“Peggy?” A voice croaked out weakly.
Mary stopped in her tracks, she put down the dirty bandages she was bringing to the laundry, and went to the man’s side.
“Good Morning solider,” Mary said quietly. This was the first time she had heard this man speak, she had feared he would never wake up.
A grin bloomed on the man’s face and his eyes held a dreamy quality, as his he was not all there. “Peggy, darlin’ I thought I’d never see you again. I never thought I’d come home”
“Mr. Wilder,” Mary said firmly. “I’m Nurse Mary. You’re here at a hospital and badly wounded.”
The man slowly turned his bandaged head to look around the room. Mary noticed his lack of lines and realized he was younger than she first suspected.
Once Mr. Wilder had surveyed the room completely he looked back to Mary. “Where’s Adam? I come home from fighting and my own son is off doing God knows what-”
Mary swallowed, she had experienced this before, when the men were close to death they sometime acted as if they had returned. She wasn’t sure if it was a half-dream state or they simply imagined their homes with shire will power.
She propped his head up to help him sip some water. gave him a small smile and spoke this time with a softer voice, “Please, have some water.”
Just as Mr. Wilder was about to start again, Dr. Foster appeared. The Doctor gave Mary a curt nod and approached the opposite side of the patients bed.
“Mr. Wilder, good to see you awake.” Foster began to slowly unwrap and inspect his head wound. “Are you in a lot of pain?”
Wilder began to laugh. The nurse and doctor exchanged worried looks. But Mr. Wilder spoke again in a sugar coated voice, “How could I be in any pain as long as my dear Peggy is here.” His glazed over eyes turned to Mary.
The Doctor’s face sank, he exhaled sadly and re-bandaged the wound.
He gave Mr. Wilder a half smile, “Of course, may I steal her away for just one moment?”
The two took a few steps away from the cot and Doctor Foster’s voice dropped to a whisper. “The man should be in excruciating pain. I don’t believe he has long to live.”
Mary looked back at the man and sighed, “I feared as much. Should I find the chaplain?”
The doctor was interrupted by Mr. Wilder. “Peggy... Peggy! I see the light.”
Mary walked back to the cot, her face like stone. She perched herself next to the dying solider. Then took his hand. Jedidiah watched from where he stood.
“It’s okay,” Mary said weakly. “You’ve fought valiantly.”
Mr. Wilder’s gaze seemed to go through her and he smiled as he whispered, “I love you Peggy.”
A tear rolled down Mary’s cheek as she nodded, “Adam and I love you too.”
His hand went cold and limp in her hand. She began to shake slightly and was only barely aware that Dr. Foster had come around to check his pulse. But Mary was already certain Mr. Wilder was dead. She was familiar with the feeling of lifeless skin by now.
“He’s gone,” Dr. Foster said as he closed the patients eyes. His gaze fell to Mary. “Perhaps you should take a break.”
Mary quickly wiped her cheek with the side of her hand and rose. She ignored the doctor’s comment and went to pick up the bandages. “I should fix breakfast for the boys.”
Then without meeting his gaze Mary took off the the laundry room. Everything was a blur, she felt her heartbeat pumping faster and faster, the sensation crept up into her throat and by the time she entered the wash room, the pulses in her eyes pumped out tears.
The day mirror the day her husband had died so closely. She remembered holding his hand as his awareness faded away. That awful day replayed in her head often. Her chest ached with emptiness, flashback such as this reopened the wound that was his death.
Miss Phinney all the sudden became aware that she was seated on the floor facing the wall. She felt the warm flow of tears down her face and quickly attempted to brush them away as she abruptly stood up.
She turned slowly, with her head bowed slightly, attempting to hide her appearance. Facing her from roughly five feet away was Jedidiah Foster.
She cleared her throat, “Sorry I was-,”
Dr. Foster was not one for excuses, that comment made her meet his eyes. She saw a soft furrow in his brow and pursed lips, almost as if he pitied her. A man who she saw roll on the floor with shakes, pities her. She hated to be pitied. Pity was the single emotion she had evoked from others ever since her husband died, until she came here.
She stood up a bit straighter, “I have no use for your pity-”
He shook his head quickly, stepping towards her, “And I have no intention of giving it to you. I am merely...” He blushed slightly, “Concerned for your well being.”
Mary was rendered speechless. The two merely looked at each other for a moment before Dr. Foster averted his gaze. He began to speak again this time in a more professional tone. “Dr. Hale had asked me to preform another amputation, a hand this time, would you care to- I mean I would appreciate if you could... um... If you would assist me with the operation?”
“Yes,” she obliged quickly. “Of course. But I should sort this first.” She bent down to start picking up the pile of bandages she had left on the floor. The doctor helped as well.
Once they were all in Mary’s arms, Jedidiah reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, moving his thumb gently. “We begin at 9 o’clock.” He moved his head face closer to her and whispered close to her ear. “And thank you.” Before Mary had a chance to respond he got up and left the room.
Despite herself and her previous mood, Mary smiled to herself and sorted out the laundry. The emptiness in her chest felt a bit smaller.
