Embers Of Healing

Chapter 8- Mr. Imperfect

The night before Noelle arrived

"I guess I gotta start acting nicer," Maverick thought to himself, contemplating the advice Nurse Adelaide had repeated countless times. Her words had often been a harsh reminder, but now, with her absence, he couldn't help but feel she was right. Perhaps her replacement, Noelle, would be kinder, and maybe, just maybe, things would be different.

Just then, the familiar face of Doctor Hawthorne entered his cell, Maverick's thoughts broke from the impending arrival of the new nurse. Hawthorne, straightening himself and adjusting his glasses, broke the silence, "So, what's your opinion on the new nurse?"

Maverick had actually given it a lot of thought. He had briefly seen Noelle but could just tell she was far nicer than Adelaide- scratch that, anyone was better than Adelaide. A slight tinge of excitement coursed through him. Maverick envisioned a future where he could finally be free from the pressure and stress Adelaide had inflicted upon him. Perhaps he could even make friends with Noelle. Just one more day, and the beginning of something new would surface. In the past, Maverick had never seen another nurse who worked with him being genuinely nice. At most, they barely did their job and left. He couldn't help but hope that things would be different with Noelle, that his days could become better in more ways than one.

"So?" Hawthorne cleared his throat, waiting for Maverick's response. The doctor held out a piece of paper and a pencil for Maverick to convey his thoughts.

He didn't feel like writing, so he simply jotted a drawing and handed the paper back to Hawthorne, who, instead of offering a satisfied expression, seemed utterly confounded by the message. Maverick guessed why Hawthorne was so taken aback, but did he really have to be that dramatic when faced with a note that, for once, had something pleasant?

"If you'll excuse me..." Hawthorne uttered before hastening out of the room. Oh boy, he had just caused some chain of events that would change everything, right?
"Oh well..." Maverick thought, and pondered ways he could be nice to Noelle...

A few hours later, the echoes of a loud pounding on the door reached Maverick's ears, accompanied by the unmistakable jingling of keys. He recognized the sound of those footsteps all too well—Winston was coming, and he couldn't help but wonder about his intentions this time.

Winston, praised around the workplace as a charismatic leader, often switched between being the perfect angel in front of others and an unbearable tormentor behind closed doors. His treatment of Maverick when he had been subbing for Adelaide during her vacations had been nothing short of cruel, but as soon as she returned to work, Winston transformed into Mr. Nice Guy once more. Maverick despised him with every fiber of his being and feared that the same fate awaited him with Noelle as the new nurse.

As the pounding ceased, Maverick thought Winston had given up, perhaps deciding that Maverick wasn't "worthy of his time" or some other narcissistic notion. But as fate would have it, things rarely went his way, and Winston burst into the room with unwarranted confidence.

"So, I just so happened to hear a new nurse was in town...hmmm?" Winston's sadistic smile sent shivers down his spine as he approached.

Maverick instinctively backed away, maintaining his usual stoic expression while battling inner nervousness. "Leave me alone..." he thought desperately, knowing that no matter how much he wanted to hit him, it wasn't an option considering the consequences.

Winston drew even closer, their eyes nearly locking. Maverick's silent plea echoed within him, but he needed a better reason to get back at him. It's not like he could just say anything to defend himself, and no one would ever guess why Maverick would possibly hit Winston, the almighty "saint" in our asylum.

"Oh, I'm not here to argue with you or anything..." Winston's narrowed eyes bore into Maverick as he continued, "In fact, it's quite the opposite. I propose a truce."

Maverick's shock was palpable. A truce? What had happened to the menacing, sly Winston he knew? And why would he want a truce now? He couldn't accept it, not after enduring Winston's cruelty for so long. His rage surged, and he raised his fist, ready to retaliate against the man who had tormented him.

Winston, sensing the impending violence, backed away and smiled sheepishly. "I'll take that as a no...!" Winston hurriedly retreated, just as he was about to swing...

Maverick seethed, his anger left unexpressed, and he watched as Winston made his escape, disappearing up the staircase.
"Good," Winston thought, a sardonic grin tugging at his lips as he realized that he had succeeded in getting under Mavericks skin. "Now, I've got him angrier than ever..."