Chapter 3

“You guys, I met someone yesterday.”

Rosa cocked a brow at Stella. “Another one?”

They were having lunch in the lunchroom. The place was sparsely filled with health workers in uniforms buying boxes of juice and sandwiches. Sophia, Stella and Rosa were sitting close to the door. Nate and Mike could not join them because they were attending to patients. Sophia opened her box of orange juice and drank from it.

Stella threw Rosa a dirty look. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Stella shrugged. “You always meet someone every weekend. I’m just saying that’s not new.”

“Of course, honey, I can’t keep still, you know that. What’s the fun in sticking to one person, right?” She nudged Sophia.

Sophia shrugged. “Why are you asking me? How am I supposed to know?”

“That’s right,” Stella drawled. “I keep forgetting that you are a sworn spinster, vowed to protect her virginity from the evil hands of men.”

Sophia winced at the jab but she offered a tight smile. “Yeah.”

Rosa and Stella shared a look. Sophia caught this and frowned. “What’s that look for?”

Rosa shrugged with her hands up. “Well, maybe if you gave Nate a chance you will understand what Stella is trying to say. Look, Sophia, you know Nate has eyes for you, since day one actually…”

Sophia put her hands up to stop the flow of words. “Oh Lord, you guys, please. We have had this conversation a million times. I already told you both that Nate and I can only be friends and I said the same to him why can’t you guys back off?”

Ever since Rosa introduced them to each other Nate made his feelings known to her. But Sophia couldn’t accept his feelings, she didn’t want the drama a relationship with him would bring. Nate was a good guy, handsome in every sense of the word and really sweet to her but she had baggage, a lot of them in fact and she wasn’t ready to dump them on him. Besides, even though she never shared her promise to herself with Rosa, she truly was content with being alone and if that earned her the label ‘sworn spinster' then so be it.

“We care about you that’s why we can’t back off. Give Nate a chance, he literally trails you around with his eyes.”

“And I must say he is fucking patient for a man. How many years has it been since he’s been pining away for you? If a guy like Nate made a pass at me I’ll be humping him senseless by now.”

Rosa rolled her eyes. “I am so done with you, Stella, I swear I am.”

Just then Nate and Mike walked in through the door. Since Sophia was facing the door Nate’s eyes flew to her immediately. He smiled, she smiled back. He and Mike came to join them at their table once they got their lunch.

“How are you guys doing?”

“Great,” Rosa groaned. “I’m about to lose my mind. I’ve been on my feet since 8 checking my patients. I just need a break already.”

“Tell me about it,” Mike said as he bit into his food. “I was supposed to collect the results for some of my patients this morning but guess what? They weren’t ready which means I can’t efficiently attend to them like I’m supposed to so I spent my morning going from ward to ward checking on them and assuring them when I actually don’t know what’s wrong with them.”

“The lab is short on staff.”

“And on equipment too. Those lab equipment are slow and backdated. Getting late results is just an extra burden on our shoulders. What about you Sophia, Rosa said you got a new patient.”

“Yes, his name is Freddie. I’ve been trying not to worry about him all day but I can’t help it. The conclusion of his last tests was cold and a fever but I suspect it’s something more.”

“It is always something more but we’ll never know until the results are out. By the way, I heard the Board has received our complaints concerning the lab and is deliberating on means of raising money for improving it.”

“Really?” Sophia asked.

“Yeah.”

“So what? We are going to have a fundraiser or something?” Stella asked. “Nate, you are friendly with one of the Board members, you should know.”

“I guess,” he replied. “You know how tight-lipped those asses are with funds. We might do a fundraiser with help from St. Peter’s church.”

“Well, that aside,” Stella said pushing her tray away. “What are we singing at the club this week?”

“Dude the week literally just started,” Mike laughed.

“So? It doesn’t hurt to make plans. Sophia, darling, have you any ideas? Maybe we can practice on Thursday evening or maybe Wednesday?”

“I actually don’t have any ideas right now but I will think on it and let you guys know.”

“Actually,” Stella said with a sly look at Nate and a mischievous smile on her face. “How about you sing something sexy, something romantic. I think we’ve done enough of glam rock and indie.”

Sophia raised her brow. “What do you have in mind?”

“I was thinking Seal. You know? Kiss from a rose by Seal. It’s romantic and I know it’s going to set a sexy mood at the club this week.”

Under the table, she kicked Nate’s feet and nudged her head towards Sophia when he looked at her. She made a face as if to say: You can make your move then.

Sophia, oblivious to Stella’s cunning nodded. “You know I always love anything by Seal so yes, I can sing that. I may need to look up the lyrics though.”

“Okay, you do that, the rest of us will work on the sound to back you up.”

Sophia pulled her chair back. “Alright guys, I gotta go. See you guys at the end of the day.”

Stella watched her go. As soon as she was out of the room she turned to Nate and wagged her brow.

“You know what you have to do now, Nate. I have set the mood, I will leave the rest to you.”

Nate shook his head. “Stella, Sophia has rejected me every single time I tried suggesting more than friendship, what makes you think a mere song will convince her to change her mind.”

Rosa held her chest as she gasped dramatically. “How dare you?! A kiss from a rose is not a mere song. Obviously you are lacking in the art of romance. You should try having sex with that song playing,” she closed her eyes and held her hands up like a chef in ecstasy. “Bliss.”

“I concur,” Stella said mimicking Rosa. “I absolutely agree.”

Nate and Mike looked at each and laughed at their antics. “Okay, I will try. But Sophia has begged me to move on from her so if she rejects me one more time I’ll have to respect her and let her go.”