" Ava,I'd like to speak with you please".
" Yes Molly?", Ava asked her superior and balanced her tray in her hands.
"In my office please".
"Is something wrong Molly?", Ava asked again and closed the door gently.
" Well, I've been looking through your friend's file. She's almost fully recovered".
" Almost", Ava echoed.
" Of course. You see, I think she, what'd you call her?"
" Azalea".
" Right. Azalea is gonna be moved to Ped-304".
"Ped-304?!", Ava shrieked. "With Henrietta Salvatore?"
"What's wrong with her?"
" Absolutely nothing Molly. But Azalea is a quiet type. And we'll, let's say Henrietta isn't so quiet".
" I guess it'll be a welcome change for her. Henrietta's previous roommate, Estaben just got discharged. And you know she needs company".
" Yeah well it doesn't have to be Azalea".
Molly cocked her brow. " Ava listen. I appreciate your attachment to Azalea,but as her caregiver, we need to prioritize her medical needs, and this move will provide her with the necessary resources".
Ava rolled her tongue around in her mouth.
All Molly said was bullshit. Molly couldn't care less about Azalea, but she had to be tactical and professional about it.
"Alright. I'll go tell Zita".
"Uhh. No. You're doing it".
"Why me? I've got work to do and Zita's relatively free".
" Azalea would take it better if it came from you". Ava nodded and spun on her heels. She walked outta the office,seething.
Nicely played Molly O'Brien. Nicely played.
****
"Hey, did you come to watch Godzilla with me? It's on right now".
Ava smiled stiffly. " Maybe some other time".
"What's up Aves? You look sad".
Ava sighed. " The head nurse moved you to a new ward".
" Where?"
" Ped-304".
****
" Alea, this is Henrietta Salvatore".
She readjusted her weight on her crutches and glared at the strawberry blonde. "I don't like her".
"Alea, you gotta make this work".
" For Molly?!"
" No. For me. You need friends".
" I've got you and Jack".
" Kids. Your age".
She sat at the edge of the bed and stared up at Ava. "Will I still have my peace and quiet?"
Ava's eyes widened. "I don't know about quiet".
She groaned.
" Please Alea?"
She rolled her eyes and nodded.
" Thank you. I've got work to do right now,but I'll be back when I'm free". Ava hurriedly left the room and she grunted as she eased herself into the bed.
"Hi. I really can't believe that you're such good friends with nurse Ava. She's so cool. And pretty, very pretty. I heard Dr. Jack Morris has a crush on her? D'you know about that? Of course you know, she's your friend.
"Ooh, am I rambling? I'm sorry. But I can't stop. I'm so excited. I've been quite lonely since Estaben was discharged, so it's very cool to have someone new here with me. And you're a girl. Oh my gosh, that's even more amazing".
She groaned. "Listen here…"
" Ooh, I'm sorry. I didn't tell you my name. My name's Henrietta Emille Salvatore. I'm 12 years old and I…"
" I don't care, amiga".
" Oh my gosh, did you just call me amiga? That's the Spanish feminine of friend. So I'm your friend?"
She sighed and ran her palm down her face exasperatedly. "I hate you so much Molly O'Brien".
****
" Damn. That's hard". " She couldn't stop talking Ava. It's just like she's a cassette tape on repeat".
Ava stared at Henrietta's sleeping form sadly. " You know, she has leukemia".
"What's that?"
"It's a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow".
" Cancer? That's a serious one".
" Yeah. And it hurts a lot".
"So that's why she's so talkative. It's an escape for her".
" Yeah. So maybe you could be nicer to her? I know you love your peace and quiet but this could really help her".
" I understand".
Ava smiled and hugged her. " I knew you would".
****
3 weeks later
"That's not a word Henrietta".
"Really? And who says it's not?"
" The rules of Scrabble, amiga".
" Why don't we make up words as we go?"
"Seriously? That's not how you said Scrabble is played".
" I made the rules. I can unmake 'em".
She shrugged and formed the word aria.
" Hey!", Henrietta protested, "That's not a word".
"It sure is. It means a melodic solo vocal piece".
Henrietta cocked her brow in surprise. Grammar and words were still a big problem for Azalea. So how'd she know this word, the spelling and meaning.
Before she could ask about it, the door opened and the head nurse walked in.
"Konbanwa Molly".
"Konbanwa Henrietta. Daijobu desu ka?"
"Genki desu".
She stared at Henrietta and Molly like they were crazy.
"Hello. Molly", she said as Molly came up to the both of them.
"Azalea", Molly responded.
A man in dark jeans and a black tee-shirt walked in. The tee-shirt hugged his muscular upper body.
She cocked her brows at the veins running up his arms.
Henrietta purred.
She turned to glance at her and watched the man.
Ava walked in unassuredly.
"Alea, this is Detective Alex Ford", said Molly, " He's with the Kyrios Police Department's missing persons unit. He's gonna help you find your family".
He walked up to her and knelt on one knee. "Hello Azalea. It's nice to meet you. You're a cutie. How old are you?" She looked to Ava for help.
" We suspect she's 10".
"Suspect? How so?"
"There was a piece of paper in the denim overalls she wore the day she brought in. There was a date on it, so I thought it might be her birthday".
"That date could mean anything", Alex chided her.
She stared into Alex's baby blue eyes. She wanted to trust that he'd find her family, but she knew deep down that he won't.
Her family didn't want her after all.