She was sitting down on the light tan carpet, playing with her daughter. Horses and Barbie dolls were all her daughter ever wanted to play, unlike her mother, Christina Rose Sommons. Christina liked to play with needles and knives and medicines of all sorts. Not that she ever hurt anyone; she was a nurse at the local hospital. Of course, this being a small town, there were never many patients, and so she was usually the one with all the attention. Everyone knew her, as everyone knew each other, because only about twenty or so people were actually living in the whole town. Sure every-now-and-then visitors would come by, but only because they were lost and couldn’t find the interstate. This little town had nothing to bring tourists in, so they just relied on each other to keep the food on the table. Money was one thing that barely anyone had. Everyone shared food acquired from the elderly farmer and wife. Christina smiled as she watched her daughter prance around with the little horses; suddenly the phone rang.

Christina rose to answer it, and a male voice responded to her greeting, “Hello, ma’am. I am Mr. Brian from the Family Services Inc., in the lost family section. I am calling in response to Miss Christina’s request for the names of her parents. May I speak with her, or is this she?”

“Oh, yes that’s me. I am so happy you called. So you found some information after all?”

“Yes, ma’am. We are sorry for the delay; it was hard finding information from that particular year, for some unknown reason.”

“Oh, that’s fine. Don’t worry about it. What have you found out?”

“Well, ma’am, so far we have received a little information on your parents. Your mother died seven years ago, from a car accident. Her name was Rachelle Sommons. She was not married to your father when she had you, and so you did not receive the father’s last name, and because of this, we still haven’t found your father’s name, unfortunately.”

“Oh, it’s alright. Could you call me back when you find out? I have to go.”

“Yes ma’am, it would be my pleasure. Have a nice day!”

“You as well, and thank you.” The phone clicked and she was finally able to answer the tugging on her shirt. “Yes, sweetie?” she smiled, hanging the phone back on the wall.

“You have work today?” She asked, still clutching a horse toy to her chest.

“Yes, I do.” Christina smiled and looked up at the clock. “Goodness! I might be late!”

“Hurry, hurry, Moma!” Christina’s daughter suddenly exclaimed and ran towards Christina’s bedroom with the horse galloping through the air. Christina followed her daughter into the bathroom to put her make-up on and shoes on.

She went ahead and put her new high-heel shoes on, then began putting her makeup on when her daughter finally spoke up. “Mama,” she asked, not saying anything else.

“What, baby?” She asked sweetly, smiling at her daughter after finishing applying mascara.

“When do you have to go bye-bye?” She asked, looking over to the clock. She did not know how to read time yet, but she knew the clock was the object that meant certain things had to happen.

Christina smiled and answered her daughter’s question saying, “In about ten minutes I will leave to go to work. That means when this black line is on the ten.” She said, pointing to the big hand on the clock.

“Oh.” Her daughter answered quietly, not really interested in the clock but more interested in what her mother was doing.

“Mandy will be here in a few minutes, darling. Then you two can go play in your room with your horses and Barbie dolls.”

“Okay, Mama. I love you.” She hopped off the counter top, gave her mom a hug and Christina kissed her on her head. Then she went skipping down the hall to her room to get ready for her babysitter to come. Christina smiled; there was something about children and teenage girls. They always seemed to go together perfectly.

A few minutes passed and Christina was getting the last of her things into her purse and checking to make sure she had her cell phone and all her extra accessories. Just as she opened the door, she saw the babysitter pull up the drive way.

“Hello, Mandy.”

“Oh, hello, Miss Sommons!” Mandy said while getting out of her car. She smiled and asked, “She’s inside?”

“Yes, waiting for you. She wants to play ‘horsey and me’ with you. Surprised?” They both laughed, knowing that that was what Christina’s daughter always said when she wanted to play with the horses. The baby sitter’s job or Christina’s job with her daughter would be to watch and praise what she did with the horse. Either taking a long journey up a mountain of bed sheets, or a slide down the bed post, Catherine Blaire could always come up with a new adventure for the two of them to witness.

“Have a nice day, Miss Sommons!” Mandy shouted over her shoulder while walking into the house.

Miss Sommons replied quickly, “You as well,” before getting into the car.

When she arrived at the hospital, which was just a few blocks down the road, she noticed something very different. One of the ambulance trucks was near the front door of the hospital, which was unusual. The little town Christina lived in rarely had a serious emergency, and suddenly Christina was excited. Perhaps this meant she would get to do more around the hospital and perhaps get a little more pay? She quickly got out of the car and rushed over to front doors of the hospital.

She took the elevator to the second floor and right as she walked out, she accidently ran into one of the two doctors they had, Dr. Aaron Ormsby.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Aaron-”

“Oh, no, don’t apologize, Christina. It was not your fault.” He smiled, giving her a quick hug. They were definitely very close, just about as close to a brother she could ever get.

“Is there a new patient?” Christina asked, now walking briskly with Dr. Aaron.

“Yes, indeed. He was found unconscious on the interstate still inside his car. It was hit from behind, and our best guess is that either it was a hit and run or on purpose.”

“Oh dear,” Christina exclaimed as they arrived at the hospital room the patient had already been placed in.

“He’s in there if you want to take charge of him,” Dr. Aaron said but continued after seeing Christina’s confused look, “We have stabilized him already. He’s just unconscious. He’ll be out of it within a few days since he really wasn’t injured. He’s being monitored, as is usual with patients.” He smiled and walked off, leaving Christina alone.

Christina walked into the room quietly, and looked over to the patient. “So, you’re the one causing all the fuss, huh?” Suddenly, another nurse came in.

“Oh, sorry Christina – I didn’t know you already claimed this room.”

“It’s no problem. If you want to-”

“No no, go right on ahead. I’ll take care of the elderly couple this week.” They smiled; the elderly couple had been basically been living at the hospital for over a year now. No one ever knew when they would have an emergency. The nurse quickly left the room, leaving Christina alone with this new patient once more.

She walked over to his chart. His name had been identified as John Smith. “That’s a funny name…” She thought to herself and began reading more on his chart. It said he was allergic to cats, penicillin, and peanuts and his blood type AB positive. She sighed and put the chart back into its holder on the edge of the bed and walked over to all the monitors. They were all showing what they should and beeping in the rhythmic pattern that meant the heart beat was normal. After checking his pulse herself and his temperature, she went over to a chair and sat down. She wasn’t going to be needed anytime soon, but a thought struck her suddenly.

“Aaron didn’t even notice my hair nor my shoes today.” She looked down at her new high-heel shoes. Golden straps crossed her foot with fake and small diamonds on the straps. “Because of you everyone will start acting differently.” She frowned, “Well, I’ve got one thing to say to you, buster. I’m the one everyone talks to and knows, so I know you’re new in the town and all, but no one takes my place, alright?” She mentally told the patient.