Nurses: A Fictional Narrative

The flow of nurses into the small hospital room seemed constant; if there wasn’t at least one here another could be expected to arrive soon. The continuous beeping noises coming from the machines all around the bed were getting into his head and it was hard to think straight.

Christine had pulled the chair up next to the bed. She’d been here ceaselessly since Edward was brought by ambulance just a little over three weeks ago. Some nights she would fall asleep in the uncomfortable seat, still holding his hand and other nights, Karen or Loraine, their daughters, would pull her away and beg to get a good night’s rest at home.

At the present moment there were two nurses, plus a doctor speaking together while examining the numerous machines around

We’re all blankets by Catherine, belonging to her. I had joined the others now; we were a family. Why?

“So what is your name?” Mary-Lynn asked.

Oh, yes, my name. Oh, what had Catherine said it was? It began with a B. No, no. J? W?

“You do have a name, right?”

Yes! That’s what it was! A W.

“Catherine called you something when she finished you, didn’t she?” she continued to coax.

Wu, Wi, Wa – yes! That was it.

“Walter. Walter’s my name.” He finally stammered out, beginning to gain his confidence.

“Oh, what a nice, strong name. Catherine’s grandfather was named Walter. You should be honored.”

“I-I-I am.” Walter replied. He honestly had no idea really who Catherine was, except the bits and pieces he had picked up while lying in her knitting bag during the previous two days. And that was that Catherine’s husband, Edward, was seven years older than she and while at first this intimidated her, she had grown to love him. They had been married for only a month and Christine always did her best to please her husband.

“But what am I doing here, what are we doing here?” he had asked Mary-Lynn. She had something motherly about her which brought Walter to enjoy her company; she seemed older,