerly replied to her response. Over the next few months, the pair exchanged numerous letters and learned a great deal about each other. They discovered they had many interests in common, and Gabe was fully supportive of Rose maintaining her career. In fact, he was more than supportive. As it turned out, his late mother had been a nurse, and he was very understanding of the demands of such a career, as well as very appreciative of its worth. What’s more, he told Rose that the local hospital was desperately in need of more nurses—and, when Rose learned that, it was like icing on a cake. It made the prospect of starting a life out west with Gabe even sweeter.