Page 8 of When the Leaves Fall

LUCA

I n the worst possible ways, my father is incredibly stubborn.

Rather than using it to improve, to get healthier, he fights it.

He chooses not to get the assistance that would help him return to work sooner.

Get back to his normal sooner. Absolutely not.

It’s way easier to give up than to try. It’s up to him to decide when he gives up.

The fact that he’s directly impacted anyone else’s life doesn’t seem to matter to him. I was very patient and understanding at first, but the longer this goes on, and the more I miss out on things, the angrier I start to feel.

I had a last-minute schedule change and haven’t been back to work in three days. Normally, I’d be ecstatic to have multiple days off in a row, but this time I ached to get back. I want to check on Sandra’s progress. Yep, that’s definitely the reason.

When a coworker called to ask if I could switch shifts, I was hesitant at first. But they were in a bind, and I knew I’d feel super guilty if I didn’t help them out when I could.

As I step off the shuttle bus I ride in from a carpool lot, I can sense a change in the air. In the last day, the warmth of early fall has shifted. It’s cooling down quickly, and the leaves are changing colors faster.

It’s beautiful. Everywhere I look, I see splashes of reds, oranges, and yellows. Pumpkins have started decorating front steps and banisters. Fall has hit the city.

And this city goes all out.

I walk by a crew of workers hanging up our seasonal signage, as well as fall foliage from street lamps. One of our local florists, who partners with the city, is hands deep into one of the large flower pots that line the downtown streets, switching from the summer flowers to autumn.

I inhale a deep breath, and the scent of apples and cinnamon fills my nose. My stomach growls instantly.

Yup. This is the best time of the year.

And even though it can be frustrating to have to park a few miles away and take a shuttle to work, especially during Wisconsin winters, this time of year, it gives me more time to enjoy everything fall is going on around me.

I give my surroundings one last glance before heading into the hospital to start my shift, hoping I’m assigned to Sandra’s care team again. As I reach the charge nurse’s desk, I notice a small crowd of onlookers standing outside Sandra’s door, and my heart instantly drops. Oh no. What happened?

I squeeze through the group until I can see what they are all looking at, and I can’t help but smile at the sight.

Sandra is sitting up. Drew and someone I assume is her father are standing on one side of her, with two nurses on the other side and in front. There’s a walker placed in front of her and a wheelchair pulled right off to the side.

Realizing the care team members who are already with Sandra have everything under control, the rest of the group disperses. I hear a cheer from someone as they walk away, “Way to go, Sandra!”

I turn and look back inside and see that Drew is looking right at me. She’s beaming. Even though she still looks exhausted, I can see the life back in her eyes.

“Luca,” I hear someone call from behind me.

I shoot Drew a quick smile and wave before heading back to the nurse’s station.

Our charge nurse for tonight’s shift looks over the assignments and lets each team member know what rooms and patients they’ll be working with tonight. “I have you down the hall?—”

“Oh?” I cut him off unintentionally. I glance over to Sandra’s room before returning my attention to tonight’s shift leader.

“Oh, sorry. I read that wrong. Lisa, you’re down the hall working with the patients in rooms C855, C856, and C857. Luca, you have C848 and C849.”

Sandra is in room C849 .

I smile and nod before turning on my heels and walking into Sandra’s room to chat with the nurse I’m relieving.

Sandra is seated in her wheelchair, a blanket tucked in around her legs.

A gentleman, again I assume, is Drew’s dad, who gently pushes the chair toward the door.

I step aside to make room for them to sneak out.

“Dad is taking her for a walk …” she says, air-quoting. “Around the hall. Luca, she’s out of her bed!” She beams.

Seeing Drew this excited and optimistic has me excited, too. “I see that,” I reply. “That’s absolutely fantastic.”

“I’m going to walk with them,” she says as she heads toward the room door. “You’ll be here when we get back?”

I respond with a smile and nod.

“Great, see you soon.”

I watch as she jogs the few feet down the hall to catch up with her parents before tuning in to my colleague to go over everything for our staff transition.