Helen nodded. “Yes, I understand, Nurse. Don’t worry, my husband will help out. He always takes such good care of me,” she gushed.

  Hmmm, it must be nice to have a significant other to care for you during the holidays, Eve thought to herself, feeling somewhat bitter. Even though it had already been six months, she was still smarting from her break-up with Abbie, mostly because she hoped to spend the holiday season with a lover.

  This would be the first year that she was permitted both Christmas Eve and Christmas day o , although she did commit to working New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. But Eve didn’t mind; Forest Vale Hospital could get pretty exciting during the New Year festivities, and all of the action in the emergency room definitely kept her on her toes.

  “Merry Christmas, Helen. Get better soon, and please let us know if you experience any abnormal swelling or unusual soreness.” Eve opened the curtain that had separated them during the examination and gathered her clipboard and pager.

  “Merry Christmas to you, Nurse Foster! I hope you get to enjoy at least some of the holiday season. There is a beautiful light display happening outside, in front of the Forest Vale City Hall building on Christmas Eve.”

  “Thanks for the tip. Maybe I will see you there.” Or maybe, I will just be a lonely lesbian sitting home alone with my cat and a bottle of wine. Eve caught herself before she could sink into a negative headspace. I guess I could always check out a party or indulge in some well-deserved self-care. Stop being so dark, Eve. It’s a Christmas miracle that you are even allowed some time o , so try and make the best of it.

  Eve threw back her shoulders and ran a hand through her light blond hair. She almost forgot that she had gotten it cut the other day into an asymmetrical bob. She loved the way the pieces fell past her chin while remaining short in the back. After the break-up, it was a present to herself, and the new ‘do made her feel empowered and fresh. She was

  determined to keep a positive attitude. It was only the start of her day and she needed to save face in order to properly serve the patients of Forest Vale Hospital.

  Eve checked her watch. She had fifteen minutes to grab a co ee from the cafeteria before her afternoon rounds. Eve walked quickly down the hall to the main receptionist area.

  Earlier that morning, she had noticed Clair, one of the medical receptionists, arriving for her shift. Eve liked Clair; Eve found her to be funny and a little sassy.

  Eve was still somewhat new to the hospital; she had been hired upon graduating from her program and was coming up on her first anniversary. Clair had immediately made her feel welcome. Clair had been at Forest Vale for five years, so she knew the ropes, and seeing her at her desk always made Eve feel at ease.

  As Eve approached the front desk, Clair looked up from her paperwork and gave Eve a toothy grin. “Well, hello there, stranger. I totally forgot to mention the other day how much I love your new haircut!”

  Eve smiled widely and touched the back of her hair out of habit. “Oh, wow, thanks! Yeah, I love it. It feels so light and bouncy. I really needed a change, and I felt that my long locks were dragging me down, you know?”

  “Good for you. Yup, change is a good thing, especially when it comes to a good haircut.” Clair then touched her own dark brown hair, fingering the curly texture. “I need to do something with mine, something bold.” Clair gave Eve a questioning look. “I want to spice up my style, and I’m thinking about going super short. What do you think?”

  Immediately, Eve remarked, “But you have such gorgeous hair, Clair; it’s so long and healthy.”

  Eve then studied Clair’s face, noticing her defined cheekbones and wide-set blue eyes. Eve had always thought that Clair was pretty, but she was usually in such a rush that

  it was nothing more than a passing thought. However, looking at her now, Eve was struck by how beautiful Clair was and how her features were so symmetrical.

  Leaning over the desk, Eve tilted her head and remarked,

  “You know, now that I look at you, I think you could pull o a short haircut for sure. You have lovely eyes and great bone structure, and you have the spunky personality to match, too.”

  Clair felt her hair and smiled, her face blushing with a rosy hue. “Thanks so much! I am seriously thinking about it.

  Can I ask who cut your hair? Maybe you could put me in contact?”

  Eve nodded enthusiastically. “For sure. I see Kevin at House of Hair. It’s located on Second Street. The salon is easy to get to; it’s in the downtown core, just thirty minutes west of the hospital.”

  Clair replied, “I know the place! I’ll check out the website and set up an appointment.” Clair continued to toy with her bouncy strand. “You know, I was on the fence about this cut until I talked to you. Thanks for giving me a confidence boost.”

  Eve felt as though she had noticed a twinkling glimmer in Clair’s eyes. Her gaydar immediately went o . Is she flirting with me? Wait no. We are work colleagues, and she is just friendly. Eve decided to brush o the passing thought.

  Checking her watch, Eve exclaimed, “Oh, I didn’t notice the time. I’m going to grab a co ee before my afternoon rounds.

  Can I get you something from the cafeteria?”

  Clair shook her head. “No, I’m fine, but thanks for asking.” Clair raised a thermal mug that she had set on her desk. “I brought my own co ee today so that I can stay ca einated. I have a function to attend to later tonight, so I need to stay awake.”

  Hmmm, I wonder if she has a date tonight? I don’t think Clair ever mentioned if she was single or not. Should I ask? No, that would be weird. Eve, just go and get your goddamn co ee already and stop bothering this poor woman, Eve chastised herself.

  “Okay, no worries. I should get going, but I will see you later, I’m sure.” Eve concluded in a friendly tone. She backed away from the desk and headed down the west wing towards the sta cafeteria. Eve only had five more minutes left on her break, so she knew she needed to hustle. As Eve turned her back, she heard Clair call after her. “Bye, Eve. See you soon!”

  Eve entered the dining hall and took her place in line. It was lunchtime, and the queue was longer than she had hoped. As Eve patiently waited her turn, she replayed the conversation that she had had with Clair. She noticed a new charm about Clair, an energy that she had not picked up on before. But Eve also recognized that she was lonely, and she needed to be careful not to misinterpret any platonic friendliness.

  “What can I get you?” A tired-looking cafeteria worker spoke up, which had momentarily startled Eve. Awakened from her reverie, Eve jumped before answering, “Oh, sorry, I will take a large black co ee to go, please.”

  The worker turned his back to pour the hot liquid into a Styrofoam cup and presented it to Eve, who grasped the cup gratefully in her hands. Taking a sip, she checked the time once again, realizing that it was time to get back on the floor.

  Her next patient was an elderly gentleman who required blood samples and a sponge bath. Eve continued to slurp her co ee, in an e ort to ingest the ca eine quickly into her system.

  As she padded down the corridor, her beeper buzzed in the small pocket of her light green scrub top. She checked it and scurried down the hall. There was an urgent request for medication in wing two. I feel like it’s going to be one of those

  days where I am being pulled in a million directions! Eve tossed her near-empty cup in a nearby trash can and headed to the nearest station to scrub her hands.

  IT WAS close to midnight by the time Eve returned home. She had been living alone in her cozy, one-bedroom apartment since Abbie had moved out in July. While the erosion of the three-year relationship had taken an emotional toll on Eve, she was becoming more grateful with each passing day, to have the place to herself. Her twelve-hour shifts were demanding, and Eve was beginning to appreciate the peace and quiet that came with being a solo dweller.

  Her beautiful, orange, tabby cat, Peaches, mewed upon hearing Eve arrive. She rubbed herself against Eve’s legs, seeking attention and food.

  “Hello, my precious girl,” Eve spoke, greeting Peaches in a sing-song voice. Picking up the feline, she rubbed her face against the soft fur. “Are you happy to have Mommy home?”

  Peaches had been a graduation gift from Abbie. Eve had wanted a pet for their home, but knowing that her work schedule as a nurse would be hectic and full of long hours, a dog would have been out of the question. Abbie had chosen Peaches, noting that she would be the perfect companion.

  Eve could have never predicted that her other companion would be leaving them, but Peaches provided some comfort in the absence of another human being.

  As Eve settled herself, preparing for bed, she thought about the upcoming holidays. Christmas used to be her favorite time of year when she had someone to share it with.

  Eve had moved to Forest Vale five years ago, just before she had decided on a career path, at twenty-five years old.

  She had left a dysfunctional family home and a toxic relationship with her parents in order to create a better life and future for herself. In addition to the alcoholism that both her parents su ered from, they never approved of her being gay. In particular, her mom had always gone out of her way to make Eve feel uncomfortable and deviant. Finally, she decided that enough was enough. She had moved from her small town of Meadow Creek and drove eight hours to the city of Forest Vale to begin her new life.

  Eve had met Abbie half-way through her nursing program at Vale City College. Abbie was studying to be a biologist, and they had shared a few classes together. Unlike Eve at the time, Abbie was an out and proud lesbian and was active within the LGBTQ+ community.

  They started as friends, but soon, an undeniable attraction developed, and through Abbie’s activism and encouragement, Eve became more confident in her sexual orientation and identity.

  Abbie was not Eve’s first relationship, but it was her longest. For the first two years, the couple enjoyed each other’s company and celebrated their second anniversary by moving into the apartment where Eve lived. But the final year seemed to take a toll on their relationship, as Eve struggled to complete her program.

  They started to drift apart, and one night, Abbie had revealed that she had cheated on Eve with one of their mutual friends. Hurt and humiliated, Eve ended the relationship, and Abbie o ered to be the one to move out.

  While the past six months were emotionally challenging, Eve took solace in the fact that she did not need to find another place to live.

  Eve’s heart grew heavy as she realized that this would be the first Christmas she would spend alone in three years. She had specifically requested Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

  o so that she could enjoy the holidays with Abbie. So much for that plan, she thought. However, never one to wallow for long, Eve was determined to make it a special occasion; she just wasn’t sure how, exactly.

  One thing was for sure; Eve believed in miracles, and she had a feeling that a plan would transpire, as long as she kept herself open to what the Universe had to o er. Eve was a romantic at heart, and as she gazed at the star atop of the Christmas tree in her living room, she wished for some Christmas magic to come her way.

  2

  The following morning, Clair was at her desk and couldn’t stop thinking about her encounter with Eve from the day before. Clair bit her bottom lip and smiled secretly to herself. She knew she was blushing from her encounter with Eve, but she couldn’t help but feel giddy every time that Eve stopped by the station.

  Flu ng the back of her long, dark curly locks, she quickly researched the hair salon that Eve recommended on her Smartphone. There was a lull in telephone calls and sta requests, so she wanted to take this rare moment to see if she could secure any openings.

  Clair had noticed Eve as soon as she had started working at the hospital. Clair was a late bloomer in terms of her sexuality. All her life, Clair was someone who followed conventions and always tried to fit in, even though she knew that something felt incomplete in her life. Growing up, she knew that she was di erent from the other children, but Clair always felt that life would eventually sort her out if she played by the rules.

  She still remembered when Eve shook her hand for the first time, making direct eye-contact. Clair could still feel the warm grasp of Eve's firm handshake.

  A shiver of electricity shot through Clair's arm, igniting a spark within in. There was something about Eve that Clair recognized within herself. Without any substantial knowledge to base an assumption, Clair felt instinctively that Eve was also gay.

  That day, Clair watched Eve walking past her desk. She couldn't help but stare at Eve's bright blonde hair, while noticing her petite frame, which was draped in the standard hospital scrubs. Clair was still finding her confidence to check out women, but she loved how Eve was delicately put together, like a perfect little doll.

  Clair was buzzing with excitement over getting her hair cut. It was going to be her next step towards coming out.

  Ever since she was a little girl, Clair had kept her dark hair long. But ever since she had learned to accept her sexual orientation, she had been considering ways to become more visible, and it seemed as though a proper queer-looking haircut was the next step.

  Clair was careful to be discreet, aiming her phone at her knees while perched at her desk.

  She went to the House of Hair website and requested an appointment for this coming Thursday evening. Part of her fantasized about Eve coming with her, but Clair knew that it would be weird to ask Eve to join her. Over the past year, they had become familiar and friendly with one another, but there was still a work barrier between them. Clair took her job seriously, and she didn't want to make a newer employee feel uncomfortable. Still, it was fun to imagine. At the very least, she could show o her new haircut to Eve while they were both on shift, and for now, that seemed like the wisest move.

  Clair was still hunched over, completing her online reservation when Priya, her supervisor, approached her desk.

  “Hi, Clair, how are you today?” Priya asked, startling Clair with her formal tone.

  “Oh, I’m great, Priya. How are you today?” Clair quickly ditched her phone, slipping it into her purse, which was placed at her knees.

  “Listen, Clair, Mr. Brownstone—a patient who is with Eve right now—will need to sign some documents after his blood tests. He is su ering from the beginning stages of dementia, so Eve will walk him over to your desk. Please take good care of him and take your time. He may need some help with filling out the form, so it might be good to walk him through the sections slowly. Okay?” Priya crossed her arms, waiting for confirmation.

  “Of course, no problem. Thank you for the heads up.”

  Clair nodded in a rmation.

  “Great, thanks so much. I have a meeting right now, but I just wanted to let you know. Have a good day.” Priya turned on her heels and proceeded to the boardroom. Clair found Priya to be kind, if not sometimes curt, but by now she knew what to expect from her boss.

  CLAIR CONTINUED TO STAY BUSY, multi-tasking between phone calls and guests approaching her desk in need of assistance.

  After twenty minutes, she caught a glimpse of Eve strolling with who she assumed to be Mr. Brownstone. Eve and the small gentleman were almost the same height, and Clair watched as she gently guided him down the hall, arms linked.

  Clair found the sight endearing. Had the pair been walking in the park instead of down a hospital corridor, one may have mistaken them for a granddaughter and grandfather. Clair loved how attentive and kind Eve was with

  her patients, especially within an industry that could sometimes appear callous.

  Clair brightened as the pair got closer. “Hello, you must be Mr. Brownstone. We have some papers here for you to sign.” Clair then addressed Eve. “Wow, fancy seeing you again, stranger. It’s like I didn’t even have time to miss you!” Clair hoped that she was coming o funny and slightly flirty, as opposed to creepy.

  Eve chuckled with appreciation. “I know, right? It’s like the Universe is trying to tell us something, Clair.”

  Immediately Clair felt at ease, hearing Eve quip back. I’m glad I didn’t sound too weird. She is definitely a witty one!

  “Thank you, Nurse. Would you help me to get my pen out of my shirt pocket?” Mr. Brownstone said, turning to Eve.

  “My hands are feeling so shaky today, and I feel as though I could drop it.”

  “Of course, Mr. Brownstone. Here, allow me.” Eve gently unclipped the pen from his shirt pocket. She then kindly presented it to the patient.

  Raising the volume of her voice slightly, Eve said with a smile, “Have a nice day, Mr. Brownstone. You take care of yourself, okay?”

  Mr. Brownstone nodded and returned the smile, looking somewhat confused. “Yes, you too, Nurse Betty. Thank you for your help.”

  Eve replied warmly, “It’s Nurse Foster, or you can just call me Eve.”

  The gentleman then joked, “Oh I know. I just call all of the pretty nurses Betty because that was my wife’s name.”

  Eve patted him gently on the arm, and Clair knew it was time for her to take over. She pushed the papers towards him so that they lay flat and in view on the desk. Eve then went behind the station and stood beside Clair to review some charts.

  Clair’s senses immediately heightened. Maybe it was because she was so aware of her feelings, but Clair sensed a spark between her and Eve as they shared the close quarters of the desk. Eve’s presence was powerful for someone so tiny, and it made Clair feel giddy and a little distracted.

  Charged with a thrill, Clair turned brightly to Mr.

  Brownstone. She pointed out the sections to fill out with a pen in hand, guiding him through the process.

  “Here is where we will need your full address. Do you have health insurance?” Clair asked patiently.