The Comb
Chapter One
Present day, Alberta, Canada
Faith stood before her assigned locker in the ladies' locker room of Hope General Memorial hospital and finished getting ready for her shift. She Pinned on the remainder of her credentials and glanced in the mirror one last time.
"Taking the bird up today, Faith?" A friendly voice enquired as she entered the room.
"Yup, it's my turn." Faith answered Molly, a fellow nurse from the hospital.
"You are so lucky. I wish I could spend my shift flying around in a helicopter all day."
"I do love it." Faith replied.
"Although I don't know how you handle being on the scene of some of those accidents. As an OBGYN Nurse for 15 years I've become unaccustomed to that side of Emergency medicine. It's one thing to see the things we do here in the hospital, but to see it OUT THERE!" Molly grimaced. All that gore on the street. No thank you!"
Faith smiled and giggled to herself. Over the last couple of years Molly had become one of her closest friends. Molly could be opinionated, but she always put a smile on Faith's face. One thing Faith always knew was that Molly had her back whenever she needed a friend or someone to confide in. Molly was a little older, but despite the age difference had become fast friends after Faith started working at the hospital.
Faith had met Molly when she was hired at the hospital as a nurse in the Pediatric ward, but her true love had always been emergency medicine. When Faith broke up with her boyfriend Conner, Molly had been there for her. Molly had been a true friend that Faith could lean on.
After about Eight months on the pediatric unit, Faith had landed her dream job working as a Trauma nurse in the emergency department of the large hospital. To her surprise and utter delight, the position included two rotations a month flying with the large hospital's flight crew. She loved flying on the helicopter and treating those severely injured or sick out in the field. It could be daunting at times, and hard to see people in those situations, but she felt a calling to take care of these patients.
"It can be gory sometimes out there, but I love Trauma Medicine. You're helping someone who is probably at their most vulnerable."
"Well, I admire ya kiddo. You're a true angel up there in the sky." Molly hefted her large bag over her shoulder as she shut her locker door and prepared to leave. "I am outta here, my shift is over! You be safe out there. Molly stopped for a moment and swung her red head over shoulder. O hey, I meant to ask you, isn't this the weekend that you and your sister are headed to Hope Valley for some Antiquing and R&R?
"It sure is, and I couldn't be more ready!"
"I'm sure! Ok well if I don't see you before, you girls have a good time and" … 'Be safe out there'! They sang out together.
The two laughed at themselves and Molly scurried out the door.
Faith was busy in the supply room preparing herself for her shift. She had to make sure she had everything on her that she would need quickly. The pockets on her tactical trousers were bulging. Just as she swung her stethoscope around her neck a white-haired man peeked his head in the door.
"Are you ready to take this bird up now?" asked Henry, the chopper pilot. Henry, the helicopter pilot, had been with the hospital almost as long as it had had a flight crew. Henry could be a serious man but once he opened up to you, he was a very thoughtful man with a wicked sense of humor that Faith adored. Although stubborn at times Faith made sure he took care of himself, and she diligently monitored his blood pressure for him. She had promised his wife she would keep an eye on it. After Henry reached his mid-fifties, he had had a bit of a health scare with an elevated blood pressure. Mrs. Gowen had insisted he retire early but Henry would hear none of it. That's when Faith intervened with a compromise and the promise to monitor his blood pressure and health while still on the job. Faith was like that. Always helping where she could.
"Well alright let's get this eggbeater off the pavement then!" Henry snapped his fingers into his hand, and they swiftly took off toward the helipad. Just in time too as the tone for the chopper went off. Faith grabbed her radio and spoke into it confirming their receipt of the call and that they would be in the air shortly. Faith climbed into the chopper with the flight Doctor and Henry, grabbed her helmet and buckled in for what awaited them on the highway. Faith could feel the chopper ever so slightly begin to lift itself from the ground. Henry radioed in their departure as Faith's heart began to race.