Little Moments

by Madison Street

  She calls toward me, “It should be under Stevens.”

  I walk out and head straight toward the register. As I tally up the total, I hear her thank me.

  “You have no idea how happy this makes me. My mom would have killed me if I didn’t get these. You made my night.”

  I smile. “Well, glad to be here. That will be $27.85.”

  I grab the box and place it inside a plastic shopping bag, then turn around to collect her payment. That’s when I see her. The gorgeous blonde stands on the opposite side of the counter and hands her debit card to me, but all I can do is just stand there frozen, staring at her. Her blonde locks settle on her shoulders as the soft waves mold along her neck. Her emerald eyes are fixed on me, and there’s no way for me to escape. Her cheeks have a hint of pink and her soft lips shine with a coat of gloss. God, she’s beautiful.

  I hear her clear her throat and my trance breaks. I blink and come back into focus.

  She looks at me, puzzled. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, uh…sorry. Long day. That’ll be $27.85.”

  She motions with her debit card. “Here you go.”

  I glance at it. “Oh right.” I take the card from her and hear her chuckle. Damn, even her laugh sounds beautiful.

  I swipe the card in the credit card machine and punch in the total. I hear a beep come from inside her purse and glance over as she takes her cell phone out and reads the text message. She giggles and a huge smile beams across her face. Her cheeks blush as she types her response. I start to think about reasons why she would blush and can only think of one: she has a boyfriend.

  I turn away and let out a sigh as the machine processes the payment and the white receipt begins to print. I tear the paper, grab a pen, and slip it to her so she can sign.

  “Can you sign this, please?”

  She places her phone down and looks at me. “Of course. And thank you so much for the éclairs. I can’t wait to eat them when I get home. Seriously this place has the best ones in town. Is this your parents’ place?”

  I shake my head. “No, this is my aunt and uncle’s bakery. They just left about twenty minutes ago.”

  She signs her name and passes me the receipt. “Well, tell them that I have loved their éclairs since like forever! Every Monday my mom picks these up for me and my dad, but she couldn’t tonight, so here I am.”

  I give her the shopping bag and her debit card. “Enjoy.”

  She puts her card in her wallet, grabs the bag, and smiles at me. “Thanks. Have a good night.”

  My eyes follow her toward the exit as she walks outside. I step around the counter and look out, watching her cross the street and disappear into the night.

  Wow.

  I stand there staring out, recovering from the shock of seeing such beauty. A car horn startles me and I slip back into reality. I step back and focus on cleaning up the back of the bakery. A few minutes later, I walk toward the register to count the day’s earnings and lock it up.

  I see the signed receipt she left and pick it up to put it in the pile of receipts. I glance at the signature and see her name elegantly scripted on the line. Melanie Stevens. As I read her name, I smile and hope that I’ll get to see her again, sooner rather than later.

  Melanie

  THE SIREN OF THE AMBULENCE startles me out of my daydream. Jumping out of my seat, I pull my hair into a small ponytail and race toward the entrance of the emergency room. A couple of the other ER nurses rush up behind me just as the paramedics bust through the door, rolling a patient on a gurney. It’s go time.

  I grab hold of the gurney and assess the patient. “Talk to me.”

  Jacob, the paramedic, spits out the history. “Multiple gunshot victim. Wounds on the upper chest and right leg. He was all over the place during the ride here. Levels fluctuating. BP 100 over 59. Age 37. Victim’s name is Brian and he remained conscious.”

  As I check Brian’s dressings, Dr. Easton Quinn sneaks up behind me.

  Flashing his pen light into Brian’s eyes, he says, “So Brian, I see you got yourself in a little bit of a pickle here. Don’t worry, I’ll fix you right up.”

  I check Brian’s blood pressure as Dr. Quinn listens to his heart and checks his lungs. He removes the stethoscope and motions toward the operating room.

  “OR 3 is open. Let’s bring him in there and get those bullets out.”

  As we all race to the operating room, I look down at Brian, whose face is full of pain and worry. I smile. “You’re in good hands sir.”

  Seconds later we arrive to the OR, just as the nurses finish prepping it. As Brian is pushed inside, Dr. Quinn and I wash up and change into scrub gear for the surgery. The nurse anesthetist rushes inside and I watch as Brian is slowly put to sleep in a matter of seconds.

  I roll on my latex gloves, put on my mask, and let out a deep breath. Surgery is always very stressful but it’s a rush at the same time. I close my eyes and relax. You got this.

  Dr. Quinn takes control. “First things first, we need to make sure these bullets aren’t causing any more damage.”

  He nods to me. “Pass me the fluoroscopy.”

  I hand it to him and we examine the x-ray images of Brian’s chest to confirm the locations of the bullets.

  He cusses low. “It’s in his left lung and fluid is building fast.”

  In haste, I take away the instrument and Dr. Quinn performs.

  ******

  After a strenuous two and a half hours, the bullets are removed and Brian is woken from his nap.

  Dr. Quinn bends toward him. “How are you feeling Brian?”

  Still a little groggy, he moans but gives us all a genuine smile.

  Dr. Quinn chuckles and informs us the procedure is complete. “Another successful procedure. Give it up folks.”

  We all smile and I silently pat myself on the back. There’s no greater feeling in the world than saving someone’s life. No matter who the person is or the reason they need your care, it’s all the same. The rush, the fear—it’s all good for the soul. Yes, life in the ER can be very stressful and there are times when I’m here for forty-eight hours or more, but it’s so worth it.

  We all wash up and clear the operating room. Brian is taken down to recovery and I follow Dr. Quinn out into the lobby to inform Brian’s family of the good news. I watch as they all shed joyous tears and some praise their thanks to God. I can’t help but smile as they celebrate the good news. Dr. Quinn answers a few of their questions about Brian’s recovery, explaining that he will need close monitoring for the next few weeks and physical therapy once he’s out of intensive care.

  As he finishes up with the family, I turn to walk away to the nurses lounge, but someone grazes my arm. I turn to find Dr. Quinn smirking at me.

  “Great job in there Melanie. You’ve improved so much this past year.”

  I flash him a huge smile. “Wow, thank you Dr. Quinn. I’m proud to be part of your team.”

  He chuckles. “I’ve said it before, but please, call me Easton. Calling me by my last name makes me sound boring and old.”

  I laugh nervously. “Well, I wouldn’t want to embarrass you.”

  His bright blue eyes stare deep into mine and he whispers, “No, you could never embarrass me.”

  A light breath escapes my lips as he continues to gaze into my eyes. A flutter of butterflies and nerves tingle my body. I feel my body heat rise, causing my cheeks to blush. Embarrassed, I look away from his gaze, no longer able to hold his stare. Damn, he is so hot.

  I sense his stare still on me and just as I get the courage to look up, the siren of another ambulance alarms us. Easton and I snap out of our trances as we head toward the emergency room.

  Just as we enter, he looks at me and flashes a smile. “Game time.”

  ******

  Sixteen hours later I head into the nurses lounge and crash onto the sofa. I reach out to grab the television remote and channel surf as I adjust the sofa pillows and lay down. I glance at the time: seven
thirty-five AM. It should be slow for a while, so I close my eyes and doze off for a quick nap.

  The sweet aroma of donuts and coffee awakens me from my sleep and I groggily open my eyes. Dazed, I glance around the lounge to find a couple of the nurses eating breakfast and chatting about the night shift’s patients. A yawn escapes my mouth and I stretch my arms out, waking them up to life.

  “Rise and shine sleeping beauty.”

  I groan and sit up. “Ugh, thanks Gia.”

  Gia hands me a cup of coffee and chuckles. “You might want to freshen up before you step outside into the world of the living. You got a little drool there. Geez, you were out like a light.”

  I place the coffee on the table and wipe the dried drool off my face, heading toward the bathroom. Looking into the reflection, I’m shocked by my appearance. Shit, I look like a hot mess!

  I quickly wash up and head over to my locker to grab my hairbrush and makeup. Ten minutes later, I’m looking good as new. I glance at my reflection and smile. Now that’s better.

  Heading back toward the sofa, I grab my coffee and sit next to Gia while she watches the morning news.

  “Anything good in the world?”

  Gia shakes her head. “I don’t even know why I bother watching. The news just pisses me off. All I hear are stories of rape, murder, child abuse, and stupidity.”

  She tosses the remote to me and I change the channel to the morning talk show. “Sometimes the news has good stories too ya know. You just have to be patient.”

  I nudge her shoulder and stick my tongue out at her. She fights the urge to laugh but cracks after a few seconds.

  “So, any plans this weekend?”

  I nod my head. “Yeah actually, I’m babysitting my goddaughter. Her parents are celebrating their three-year anniversary so I volunteered to watch her.”

  “Babysitting? Melanie, you’re twenty-seven years old. You gotta get out there girl. Okay, next weekend, we are going dancing!”

  “Gia, I have the weekend shift next weekend. Besides, I haven’t been dancing since my early college years and I’m pretty sure I’m rusty.”

  She won’t take no for an answer. “No excuses Melanie. We are having fun. You need it. All you do is work. Don’t you have friends outside of work? Family?”

  “I just have my best friend, Raya, and her husband, Duke. And they are my family.”

  “Yeah, but what about dating? Meeting guys? You’re in your prime right now. Don’t miss out on life.”

  “I’m not; I just haven’t focused on that aspect of my life right now. There are more important things than sex.”

  She gets off the sofa and heads toward the counter. “Hmm, what world do you live in?” She grabs a pastry out of a white bakery box and licks her lips. “Yum.”

  She takes a bite of the chocolate pastry and I immediately recognize it: an éclair.

  I race toward the counter and grab one. “Where did you get those?”

  “What these? I think Dr. Quinn brought these in earlier.”

  I take a bite. “Easton bought these?”

  She gives me a smirk. “Oh it’s Easton now huh?”

  I shake my head. “Don’t start Gia. I am not going there with you.”

  She pouts. “Oh come on, you know he’s gorgeous! Everything about him is fine! His body, his eyes, and I know for a fact you have checked out his tight ass.”

  I slap her shoulder. “Gia! What is this, high school? I am not checking out the doctors here.”

  She busts out laughing. “Just admit it Melanie. He is some serious man candy.”

  I finish the éclair and go for a second one. The pastry yumminess brings a smile to my face.

  “See! You’re smiling! You have noticed him.”

  “No, it’s not that. It’s the éclair.”

  She gives me a puzzling look.

  “I absolutely love éclairs. It’s my favorite Italian pastry. I used to go to this bakery all the time in high school, and this éclair reminded me of that. This one is not as good as that bakery’s though. I can’t remember the name of the bakery but they had the best food. Their cheesecakes were to die for and the cookies were straight out of heaven. Everything from that place was so good. I went to that bakery at least once a week during my senior year. I’m pretty sure that if I hadn’t been on the dance team, I would have been a fat kid.”

  “What’s the name of the bakery?”

  I glance at the ceiling trying to remember. Gosh, I haven’t been there in years.

  I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to think. “I can’t remember. The last time I was there I was with Duke and we were in the process of finding Raya. That was four years ago.”

  I think about my upcoming fun-filled weekend with Layla, my goddaughter. “Maybe I’ll take Layla and get some cheesecake this weekend.”

  Gia agrees. “She would love that. Get her some cookies with sprinkles.”

  I nod. “Sounds like a plan.”

  Melanie

  AS I TIDY UP THE apartment I hear the doorbell ring. Rushing to the intercom, I press the speaker button. “Who is it?”

  I hear Raya on the other end. “It’s us. Let us up.”

  I push the buzzer to let them in and unlock my front door. I wipe down the counter with a wet rag to clear any dust away. Moments later, Duke, Raya, and little baby Layla walk through the front door. I put down the rag, bend down, and open my arms for Layla.

  “Hi baby girl! Come to Auntie Melanie!”

  Raya lets go of her hand just as she squeals and wobbles into my arms. I wrap them around her, pick her up off the floor, and squeeze her with all my love. I plant a bazillion kisses on her chunky cheeks as she giggles and kicks her legs.

  “Teetee Mewanie!”

  I glance at Duke and Raya. “Hey, how was the drive here?”

  Raya shrugs. “Getting out of Long Island is the worst, but it wasn’t too bad today. Not much traffic. We got here in just over an hour.”

  Duke shuts the front door and places the baby gear in the living room. “Yeah, we made good time.”

  Raya puts the baby bag on the coffee table and sits on the sofa as Duke heads into the kitchen to grab a soda. He shouts to us, “Anyone want something to drink?”

  Raya and I respond in unison, “No thanks.”

  I put Layla down and she walks over to her little play corner in the living room. I sit next to Raya, keeping an eye on Layla.

  Raya grabs a hold of my hand and I turn to her. “Thanks for watching her Melanie.”

  “Oh honey, no worries. This is your guys’ weekend. You need some time alone. I’m happy to watch her. We’ll have a ton of fun this weekend.”

  I watch Layla sitting in the corner, playing with her ragdoll. She’s such a cutie. At two and a half years old, she looks just like Duke but has Raya’s mesmerizing blue eyes and her wavy brown hair.

  Duke sits next to Layla and begins to play ‘dollies’ with her.

  Raya smiles. “She loves her daddy.”

  “How can she not? He’s a great dad. So, how long is the drive?”

  Duke glances toward us. “I would say about three to four hours. The inn is in a quaint little town outside of Albany.”

  I whisper toward Raya, “You excited?”

  She nods. “Very, but I can’t help but be a little anxious about leaving Layla.”

  I give her a quick hug. “Don’t be. I’ll take good care of her.”

  She lets out a deep breath. “I know. It’s just the first time being away.”

  Duke walks toward Raya and pulls her up to him. He kisses her cheek. “Don’t worry babe. She’ll be fine with Melanie. Come on, we have to start heading out.”

  I walk over to play with Layla while listening to Raya’s instructions on proper sleeping habits. “Make sure she has her blanket or she won’t fall asleep.”

  I nod. “Okay, got it. I’m going to head into the Bronx tomorrow and take her to get some cookies.”

  Duke smiles. “Oh, do you mean Zeppieri�
��s Bakery? They have awesome pastries.”

  I clasp my hands as a loud squeal escapes, startling Raya and Duke. “Yes! That’s the name!”

  Raya laughs. “Wow, excited much?”

  I chuckle. “Yeah, I couldn’t remember the name of the place. I’m getting carried away aren’t I?”

  “You? Carried away? You’ve always been over enthusiastic about the littlest things. Remember our One Direction phase?”

  I laugh out loud. “Ha ha! I still love them. True fan over here.”

  Duke reaches out to give me a hug. “See you on Monday.” He then bends down to Layla. “Can Daddy get a kiss from his princess?”

  Layla steps to him and plants a wet one on his lips while making the kiss sound. “Muahhh for Daddy!”

  He wraps his arms around her and throws her into the air. She laughs with delight as she is tossed higher and higher. Raya approaches them, hugs Layla, and blows a raspberry on her belly. Her laughter is so precious and infectious.

  Minutes later, we say goodbye to Duke and Raya, watching them drive off into the distance. I hold her in my arms. “So baby girl, what are we gonna do today? Oh, we can go check out the zoo! Do you want to see the animals?”

  She claps her hands. “Oooh, see monkeys and ewefants?”

  I carry her inside the building and up to the apartment. “Yes and maybe we’ll even see tigers.”

  She squeals and kicks her legs in my arms. I plant kisses on her cheek and squeeze her tight. “I love you baby girl.”

  Her soft tiny hand touches my cheek. “Wub Teetee Mewanie.”

  ******

  The warm sun shines on my face, heating it up as the cool morning breeze blows throughout my bedroom. My eyes slowly open as I wake up from a deep sleep. I look over to my bed partner and find her snuggled up against me. Dark strands of hair cover her soft rosy cheeks and she shudders as I move them out of her face. I rub a finger along her head and plant little kisses on her face.

  She snuggles closer to me and lets out a little growl. “Mama?”

  “No, baby girl. It’s Melanie. Good morning.”

  She jerks her head up. “Mama?”

  I see tears building in her eyes and quickly take her in my arms. “Mama will be here soon. She’s with Daddy right now.”