CHAPTER TWO: FIRST IMPRESSION I

Nurse Aurora yawned lightly as she entered the dressing room and slumped on one of the vacant chairs. It has been one of a hectic day and she was glad it was already over so that means she could go home to her comfy bed and sleep.

Her mind wandered off to the little boy she met at the park earlier and she unknowingly smiled,he was too cute.

" What are you smiling about?" Danny, her co-nurse asked as she also sat on the chair opposite Aurora. They were both from the neurology department and work was as tedious as ever.

" Nothing Danny, just met a little boy at the park today" she answered with all smiles.

" You are smiling because you met a little boy?it's like this hospital has not given you enough work already" Danny sighed  as she walked up to her locker to get changed, 

" I actually think we might grow old and die in this hospital Aurora because we can't even live our lives how we want. I mean we are just twenty seven but we have seen things even my ancestors didn't see".

Aurora laughed at her friend's exaggeration before joining her to change her clothes.

She hadn't even removed a button of her blouse when the door flung open and the head nurse rushed Inside and the two girls dreaded the next word.

" Emergency"

"Ughhh, can this day get any worse" Danny retorted angrily as she banged her locker close and Aurora could only roll her eyes, it seems her cozy bed would have to wait for more hours.

……

The two nurses ran towards the emergency room and met a group of doctors trying to stabilize a little child who was lying on the bed and several other doctors were standing around and they all had different looks on their faces.

" What happened to him" Aurora couldn't help but ask the head nurse, why would so many doctors come to attend to only one patient.

" He is a brain patient" the head nurse whispered and Aurora's heart broke on hearing the news, he was just a child and yet he was already suffering so much.

They were still standing around when she saw the door open and he walked out, her eyes almost bulging out of its socket when she saw who it was. It was the same man she met at the park earlier, what was he doing here?and why did he look so scared unlike his intimidating presence that morning?.

" Who is that?" Danny whispered to her but she shrugged because she also didn't know him.

" That is Malcolm Hart and the little boy inside that room Is his son" the head nurse replied again, " he is this hospital's VVIP but he never brings his son here, I don't know why he brought him over today, Liam is always treated at home" she added.

Aurora's mind was no longer on what the chief nurse was saying because she couldn't believe it was the cheerful boy she met at the park earlier that was fighting for his life right now on the hospital bed. He looked so happy that she wouldn't have believed under that cheerful face was a sad little boy.

" Isn't he going to be operated upon?" She asked again, searching through the crowd of doctors to get a glimpse of the little boy.

" Tricky spot" head nurse replied

……..

Malcolm raked his hand through his already disheveled hair as he sighed for the umpteenth, they were both having fun at the amusement park when Liam suddenly had a seizure and he had to rush him to the hospital and he couldn't bear the fact that today was one of the days when his son had to fight for his life.

He looked like he was about to cry seeing the way the doctors were trying to save his son, he felt suffocated inside and that was why he came to stand outside watching through the transparent glass.

" Isn't that the business tycoon Malcolm Hart?" Danny asked as it dawned on her, " he has a son?" She added in disbelief, her eyes wide open and her mouth open in awe.

Aurora glanced at him for a split second before her eyes went back to the boy on the bed, she was very worried about him.

Almost an hour passed before they finally heard the chief surgeon say,

" He is stable now".

Both Malcolm and Aurora heaved a sigh realizing they both have been holding their breaths in their different worlds.

" Thank you so much doctor" Malcolm said sincerely as the group of doctors filled out.

" Let's have a talk in my office Mr Hart '' he replied and turned towards nurse Aurora, " come with too" he added before walking off and Malcolm followed immediately.

" Didn't you hear the doctor?" Danny asked, cutting into her reverie and she jolted. All this time her eyes were fixated on the boy looking so peaceful as he slept.

" I will be back" she replied before walking off towards the doctor's office.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Malcolm sat silently waiting for the doctor to finish what he was doing before talking to him. Doctor Adrian was just thirty-seven years old but he had already achieved a lot including being the best surgeon in the country and Liam's case was special to him because he was the first person he couldn't operate upon and thus wanted to make sure everything was okay with the boy.

" Sorry for the delay Mr Hart '' he said, sincerely lowering himself on his chair as he removed his glasses and pinched the space between his brows, " I am afraid we have to admit Liam in the hospital for now. The tumor is already in its last stage and he can't move about like he wants neither can we be careless about him now, this seizure is just one of so many so we can't take any chances' '.

Malcolm sighed heavily, earlier that day his son was lively. He didn't know his son would have to sleep in the hospital tonight.

He wanted to say something when the office door creaked and Aurora entered inside, her eyes lingering on Malcolm for a split second before turning towards doctor Adrian.

" You called for me sir" she said in her angelic voice.

" Yes, this is Malcolm and he is Liam's father".

" I know sir".

" Good" Adrian added, turning towards Malcolm, " she will be specifically taking care of Liam during his stay here".

At the mention of his son, Malcom turned towards the nurse and his eyes darkened on seeing her.

" No" came his short and swift reply and the two medical personnels were taken aback.

" What do you mean?".

" She is careless and I don't want to take any chances with my son, assign someone else" he replied with an air of finality.

It dawned on Aurora that this man still remembered what happened that morning and she couldn't blame him when she was the one who jumped in front of his car carelessly. Sighing nervously, she cleared her throat before speaking up,

" I understand you have a bad impression about me sir but I promise not to be negligent or careless towards Liam".

She didn't know why she wanted to take care of Liam personally and seeing how his father was outrightly refusing it, she felt bad.

Malcolm didn't bother to answer her before turning towards Adrian, " I believe you know how important my son is to me and I will not take any chances when it comes to him. I am entrusting him to you and I hope I won't be disappointed" he added before walking out of the office, not sparing Aurora any glance and she heaved when he was out of the office.

On three occasions she has met this man and he had a different aura all the time like he was a different man each time.

" What happened?" Adrian asked, jolting her from her thoughts.

She smiled awkwardly before scratching the back of her neck, " I kind of jumped in front of his car this morning so it was my first impression".

Adrian sighed before picking up his fountain pen," do a good job with Liam Aurora, we can't afford to make any mistakes".

"Rest assured sir, I will do my best" she answered sincerely before walking out of the office.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

She walked towards the boy's private room and saw that he was already awake and his father was sitting beside him and the little boy seemed to be gisting his papa about something, he didn't look like he was in pain or anything. Rather, he looked like he was already used to this.

She just couldn't believe how much he was suffering and still having a pretty smile on his face. Heaving a soft sigh, she turned around to go when she noticed him gesturing to her through the transparent window and he was smiling at her.

Glancing at the man seated beside him, she said a silent prayer before pushing the door open.

" Miss unique eyes" Liam squealed excitedly as she entered the office and she was taken aback for a moment. ``Unique eyes?Was that what he had decided to call her?.

" Unique eyes?" She asked, smiling at him as she walked to the side of his bed.

" Yes I didn't ask for your name earlier so I decided to call you that and moreover you have beautiful eyes".

She smiled at his sincerity, he was not the first person to tell her about her eyes but it felt really sincere coming from this little boy.

" By the way do you work here miss unique eyes?" Liam asked happily again as he clasped his hand over hers and she got surprised for a moment, they just met today and he was already very free with her.

" Yes champ and I will be taking care of you personally".

" Really?".

" Yes big guy" she answered and he smiled happily before turning to his papa who had an expressionless look on his face as always watching the two of them.

" You can go home now papa, she will take care of me".

Malcolm was short of words, how come his son was already attached to this nurse which he hardly knew.

" I am sorry for the first impression thing sir but you can leave your son to me" Aurora said, turning to him, hoping to get a kind of reaction from him but as always he ignored her.

" I will just go take a bath and be back soon" he added before kissing his son on his forehead.

" Take your time papa" Liam beamed before turning to Aurora, " she will be here until you return right?" His eyes searched hers for an answer and she nodded, smiling at him.

Malcolm rolled his eyes at her before walking out the room.