CHAPTER NINE

Chapter nine

The stillness of the hospital at night always felt different to Josie. The hum of fluorescent lights, the occasional rustle of papers at the nurses' station, and the soft beeping of monitors created a rhythm she had grown accustomed to. Tonight was no different, but as she made her rounds, she couldn't help but feel a faint anticipation tugging at her as she approached Josh's room.

Balancing the patient chart in her hand, she took a deep breath and gently knocked before stepping inside. Josh was propped up against the pillows, staring out the window. The soft moonlight illuminated his face, and for a moment, he looked lost in thought.

"You're still awake?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

His gaze shifted to her, and a small smile tugged at his lips. "It's hard to sleep when you're stuck in a hospital bed."

Josie nodded knowingly as she approached. "I hear that a lot. How's the pain tonight?"

"Tolerable," he said, shrugging lightly. "But only because I know you'd scold me if I said otherwise."

She smirked, setting the chart down and pulling out her stethoscope. "I'm glad you're learning. Let me check your vitals, and then we can chat. You seem restless."

Josh stayed quiet as she worked, her hands deft and precise as she checked his heart rate and adjusted the IV line. When she finished, she pulled up a chair and sat down, surprising herself with the decision.

"Everything looks good," she said, resting her hands in her lap. "So, what's keeping you up?"

Josh leaned back, his expression softening. "Honestly? Boredom. I'm not used to doing nothing all day. My mind keeps wandering."

"To work?" she guessed.

"Mostly. But not just that," he admitted, his gaze flickering toward her briefly before returning to the window. "What about you? How do you stay sane working these long hours?"

Josie chuckled. "I don't know if I'd call myself sane, but I manage. I guess I just focus on the patients. It helps to know I'm making a difference."

He studied her for a moment, his curiosity evident. "Did you always want to be a nurse?"

She hesitated, caught off guard by the personal question. "Not always. But my mom… she's the nurturing type. Always taking care of everyone. I guess it rubbed off on me."

Josh smiled. "Sounds like a good influence. You seem to care a lot about what you do."

"I try," she said with a small shrug. "What about you? Did you always want to go into engineering?"

He let out a soft laugh. "Not really. My dad kind of pushed me into it. But I ended up liking it. I guess it's satisfying to create things, to solve problems."

Josie nodded thoughtfully. "I can see that. It suits you."

They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, and Josie found herself relaxing in his presence.

"So," he said suddenly, breaking the quiet, "you mentioned the other day that you cook your own food. What's your specialty?"

She laughed. "Specialty? I don't know if I'd call it that, but I'm pretty good at making rice and beans. It's my favorite."

Josh's eyebrows lifted. "Rice and beans? You might be my new favorite nurse. That's my favorite too."

"Really?" she asked, tilting her head. "You don't seem like the type to enjoy something so simple."

He grinned. "Simple doesn't mean bad. Sometimes the best things are the simplest."

Josie smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. "Well, maybe I'll bring you some one day. Show you how it's done."

Josh leaned forward slightly, a playful gleam in his eye. "You're saying you can cook better than my mom?"

"I'm not saying that," she said with a laugh. "But I'd like to think I'm pretty good."

"Prove it," he said, his tone teasing but his expression earnest. "Cook something for me."

Josie raised an eyebrow. "What do you want me to cook?"

"Surprise me," he said, leaning back with a satisfied smirk.

She shook her head, laughing softly. "You're something else, you know that?"

"I've been told," he said with a chuckle.

As she stood to leave, Josie glanced back at him. "Get some rest, Josh. I'll hold you to that promise when you're discharged."

He watched her go, a smile lingering on his face. For the first time in a while, the sterile walls of the hospital room didn't feel so suffocating.

****************

Josie stepped through the front door of her apartment, the weight of exhaustion hitting her all at once. The soft hum of her refrigerator greeted her, the quiet familiarity of home wrapping around her like a warm blanket. She kicked off her shoes, sighing as her feet finally found relief on the cool tiles. Three nights of back-to-back shifts had drained her, and now she had three whole days to herself.

She dropped onto the couch, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. Images from the hospital drifted through her mind patients she had cared for, the endless rounds, and… Josh.

Her eyes fluttered open as his face appeared in her thoughts. There was something about him she couldn't shake. Those sharp, piercing eyes that seemed to see right through her. The way his full, dark hair curled slightly at the edges, giving him a rugged charm. Even his smile it wasn't frequent, but when it came, it had a way of softening the edges of his usually serious demeanor.

She shook her head, a small laugh escaping her. "Get a grip, Josie," she muttered to herself, running a hand through her hair. But the more she tried to push the thought away, the more her mind wandered. She remembered the way he had teased her about cooking the other night, how his voice had held a playful edge.

Her gaze drifted to the kitchen, an idea forming. He'd said rice and beans was his favorite, hadn't he? And she'd promised to surprise him.

A smile crept onto her face as she stood, tying her hair into a loose bun. "Alright, Josh. Let's see if you're ready for my special version of rice and beans with dried fish stew," she said to herself, moving toward the kitchen.

Josie loved cooking it was one of the few things that truly relaxed her. She opened her pantry, pulling out the ingredients she needed. Her rice and beans weren't just any rice and beans; they were cooked with a blend of spices she had learned from her mother, with a dash of her own twists.

As she worked, her thoughts drifted back to him. She wondered what he was doing now probably grumbling about the hospital food again. She chuckled at the memory of him complaining about it during her rounds.

It wasn't like her to think about a patient this much. She'd cared for countless people, but something about Josh was different. Maybe it was the way he carried himself, even while stuck in a hospital bed. Or maybe it was how, despite his teasing, there was a quiet vulnerability in him that intrigued her.

By the time she finished cooking, the aroma of seasoned rice and perfectly tender beans filled her apartment. She tasted a spoonful, nodding in approval. It was perfect.

She packed the meal into a container, deciding she'd bring it to him tomorrow on her day off. After all, she had promised to surprise him, hadn't she?

As she cleaned up the kitchen, she caught herself smiling again. Maybe it was just the exhaustion talking, but she was looking forward to seeing his reaction.