«Take care of the drunk, maybe he’ll marry you!» — shouted the head nurse. But no one could have imagined WHAT would happen in a minute…

She hastily shook her head. «No, what are you, just she doesn’t trust me to work independently yet». The nurse smirked, and the doctor, Alex Peterson, handed her a mug with warm tea.

«Well, let’s get acquainted. This is Susan, and I am Alex Peterson». Marina cautiously took the mug, enjoying the aroma of the hot drink.

«In an hour, it will be hell here again», — warned the doctor, glancing at the clock. «How do you know?» — Marina was surprised. «It’s simple», — he smirked.

«Now everyone has stocked up, because alcohol is not sold at night. First, they drink quietly at home, and then it turns out that it was not enough and the fun begins». Marina listened admiringly.

«Experience», — smiled the doctor. «I have been working in this hospital for a long time and have lived in this town even longer». Susan suddenly turned to Marina.

«I will talk to Tamara Williams», — she said. «I watched how you work. You already have everything going great».

Marina widened her eyes. «Really?» «Really», — nodded Susan. «Just continue in the same spirit».

Marina felt warmth inside. Let the senior nurse not accept her, but other colleagues have already begun to see her efforts. And that meant that everything was not in vain.

Marina hardly suppressed a yawn, rubbing her tired hands. Alex Peterson was right, exactly an hour later, a new stream of patients poured into the emergency room. The first one brought a man about forty, with a broken face and bruises all over his body.

«What happened?» — asked Marina, while the doctor examined him. «I went out for cigarettes to the convenience store. The patient croaked, wincing from pain.

And there, tipsy guys decided that I displeased them in some way». The doctor examined his bruises and shallow cuts. «No fractures, but the wounds need to be treated.

Let’s take him to the dressing room», — he calmly commanded, gesturing to Marina. She deftly prepared the antiseptic and dressing material, helping to apply bandages. The man nodded gratefully.

But as soon as he was taken away, the next patient was brought into the reception, a young guy, clearly overdone with alcohol. This one behaved aggressively, picked on passers-by, explained the policeman accompanying him, in the end got a punched face. The guy was holding his nose, from which blood was flowing, and his lip was swollen from the blow.

Marina sighed, preparing everything necessary for the examination. «Does it hurt a lot?», — she asked, gently touching his arm. «Yeah», — muttered the guy, wincing…

«She left me, and I…» He did not finish, but Marina understood everything. «You are lucky that it ended only with bruises», — she said calmly, starting to treat the wound. The guy tried to smile, but soon he was sent further to the dressing room.

They didn’t have time to catch their breath, as they brought an elderly woman who received burns, she accidentally tipped a kettle with boiling water on herself. Next came a man who slipped on the stairs and hit his leg hard, and after him a woman who in the heat of a family quarrel managed to break her arm. The hours stretched endlessly, patients arrived one after another, and Marina only managed to run from one to another.

Finally, closer to five in the morning, the flow subsided a bit. Alex Peterson put aside the gloves and looked at the tired nurses. «Everyone to sleep, in a couple of hours the morning patients will go».

Marina nodded gratefully, but could not fall asleep, she looked at the ceiling, recalling her mother. She always endured to the last, just not to bother the doctors. One case was etched in memory especially vividly, high temperature, which could be knocked down only for a few hours, but mom refused to call the ambulance.

«If it’s not better by morning, then call», — she said weakly, lying in bed. Marina was not a nurse then, but understood that mom was risking, and yet arguing with her was useless. The next morning she still had to call the doctor, and then Marina firmly decided, she will become the nurse whom people will not be afraid to ask for help.

Heavily sighing, she still closed her eyes. But her rest did not last long. The next morning, taking the shift, Marina immediately understood that something was wrong.

As soon as she entered the corridor, Tamara Williams literally ran into her. «Well, did you complain?» — said the senior nurse with a smirk. Marina blinked in confusion.

«I, no, I didn’t complain», she said, not understanding what it was about. «Of course, of course», — nodded Tamara Williams mockingly. But then Alex Peterson appeared in the corridor.

«I really want to talk to you, Tamara Williams», — he said calmly, removing his glasses. The senior nurse sharply turned to him. «Yes, and what do you want to say to me?» «That you have a talented nurse in the department, who should not be hindered», — he answered coldly…