Page 3 of Saving Luke

"Yep, you will be here in recovery, so it might as well feel like home. Lexi refused to let you guys feel like you were stuck in the hospital again. That was Noah's big complaint, and I can't say I blame him. Now, there’s a packet on your desk with a map of the place. Also, there’s a calendar with all of your appointments,a schedule of events, a list of TV channels, menus, and more. You are free to move about the grounds, but please just write on the whiteboard by your door where you’ll be. You can't leave the grounds without a doctor’s approval and checking out at the front desk. I will be in with your medications. Morning rounds are at eight a.m., and nighttime rounds are at ten p.m."

She goes on to show me the buzzers in the room by the bed and in the bathroom, if I need her, and then explains mealtimes, and a few other things.

Gabbie stays with me for a while, getting me all set up and organized, unpacking my clothes, and having dinner with me in my room.

We talk, and before she leaves, she turns to me.

"You focus on getting better. Nothing else matters, okay?"

I agree, as she doesn't need to know that all I can focus on is finding the girl from the lobby.

Chapter 2

Brooke

A few days after decorating the lobby for Christmas, I'm heading into work when Lexi stops me.

"Okay, it's been a stressful morning already, and I know you’ll get briefed, but I wanted to let you know from me we had to move Luke to one of your rooms," Lexi tells me.

Instantly, I’m alarmed.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Well, we didn't know he had an issue with confined spaces, and he can't use the stairs and refused to use the elevator, so he wasn't leaving his room. So, we did some shifting, moved him downstairs, and assigned him to you."

"Why me?" I ask.

I've been doing so well at avoiding him. The feelings I felt just by looking at him still run through me when I think of him. I don't want to be tempted, especially since he has a girlfriend.

"Other than you are the head nurse and the best one we got?" She gives me a look like I've completely lost my marbles.

Hell, who knows? Maybe I have. I've never had feelings for a patient before, and it's a line I'm not willing to cross.

"Yes, other than that," I say with a straight face.

"Honestly, he reminds me of Noah. He's lost in his head, and I think you can help him better than anyone here," she admits.

Well, I sure as hell can't say no to that. So, I nod.

"Okay, I'm going to go get my briefing, and then I’ll talk to his old nurse and see what I need to know.”

I head to the conference room, where the nurses brief me on anything major going on and anything I need to know for my patients. When Lexi asked me to come to Oakside and run the nursing staff, I agreed, but only if I could still see patients. Helping someone is my favorite part of my job, even more so when I'm helping a soldier.

After hearing the report and discussing the needs of the other guys I’m caring for Luke's old nurse comes in and sits down.

"It took me a bit to figure out why he was refusing to go to his appointments. I wish the hospital had told us so we could have put him on the ground floor from the beginning," Maria says.

I agree with her there.

"They may not have known. In the hospital, the doctors and staff come to you, so it might have only been an issue when he was discharged." I try to comfort her.

"No, he was agitated in the elevator on the way to his room the first day, but I was talking on and on about the place and didn't think much of it. Many of the guys are anxious when they first get here. New surroundings and all."

"His doctor was going up to see him, so he didn't really miss any appointments. The physical therapist gave us a list of exercises to work with him, but he's still wheelchair-bound. They expect him to be walking some in a few weeks or so as the swelling goes down more."

She goes over all the technical stuff from the hospital, his background, and family information. I see that he only has his sister listed as next of kin.

"Have we asked about his parents?" I ask her, wanting to make sure his forms are filled out properly.

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