Chapter 6: A Budding Romance
Andy went to stretch his legs and get a cup of coffee from the vending machine in the hospital lounge. It had been 48 hours since Ephram's surgery and he showed considerable signs of improvement. He was reliant on mechanical ventilation for a short time after the surgery but as progress was made, the breathing machine was removed. Even though the surgery was a success, it left Ephram extremely weak. He couldn't keep awake more than a few minutes at a time.
Eventually, Andy wandered back into Ephram's room. He found Nina sitting by Ephram's bed still stroking the boy's cheek gently with her hand.
"Andy, you missed it!" Nina's eyes danced. "He was just awake."
"Really?" Andy glowed. He looked at his son who had fallen asleep again. The breathing tubes attached to Ephram's nose made him appear feeble and powerless. His ruffled dark hair was plastered against his forehead. Andy sighed at the sight of Ephram's bloodless face and limp body. His ghastly complexion was defined with light rust-colored patches under each eye. Somewhere hidden beneath that lifeless body was Ephram's strength and Andy was far from giving up.
"He looked at me and smiled!" Nina beamed excitedly.
"Yea? I guess that's just the old Ephram charm." Andy laughed.
"It was the sweetest smile I'd ever seen." Nina giggled. "And you missed it!!"
"Well, I'll catch the next one."
"He is so precious." Nina admired and continued to stroke Ephram's cheek. "Andy, look at him. He's breaking my heart."
"I think he'd be glad to hear you say that."
Only members of the immediate family were allowed to see Ephram in intensive care. Andy was able to get an exception for Nina simply because of the fact that Ephram was so attached to her. He needed her. Also, being a doctor with hospital relations helped tremendously. They stayed with Ephram all morning watching him sleep and waiting for those rare moments when he woke up.
Lunch in the hospital cafeteria was not exciting. It consisted of bland day old hamburgers, oily tater-tots, and the infamous blue jello. Black coffee was the only thing halfway decent. The food at Momma Joy's was a thousand times more appetizing than this prison food. Nina was not very hungry but she took a couple spoonfuls of jello and attentively watched Andy wolf down his food. With all the worrying, he never had appetite until now. This was apparently the first meal he's had since Ephram's surgery. He was famished.
"If you don't slow down, I'm going to have to take the food away. Take it easy - remember you had an ulcer?" Nina said sipping her coffee.
"Oh, right." Andy agreed. "You know what I just realized? This food really sucks." He said chewing the last bite of his burger.
"You say that after you've completely devoured the meal in less than ten minutes?" She questioned and shifted on the bench to face Andy.
"Hmm, good point. Remind me never to take Momma Joy's for granted again."
"I will." Nina smiled warmly.
For the first time in months, Andy felt a bond between him and this woman he called a 'friend.' He saw her dedication to his children - especially since Ephram's bout with pneumonia. Was Ephram the only one who saw Nina as someone more important than just a friend and neighbor? It dawned on him that his son already accepted her as family. When all hope was gone, she stood firmly by his side. He wasn't ashamed to bare his heart and soul to her. And she had supported him thru every possible dilemma. He was blind to not see something that was so clearly in plain sight. She cared.
"I never thanked you." He touched her hand.
"For what?" She inquired suspiciously.
"For all you've done. You helped me out in so many ways I never thought possible."
"Oh, it was nothing." She blushed.
"She's modest and humble too! Now I know you were sent from God." Andy marveled. "You saved Ephram's life that day."
"But I didn't do anything."
"If you hadn't been there when he collapsed, no one would've found him until it was too late."
"Let's just call it maternal instinct." She winked.
There was a sudden romantic spark in her eyes. Andy felt it too. He squeezed her hand and their faces drew closer. She did not reject his advances. They hesitated just slightly before their lips touched for a moment. It was undoubtedly a sensual kiss disguised in the form of a comfort kiss. They both knew their repressed desire for each other and their hearts ignited.
"OK, what just happened?" Nina reddened as the affectionate kiss came to an end.
"I'm not sure." Andy said timidly. "But I don't regret it one bit."
"I don't have any regrets either." She replied smiling from ear to ear. "In fact, it was wonderful." She turned serious. "But life is just really complicated for me right now. And you know my situation."
"I know." Andy played with his empty coffee cup. There was a long uncomfortable pause and neither one of them knew what to say next.
"Maybe we should get back to Ephram's room now." Nina suggested. Andy agreed.
* end of chapter 6 *
Andy went to stretch his legs and get a cup of coffee from the vending machine in the hospital lounge. It had been 48 hours since Ephram's surgery and he showed considerable signs of improvement. He was reliant on mechanical ventilation for a short time after the surgery but as progress was made, the breathing machine was removed. Even though the surgery was a success, it left Ephram extremely weak. He couldn't keep awake more than a few minutes at a time.
Eventually, Andy wandered back into Ephram's room. He found Nina sitting by Ephram's bed still stroking the boy's cheek gently with her hand.
"Andy, you missed it!" Nina's eyes danced. "He was just awake."
"Really?" Andy glowed. He looked at his son who had fallen asleep again. The breathing tubes attached to Ephram's nose made him appear feeble and powerless. His ruffled dark hair was plastered against his forehead. Andy sighed at the sight of Ephram's bloodless face and limp body. His ghastly complexion was defined with light rust-colored patches under each eye. Somewhere hidden beneath that lifeless body was Ephram's strength and Andy was far from giving up.
"He looked at me and smiled!" Nina beamed excitedly.
"Yea? I guess that's just the old Ephram charm." Andy laughed.
"It was the sweetest smile I'd ever seen." Nina giggled. "And you missed it!!"
"Well, I'll catch the next one."
"He is so precious." Nina admired and continued to stroke Ephram's cheek. "Andy, look at him. He's breaking my heart."
"I think he'd be glad to hear you say that."
Only members of the immediate family were allowed to see Ephram in intensive care. Andy was able to get an exception for Nina simply because of the fact that Ephram was so attached to her. He needed her. Also, being a doctor with hospital relations helped tremendously. They stayed with Ephram all morning watching him sleep and waiting for those rare moments when he woke up.
Lunch in the hospital cafeteria was not exciting. It consisted of bland day old hamburgers, oily tater-tots, and the infamous blue jello. Black coffee was the only thing halfway decent. The food at Momma Joy's was a thousand times more appetizing than this prison food. Nina was not very hungry but she took a couple spoonfuls of jello and attentively watched Andy wolf down his food. With all the worrying, he never had appetite until now. This was apparently the first meal he's had since Ephram's surgery. He was famished.
"If you don't slow down, I'm going to have to take the food away. Take it easy - remember you had an ulcer?" Nina said sipping her coffee.
"Oh, right." Andy agreed. "You know what I just realized? This food really sucks." He said chewing the last bite of his burger.
"You say that after you've completely devoured the meal in less than ten minutes?" She questioned and shifted on the bench to face Andy.
"Hmm, good point. Remind me never to take Momma Joy's for granted again."
"I will." Nina smiled warmly.
For the first time in months, Andy felt a bond between him and this woman he called a 'friend.' He saw her dedication to his children - especially since Ephram's bout with pneumonia. Was Ephram the only one who saw Nina as someone more important than just a friend and neighbor? It dawned on him that his son already accepted her as family. When all hope was gone, she stood firmly by his side. He wasn't ashamed to bare his heart and soul to her. And she had supported him thru every possible dilemma. He was blind to not see something that was so clearly in plain sight. She cared.
"I never thanked you." He touched her hand.
"For what?" She inquired suspiciously.
"For all you've done. You helped me out in so many ways I never thought possible."
"Oh, it was nothing." She blushed.
"She's modest and humble too! Now I know you were sent from God." Andy marveled. "You saved Ephram's life that day."
"But I didn't do anything."
"If you hadn't been there when he collapsed, no one would've found him until it was too late."
"Let's just call it maternal instinct." She winked.
There was a sudden romantic spark in her eyes. Andy felt it too. He squeezed her hand and their faces drew closer. She did not reject his advances. They hesitated just slightly before their lips touched for a moment. It was undoubtedly a sensual kiss disguised in the form of a comfort kiss. They both knew their repressed desire for each other and their hearts ignited.
"OK, what just happened?" Nina reddened as the affectionate kiss came to an end.
"I'm not sure." Andy said timidly. "But I don't regret it one bit."
"I don't have any regrets either." She replied smiling from ear to ear. "In fact, it was wonderful." She turned serious. "But life is just really complicated for me right now. And you know my situation."
"I know." Andy played with his empty coffee cup. There was a long uncomfortable pause and neither one of them knew what to say next.
"Maybe we should get back to Ephram's room now." Nina suggested. Andy agreed.
* end of chapter 6 *