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The cafeteria buzzed with the sound of people chatting and dishes rattling, but as soon as Alice—our favorite cafeteria worker—noticed us, she waved us over to the salad station. She was in her late sixties with short white hair and a little shy of five feet tall, but her kind eyes were like beacons that easily cut through the din of the room.
A warm smile crossed her lips, and I couldn’t help but smile back. Alice reminded me of my grandmother with her gentle mannerisms.
“Hey, Alice. We’ll take our usual,” I called out.
Alice winked. “I’m already ahead of you, Dr. Abbott.”
With sure steps, she walked over to the refrigerator behind her and pulled out two salads—one chicken Caesar for me and one grilled chicken salad with extra pine nuts and strawberries for Nyla.
Nyla breathed a sigh of relief. “Alice, you just gave me a few extra minutes to relax. Thank you so much.”
Alice beamed with happiness. “You’re welcome, sweetheart. I knew you two would be down here sometime. Figured you wouldn’t have much time to eat.”
I held a hand over my heart in appreciation. “Thank you, Alice. We really appreciate it.”
We carried our plastic salad packages to the checkout line and hovered over a scanner. The gadget beeped, signaling permission to enter the café’s dining area. Nyla bolted for the nearest table with her salad container open before I had even unzipped my purse. It was then that I noticed how much weight Nyla had lost; her cheeks had sunk in more than usual, and her skin lacked its characteristic rosy glow.
Nyla shoved a forkful of lettuce and chicken into her mouth while talking. “Don’t forget about me when you’re sunning your buns on some tropical beach island. I want to go with you!”
I chuckled while opening my salad container. “Why can’t you? After all the hours you’ve put in at this hospital, you must have accrued at least a year’s worth of vacation.”
Nyla nodded slowly, pausing mid-chew. “True, but you know I can’t just up and leave like that. Besides, my passport expired months ago. So even if I wanted to go to the Caribbean with you . . .” she trailed off.
I placed my hand on top of hers and looked directly into her eyes. “Nyla, I love you. You are one hell of a doctor and my best friend, too, but you need to take care of yourself first. How else will you be able to help others?”
Nyla’s eyes began to mist over as she looked away from me. Her voice cracked when she spoke next. “Why are you always right?”
I squeezed Nyla’s arm. “I want to make sure you’re okay, and a vacation isn’t far-fetched. I’m taking the summer off, and I have no doubt the hospital will survive without me here. We both need some time away from it all.”
Nyla returned my gaze and wiped her tears away with her sleeve. “All right, I’ll see what I can do.”
I swallowed a bite of my salad, hoping Nyla would agree with my next proposal. But, of course, there was always an alternative if she couldn’t use her expiring passport for international travel.
“You know, my grandmother’s beach house is the ideal spot for rest and relaxation. You can take strolls by the shore, catch some sun, or explore my grandmother’s gardens in peace and quiet; you’ll have it all to yourself.”
Her face brightened and it pleased me immensely.
“Seriously?” she breathed in surprise. “From what you’ve said before, it sounds like heaven! I’ve been dying to go there!”
I couldn’t help but smile widely. “It’s settled then. Go ahead and take the time off that you need. We can only work so hard before we break down; I was nearing my limit.”
Nyla tried to look away, but I saw the exhaustion in her eyes. She shoveled a few more bites of food into her mouth and looked at her watch, which had started beeping.
“My time’s up. I have to go.”
She started to stand when I grabbed her wrist. “Promise me you’ll take some time off. Oak Island is the perfect place to get away. I need to know you’re going to be okay before I leave.”
A sad smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “I promise. A beach vacation does sound like a good idea.” I stood, and Nyla wrapped me in a warm hug. “You’ll have your phone on your travels, right?”
“Yes,” I replied, returning the embrace. “We can talk anytime. I’ll make sure the beach house is ready for you whenever you decide it’s time to go down there.”
She squeezed me tightly before releasing me from the hug. “Thanks, Everleigh. Guess I’ve been putting this off for too long, huh?”
“Just a bit,” I teased with a grin. “But we can fix that easily enough.”
The beeping of Nyla’s watch grew louder before she groaned and let go of me. “Ireallyhave to go now. I’ll call you soon!”
She hastily threw away her half-eaten salad and rushed out of the cafeteria. Usually, I would have to rush out with her, but not today. However, a part of me did feel slightly guilty for leaving the hospital for two months.
