The Engagement Ring

“Miss, can…” Laura looked at the little boy and he clammed up.

With a kind smile, she knelt down to his level and asked, “What is it Damien?”

Nervously he shifted in place before asking, “C-could I get some extra Jell-O?”

Her smile widened in amusement as she reassured him, “I’ll bring you some more when I can.” Then she whispered, “But this will be our little secret okay?”

The boy’s face lit up and he made a motion as if zipping his lip. Damien went back into his room and got back onto his hospital bed with the help of another nurse. Tamera came down the hall and glanced at Damien in the room. To Laura, she said, “That kid’s quite taken with you. He opens up more to you than anyone else around here. You’re the only one the kids really gravitate to like this.”

Shaking her head, Laura replied, “That’s not true.”

Waving her finger as if in reprimand, Tamera said, “Ah ah ah… don’t sell yourself short. You’re good at what you do. You’re good with people, even better with the kids. You’re a good nurse.” They began walking down the hallway together and she added, “So good in fact I hear you got a job offer in the new state of the art hospital they built in the next county.”

Laura asked, “How do you know about that?”

“I am the head nurse you know.” Then she added, “Plus Dr. Brent told me. It’s nice that you get to transfer out there with him.”

“Yeah, we’ve been looking at places.”

Observant Tamera stated, “But you still have doubts.”

Laura stopped and sighed, “I just don’t know if I want to up root from my hometown just to live with a man that I’m not even sure it’ll work out with. It’s not like we’re married or anything anyway.”

Tamera said, “I suppose that’s understandable, but you never know…” Before Laura could ask about the suspicious tone, Tamera walked away. Laura sighed and went on a few rounds before going on break for a short lunch. As she ate, she thought on the decision she had been procrastinating on making. It was a big step, and it made her uneasy.

To procrastinate some more, she finished up lunch and went back up to the pediatric floor with the Jell-O in hand. Going into Damien’s room, she handed him the snack and plastic spoon. Upon seeing it, Damien gasped, “Thanks Miss.” Then he hesitated and asked, “Are you a Miss?”

Laughingly she said, “Yes, but you are always free to call me by name.”

As if thinking for a moment, he finally leaned over to the end table and took something from the drawer. He handed it to Laura and said, “I made this for you in crafts.”

Laura looked at it. It was golden yellow tissue paper wrapped in a circle with a paper ball covered in glitter. “Oh, it’s a ring. Thank you.” Kindly she asked, “What did I do to deserve such a nice present?”

“Cuz I want you to marry me.” Damien said confidently.

Laura smiled then said, “Maybe when you’re older Damien.” Then she said, “Keep it until then and if you still want to marry me then you can give it to me.”

Thinking again, he said, “I know, you keep it until I’m grown up. Then I’ll get a better one that’ll be bigger. It’ll be nice and pretty like you.”

“Well alright then, it’s a deal.”

Then one of the nurses popped in and said, “Laura, they need you at the nurses’ station.”

Laura nodded and said, “Okay.” She ruffled Damien’s hair lightly and said, “I gotta go. Are you going to be okay?”

Happily he nodded and said, “I’m going to work on growing up!”

She smiled and said, “As long as you don’t strain your heart too much, okay?”

“Promise!”

Laura left and went to the nurses’ station where a bunch of nurses were gathered. Upon seeing the swarm all staring at her smiling, she immediately worried about this being an intervention of sorts or a scene from a creepy horror movie. What were they up to?

Then a few in the group parted, and Brent came through with a smile. Laura asked, “What’s going on?” He gently grabbed her hands and she suddenly started to put the pieces together as she asked him nervously, “What are you doing?”

Ignoring her question, Brent said, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a bit, but it’s only right that we start our life as a family.” He knelt down on one knee and Laura’s face heated up from embarrassment as he asked, “Will you marry me?”

Laura smiled and said, “Yes, I will.”

Brent put the ring on her finger and got off his knee to hug her tightly as the fellow nurses and doctors clapped in congratulations. The crowd dispersed passing with congrats and Tamera came up to her.

Laura said, “You were in on it?”

Tamera said, “I don’t know if I’d say I was in on it. I simply told him your ring size and called friends to share the occasion with.” She laughed then said, “You two lovebirds can go celebrate.”

“But I have more rounds to do.”

“Nate is taking them over so you two can have some time.”

Starting to usher Laura away, Brent said with a million dollar smile, “Then I get to whisk her away for a bit. Thanks Tamera.”

Laura told Tamera, “If you need me just call though, okay?”

Tamera said, “Sure… maybe.” Before Laura could retort, she said, “Just go ahead and take a break.”

Laura rolled her eyes and her and her fiancé left. They went out to a local diner, Laura’s favorite. Conversations, mostly on Brent’s side, about places and planning kept up through dinner yet Laura was less than engaged. She was distracted. Was this the right decision?

Curious, Brent asked, “Are you okay?”

Snapping out of her trance, she asked, “Why do you ask?”

“Well you seem a bit out of it.” Concerned, he asked, “Are you okay with this?”

She dropped her gaze and said, “I’m still just not sure how I feel about leaving this place. The people are great and… I grew up here, you know?”

Brent nodded and said, “It doesn’t have to happen right away so you’ll have time to make that decision to come with me to the newer hospital.”

Surprised, she said, “You already accepted the job there?”

Charismatically he said, “Well yeah, I was going to tell you when we celebrated after you said yes to the proposal.”

Shocked Laura looked for words and finally said, “So, essentially, you weren’t going to wait for my choice and just assume I’d go along with it?”

“I thought you’d be happy. This is a great opportunity for us. Bigger paychecks, less drama, better equipment, and a new city… it’ll be great.”

“What about the people here? The patients?”

“There are plenty of other doctors and nurses here. They’d be fine.” He added, “You don’t really want to be stuck in your hometown do you?”

Laura hesitated a moment. Procrastination period was over. She looked at him asking, “Who said I’m stuck? I choose to be here; no one is forcing me.” Accusatory, she added, “What’s wrong with you? You didn’t used to be like this.”

“What are you saying?”

She looked down at the ring and sighed. After a moment, she finally said, “I’ve been pressured too much… and I’m sick of it.” She took off the ring and placed it on the table saying, “Sorry Brent, but I can’t.”

She got up and took out her wallet, counting out the money. Placing it on the table, she said, “Since you only seem to care about the money then I’ll cover dinner.”

With that, she left and got into her car. She drove back to the hospital, more relieved than she had ever felt. It was the first time in a long while she stood up for what SHE wanted instead of just going with the flow or what was expected.

Once she got back to the hospital, Tamera asked with concern, “What happened?”

Without regret and a smile, Laura said, “I gave Brent back his ring.” Then she added, “I am staying here of my own accord.”

Tamera smiled genuinely and said, “Good for you.”

Laura went to the locker room and put her things back in her locker. Out of her pocket, she placed the carefully crafted paper and glitter engagement ring on top. Looking at it, she smiled because she finally remembered why she chose to remain a nurse instead of accepting her doctorate six years prior.