Hello Nurse!

Elli sighed and tapped her pen against her clipboard, staring at Doctor. For four long years, she had worked for him in the Mineral Town Clinic, and for four long years she had lusted after him unsuccessfully. The man was utterly clueless. No matter what she tried, she couldn't get him interested in her.

They lived together in the apartment upstairs from the Clinic. They had separate rooms, of course, but Elli felt like an epic failure to still be in separate beds after all this time.

She had wondered for a while if he just didn't like girls, but she knew from the magazines that she had found under his mattress while, ahem, cleaning thoroughly, that he was definitely into girls. He was just one of those scared virgins who takes solace in their hand night after night.

But he was too gorgeous to let go to waste like that. Elli gazed across the Clinic at him as he moved around, organizing some medical supplies. He was very tall, with a lean, muscular body and broad shoulders. His black hair was clipped short all around his head except for the long bangs that fell into his sexy, smoky green eyes. He had a strong jawline and perfect aquiline nose, and a cupid's bow mouth to die for. Many a night Elli had laid in bed and though about that mouth doing things...

But tonight was the Starry Night festival! The most romantic night of the year! Elli had tried last year to attempt things on this holiday, but her plans were ruined by a woman going into labor in Forget Me Not Valley. This year, she hoped there wouldn’t be any medical emergencies to spoil her fun.

Elli changed her clothes after the Clinic closed. She donned a sleeveless, silky, low cut purple blouse and a full thigh length black skirt, with some sexy black high heels. She dabbed on some lipstick and ruffled her short brown hair a bit before going back down for dinner.

Doctor sat at the table that Elli had set beautifully for the occasion. He blushed and touched the side of his nose. “Ah, Elli, you shouldn’t have done all this for just us.”

Elli smiled graciously. “Oh, no, Doctor, I wanted to. You are so special to me,” she lingered over him a moment, leaning in to light a candle on the centerpiece.

Doctor cleared his throat. “And you are a very valuable employee to me.”

Elli gritted her teeth and cursed silently. Already this was off to a bad start. She shook her head resolutely, determined to not let that shake her. “Shall we begin?” she asked, offering him a plate of vegetables.

He accepted and dished some onto his plate. Elli had been very careful to not make the standard rich Starry Night fare. The Doctor, she knew, was extremely health conscious (oh, and how it showed on that perfect body.) In response to this, Elli had prepared a spread of low fat dishes, including green beans with garlic (good for your digestion,) baked salmon (full of healthy omega-3’s), and a dessert of fresh cranberries (loaded with antioxidants.) And of course, to top it off, a big glass of fresh cow’s milk, provided by her best friend Claire, a farmer. Milk was the Doctor’s favorite thing on earth, as Elli well knew, after many a lecture on the nutritional properties and cultural history of milk.

The Doctor took a big, long sip of his milk. “Excellent, Elli. Your friend Claire raises such healthy cows. It’s quite a noble profession, farming.”

Elli nodded assent. “Medicine is a noble profession as well, Doctor. Tell me again how you got into it?” she asked, propping her chin up on one hand and leaning forward breathlessly.

The Doctor smiled broadly and launched into the tale. Of course, Elli had heard it so many times she could probably tell it herself, but talking about medicine made the Doctor so happy, and she loved to see his handsome face light up as he talked about it.

They finished up dinner. “That was wonderful, Elli. You’ll make a wonderful wife one day.”

“Oh, Doctor!” Elli blushed and giggled, cheering inside that she had gotten SOMETHING encouraging out of him.

They bundled up in warm clothing to go out for a walk, as most couples did on Starry Night. They walked out to Kappa Lake, Elli laughing at Doctor’s jokes all the way. About halfway there, when she was laughing very hard, she sneakily slipped her arm around his, so that they were walking with elbows linked. Doctor blushed and cleared his throat noisily, but he didn’t push her away. Elli was feeling very good.

When they got to Kappa Lake, they admired the sparkling ice for a while. Then, Doctor spotted a piece of white grass growing beside a frozen tree stump, and he gathered it up carefully.

“Elli, do you know how amazing white grass is? It’s the only thing that grows in winter in this region. Furthermore…” he droned on and on, giving her the full history of the medicinal herb.

Elli tried to nod cheerfully and act interested, but this was not what she wanted to be talking about! Just then, she heard the crunching of snow on the path behind her. She turned to see who it was.

It was her best friend Claire, and her very adorable boyfriend Cliff. The poor thing was like a cute little puppy dog, and he held onto Claire’s hand with such eagerness, it almost aggravated the sexually frustrated Elli.

Claire raised her eyebrows at Elli, looking from her to the Doctor and back again. Elli rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, before turning back around to the Doctor and tried to look enthralled.

The lecture went on for another thirty minutes, after which Doctor said they should return home, as too much cold air was harmful to the respiratory system. Elli tried to link arms with him again on the return trip, but he was gesturing them too wildly the whole time, telling the story of a case he had once had. Elli crossed her arms and pouted.

When they returned to the Clinic, they each went to their separate rooms to get into their sleep clothes. Elli had already changed when there was a knock at her door. Her heart leapt as she crossed the room to answer it.

There was the Doctor, in his pajamas and bathrobe. His face was warm and friendly. “Elli…” he began. “Thank you so much for everything tonight. I really enjoyed myself.”

Elli smiled and licked her lips quickly. “I enjoyed myself too, Doctor. Are you going to bed now, or would you like to come in and…talk…for a little while?” She dropped one shoulder down so that the strap of her camisole dropped on that side.

Doctor, clueless as ever, shook his head. “I’ll be turning in now. We’d better get our rest. You know how there is usually a flood of patients on Stocking Day when children hurt themselves playing with their new toys. Good night.”

He turned and walked back towards his room. Elli scowled at his back and shut her door firmly. “Good night, indeed!” she fumed silently as she threw herself angrily into bed. She shimmied under the covers, pouting for a moment before reaching over and getting her old friend out of the nightstand drawer. She was not going to bed frustrated tonight! As she switched it on, she sighed, closed her eyes, and tried to think of that cupid’s bow mouth.