Soulkeeper

Chapter Six : Juice 'n Crackers

Struggling to open my eyes, my mouth salivates at the aroma of apple juice. I blinked rapidly while my eyes adjust to the bright fluorescent lights above me. It didn't take me long to realize where I was, on the exam table in the nurse's office.

"I'm going to have to let you go. She is awake now." The soft voice brings me comfort. "No. She will stay here 'til lunch."

Turning my head to put a face to the voice, Nurse Wanda greeted me with a smile as she hung up the phone. She scurried from behind her office desk over to me, "Oh, dear. Take it easy."

Wanda Sinclair has been the school nurse at Castle Hill for years. Unlike most schools, who get stuck with a nurse who assumes everyone is faking, Wanda really cares. For starters, she insists everyone calls her by her first name. Her loving spirit is embodied by her figure. Resembling a giant cuddly teddy bear, at five foot two, her slight chubbiness is complimentary. Her rosy cheeks are framed by slightly greyed bundles of curls, and her floral eyeglasses with a matching chain dangled around her neck.

With her guidance I slowly sit up and become aware of a massive headache. Rubbing my forehead, I can't seem to remember. "How did I get here?" Maybe she knew what happened.

"Questions later. Apple juice first." Nurse Wanda radiated compassion as she handed me a small paper cup filled with juice. "And crackers. Lots of crackers." She reached down to grab a handful of single serving packaged saltine crackers out of a basket on a shelf under the table.

I didn't realize how hungry I was until I crammed the third pack of crackers in my mouth while we both looked at each other in silence. Feeling much better, I scoot back on the exam table and sit crisscross. Taking a sip of juice and crunching on crackers, I break the silence. "Okay, so now can you tell me what happened?" A few crumbs fall from my mouth on my pants, and I quickly swipe them into the floor.

After patting me on the knee, she answers, "Dear. You fainted. A fine young fella brought you in. He said you nearly banged your noggin' on a row of lockers. If it wasn't for him, your head might have been busted. Then you would've needed a lot more than juice 'n to fix ya up." She nodded to assert her concern. "I got on to them fellas over at the blood truck. They know better than to let students leave without eatin' first."

Interrupting her, I defend Keesha, "No. They told me to eat. I..." Thinking back to what happened and remember the conversation with Alister "I was distracted. I forgot to grab something, and I forgot to eat my breakfast bar this morning."

Tisk, tisk, she made a disapproving noise with her tongue while shaking her head. "You 'oughta know better. Than to give blood on an empty stomach. Just so ya' know, I called Mr. Harvey. I left him a message." I appreciate Nurse Wanda's honesty. She has been there for me many times since I came to Castle Hill, mostly with my panic attacks.

"That's okay." I reassured her even though she knew I didn't want Garvey to know my personal stuff, like fainting because I forgot to eat. Ugh. I swear I'm not usually this ditzy. "Can I go ahead and leave?" I was wondering if I could make it to advisement in time to see Sami.

"No, dear. You need to keep eatin' those crackers and drinkin' that juice." She ordered while tending to a stack of paperwork and taking a seat behind her desk. "You missed advisement, but I called Ms. Cambridge to explain." Ms. Cambridge is the school librarian who supervised my advisement period. "I also called that... Mr. Johnson. I told him you weren't up for PE, and that you were going to sit right here 'til lunch." She grinned as she entered something from the paperwork on her laptop.

I didn't mind missing PE; it's not like we ever did anything real anyways. Just run laps and play random games. I bet Sami was worried that I didn't show up to advisement. "Where is my book bag?" I asked Nurse Wanda.