A TOAST TO INNOCENCE

CHAPTER I:

It was a snowy, windy Chicago afternoon at Northwestern Hospital. The halls were lined with Christmas decorations: cardboard snowmen and Santas on the walls, wreaths on the doors, candy cane and snowflake stickers on the windows, and near the elevator on the fourth floor, a green six-foot tree covered in lights, tinsel, ornaments and a red-and-gold eight-pointed star on the very top. Long story short, 'twas the season.

The door to the drug lock-up opened just then, and out came a pretty young 30-ish nurse in pink scrubs. At first glance, it was easy to think she was just another nurse, except for a few minor details. For starters, there was a blue bandana tied around her right leg, as well as a yellow one hanging around her neck. There was also the mismatched sneakers she was wearing. One was black with red trim, and the other was white with green laces. Lastly, over the pocket of her scrub top, next to her ID badge, was a small, circular souvenir button. It had a black background, and in bold letters in every color of the rainbow, were the words, "PUNKY POWER!"

Yes, folks, this nurse was none other than the Punky Brewster.

No, she wasn't a little girl anymore. She'd been a nurse at this very hospital for the last eight years, and in spite of all she'd seen there, not to mention everything she'd been through in her life, she was thankful to have her job. Nobody ever said nursing was easy, but then again, neither was life.

"Hi, Punky," a voice called. Punky turned around, and there was her friend and co-worker, Dr. Gretchen Maddux. She was an intern: young, ambitious, wore her heart on her sleeve, and above all else, always wanting to do the right thing. She also idolized Punky. After all, if it wasn't for her guidance, support and friendship, she never would've finished med school.

"Hi, Gretchen," Punky smiled. "How's your internship going?"

"Oh, not too bad," Zoe said as she took a roll of butter-rum Life-Savers out of her coat pocket. "I got to assist during Mrs. Feldon's tonsillectomy this morning."

"Really? I know I'm only a nurse, but I always thought that was the most boring procedure of them all."

"I admit it's not as exciting or challenging as double-bypass surgery, but it's better than nothing. Want one?"

"Yeah, thanks," Punky said as she accepted a Life-Saver from Gretchen. "I'm partial to the tropical-flavored ones myself, but these are good, too."

"Oh, God, I am so addicted to these it's not even funny," Gretchen laughed. "Say, after my shift ends, a bunch of us are goin' out for some deep-dish pizza. Care to join us?"

"Oh, I'd love to, but I'm busy," Punky answered. "Cherie and Todd are coming in from Bloomington, and I gotta get my apartment cleaned up."

"Oh. How've they been?"

"Great. Cherie loves her job," Punky said as they walked down the hall. "I still remember the last time I visited them, and when she showed me her blueprints to the youth center's new wing."

"That's great, Punky," Gretchen said. "Well, say hi to her for me."

"Will do," Punky agreed. By this point, they'd come to a stop beside Room 401. "Well, I better give Mr. Nolan his meds now."

"Gotcha. Hey, in case I don't see you, merry Christmas."

"You too," Punky said warmly. After a quick hug, Gretchen turned and continued down the hall as Punky entered the room. Mr. Nolan, the patient she was giving medicine to, had a tendency to be difficult when it was time to take his pills. Some would even say combative. But this time, Punky didn't mind much. In a few days, her best friend in the world would be in town.

It would be just like the good old days again.

"Okay, your total comes to $32.95," the cashier at the supermarket said.

Boy, when Henry said this store's prices were ridiculous, he wasn't kidding! Punky thought as she fished her EBT card out of her purse. Fortunately, she had plenty of money left on the card, so she wouldn't have to worry about food.

Oh, you're probably wondering who Henry is. Well, Henry Warnimont was her foster father, and the best one she could've ever asked for. You see, when Punky was eight years old, her mother abandoned her in a shopping center, and until Henry came into her life, she and her dog Brandon had to fend for themselves. In fact, she'd been staying in the empty apartment across the hall from him, and as scary as it was being on her own, it was also kind of fun. But Henry eventually found her all by herself and took her in. They say fate sends you what you need when you really need it the most, and fate was definitely with Punky when Henry found her.

Anyway, Punky had just started bagging her groceries when she heard a voice behind her say, "Excuse me, I think you dropped this."

Punky glanced up. Standing in front of her with a can of apple pie filling in his hand was a young man with thick, wavy dark brown hair and brown eyes. He also had fair skin, a neatly trimmed moustache and goatee that was just starting to turn gray, and was wearing a dark blue long-sleeved dress shirt, a black tie, dark blue jeans, black boots and a Chicago Bears varsity jacket. When they saw each other, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

"Punky?" he exclaimed. "Is that you?"

"Um—yes, last time I checked, it was," she answered. "Do I know you?"

"Punky, it's me," the man said. "It's TC."