Every Day has a Memory

Chapter 9

I made for the entrance of the ward, silently thanking God for my father's inactivity when it came to exercise, as I now had just a little bit longer with Tamsyn.

One thing I wasn't as appreciative of was the retched smell of sanitary products and chemicals that filled my nostrils the closer I got to the reception, situated smack-bang in the middle of the ward—I hated the smell as much as I hated elevators.

But Nikki was at the desk today—a young brunette nurse with a swollen pregnant belly and the warmest personality—a wide smile playing on her face, probably oblivious to the toxic scent of cleaning products around her. "Good morning, Micah," she said cheerfully, glancing up from the computer.

"Hey, Nikki," I replied, stopping at the counter of the desk to lean my forearms against it. "How are you?"

"I'm good, sweetpea. You?" She rubbed her bulging stomach absently, her hazel eyes focused solely on me.

"I'm all right. Just coming in to see Tam—she up?"

Nikki smiled and nodded at me. "Has been for a while, I think. Kevin is talking to her at the moment, I think? I'm not too sure—"

"Kevin?" I repeated, my defense rising. "As in the guy across the hall? The twenty-three year old soldier that lost his leg while fighting in Afghanistan?" I snapped.

The nurse practically laughed in my face at how idiotic I sounded, most likely. "Yes, Micah."

"Oh, hell no, Nikki!" I snapped. Why'd you let him go in there?! Don't you know that he hits on Tamsyn?" This guy wasn't allowed to be near my girlfriend. He was too kind and caring towards Tamsyn and I was deathly afraid that she'd fall for his charm—or exceptionally sad story about how he lost his leg while fighting for his country.

Ugh. Honestly, I'd be screwed if he got too close to her.

Nikki rolled her eyes. "Sweetie, I think that that is a bit of an exaggeration."

"How is it an exagg—"

"Kevin has a two-year-old daughter and a wife, Micah."

Oh. That's why it was an exaggeration.

I see that now.

Awkwardly, I rubbed at the back of my neck. "He has a wife, huh?" Then why the hell was he hitting on my girl?

"Yeah," Nikki nodded, "Megan. She's a trainee nurse on the ward—Tamsyn is one of Meg's first patients, and Kevin was just there to offer comfort for both of them." She waved a finger at me. "Stop worrying that pretty little head of yours and get your butt in there to see her."

"Never disobey a woman's orders," a voice instructed from behind me.

I turned my head to catch sight of my father hobbling towards me. He shunted me gently toward the doorway of Tam's room, leaving me to fumble for my footing on the sterile tile.

"What was that about?" he asked me once I'd finally regained balance.

"Poor judgement," I informed him.

God. I wished I had've known what I know now before I even thought to ask about it, because now I felt ridiculous for even assuming such a thing.

I was such a horrible person.

But really... I was surviving on barely two-hours' sleep; I think I had a right to think like a delusional person if I wanted to.

"Hmm," Dad shook his head. "You shouldn't judge a book by its—"

"You should just shut up, Dad." I rounded the last corner into Tamsyn's room—and surely enough, Kevin, the brown-haired, hazel-eyed, athletically built, one-legged soldier, was seated in a wheelchair at her bedside.