A flash A loud bang Darkness Darkness
At last, the darkness began to fade. A voice reached his ears:
“Dr. Evelyn, its the paramedicsomething exploded in there.”
Through the pain, he felt fingers brush against his neck. He tried to force his eyelids open, managing only with effort. Before his eyesa rectangular pendant, engraved with zodiac signs the eyes of a woman in a white coat
“To the operating theatre!” A voice snapped close by.
His parents had just come home from work. His mother rushed straight to the kitchen, peering into the room where her son was bent over his homework. His father, Daniel, stepped in and immediately noticed the boys sullen mood.
“Tommy, whats wrong?” His father ruffled his hair.
“Nothing,” muttered the boy, a fourth-grader.
“Come on, out with it.”
“International Womens Day is coming. The teacher kept us after class and said we have to get presents for the girls.”
“Well, whats the problem?” His father smiled.
“Theres an equal number of boys and girls. She assigned who gives to whom,” the boy sighed heavily. “I got the ugly oneVerity Greenwood.”
“Every girl wants a gift on Womens Day, even the ones you think are ugly.” His father spoke to him as if he were grown. “How did she assign them? Alphabetically?”
“No, by zodiac signs.”
“Hows that work?” Daniel couldnt help but chuckle.
“By compatibility. Veritys a Virgo, and Virgos match best with Taurus. And I just happen to be a Taurus.”
“Thats good, right? Maybe youll fall for her when youre older.”
His father burst out laughing. His mother rushed in.
“Whats going on in here?”
“Lillian, back to the kitchen,” his fathers face turned stern. “Tommy and I are having a serious talk.”
Once she left, Tommy asked in a small voice, “Dad what do I do now?”
“Get her a gift!”
“What kind?”
“Ill make something for your chosen one at work tomorrow.”
“Dad, what can you make? You work at the factory.”
“Exactlyin the plating department. We coat metals with all sorts of finishes.”
“Dad, I dont get it.”
“Youll see tomorrow!”
***
The next day, his father brought home a golden-looking rectangular pendant on a chain. One side was engraved with two zodiac signsTaurus and Virgoand the other bore delicate, elegant script:
*”To my classmate Verity, for International Womens Day! Thomas.”*
Oh, how beautiful it looked! And when his mother wrapped it in a crisp cellophane bag, it became utterly dazzling.
***
March 7th arrived. The teacher had no intention of holding lessons. First, the pupils presented *her* with a gift. She thanked them profusely. Then she announced the boys would now give their gifts to the girls.
Chaos erupted. The boys scrambled to their “chosen ones.” Tommy approached Verity Greenwood and said, just as his father had taught him:
“Verity, happy Womens Day. Maybe one day, fate will bring Taurus and Virgo together.”
Having delivered his rehearsed line, Tommy returned to his seatcompletely missing how the heart of that “ugly” girl (as he saw her) suddenly raced.
Soon after, Veritys family moved to another part of town, and by fifth grade, she was attending a different school.
***
Thomas opened his eyes. A sterile white hospital ceiling. He tried moving his limbsonly his left arm obeyed.
“Where am I?” he slurred to no one in particular.
The clatter of crutches approached. A fellow patient leaned over his bed, studying him before asking,
“Back with us? Youre in emergency surgery.”
“Are my arms and legs still there?” Thomas whispered.
“Seems so,” the man delivered the good news. “Just bandaged head to toe.”
“Thats good. If everythings intact.”
A nurse appeared, her voice gentle. “How are you feeling?”
“What happened to me?” Thomas countered.
“Your lifes not in danger. Arms and legs will work. But youll have scars.” She handed him a phone. “Your mum asked to call when you woke up.”
“Tommy?” His mothers voice trembled.
“Mum, Im fine,” he forced cheer into his voice. “They said its just a few little scars. Ill be out soon.”
“They wouldnt let me stay overnight. Im coming now.”
“Dont upset yourself, Mum.”
He set the phone down and smiled weakly at the nurse. “Thank you.”
“Oh, you wont be discharged soon,” she smiled back. “Three weeks, at least.”
“What happened to you?” his roommate asked once the nurse left.
“Im a paramedic. Oxygen tanks started exploding at the factory,” Thomas recalled. “We got called inarrived before the fire brigade. Huge building, three casualties inside. We ran in, tanks scattered, flames everywhere. Started carrying them out I was last to leave Just as I reached the door, another tank blew. Dont remember the rest.”
“Rough luck, mate.”
“Thomas Galloway,” the nurses voice called. “A colleagues here to see you.”
“Tommy! How you holding up?”
“Arms and legs still attached!” Thomas grinned. “Can only shake hands left-handed for now.”
“Ah, youll manage!”
“What happened after?”
“We were almost clear when it blew. Dragged you out you were covered in blood medics were already there”
“Cheers.”
“Tommy, dont mention it!” His friend suddenly grinned. “Word is theyre putting us in for medals.”
“Ill be out by then.”
“Right, Id better go. Nurses said not to stay long.”
His friend had barely left when a doctora man in his fortiesentered.
“Well, hero, how are we?” He approached the bed.
“Alright.”
“If youre talking, youll live. Lets have a look.”
“Did you stitch me up?” Thomas asked.
“No, Dr. Evelyn did. Shell be back the day after tomorrow.”
***
Two days passed. Thomas could sit up now, though the pain in his legs was sharp, his right arm badly torn. Dozens of wounds littered his bodytwo on his face where hed hit the gate during the blast. At least hed thrown his right arm up in time. He checked the mirror. His face was bruised but healing.
Today, the surgeon whod spent five hours stitching him back together was due for rounds. Thomas felt oddly nervous.
Then she walked in. Young, slender, glasses that didnt detract from her face, the white coat suiting her perfectly. At twenty-seven, Thomas had been marriedbriefly. His ex-wife hadnt appreciated a paramedics salary.
“Hello,” she said, moving to his bedside.
“Hello. Youre the one who stitched me up?”
“I am,” she smiled. “Something wrong?”
“Let me check you over.”
She leaned inand there it was. A zodiac pendant dangling from her neck.
“Verity Greenwood!” he gasped.
She studied his swollen face, uncomprehending.
“Sorry?”
“Im the Taurus,” he pointed to the pendant.
“Tommy Galloway?” Her lips trembled. “You remember me?”
“Course I do, Verity.” Seeing her tears, he laid a hand on hers.
“Sorry,” she dabbed her eyes with a tissue. “Never thought wed meet like this.”
She didnt return to his ward that day. But Thomas noted her schedule matched hisday shifts, nights, two days off.
He hated being helpless before her. The next day, he forced himself to walk the ward, even venturing into the corridor.
Evening. The day shift left; the night crew arrived, their chatter filling the halls. Rounds would start soon
Then shouting. Hurried footsteps. Another emergency arrival.
By ten, the nurse dimmed the lights. Sleep wouldnt come. Past midnight, he heard quiet sobbing in the hall. He rose and found Verity at the desk, head in her hands.
He touched her shoulder. “Verity?”
She clung to him. “Ive just lost a patienta woman hit by a car. I did everything but she wont make it. Two children her husbands with her now”
“Easy, Verity.”
“Three years as a surgeon, and I still cant get used to death.”
“We save lives, but we see the other side too,” Thomas sighed. “My wife left because of it. Said I came home hollow, and the pay was rubbish.”
“Same here,” she met his eyes. “Men think Im cracked. Still live with my parents like a kid.”
“Were only
