Maggie was rather fond of the old York Hospital. It wasn't the most modern hospital, but she liked the building. The sense of history, of nurses, doctors and patients for years before her walking the same corridors. Every time she walked in through the grounds, it made her smile, and she was very grateful she'd been able to train here. She loved York, and always had. It was close enough to home in Ashfordly, but far enough away that no one knew her at all. She drew her cape around her against the chill of the November morning air and walked a little quicker towards the main steps. Reaching them, she crossed them, heels clicking against the stone. She smiled as one of her colleagues passed on as she made her way into the nurses' mess, and hung up her cloak tidily. She checked her hair quickly in the mirror, before making her way to the ward in time for rounds. When she reached the entrance to her ward, she found two of the other nurses waiting for her. "Hello!" she greeted them cheerily "Are you not going in?" Sarah grinned and looked through into the ward "I think Sister's waiting, so we better," she replied easily, and the three girls exchanged a knowing glance. Sister ruled the ward with a rod of iron, and although Maggie enjoyed working for her she knew her place as one of the junior nurses. As the three of them came in together, Maggie suddenly became aware that there were more than the usual number of staff on the ward. "What's going on?" she murmured to Jenny, as they waited for Sister to give them their instructions. Jenny shrugged "junior registrars on rotation, I'd guess" she replied as Maggie sized up the two new additions to the ward. The two men didn't appear to know each other, and she'd never seen them before, though she mused, there were always doctors and medical students coming and going. Just as Sister arrived, and they all snapped to attention, she caught the eye of one of them. He looked a little apprehensive and she flashed him a smile, before turning demurely to attention.
Neil considered the rota before he turned on his heel and headed off to the ward he'd been assigned to for the day. The joys of rotation were many and varied, and never quite knowing where you might be working, how your knowledge might be tested was part of the fun. He arrived just before the other junior registrar, and ahead of the nurses. Sister pointed him to the centre of the ward and told him to wait there until the others were there, and wait he did albeit only for a few minutes. The nurses appeared on the dot of 8.30am and as Sister appeared in their midst, the pretty brunette caught his eye and smiled. He smiled back at her, and then smiled to himself as Sister began to speak. Neil didn't see her again after that day on the ward. This became a source of some perplexion to him since she clearly worked in the hospital and so did he. But although he was rota'd back onto that ward again, he never seemed to coincide with her. Pity.
A few weeks later, Neil was persuaded out one evening once rounds were done. He and three of the other junior registrars ventured down to one of the local clubs. Ted, with whom Neil shared digs, pointed out that it was a haunt well beloved of the junior staff from the hospital, and there were bound to be plenty of friendly folk. The music was good and Neil considered the others around him. He liked to dance, when the opportunity arose, but as he glanced around the room he concluded that opportunity wouldn't arise tonight. And then out of the corner of his eye, he spied a familiar face and he grinned.
Maggie too had been persuaded out that evening. The girls had called for her, coaxed her out. "Come on Mags," Lucy had said, leaning against the door of Maggie's room "You love dancing, you know you do. And it's a nice little club. Go on." Maggie had considered for a moment, before agreeing. "Okay then," she'd conceded "but you're going to have to help me do my hair!" Looking round the club, Maggie had recognised a few faces from the hospital. Her gaze fell upon someone on the other side of the club. He smiled at her, and she had to rack her brains for a moment to recollect where she knew him from. The hospital, of course, she concluded, because the club was full of medics but she knew he wasn't one of the doctors she worked with regularly. She smiled back, before turning to her girlfriends. "Sarah, there's a chap, seven o'clock. I recognise him, but where from?" she asked. Sarah considered him for a moment, over Maggie's shoulder, before she replied. "Didn't he work the ward with us a few weeks ago?" she asked, and Maggie clicked her fingers in satisfaction. "Yes, that's it."
Later in the evening, Maggie was waiting at the bar when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned, expecting to see one of the girls, and instead found a blue eyed stranger. "Hello," she said, smiling at him "I think we've met before, sort of, haven't we? Neil smiled back "We worked the same ward about three weeks ago," he replied "at least, I think we did. I'm Neil," "Maggie," she told him. After a few more seconds they both realised they were staring at each other, and Neil thought he really ought to break the ice somehow. "Can I buy you a drink?" he asked and Maggie shook her head, curls dancing as she did so. "Not this moment," she told him amiably "I owe the girls. My round, you see." Neil looked disappointed, but he covered it well. "Maybe later?" she suggested and his expression brightened. "I'd like that," he replied.
"He's been watching you all evening, you know" Jenny observed to Maggie as the evening drew on. Maggie grinned "I'm sure I don't know what you mean," she replied, her eyes dancing in amusement. "Yeah, sure," Jenny said, rolling her eyes. Maggie considered her glass for a moment "I did say he could buy me a drink," she owned "so if he's really paying attention, perhaps he'll notice that I'm almost done with this one." Jenny looked amused. Maggie stretched out her hands in front of her, and smiled. "I am so looking forward to a day off tomorrow," she commented and Jenny nodded. "I bet, lucky thing. Hey, here's your man. I'll catch up with you later," and as Neil came up to their table, Jenny flashed him a smile before vanishing into the ether of the dance floor to find their friends. Maggie turned on her seat, and came face to face with the blue eyed man again. She smiled as he came up to her, "May I? Neil asked, indicating the seat next to her and Maggie nodded. "I wondered if I could buy you that drink?" he asked, as he sat down. "That would be nice," she replied slightly shyly. Neil studied her glass for a moment before turning his attention to her again "No, you're going to have to help me out here," he told her "what are you drinking?" Maggie smiled "G&T would be lovely, thanks."
Neil returned with their drinks fairly swiftly and they chatted amiably for some time, both impervious to the movement of the club around them. "How long have you worked in York?" Neil asked at length, as Maggie sipped her drink. "Well, I did my probationer training in Ashfordly, and then came here to finish up," she replied "so I've been here about a year now. What about you?" Neil smiled "I did my medical degree at Leeds, and then started my junior year here in the summer," he told her. Maggie considered for a moment "Do you know what you want to specialise in yet?" she asked. Neil shook his head "I've been thinking about surgery, but I'm not sure yet," he replied, and Maggie smiled "Plenty of time yet for all of that," she reminded him, setting her glass down on the table. As she did so, her fingertips grazed his and she smiled. Their eyes met for a moment and Neil found his mouth had gone dry suddenly. This was ridiculous, he thought. She was lovely, but the effect she had on him was extraordinary. "Would you like to dance?" he found himself asking and he grinned again when she nodded.
After they'd danced together for much of the rest of the evening, Neil found himself unable to wipe the smile from his face. She danced beautifully, and as the evening had drawn on, they'd danced closer and closer. She was a very pretty girl, and he'd enjoyed talking to her as well as dancing with her. "Are you working tomorrow?" he asked as they'd taken a breather from the dance floor. Maggie shook her head. "No, I've got tomorrow off," she replied, looking at him. "What about you?" she asked after a few more moments had passed. "No, nor me. Nights all next week though, so I'm not due back at the hospital now until Monday night." They'd smiled at each other again, leaving questions hanging in the air. Maggie considered her watch for a moment before looking back at him. "I really ought to get home," she told him gently. Neil considered "May I walk you back?" he asked and was rewarded with a beaming smile. "I'd like that," she replied.
Once they were out in the night air, Maggie wrapped her arms around herself instinctively as they walked back towards her street. "Do you not live in the nurses' hostel?" Neil asked and Maggie shook her head. "A few of the girls and I share a flat," she replied "Because I came up from Ashfordly, I wasn't high up enough on the list to get in this year, but I think I may have lucked out really." She laughed when she saw Neil's slightly confused expression "At least in our own place, we can come and go as we please," she pointed out, "What about you?" she asked. Neil drew his coat closer around him, against the sharp night air. "I'm in digs off the Haxby Road," he replied "I share with a guy I was at Leeds with, and a couple of others." Maggie smiled, and relaxed her grip around herself. As they continued to walk and chat at a fairly leisurely pace, she found their fingertips touching again and she smiled as he entwined his fingers with hers. Within a few more minutes, they found themselves outside her flat. Stood in streetlight, hands still entwined they stared at each other for a couple of moments, before Neil brought one hand up gently to her elbow, and bent to kiss her. Maggie smiled as they drew apart, and then reached up to kiss him again, much to Neil's delight. As their kisses continued, he drew her closer to him until she was pressed against him. He tried to ignore the sensations all this was creating in him as they drew apart. "Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked and Maggie smiled, "I could meet you in the afternoon, if you like," she replied and Neil grinned. "How about half past two at the Minster?" he suggested and Maggie considered, biting her lip as she did so. "I'll meet you under the Rose Window?" she offered, and they smiled at each other. "I'll look forward to it," Neil told her, unable to resist leaning forward and kissing her again before she headed up to her flat, and he back to his digs. "Good night," she called as he disappeared into the darkness, and he turned and waved. Once she'd got into her room, she leant against her door grinning.