The Day It All Began

I want everyone to know, first thing about me is I am a nurse. I have worked just about anywhere a nurse can. I love being a nurse. I am single, no kids. I don't have a boyfriend or a dog for that matter. But I have a job, and let me tell you, sometimes I wish I didn't.

Most people think nurses become nurses to find and marry a doctor. Not me. I became a nurse because I needed a steady job. I like to be around people, and I'm pretty outgoing.

I am always getting myself into trouble. Not like trouble with the law, or rules. But trouble all the same. I work in a Nursing Home in a small town in Texas. I work 6 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon, unless I agree to work extra. Today is one of my extra shift days. So it's 3 in the afternoon, all I am really thinking about is going home to my empty apartment and crashing.

The residents are all doing their own things. I made a phone call for some medicine changes on one of my favorite people! I am sitting at my desk pretty much waiting for time to pass. My supervisors voice calls my name over the intercom, "Lauren line one, Lauren line one."

So this is where my life changed, I picked up the phone "This is Lauren." The voice I hear on the other end of the line has got to be the sexiest voice I have ever heard. "This is Dixon McBride. I am returning a call from Lauren about a Mrs Jackie Johnson."

"Yes sir, this is Lauren."

"Hey, so you have some concerns about her today?"

"Well, she is usually just full of energy, following me around the building, talking with everyone. But lately she has been in her room, asleep." The more I hear his voice, the faster my heart races.

The sexy voice suddenly says, "Are you telling me that your lonely?" A chuckle is all I can her.

My heart pounding in my chest, and now I feel like I'm getting short of breath. All I can think is Yes! If anyone else would have asked if I was lonely before I picked that phone up, I would have said "Hell No!" All I can think now is yes! What am I going to say. Why would he ask that? Why is my body tingling just from his voice. Oh my, what does this man look like.

Suddenly I hear, "Are you there Lauren?"

"Yes, I'm still here, you threw me off there. I am really concerned."

The chuckle has returned. Then, "Ok. We can do some labs if you think she needs them. Let's do a Chem 7, a CBC, and a UA."

"Ok. Thank you." I say breathless again.

"Anytime. Have a good day Lauren."

I hang up the phone, grab the chart and get back to work. All that I can think about is how my body reacted to his voice and well, I just couldn't stop thinking about him. It's a good thing I am used to multitasking, I make out a lab slip, grab my tubes, butterfly needle, UA cup and head to the room.

After the labs are sent off, I have finished my evening meal medication pass, and got some charting done when the fax spits out my long awaited results. Grabbing them from the fax, I head back to my desk. Compare the results from the last blood draw, I see some changes. Now I am worried, but I tend to worry about her all the time. I head back to the ancient fax machine, look for the fax number, punch it in and wait for my confirmation.

With 20 minutes of sending said fax, the phone at my desk rings. Now it's almost 7 pm, and I am about to go start my big evening med pass, but I am also alone now, besides the amazing CNAs that I have on my shift. I answer the phone "Alanreed Nursing and Rehab this is Lauren. How may I help you?"

Before I even hear the voice on the phone, my body is tingling again. I know in that instant who is on the line. "Hello Lauren, this is Dixon. I have looked over the labs and I have a new order for you."

"Ok. I am ready." Breathlessly.

"We are going to do Cipro 500mg by mouth twice a day for 10 days."

As I repeat the order back, my mind is screaming at me to ask for his personal number. Or to ask him to meet me at 10 when I get off work. I thank him for his time, write the order. Grab the dose of Cipro from our Emergency Kit. Fax the order off and begin my evening med pass.

I finish up work, give report to the next nurse Mary. As I am gathering my things to head home Mary says "Hey. We have a new Nurse Practitioner. His name is either Dixon or Nixon I'm not sure."

I feel my cheeks heat up and say, "Yea, I spoke with him today."

Thankfully Mary doesn't notice my blush and I escape to my car. I love my car, I am proud of it. It's a VW bug. I probably look ridiculous driving it, but I do not care. I put it in first gear and head out. I do not live in Allanreed, I live in a town just 12 miles away called McLean. I grew up here. I pull into my Parking space, leave everything in my car, and head up to my apartment. As I unlock the door, this Dixon guy is on my mind. I give up trying not to think about him and head to the shower.

After I lay in bed for what seems to be hours, I wake up very aroused and wanting. I grumble and stumble my way to the kitchen. Get ready to make coffee, only to discover I have not been shopping. Frustrated I head to get dressed.

The sun is up and I'm in a light yellow sundress. It's very hot in the Texas Panhandle in the summer. It's March 15, so even though it's warm, it's not smothering. Driving to Amarillo is not what I wanted to do on my day off, but I need to go shopping and pick up a wedding gift. The wedding is in 3 days and I can't put it off anymore. I hate shopping. Nothing can ever change my mind. I am not like most women. I think 4 pairs of shoes are too many. I wear clothes until they fall apart. Then I usually buy more online.

I get to Amarillo, pick up the gift. I decided that every married couple need a awesome bedspread. Thankfully I know just the color she needs. It's not everyday my mom gets married again. I mean this is only the second one I've been to. My mom is a steady sweet person with bad luck with men. My dad died of colon cancer when I was 17. Two years later sh married his best friend. I really think they both just missed him, and decided to miss him together. After 5 years he passed away from a car accident. Now she has met a wonderful man, David, at the bank where she works.

David seems to me to be a great guy. He is retired from a software company. Do not ask me what he did there, because I would not even know how to explain it. He made a good living and is well off. My mom gets money from my dads social security, and her second husband Mark left her some.

Me, I work as much as I can and live on what I make. When my dad died I inherited a chunk, I just put it in a account. It will be there if I ever need it.

Since I'm in Amarillo I decided to do a little shopping. I head to the mall, and head in. My mind has been wondering back to Dixon's voice ever since last night. I can not figure out why this man has gotten to me so quickly.

I have dated before. I was even in love once. It was the summer that I turned 19. His name was Trey. He was slim, blonde, and brown eyes. He was my whole world. He was my first sexual experience. It was wonderful. I fell so hard. He became my world. I however, was just a "friend" to him. He told me he loved me at night, but acted like we were only friends in the day. One day, I was asleep in bed. He came in and said, "Lauren, I have a girlfriend now. I need you to get all your stuff and leave." The night before we made love, talked, and laughed. I was devastated. It was one of the darkest days of my life.

The worst part was three days after he called me. He actually expected me to meet him at a hotel and have sex.

Saying no to Trey was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it showed me how strong I can be. Moving forward took me weeks, months, hell even years. I would wake up and roll over and expect to see him. Now it's been ten years, I can look at pictures of us together and not feel the pain.

Imaging what Dixon looks like has become my obsession. I see him tall, I see him short. I see him fair and dark. I see him with muscles to die for. I see him chubby. I see him with blue eyes, brown eyes, and green eyes. All I know is that I need to see him. I need to put a face with the voice.

Get home, put everything I bought away, check my phone. Lo and behold a voicemail. I am the girl who only remembers to take her phone with her two times out of ten. I access my voicemail and it's work. They want me to work in the morning. I think why not so I call the DON. (Director of Nurses) "Hello?"

"Hey Melissa, it's Lauren."

"Oh Lauren, thank you for calling back. Can you come in tomorrow morning and do rounds with Dixon. That way he will know which resident is which. If he has questions you can answer them. I know it's your day off. Please."

I do not even think "Yes" comes out a little quickly.

"Thank you Lauren." She then says goodbye. My heart is pounding. I am going to get to see what this man looks like.

I grab a banana. Inhale it, hit the shower and head to bed. As I am laying in bed, I feel nothing but excitement. I toss and turn. Finally needing to sleep at least a little, I do my breathing exercises, and concentrate on relaxing each muscle. Somewhere around my lower legs I fall asleep.

My alarm is screaming, for a second I can not figure out why it's even set. Then last night comes pouring back to me. I am going to get to see Dixon today. I jump up and decide what yo wear. Scrubs are not flattering at all, so it's not a fun decision. I pick out one that I like, dress in a daze, and go looking for breakfast. If I eat at home it going to be cereal. If I go to the diner it's eggs. After about five minutes I decide eggs is a better option.

Walking into the nursing home a hour later, I feel like I am a jittery ball of nerves. I walk to Melissa's office, when I walk in there he stands. My mouth is dry. I am breathing like I have just ran a mile, or how I would assume I would breathe after I ran a mile. I hate running!

Melissa says "Lauren, I would like you to meet Dixon McBride. He is the nurse practitioner for Dr Hinkle. Dixon this is Lauren. She will be showing you around and helping you."

I approach this man with my hand extended. Now the very first thing I notice is his smile. He has brown eyes, wire rimmed glasses, his hair is salt and pepper cut short. His body is what you would expect from the average American dad. Not fat but a rounded paunch. He is wearing a blue button down long sleeved short. Nice charcoal pants that look so soft. Black dress shoes, and a blue tie one shade darker than his shirt. A black suit coat completed his sexy attire.