Rose Red

"Yes Mr. Green?"

I get to work and see all of my favorite night nurses getting the daily information from the day nurses. I quickly walk to them and get a quick hug making sure not to disturb them too much. I check on some of my patients and say goodbye to some of the day shifters then quickly make my way to the elevator.

When I get to his room i knock and when it doesn't open immediately I start to think this through. What if he doesn't want to see me as much as I want to see him? What if he gets mad at me for showing up? Is he asleep already? Am I going to get in trouble for being here? I'm still thinking when the door gets thrown open. He gives me a shocked look and I slowly raise my hand and wave at him. I know my cheeks are burning a bright, rose red right now. He steps to the side to let me in. I go to take a step inside but when I see his completely dark room and bed covers thrown to the side I realize that I probably just woke him up.

"Oh no. I'm so sorry" I can feel tears pricking my eyes and I know I probably look weird. He gives me a look of confusion before looking around. He looks back at me and he must have quickly figured out what's wrong with me because he puts his hands in the air and begins to say "no no. You didnt wake me. I wasn't asleep yet. I was just getting ready for bed." I nod my head and take a deep breath. "Um so I came here without thinking this through and now I feel bad because you were about to go to sleep and I've ruined that now. I know you must be tired so I'm going to get going but," my lips continue to move without my brain knowing "I guess I just wanted to see you tonight" I quickly cover my mouth and freeze. He just stares at me. I can't tell what he's thinking.

"It's okay Arabella. I wanted to see you too" I close my eyes and replay his last sentence too many times in my head. I feel my shoulders slump and I sigh in relief. He wanted me here just as bad as I wanted to be here. "I'm sorry for visiting so late." He just nods and says we should move the conversation into his room. I quickly agree.
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"Anyway that's why I don't like bugs" He just shakes his head and smiles at me. For the last two hours he's just been listening to me tell stories. A nurse has come to check on him a few times but when she sees he's still awake and talking to me she just closes the door and leaves. "I should get going" He nods his head. "Or you could sleep here" He avoids eye contact with me and I can tell he's nervous about my answer. I want to say yes but they said no one should get close to him when he's asleep and I don't want to get in trouble for sleeping here for the third time. "Auggie," I start to speak but am cut off when the door opens. "Miss Quinn" I look back and see my boss. Oh no. "Yes Mr. Green?" He quickly points his thumb to the hall and just as quickly I get up and run to the door.

"Miss Quinn I didn't expect to see you here today. More specifically tonight." I put my head down and nod. "I'm sorry Mr. Green. I was just visiting some of my patients and I've been....busy all day" I give him a sheepish look when he cocks his eyebrow at "busy." He nods his head and opens his mouth. He's not usually mean and I'm hoping he doesn't choose right now to start. "Listen. Everyone here talks. More importantly though everyone here notices things." I give him a confused look and try to speak but he stops me. "We all have noticed that in a few short weeks you and Mr. Evans have gotten closer. We also noticed that you are the only one he talks to. You're really the only one he lets get close for more than a couple seconds."

I nod my head unsure of where this is going. "I know this is going to sound extremely crazy and you probably aren't ready for it" I start to get worried. Are they moving him? Is he leaving? Am I leaving? "Sunshine valley is trying to expand into other care areas. We are trying to do something big and we want to start with you." Is he firing me? Maybe I should've listened to my shower thoughts and left him alone and maybe I wouldn't be in this position. "Um what am I doing?" He looks up and then looks back down at me. "We are trying to expand into home care and home nurses." I give him a confused look. "I'm going to work from home?" How is that going to work? Will I never see auggie again?

"No no. You are going to be moved into a home with a patient. A doctor is going to have scheduled visits along with a therapist. You dont have to leave your home but you will be living in this home temporarily." I nod. "What does this have to do with Auggie?" He gives me a surprised look. "Do you call him that to his face?" I vigorously nod my head and smile. "Yes! He said he liked it so I use it whenever I can!" He smiles at me. But not a boss and worker smile. No, it was more like a smile a dad would give his daughter. It was a proud smile. Like I did something great. I simply smiled back. However I realized that he never answered my question so I asked again. "What does this have to do with him?" I asked it a little slower so it didn't seem like I was rushing him.

"Oh right! He would be the patient. The one you would move in with." I give him a shocked look and take a step back. Me and auggie? Living together? "With all due respect sir I don't think he would want that. I know he doesn't like living here but it is the safest place for him and I don't think he would be ready to move in with me. And we would need a modified house. Specially made for him-" He cuts me off. "It's all taken care of Miss Quinn. And if you and Mr. Evans aren't ready for it then we could have someone else do it. The board and I simply observed how close you were. No one else is close to their patients like you are. You are close to every one of them. Not just August." I nod at him. "I love my patients. With all my heart."

He closes his eyes, nods his head and says "I believe that"