Happy Valentines Day
By Audrey W.
Dixie McCall looked up from the nurses’ schedule she was working on. Seated on a stool behind the desk near the base station, she smiled at the two new arrivals who’d just stepped up on the other side.
“Well, what brings you two by?”
“Oh, we happen’ to be in the neighborhood an’ thought we’d drop in,” John Gage said, his right hand behind his back. He sported a grin that indicated there was a little more to the story than that.
He exchanged a quick glance with his partner Roy DeSoto, who motioned with one hand for John to make his move.
Dixie looked from one to the other, wondering what was up.
“We jus’ wanted to wish you a happy Valentines Day,” John said as he brought his right hand around to reveal a half dozen perfectly shaped long-stemmed red roses. They were wrapped in pink tissue paper, with an extra sheet of white tissue paper as a liner. A small red envelope was stuck inside.
“They’re beautiful,” she said as she accepted them. “Thank you.”
She eyed the flowers with wonder, then with her gaze on the two men, added, “And happy Valentines Day to you, too.”
Dixie took the envelope from within then gently set the wrapped flowers off to the side on the desk. She opened it and pulled out a pink card with a red heart on the front. Inside was the sentiment, ‘To our favorite nurse at Rampart. Happy Valentines Day! John and Roy’.
“Coming from my two favorite paramedics, this means a lot.”
Roy and John again exchanged glances, this time both smiling wide, John with the hint of extra pride.
The three talked awhile longer until the paramedics were dispatched out on a rescue.
As the two hurried toward the exit, Doctor Brackett came up to the desk and saw the flowers.
“Johnny and Roy?”
Dixie nodded, her gaze still in the direction the others had gone.
If she had to guess by their body language, she’d say Roy had gotten his wife flowers for Valentines Day and John felt left out since he wasn’t dating anyone. She could just imagine John saying, ‘I wanna give someone flowers, too’, and them deciding she was the one they both shared a certain affection for. Likely a half dozen roses was what the two could afford in the spur of the moment.
But even if she was right about the motivation behind their gesture, it didn’t matter to her. In fact, she found the notion endearing. John and Roy really were two of her favorites with the fire department, imperfections and all, and they’d certainly made the holiday an extra happy one.
Note: I figure Doctor Brackett and Doctor Early likely give Dixie candy and/or flowers for Valentines Day (that's just my own thoughts) but what they do wasn't part of the story, so I left it out. :o)
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