vital signs
The heartbeat of empathy, and Molly slowly sighs. Butter blonde head tips to study him; to try and see past the sudden fondness and attraction to see the light in Willâs eyes, the twitch of physical pain. âYou say that now, but a beating heart knows what it wants and youâll long for it again. Just a little wiser and hopefully someone different.â
If she could, she would have patted his shoulder, but the professional courtesy holds her at warm armâs length, âIf you canât be melodramatic after getting your gut cut open, when can you. Live it up until someone gives you your walking papers. And you know? And with all this talk of pain, how is yours managing right now? I mean the physical on a scale of one to ten?â
Everyone sees things in hospitals, the best and worst of humanity and itâs draining. Thereâs less of it in the childrenâs ward but so little to hide when it comes creeping in with the lie of âfalling down stairsâ. If she had a dollar for every fib she heard in childrenâs ward and out ⌠sheâd be far richer. Half the reason she wanted to get to a doctorâs office was to escape the tragedy. But what nurse didnât want that?
âWell, Mr. Graham, Iâm about to make your day because I donât know who Freddie Lounds is. He- she sounds like a newspaper reporter from the 40s with a name like that. I wish you hadnât told me sheâs a woman, Iâm far too much enjoying the idea of a huge camera and cigar from a guy with a pencil mustache.â She finds his smile is infectious despite the unfamiliarity on his face, she images itâs been awhile since heâs smiled. With arms hooked and bright head straightened, she gently shakes her head, âWhat would there be to tell? Near dead man apologizes for being depressed in the hospital?â
A blink, Molly taken by surprise by the request. As if he knew she was dallying in this room despite several more visits before she can find another excuse to see him. However the startled expression shifts, trying to assure him she wasnât insulted, âNo more forward than me trying to figure out how to see you when I check the other beds. Sure. I would like to see you again when youâre healthy, Mr. Graham.â
Willâs smile faded. âYouâre probably right,â he softly agreed. âCompanionship â good or bad â can be like a heroin addict returning to the needle. Itâs not necessary, but it makes you feel as though you canât live without it. Itâs definitely a tough spot to be in.â His smile returned, soft and warm. âYeah. I think Iâm already in better company,â he agreed.
Mollyâs quip made Will chuckle (which he instantly regretted). âWellâŚperhaps itâs better to remain gloomy simply because of what laughter does to my insides,â he said, smiling through the pain. âAs for the scale, Iâd say itâs an even six. Iâm accustomed to pain at this pointâŚvery little fazes me.â
Again, Will was tempted to laugh, but this time he kept his amusement in check. âTo be fair, youâd already made my day, so letâs just say this was the proverbial icing on the cake.â His eyes crinkled warmly around the edges. âTrust me when I say that youâre not missing out. Though forgive me â it wasnât my intention to destroy your fun. Perhaps if you look closely enough, youâll find a fine pencil mustache on Loundsâ upper lip.â He shrugged. âYouâd be surprised at what sheâd ask for⌠Sheâs already managed to wheedle a book deal out of me.â
For a moment, the surprise on Mollyâs face made Will wonder if heâd overstepped his bounds. He paled a bit, flustered, before relaxing again when she gave a sly remark of her own. âPerhaps when Iâm mobile again, I can walk the halls and save you the trouble,â he teased. âThough if Iâm forced to walk in one of these gowns without any underwear? Iâm afraid thatâll be out of the question. I donât believe in exposing myself until at least the third date.â
You try not to laugh at the philosophy a patient comes in with; and the one bubbling past Will Graham's lips is heart breaking despite it's color of humor. "I wouldn't so much call it heroin," Oh, she wouldn't, too many stories, too much seen, "Rather something wired in us that we still seek ... and often do need." Molly tipped her head down, stern ponytail held her hair up.
"Ah," Finger wags in the air, it's a sturdy hand free of jewelry and delicate of skin, "I'll try to retain a more somber, sunny behavior. Would you prefer that?" Head tips with consideration, "I'm afraid that's verging onto strong ... and it's been awhile since your last dosage?"Â
She writes a note on clipboard, the pen tip smooth and quick, "Here's hoping you're something of a fan of chocolate cake?" The curve of her mouth is gentle amusement, "And yet you seem to be haunted by this Miss Lounds. Believe me, most honest people wouldn't even know her name. And we're in Johns Hopkins, Mr. Graham. Our security and our reputation is wrapped up in keeping her from you."
"That might take a while, those muscles damaged. But shall we make that a goal, Mr. Graham? In a week's time you can find me in the Children's Ward? So you really do have to remember your britches. And if you find me, I'll tell you where we could have dinner in two weeks?"








