Hello Stranger

“You have?”

She nodded. “Indeed, I have, and I’ve got some early reports to back up my observations.”

I was nodding back, even though I didn’t know what the hell she was going to say to me.

“You’re quite something,” she said, and her smile was bright. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so energetic and bubbly after ten hours on their feet.”

My blush burned up brighter, and I looked at the fingers twisting in my lap, embarrassed.

“I have a lot of energy, my mum always said I was a jack-in-a-box, unless I had a book in my hands.”

“It’s a good thing in this place,” she said. “A great thing. Hence, I may see a place that we can put your bubbly nature to good use.”

I met her eyes with mine. “A place? Like a place at the hospital?”

She nodded again. “A role has come up. One of our palliative care nurses is about to head off on maternity leave.” She paused. “It’s a serious position. A challenging one. And it’s something I’d want you to consider carefully, because the trainee position is new.”

I was nodding along with her, making a jack-in-the-box of my head. “I’ll do it. Please.”

She looked shocked. Visibly stopped in her tracks.

“Don’t you need to know more about it?”

I shook my head. “No. It’s something I thought of, all the time I was thinking about training.”

“Palliative care?”

“Yeah. I watched my uncle pass away when I was twelve. The people were amazing when they helped him. They were kind and cheerful and they listened to every word he said, and they made us feel at home too, even after he was gone.”

She was smiling. “That’s what we hope to do here, too. That’s why I asked you. Victoria said you know how to listen. How to be serious and respectful while still being bubbly and kind.”

“She said that?” I felt a glow in my chest.

“Yes, Chloe. She said that. It would be easy to see for myself if she hadn’t though, you light up the room.”

She flicked through the paperwork, and began to tell me the details, and I was bobbing along, heart racing and happy, because thank you, universe, this was really it. A massive place to make a difference in the world, right at the end of people’s journeys.

“The department is headed up by Dr Logan Hall,” she told me. “And believe me, he’s amazing. An incredible man.”

I nodded. “Dr Logan Hall.”

“He’s tireless and giving, and never falters on his care for people, not even for a second. You’ll get on very well with him, on that score. I just know it.”

I knew there was a but coming. I could feel it in the air.

Yep, there was.

“But there are other aspects you’ll have to get used to. We all have.”

“Other aspects?”

She was staring right at me as she spoke. “He’s very… serious. He doesn’t speak much. Not unless it’s technical or work related. Or to a patient or their family. Around that he’s rather… stoic.”

“Stoic,” I repeated, and realised I must sound like an echo.

“Yes. Stoic.” She flashed another grin. “You will find out for yourself.”

I didn’t repeat her this time.

She flicked through the paperwork again.

“You have a few weeks until your training on Franklin Ward starts. You will crossover with Gina seven days before she leaves.”

“A few more weeks at Kingsley?”

“That’s right,” she said. “And between you and me, I’d make the most of them. Dr Hall is an incredible man, but his standards are high.” She smiled again. “I’m sure you’ll live up to them.”

I wish I were as sure as she was.

She shuffled herself to leave, but I wasn’t ready.

“Dr Hall?” I asked. “You say he’s serious? Does that mean he’s… mean?”

She shook her head. “No, Chloe. I promise you he’s not mean. Just… serious.”

“Serious. Stoic,” I said again.

“That’s right. Serious and stoic.” She carried on gathering bits of paperwork on her clipboard. Serious and stoic, and an incredible doctor. I couldn’t wait to meet him.

I’d heard of Franklin Ward. People said it was the terminal team, and I’d seen it signposted from main reception. It was right on the other side of the hospital. So long to my brilliant forming friendship with Vickie. But there would be more people I’d get on with. I’m sure there would be more.

Maybe not with Dr Hall, not from the sounds of him. But I was sure there would be plenty of others who’d match my grin with their own.

I got to my feet, but paused just a second longer, just to say one last thing I needed to say.

“Thank you, Wendy,” I told her, hoping we really were on first name terms. “For thinking of me, I mean. That means a lot.”

“Thank you, Chloe,” she replied. “For being someone I could think of.”

She gestured me ahead of her, and I stepped back out into the corridor, and I was buzzing. Buzzing with a whole fresh round of life, for something important. Something new.