open the locket, Nathalie stared at the tiny picture of a 3 month old Jack. It was the only photo she had left, everything else had been destroyed. On the other side, tucked in behind the protective glass was a four leaf clover. Eric had found it during a trip to Dublin for a conference. He had given it to her over dinner and told her that it was clearly a sign from the gods that they were meant to be. She had long carried it in her wallet as a sign of their love. Now she carried it in hopes it would protect her from anything else going wrong.
Snapping the locket shut, she shook her head. "It's the past and he doesn't need to be bothered with it."
Mylea sighed heavily. "Nathalie, one of these days you are either going to have to tell that man the whole story or let him go. What you are doing to him - holding him at arm's length - is almost cruel. He pretends to be satisfied with what you give him because he believes if he hangs in long enough you will eventually give him more. But if you aren't going to give him more then you need to let him go."
Her green eyes blazed angrily. "I don't have more to give him" she retorted. "I'm giving him all I have and I'm sorry if that doesn't meet your expectations of how I should be treating him."
Unfazed by the outburst, the nurse simply shrugged. "That is all you have to give him because your heart belongs to someone else."
"Yes it does" she answered tightly. "It belongs to my son."
"No, it belongs to the man you left behind. You are still in love with him."
Nathalie returned to folding her clothes and placing them inside her suitcase. She let Mylea's words hang in the air, refusing to respond to them. There was little point in her even trying as she could not lie to her friend.
"I need you to keep a close eye on Baakir" she said, changing the subject. "He is refusing to take his meds and hides them when he thinks no one is looking. We will never get him well if his infection does not clear up."
Mylea nodded as she got to her feet. "You concentrate on getting well" she said softly, "and we will worry about the patients here."
Nathalie smiled sadly. It was always easiest to take out your frustrations and fears on those closest to you and her friend had certainly borne a significant brunt of both of those. She hugged her friend tightly.
"And I will miss you" she told her. "Very much. It will be strange to wake up some place and not see you."
Mylea took both of her hands in hers and squeezed them. "Nathalie, the universe is not random. Do not let opportunities to rebuild those bridges pass you by." Seeing the protest form on her lips, she hugged her again. "Be well my friend and we will see each other soon."
As she slipped out the door she headed straight for her office. There was a number she had tucked away there and it was time for her to use it. Sometimes people needed help to rebuild.
#
Andrew let out a low whistle as he read over the chart. "While the tumor is interesting," he remarked to Eric, "the medical history is even more so. This Doctor," flipping over the chart, he read the name. "This Doctor Thabo sure has been through the ringer. Burns, breaks and now a tumor."
Eric nodded as he looked at the films. "Yeah. There were micro-fractures to the spine that I assume happened at the same time of the burns on their back. Leave it to Freidman to give me the case so he can get in an extra week of golf."
"Guess this patient isn't one for the journals or there is no way he'd let you run with it."
"I'm kind of glad," Eric admitted. "I'd like to talk to them about their work in Africa. I still....there are days I still think I'd like to go there."
The wistful look on his face was unmistakable and he paused for a moment before shaking his head. "Anyways, the sooner we can start treatment the better. Based on the placement of the tumor," he said looking back at the film, "the headaches must be excruciating."
Looking over his shoulder at the films, Andrew agreed. "The chart said something about seizures as well. Not surprising but