Hello Nurse!

Doctor frowned at Elli from across the dinner table. She raised her eyebrows quizzically at him. “What’s up?” she asked, after swallowing a bite of food.

“Are we a couple?” he asked, his brows furrowed.

Elli looked surprised. “Well, I sure hope so!”

“That’s what I thought. It’s just that, well…all we ever do is have sex.” He waved his hands frantically as Elli looked about to say something. “Not that I’m complaining, no! But, you know, I’m not ashamed of you or anything. We should go out as a couple.”

Elli grinned. “Fine with me!”

They finished eating and then washed up the dishes together. “Let’s go for a walk, and then we can go to the inn for a drink.” Doctor bit his lip and Elli quickly said, “Oh, I know you don’t drink. You can have milk.” He smiled and nodded, and they set out together.

Holding hands, they circumnavigated the whole village together. They carefully walked down the wooden plank steps to the beach, and stood for a moment, enjoying the sea breeze and watching the tide ebb in and out.

Of course, Doctor spotted a piece of medicinal purple grass growing near the steps and grabbed it. He raved about its fatigue rejuvenating properties. Elli listened patiently. It didn’t annoy her as much any more when he droned on about medical things, because he was also satisfying her at other times. It was when she was dying for just a hint of romance in him that the serious, scholarly side of him was so irritating.

Elli let Doctor put the purple grass in her purse, and then they walked back up through the town. In Rose Square, they passed the mayor, who was standing in front of the bulletin board, peering at it in the twilight. “He stands in front of that thing for hours every day. What could he be reading all the time?” Doctor whispered to Elli.

“I don’t know! There’s like, one sentence on that thing. Maybe he’s spell checking, and he’s not good at it…” Elli murmured back, breaking off as they got closer to him.

“Good evening, Mayor!” Doctor greeted him warmly, raising and waving the hand that wasn’t holding Elli’s hand. Elli giggled to herself when she realized the two men were both popularly known by their titles, and not their actual names. Elli happened to know that Doctor’s real name was Trent, but she was so used to calling him Doctor, that she still did even though they were in a relationship!

Mayor Thomas spun around. “Oh, well hello you two,” he twittered happily. “It’s a nice day for a walk. Having a good time?” His eyes suddenly fixed on their intertwined hands, and his mustache twitched.

Doctor cleared his throat. “Oh, ah, Mayor, Elli and I are…well,” he hesitated because how do you say it? Boyfriend and girlfriend sounded too juvenile. He felt Elli squeeze his hand and he glanced at her, only to see her biting her lip, looking close to laughter. He groaned inwardly, realizing she was probably itching to blurt out a very vulgar term to describe what they “were” now.“We’re a couple now.” Doctor finished quickly, before Elli could say anything naughty.

Mayor nodded approvingly. “Very good, very good. You two were made for each other. ‘Doctor and Nurse’, the old cliché!” He stopped. “Oh, dear me, dear me, I’m not saying that YOU TWO are a cliché, just that…oh well, good for you anyway.” He raised his top hat in salute, and as was his habit, turned quickly on his heels and ran in the other direction.

Elli stared after him, her mouth open a little. “What a strange little man…” They both shrugged and continued on to the inn.

Ann greeted them warmly and wiped off a table just for them. She also noticed the fact that they were holding hands, and gaped for a moment before grinning widely. “Well, well, well!” she hollered in her brassy voice. “Lookee there! Have we got a hook up here?”

Doctor looked mortified, and Elli shushed Ann. “You are so loud!” She moved in quickly, taking Ann by the shoulders. “Save your screaming for Harris, eh?” she whispered playfully.

Ann flushed, turning several shades of red. “D…dummy!” was all she could manage to blurt in response. She managed to calm down and stuck her tongue out at Elli, obviously not insulted by the comment.

Elli and Doctor sat together, facing the rest of the inn. Ann took their orders and returned quickly with a glass of wine for Elli and a glass of milk for Doctor. They sipped their drinks and looked around.

Duke was in his usual spot at the counter, trashed as ever. His head lolled forward dangerously, and then he tipped back suddenly. He fell off of the barstool and sprawled out on the floor. Doctor stood up quickly and rushed over to assess him.

Elli followed after and took his pulse while Doctor checked for head injury and broken bones. Doctor shook his head. “He’s all right. Just a tumble, no serious injury. But,” he addressed the semi-conscious Duke, “you have GOT to cut back on your drinking, man!”

Duke looked up at him with glassy, confused eyes. “I don’t drink thaaat mush,” he slurred unconvincingly.

Doug had come around the counter and helped Doctor get Duke to his feet. “All right, let’s get you home.”

Doctor looked back at Elli. “Wait here, okay?” He gave her a half smile. “Sorry that our first date got interrupted.”

Elli smiled back. “Well, when duty calls…”

She winked quickly at him, letting him know silently that he was going to have to make it up to her when they got home. Doctor flushed a little and then grinned back at her as he helped Duke out the door.