Sybil Crawley checked her watch as the Underground train she was riding pulled into Whitechapel Station. It was 7:00 in the morning. Sybil breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she would arrive for her shift in the trauma ward at the Royal London Hospital on time. However, she could not help but suppress a yawn. It was Christmas Eve, and she had agreed to work almost the entire day in order to be able to spend Christmas Day with her family. Not that Sybil minded it that much. It would be worth it to be able to spend the next day with her parents, her sisters, and her brothers-in-law. Still, Sybil could not help but feel a little tired from waking up earlier than she normally did.
Moments later, Sybil exited Whitechapel Station and made her way across Whitechapel Road. She then entered the hospital to check in with Nurse Chapman, the head nurse in the trauma ward where Sybil worked. "Ah Sybil," Mrs. Chapman said as Sybil showed up. "Let's see what we have for you today." Nurse Chapman thumbed through some medical papers before pulling out one. "Here we go," Mrs. Chapman said as she handed the file to Sybil. Inside were some forms filled out by one Tom Branson, originally from Dublin, Ireland. According to his papers, Mr. Branson had been involved in a car accident that had resulted in a concussion. "Thanks Nurse Chapman," Sybil said. "I'll be on my way." Sybil grabbed the papers and made her way to the room indicated on them.
Sybil entered the patient's room, and there, sitting on an examination table, was the most handsome man she had possibly laid eyes on. He had short brown hair that had a bit of a fringe to it, and the most strikingly blue eyes Sybil had ever seen. "Hello," he said as he made a feeble attempt to extend his right arm without hurting his left. "Don't worry about it!" Sybil exclaimed. "You don't want to exert yourself too much. I'm Sybil, I mean, Nurse Crawley."
Tom struggled to suppress a slight giggle at the pretty nurse struggling to compose herself. He did not think he had seen a more beautiful woman in his life. She had long, dark, curly hair that she kept in a braid to keep it away from her face. Not that Tom minded. The nurse had the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen, and her face seemed to radiate kindness. "Pleased to meet you, Nurse Sybil Crawley," he replied. "I'm Tom, by the way."
"Nice to meet you," Sybil replied. She took a look at his paperwork again. "So, is this your first time in London?" Sybil asked.
"No," Tom replied. "I've been to the city a couple of times for work, but this was my first time coming for pleasure. I'd say I got hit by some rotten luck, though. Today was supposed to be my last day. I decided to take a drive around the city so I could catch some of the sites one last time. I guess I must have been distracted while I was driving. I ended up hitting a pillar and in this condition."
"Sorry to hear that," Sybil said in a soothing voice. "So it looks like you have a concussion. Would you mind describing your symptoms?" Tom thought for a moment and replied, "Well, I do feel a little dizzy, I've got a headache, I have some sensitivity to light and noise, and some minor balance problems." He hoped he had managed to describe all of the symptoms, as he knew some people with concussions suffered brief memory loss.
"Well, from what you say, it sounds like your concussion isn't serious," Sybil said. She breathed a sigh of relief. Sybil had seen much worse concussions than this, so her Irish patient was quite lucky. "However, we will still need to run a CT scan to ensure that nothing's seriously wrong." Tom nodded in agreement.
"Is the examination room far? I think I could stand to walk for a little while," Tom said, with a pleading look that made Sybil struggle not to blush.
"It's not too far," Sybil replied. "But as I said, you don't want to exert yourself too much."
Tom looked at her and replied, "I think I can do it. Besides, you'll be with me the entire way."
Sybil thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll walk down there with you. But let me know if you need to take a rest."
Sybil and Tom entered the room where the CT scanner was waiting. Inside was one of the doctors, Dr. Barton. "Hello Dr. Barton," Sybil said as she and Tom entered the room. "We have a patient here who has a concussion. He needs a CT scan to ensure that there's nothing wrong."
"Right away," Dr. Barton replied. Dr. Barton beckoned Tom to follow her to the CT scanner. Tom got on the examination table and the doctor got to work. Tom tried hard to lie still during the process. It was nerve-wracking, but it helped to have Sybil by his side. She seemed to cast a soothing presence over him, something he had not felt with many other women.
"Okay, all finished," Dr. Barton said as she turned off the machine. "Nurse Crawley will escort you back to your room. I'll be by in a few minutes to discuss the results of your CT scan."
"Okay, thank you," said Tom as he and Sybil walked back to the examination room.
Sybil looked at Tom and said, "You seemed to handle that pretty well. I've seen some patients who were quite nervous about getting a CT scan."
"Well, I work as a journalist, so I've seen much worse than what I've gone through," Tom replied.
"You work as a journalist?" Sybil asked. Tom nodded. "I considered going into journalism for a while. I thought it would be a noble profession, bringing attention to other people's problems. In the end, though, I found that nursing was a higher calling," Sybil continued. "I found that helping people heal was just as important as bringing attention to their problems, if not more so. My sister Edith works as a journalist, though. It's always interesting to read the articles she writes and hear about how she gathered the facts for them. What caused you to go into journalism?"
"Probably the same reason you considered going into journalism," Tom replied. "I've always been politically active, especially in regards to closing the income inequality gap. One day before I went to university, I went to a working class neighborhood with a cousin who works as a journalist. I was amazed at how much attention she was bringing to that neighborhood and its struggles. So, I went on and studied journalism in university and here I am. So you say that you found that helping people heal was important. What caused you to realize that?"
"Well, my sister's husband's mother also works as a nurse. After Mary, my sister, and Matthew, her husband, started dating, we met each other. One day I volunteered to bring Isobel, Matthew's mother, some lunch on a busy day. I got to see glimpses of what she was doing, and I really noticed how much comfort and hope she brought some of her patients. She was the one who really pushed me to pursue a career as a nurse. She told me that because I enjoy helping people so much, nursing would be a perfect job for me. So, that's my story."
At that moment, Dr. Barton came in with the CT scans. She put them up on a screen so that Tom and Sybil could see them. "As you can see Mr. Branson, you have no injuries that would cause a significant amount of concern. However, you will need plenty of rest in order to recover from your concussion. You will need to limit activities that require a substantial amount of thinking, such as reading, watching the telly, or using a computer. You will also likely need to avoid too much social interaction. You may find this hard, but don't take any pain relievers containing ibuprofen. Because those medicines thin your blood, they could cause the situation to become worse. I recommend that you call your employer and ask for some time off while you recover. Do not hesitate to call if any problems persist."
"Okay, thank you Dr. Barton," Tom replied.
"You can check out at the front desk of the trauma ward," Dr. Barton continued. "They'll have you ready to go in no time." Dr. Barton then left the room.
Sybil looked at Tom and said, "Well, sorry that your stay in London had to turn out like this. Maybe the next time will turn out better."
Tom replied, "Maybe, but I did get to meet a kind, thoughtful woman like you, so I guess that counts for something. Listen, Sybil, I don't know when I'll be in London the next time, but I would love to see you again. Would it be okay with you if I got your mobile number?"
Sybil hesitated for a moment and said, "Wow, I've never given my mobile number to a patient, but I have to admit that you seem rather kind and thoughtful yourself. I'll give you my number if you give me yours."
Within moments they exchanged phone numbers. Tom then made his way to the front desk to check out. After Tom checked out, Sybil could not help but ask him, "Do you have any plans for Christmas Day?"
"Well, I was going to return to Ireland this afternoon to spend Christmas with my family, but I don't know if I can travel in this condition. Right now, I am strongly considering calling the airline to cancel my flight home. It's a real tragedy, though. I always look forward to spending this time of the year with my family."
Sybil thought for a moment and said, "You could come and spend Christmas with my family if you want. It will just be me, my parents, Mary and Matthew, Edith and her husband Bertie, my grandmother Violet, Isobel, and Mirada, Bertie's mother. It won't be a huge crowd, so you will not have to socialize much. As Dr. Barton said, you don't want to socialize too much while you're recovering from your concussion."
Tom shook his head and said, "Oh, Sybil, I don't want to intrude on your and your family's Christmas."
"Nonsense, my family wont' mind," Sybil said as she pulled out her mobile phone. "I just know that they, like me, will hate the idea of you spending Christmas alone in a London hotel room."
She selected her mother, Cora, in her list of contacts, and it was not long before her mother answered the phone. "Hi Sybil," her mother's voice said into the phone. "Is everything okay at work?"
"Most everything," Sybil said. "I just have an Irish patient here who is likely going to have to spend Christmas alone in his hotel room because he can't fly home because of a concussion."
"I see," her mother responded. "Well, Christmas is the time for being generous, so feel free to invite him over if you want to."
"Okay, thanks Mum," Sybil said. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow," Cora said as she and Sybil hung up the phone.
"Well, Tom, it's settled," Sybil said as she put her mobile phone away. She got out a piece of paper and wrote down some information. "Here's my parent's address and the time everyone will be getting together. Please don't feel like your imposing on anyone."
Tom looked at the information and said, "It's not that far from my hotel, so I guess that's a sign that I should accept. All right, I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for the invitation."
"No problem. See you tomorrow," Sybil replied, before Tom made his way out the double doors.
Sybil stayed busy in the trauma ward for the rest of the day. It was hard work, seeing all the patients who were having to deal with various misfortunes at Christmas. However, Sybil knew that she was doing her best to make it so that they did not have to suffer too much through this time of year. She also had seeing her family and meeting Tom again the next day to get her through today. Before long, it was 10:00 in the evening. Nurse Chapman came to Sybil and said, "Okay Sybil. You did an excellent job today. Thanks again for being willing to come in today. I hope you and your family have a Happy Christmas."
"Same to you Nurse Chapman," Sybil replied. She got her purse and made her way for the Underground. In just a short ride she would be at her parents' house again, dreaming of presents elegantly wrapped, Christmas pudding, and a handsome Irish guest. When she got there, Sybil made sure to make her way into the house quietly. She knew that the rest of her family was asleep by now. As much as she knew that they would love to see her, she did not think that they would appreciate being woken up in the middle of the night. Without further thought, Sybil made her way to her old childhood room and settled in for the night. As she fell asleep, she could not help but smile at all the wonderful anticipation that she had for the next day.
Tom made his way back to his hotel from the hospital. Along the way, he picked up a small bottle of wine to give Sybil's family. His mother had always taught him that it was gracious to give a hostess gift. Tom hoped that they would appreciate it.
After Tom reached his hotel, the first thing he did was call the airline to explain that he had to reschedule his flight home. The receptionist placed him on a flight that would bring him back to Dublin in about two days. Tom was relieved knowing that he was not going to have to spend too much of his recovery time in a London hotel room.
He next called his mother to explain that he was going to need to delay his return home. She was worried of course, like all mothers of sons who have gotten a concussion. Tom told her that he was sorry that he could not be home for Christmas and that she could care for him all she wanted after he returned. He then told her about Sybil's invitation and that he had already taken the liberty of getting the bottle of wine. Tom's mother advised him to be polite and not to create too much work for Sybil's parents. He told her that he loved her and that he would see her when he returned. She returned that sentiment as they hung up.
Finally, Tom called Michael to say that he was going to need about a week off from work. Michael, thankfully, was very understanding and told Tom to take as much time as he needed off in order to recover. Tom did add on, though, that he was looking forward to getting back to work and wished Michael a Merry Christmas. Michael returned the greeting as he hung up the phone. Tom then settled into his bed and went to sleep. It had been a long, excruciating day, and Tom was glad to get the chance to finally get some rest.
The next morning, Sybil woke up in earnest. She wanted to see her family and wish them a Happy Christmas. She also wanted to let her mother, Cora, know that they would be having another guest at Christmas dinner. Sybil hoped and prayed that her parents would not mind that she had invited someone over at the last minute.
"Good morning, Sybil, and Happy Christmas," her mother said as Sybil walked into the kitchen. "I hope the hospital didn't keep you working too hard yesterday."
"It was a busy day, but I think it was worth it to help people on Christmas Eve," Sybil responded.
Cora smiled at that and said, "So when can we expect your new friend to arrive?"
"I told him that we were getting together around noon. His hotel isn't far from here, so it shouldn't take him that long to get here."
At his hotel, Tom woke up and enjoyed a light breakfast. He spent most of the morning resting in his hotel room before deciding that it was time for him to take the short walk to Sybil's family's house. The walk from his hotel to the house only took about fifteen minutes, and he arrived at the house about ten minutes after noon. He knocked at the door, and a young blond man answered the door. Standing behind him were Sybil and a dark-haired young woman whom Tom thought must be one of Sybil's sisters.
"You must be Sybil's new friend," the young man said. "I'm Matthew, Sybil's brother-in-law.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Tom," Tom replied, shaking Matthew's hand as he walked into the house.
"Hello, Tom, I'm Mary, Sybil's older sister," the dark-haired woman said after Tom entered the house.
"Nice to meet you too," Tom said.
The party then walked into the kitchen, and Tom briefly shook hands with all of Sybil's other relatives. Both her father, Robert, and her mother, Cora, seemed like kind, welcoming people, and they thanked Tom for the bottle of wine he had bought for them. Sybil's middle sister, Edith, and her husband, Bertie, seemed particularly interested in Tom's career as a journalist, but they made sure not to ask Tom too many questions that would cause him to think too hard. Sybil must have told them not to make him think too hard in the condition he was in.
Finally, Tom met Violet, Sybil's grandmother, Isobel, Matthew's mother, and Mirada, Bertie's mother. They too showed some interest in Tom's career, but they seemed more interested in hearing how he and Sybil had met. Tom then told them the story of how they had met in the hospital.
"Well, you certainly were in good hands with Sybil," Isobel said. "I sometimes think that someday, she'll be a better nurse than I am."
"Well, I don't know about that," Sybil said sounding a little embarrassed. Violet and Mirada each suppressed a laugh.
In no time at all, it was time to sit down for Christmas dinner. Sybil and Tom sat next to each other, and together they got to enjoy such classic Christmas staples like turkey and Christmas pudding. As they were eating the pudding, Tom whispered to Sybil, "I'm glad that you invited me to come."
"I'm glad you could come," Sybil said.
Tom thought for a moment and said, "I know your job keeps you busy, but would you like to meet up again next time I'm in London? I come here for work a few times a year, so I would love to see you again."
Sybil smiled and said, "I would enjoy that."
Before Tom left, he and Sybil exchanged mobile phone numbers and emails so they could stay in touch. And sure enough, they did stay in touch. As their relationship grew each time Tom came to London, Sybil's family could not help but speculate if anything would come of it.