The next morning I saw Mom and Dad around the table. They both looked at me with knowing, stern looks. They didn't say anything. They wanted me to make the first move.
"You thought we wouldn't know," Mom said. Her eyes were menacing, as if they searched through my very soul.
I panicked. My feet were frozen in a panic. Had they known I lagged by the church last night? Had Amanda and Calum told them about me and Meredith in the library? Had they--
"Nurse Emily called me and said you've been hit by a baseball?" Dad asked.
"Oh, that!" I snapped. I was screeching in panicked relief. "Um... yeah. But I had my baseball helmet on."
"But the nurse had to patch your bruise," Mom chimed in.
"Well, she's the nurse, so--"
"Is that why you didn't stop by the kitchen when you came home last night? I just heard footsteps and a door slam," she interrupted.
I bit my lip. I swallowed my pride. "I'm sorry."
"I told you baseball is a dangerous sport," Mom said. "Charlie, maybe you should stop--"
"Mom, it's just one time," I protested. "Please. You know how much I love it. Besides, I'm careful. Always am. I promise it won't happen again."
"It better not," she snapped, "or it's bye-bye baseball."
~~~
"I thought we were friends, Nurse Em," I stormed inside the infirmary.
"Oh, we are!" The old woman said. She grinned.
"But you ratted me out to Mom and Dad. Now Mom's threatening me to quit baseball if I have another 'accident'," I put air quotes on the last word. Nurse Emily just chuckled.
"I had to, honey," she said.
"Why?"
"Look, I didn't want to do it either, but..."
"But what?"
She had a knowing smile on her face. She poked my shoulder. "Meredith begged me to."
I thought I was hearing things. "Meredith?"
"Yes, my assistant."
I stared at her, dumbstruck. "But why?"
"She seemed really concerned. She insisted your parents should know, so they'd have custody of some sort. Well, that I agreed to," Nurse Emily said.
I sat down the infirmary bed and looked at Nurse Emily. "Does she like me or something?"
"Now, don't you be getting a big head!" She said, wagging a finger at me. "She's like that to every patient here. Worries for them like a mother. You cannot believe."
"Well, one mom is enough for me, so no, thanks," I muttered.
"I have never met a girl like that. Not everyday, anyway." The old woman sat beside me. She put an arm around me. "You feeling okay in the head now?"
"Yeah, thanks," I said.
"You should thank Meredith especially," she said. "She's got more concern in her than I've had in years. Plus, she always gives me these cute Bible verses on sticky notes."
"So I've heard," I said. "People think it's annoying. We think it's annoying."
Nurse Emily looked disappointed. She glared. "How so? These Bible verses really lighten up my day. I just needed encouragement and no one gave it but her. She's a really nice girl. She kinda brings back the better America in the old days, where people depend on God's Word for advice and everything is just... right. Now, it's just feminism or LGBTQ rights and all that junk. We've forgotten where we came from."
"It's not where we came from, Nurse Em," I said, "everyone has different religion."
"Oh, yes. Religion. I know."
I stared at her.
She smiled, added, "but it's not about religion."
"What do you really believe in, Nurse Em? I haven't heard you talk like this before."
She smiled. "I don't really know, Charlie. But that girl sure had me thinking."
I was about to ask what she meant, but the bell rang and she sent me off to hurry.
I was left hanging at the edge.
~~~
"Nurse Emily's got it wonky in the head," Calum said.
We were by the lockers. A free period. We decided to exchange answers for our next period homework.
"I think Meredith's influencing her too much. Like brainwashing or something." I said.
"Probably," he snorted. "And she's obviously got a thing for you."
I frowned. "No, thanks. I don't go for girls like that."
"You should probably come to her, you know, break her little heart," Calum said. He laughed. He thought he was a riot.
I shook my head. Honestly I didn't think it was funny. I wasn't that mean. Besides Meredith wasn't doing anything wrong. Not really. She's just really passionate about her faith.
"If you think it's so funny, why don't you do it?" I said.
"No way! She doesn't like me. She likes you."
"No, she doesn't," I shoved him.
And there I saw her. Coming my way. She had her eyes down on a book. She was walking and reading all at the same time. She didn't seem to be aware of the sea of stares around her.
"There's your admirer," Calum whispered.
"Shut up," I said.
I watched as she came to her locker. She fetched her pen, checked her books--
"Dude, stop staring," Calum interrupted, nudging me on the arm.
"I wasn't!" I lied.
He laughed. And then he looked at Meredith. "And what's with that country girl getup of hers? Her Arizona pride?"
"What's wrong with that?" I said.
"Dude, we're in the 21st century Clarkdale, Arizona. Sure, it's a little town, but I think it's just... a little overdue to be wearing that kind of stuff."
"Leave her be," I said.
Calum pretended to be shocked. He boggled. "Is Charlie Borlock defending little old country girl?"
I punched him on the arm.
And then I looked over Meredith's way again. To my surprise, she was already looking at me. I panicked. I quickly hid behind Calum and pretended not to notice.
You should thank Meredith especially.
"Your head feeling okay now?" Calum asked. What a reminder.
"Yeah," I said, rubbing my scalp.
"Nurse Em treat you like a baby again?"
I stared at him. If I told him it wasn't Nurse Emily, he'd ask about Meredith and taunt me about it again.
No, thanks.
"Yeah," I said, forcing laughter. "It's all thanks to her."
Somehow I felt her eyes watching me from behind. Those eyes that looked after so many needy souls, and for the first time ever, I actually felt needy.
But of what?
I waited for time to pass till I was a hundred percent sure she was gone. And then when I turned, she really was. I felt a sigh of relief. And then I felt guilty to be relieved.
She did help me get better. And I did kinda liked her sticky notes of Bible verses.
So what was the problem?