A/N: This is my first crackfic, so we're gonna see how it goes! I'm actually kind of really excited, especially to write in Ye Olden Times ;) any reviews are much much appreciated, I love reading them! xoxo
The nurse placed the food tray on the table and rolled it over to the bed. Sighing, she peeled the lid off the jello cup and laid a napkin across her patient's lap before handing him his utensils. He took them from her gingerly and watched as she sat down in the chair next to his bed, playing with a loose thread on her uniform.
"Um-" the patient cleared his throat. "Ma'am?" No response. He tried again. "Nurse?"
The woman looked up. "Oh, me? I'm much too young to be a ma'am, you couldn't have expected me to answer to that." Gene could tell there was some intended punch behind the comment, but the woman's dark eyes lacked the fervent fire he imagined she strove for.
"I'm sorry ma'a – nurse." He gestured over to her chair. "I just couldn't help but notice how sad you look. And I remember you crying when I woke up this morning. Are you alright? "
The nurse shook her head sadly and moved to look out the window. "No, I'm not. My love has gone away, never to return," she replied, glancing back at Gene with a strange look in her eye.
Gene softened. "Oh, I'm sure it's not so. How could any man stand to be away from such a beautiful woman like yourself? I'm sure he'll be back."
The nurse swallowed and wiped away a few tears. "You would think so. Not every nurse has such a womanly body, you know," she rolled her eyes and sniffled, causing Gene to chuckle. She moved the tray closer to the bed. "But it's my own fault. I loved him too much for my own good. I know he's happy now." She smiled to herself and wiped away a last tear before picking up the jello cup. "Come now, you have to eat. You haven't touched your food yet." Gene nodded, unmoving, staring at how the nurse's tear-coated eyelashes splayed across her cheeks.
"Do you need me to help you? Here, open up," the nurse instructed, taking the spoon from Gene's clenched hand and scooping out some orange jello. She fed him, startling as he released the rest of his utensils and started to reach for her. "Oh, you can do it yourself! You don't need me." She set the jello and spoon back down on Gene's tray and began to back up. "It's probably for the best, I've got to go attend to the others." She started to move for the door, grabbing a pile of linen on her way out.
"Nurse!" Gene's voice rang out strong for the first time since he'd woken up.
"Yes? Do you need something else?" The nurse paused in the doorway.
"I hadn't asked – what's your name?"
The nurse smiled shyly. "Bella. My name is Bella."
Gene tested the sound out on his own lips. "Bella. Beautiful." He smiled back. "I'm Gene. Gene Casey."
"I know," Bella replied sadly, casting her eyes downward. She closed the door behind her as a confused Gene sat and wondered what he had done to upset her.
Gene waited the rest of the day for Bella to return. His breath caught in his throat each time the door to his room opened, but it was never his nurse. As this one straightened the blankets on his bed, Gene couldn't prevent himself from asking after his raven-haired attendant.
"Nurse?"
The redheaded woman looked up from her work. "Yes, Mr. Casey?"
"Would you know when Nurse Bella is to return? She, uh – I believe she took home my favorite blanket to mend," Gene covered, feeling a bead of sweat start to form on his forehead. He quickly brushed it away, trying to look only mildly invested in the nurse's answer.
The nurse stood up, frowning. "Why, there's no Nurse Bella here. Do you mean Nurse Jenkins? She brought you lunch earlier."
"Well, yes, that nurse, but she told me her name was Bella." Gene crossed his arms.
"Oh, she likes to do that. She told another patient before you that her name was Bella, too. I think it's her way of having a little fun." The nurse winked at Gene and turned on the bedside lamp. "I believe she isn't scheduled to come in for a week. I think she's suffered some loss recently – she said something about 'heartache days'. Would you like me to call and ask her to bring in the blanket?"
"Oh no no," Gene shook his head, "please don't. I just wanted to know when I'd get it back."
"Don't worry, Mr. Casey, she'll be back before you know it."
Gene stared out the window and nodded. "I hope so."
Gene was half-asleep when he heard the door click open a week later. His eyes flew open and turned towards the door to catch Bella quietly arranging his medicine on his bedside table.
"Bella," he breathed, struggling to sit up. Bella turned around and smiled weakly, moving to help arrange some pillows behind him. "You're back." His smile faltered. "You were gone for so long."
Bella refused to meet his glance. "Yes, well, I needed some time away from this place." She looked around the room and ran a hand along the edge of the bed. "I have a lot of painful memories here."
"You do?" Gene tried not to sound so desperate for conversation, but he was hanging on her every word.
Bella nodded. "Someone very important to me slept in this bed before you." She sat down on the edge.
Gene could feel his heart racing. "Your lost love?"
Bella's eyes flashed to his but quickly moved to the windows again as she nodded almost imperceptibly. "Yes."
"Bella, I'm sorry," Gene replied, reaching out to rest his hand on top of hers. Bella removed hers as if she'd been scalded by hot water, jumping up off the bed. "I know how that must hur-"
"Yes, it does hurt," Bella agreed, holding her hand protectively in the other. "And that's why I don't want to talk about it anymore." She took a deep breath and looked Gene in the eyes. "Do you need anything else this morning, Mr. Casey? Your medication is on the bedside table."
Gene just nodded, at a loss as to how to address her sudden change in demeanor. "No, no I think that's all. But Bella –"
"I have to go give the other patients their medicine. Please let a nurse know if you need something." Bella walked quickly out of the room, leaving a stunned Gene in her wake.