Nurse Angelina..by Michael

A Story by Michael Reisman

The doctor held up an x-ray and explained to me as best he could what it meant. My nine year old son three to six months to live, which is what it boiled down to. The visits to the hospital were heartwarming and depressing at the same time, which neither could be explained. Jimmy's face was pale but he spoke to me often for minutes at a time. The tubes and wires and monitors were doing the best they could. He held my hand until his grip loosened up as he fell asleep. On my next visit he said, "daddy, the most wonderful nurse has been talking to me when you weren't here". I smiled and told him that all of the staff is doing the best they can to keep him comfortable and cheer him up. My son told me that she said all will be alright and he will be leaving the hospital next week. I tried to hide the tears with a big smile as I said to my little boy, "I know you will son, I'm sure of it". It was the end of the fifth month and I knew my son was going to pass away. Jimmy suddenly got excited as his favorite nurse came into the room. The monitor showed the waves of his vital signs go flat. The nurse put her hand on my shoulder and said, "he will be alright, and tomorrow morning he is all yours". I saw her long blonde hair flop down the nurse's cap as she walked away. Her nametag fell to the floor and I picked it up. It said "Nurse Angelina". His eyes were crystal blue and his pale gray skin was suddenly pink again. The monitor showed all vital signs normal and no traces of cancer was to be found in the upcoming tests. The doctors shook their heads in disbelief at what had just happened. I raced around the hospital with a nametag and a description of the nurse on duty that evening. No records and no such person were employed by Mercy Hospital, then or in the past. I took my son Jimmy home that following morning with a nametag clutched in my hand. The last three letters were missing, as all that was to be seen read Angel...

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