Chapter 73 A PAIN TO FORGET
ARYA'S POV
The words hit me hard as tears ran down my face uncontrollably.
I couldn't control it, I just let it flow. The betrayal and hurt was too much for me to bear.
I tried to force myself to sleep as I remembered I have a long day at work tomorrow.
My shift kept going; it was like it would never end. I had to do a lot of checks and make changes.
I still felt the pain and hurt from last night.
“How could they do this to me?”
“Did I deserve to be treated that way?”
“Was I really nothing to them?”
“Did I really mean nothing other than a toy to be placed with?”
The thoughts occupied my head as I was working. I had to be quiet in my thoughts when I was talking to people to try to make them feel better.
The clinic was like a place for me. It was so different from the bad things that had happened at night. The bright lights and the clean floors made me feel a little better. When I was with a patient I had to pretend like I was not thinking about my problems.
I went to another part of the hospital room where a young girl was lying in bed. The girl was twelve years old and she was very sick, with a bad respiratory infection. She was really weak as her movements were feeble and her breathing was difficult.
Her breath sounds were so loud and obvious. The girl was holding onto an old stuffed animal tightly, showing her fears. The respiratory infection was clearly making her feel very unwell.
"Hello sweetheart " I said to her and I pulled up a stool to sit beside her bed.
Then I checked the flow regulator on her oxygen tank. The oxygen was coming out with a hiss.
The girl's eyes were really big and they were looking dull because she had a fever. She made her lips shake a little and she was scared.
"Is it going to hurt?" The girl whispered that one could hardly hear her voice.
"What is that honey?" I asked her. My voice got softer when I talked to her like I do when I talk to kids.
When she saw the needle in my hand, she looked away. She turned her head to stare at the top of the tent.
I noticed the butterfly bandage on her skin. It was covering the spot where they took out her IV. She needed a shot of a bronchodilator as it would help open up her airways.
I put my hand on her forehead as I moved a piece of hair out of the way.
"This will only hurt a bit like when a mosquito bites you. But you are doing great. You have been really brave with that cough. You have not cried at all. This little shot is something to help you feel better. Medicine is like a power to make you strong again. It is your special medicine to help you fight off the cough.” I explained to her calmly so that she wouldn't get scared.
I got the syringe ready. I allowed her to see what I was doing. I wanted her to know I was being very careful.
"Look at your lion, " I nodded towards the stuffed animal.
"Your lion is watching you. Let us make your lion proud okay? It is one little pinch. Then we will be finished with this.”
She nodded but she did not really want to. She closed her eyes tight, not wanting to see. I touched the muscle gently and gave her the shot quickly like I had done it many times before.
Then I put a bandage on it right away before she even felt any pain from the injection.
"That was it?" She said to me as soon as she opened her eyes.
“That was it,” I said with a smile.
“You are a really good champion. You and your lion are a team.”
She gave a smile back a little sparkle in her tired face and it made the room feel a bit cozier. My chest felt better too.
My phone started to ring.
“Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.”
I refused to pick it up because it was from Justin. I wasn't angry but I was still hurt. I put my phone on silent and continued with my work.
Later, I went to the maternity area to see a new mother and her baby. The baby had been born a few hours before but was not feeding well.
"He just will not take my milk, Nurse Arya," The mother complained.
"I am trying everything to get him to suck. He does not want to." Her voice was shaking because she was very worried about the baby.
I washed my hands thoroughly.
"Don't worry ma'am, he will." I said to calm her down as I carried the baby. He was really tiny, his face was all scrunched up. He was not making a sound just showing he was not happy.
“He just needs more rest and I'll advise you to massage your breasts with warm water each time before feeding your child. Don't force it, just feed him occasionally and with time, he will suck.” I tried to explain to her as she kept nodding her head, following all what I was saying to her.
“Now try feeding him slowly and gently, rub his back as well, it helps.” I instructed them to hand her the baby.
The baby was making this steady sound as it nursed and it filled up the whole room. The mother leaned back on the pillows. I could tell she was extremely happy that the baby was finally nursing.
“Thank you.” She said with her voice, really soft. Her eyes got all teary as she was so happy, being broken from her fears.
I said to her with my hand on her shoulder.
“Motherhood is a tough job. It is really hard. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it. We are here for you, we will always be here for you.”
After I was convinced that the mother and child were doing just fine, I went back to my designated office and dropped some files.
I was so exhausted and began to prepare to close for the day as my shift was over, or rather, would be in ten minutes.
Before I would walk from here back to my tent, the ten minutes would be over so I didn't mind and just left.
I put my phone back and saw a lot of missed calls. I just called back the one I wanted, which was Stella's.
“Hey babe.” She greeted me on a video call.
“Someone looks so tired.” She replied.
“Sure, sure.” I answered.
“What's up with those baggy eyes? Have you been crying?” She asked me.
“I'm just tired.” I replied as I opened my door.
“Your eyes look swollen for someone tired. Wash them well because they really look sore… and… bad.” Stella replied.
“I'm the nurse, not you.” I stated as she laughed hysterically.
“What's funny?” I asked as her laughter irritated me.
“Something is wrong but you don't want to spill it. Come on, say something. Is it your guys? Did they refuse to fuck you?” Stella pressed on as I just stared at her in disbelief and annoyance.