11. LILLY
11
LILLY
“ H ow’s the mystery man?” Hazel asks as I bite into my sandwich in the staff kitchen.
She pours herself a coffee and joins me on what’s left of my break.
I roll the food around my mouth while thinking of him, a smile pushing my cheeks up. “He’s…” My teeth sink into my lip as I try to think of the right words to describe this man. “Interesting.”
“Interesting? Have you found out much about him?” She blows on her hot drink before taking a sip.
I shake my head, still smiling. “Not really. He doesn’t give much away.” Grabbing my bag, I open it and retrieve the package I picked up from the post office this morning. “He sent me this, though.” I retrieve the package I picked up from the post office this morning.
She claps her hands together like a giddy schoolgirl. “Open it up. Let’s see what it is.”
I was going to wait to open this in private, but seeing as there’s just Hazel and me in the staff room, I pull the tape from the middle of the cardboard box.
She scrapes her chair closer to the table, peering over to get a better look.
A giggle bursts from my lips when I see the pleasure egg with the words ‘app control’ on the box. There’s a note stuck down the side.
We’ll see who’s in charge, nightingale
“Oooooooooh. He means business,” Hazel says now over my shoulder, reading the note.
“Who means business?” Dr Fletcher walks into the small kitchenette with his phone in hand as if mid-text.
“Nothing.” I fold the lid closed on the box before he gets wind of what we were talking about. With the package safely back in my bag, I retrieve my phone and send a message through the app to @sarge_in_charge
Thank you for the gift
I take another bite of my sandwich, conscious of my break ending.
The next time you come, it will be at my hand. No more faking it.
Yes, sir.
I jump in my seat as my phone plays a tune like an ice-cream van on steroids. I’d forgot I’d set this ridiculous ringtone for my sister.
“What’s up?”
“Are you able to have Harry this Saturday?”
“Sure. You know I’ll have him anytime.”
“I have a date. A proper one. Not just a coffee in the afternoon.”
“Same guy from last week?”
“No, he's ghosted me. Can you believe he had the audacity to say I looked smaller in my profile picture?”
My nose wrinkles. “What a tool.”
“Right? Anyway, I bumped into this guy at the care home after visiting Mum. He was there for his uncle. We bonded over coffee and cake.”
I huff out a small laugh. “No teeth falling out on the dinner plate, then?”
“Definitely not. He has lovely white sparkling teeth.”
Dr Fletcher grins from across the room with a gleaming set of his own.
“Sounds too polished for my liking.” I’d much rather have a rugged man with a chipped tooth any day of the week. My thoughts drift to my masked man and wonder what sort of teeth he has.
“Yes, we’ve already established you like old men.”
I tap my nails on the table. “Tell Harry to bring his game console or whatever he wants on Saturday.”
“He’ll be on it all night. I’ll send him with some board games instead. He has too much screen time as it is.”
“All right. Give him my love. Hope football goes well tonight.”
“Will do. Thanks, Lils. I owe you one.”
“And the rest.” I end the call and realise I need to get back on the ward. The patients will be ready for their dinner, but not before I open another text message.
Good girl
With a smile, I slide my phone into my bag and place it back in my locker. My stomach bubbles over with anticipation. It’s not the first time I’ve used a toy like that, but it will be the first time anyone’s had full control of its settings.