Nurse My Gangster Love

My white-washed nursing uniform was stiff and uncomfortable on my curved body. It didn’t fit right as it was too snug in some places and too loose in others. My new shoes were also rubbing painful red spots on the back of my heels and I hadn’t even begun my first shift as a nurse at the small hospital in Small Heath. I had passed through my nursing studies at the top of my class and I was still young and naive enough that I thought I could make a difference in the gang-riddled slums of Small Heath.

I hadn’t grown up in Birmingham but I had transplanted here in the hopes of helping. I remembered the first time I’d been through Small Heath and had seen the dirty children running rampant and the illnesses running just as rampantly through the dirty streets. My arm looked foreign as it reached out to push the grimy hospital doors open. Just beyond the door was a dim reception area, where I was greeted by an elderly woman in a blunt black dress. Her eyes seemed to pierce right through me as I stared timidly back at her. She was reading that morning's paper on the war in the slums. There were lines etched on her face that were deep enough that I knew her story was long and full of hardships. She had a gasper between her thin pursed lips. The smoke filled the room with its putrid smell. There was no smile in her eyes when she greeted me.

“Ya must be the new in. Doc Johnsy is through them there doors.” Her accent is thick and hard to understand. She must not be from around here, I thought as I responded.

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.” My stomach dropped even further with the lack of response. My family had hoped I’d work in a much more reputable hospital than this. Due to a lack of experience and a drive to be where I was needed the most, I ended up here.

I pushed the door open slowly, peering in and around. I stood there at the door and watched as the horror unfolded in front of me. Two men covered in blood; faces cut in Glasgow smiles.

The next thing I remember was waking up on the floor. No one surrounded me, they were all still attending to the injured men while I lay on the floor. The sight of their tattered faces made me feel light-headed again. I turned my face away, glancing further into the room where a band of males stood. Snickering.

I brought myself to a stand, clenched my fists and went to the bedside where the doctor was carefully sewing the man’s face back together. I forced myself to watch until he was finished with both men’s faces. I vowed as my eyes burned into blue ones across the room, that I would never be so weak again.

Several Months Later:

I had come a long way in the last few months. I had a gut of steel now and was quickly becoming the favorite nurse of the hospital. Doc Johnsy had even begun requesting my assistance with surgeries. He often walked me through step by step. I’d been at the hospital for six months when the next man with slits across his eyes stumbled up the steps of the hospital. Charlotte and I had found him slumped by the front door. Charlotte took one look at him and pulled me quickly past the man as he begged for help.

“What are you doing!?” I questioned as I pulled back against her.

“He’s been cast out of one of the black coats gang. We can’t interfere with the cards he’s been dealt or we’ll be joining him in his misery.”

“So we just leave him to die?!”

“He won’t die, he’s marred for life.”

One Month Later:

The next gang activity we would be subjected to would alter my entire life. A man by the name of Augustus James was drug through the doors by the local coppers. His large loyal family and several trusted gang members followed. Doc Johnsy was currently passed out drunk in the lounge area, he was the only one that had stayed behind with the war that waged outside the doors. In this case, he was useless on snow and alcohol though so I took charge as Charlotte, Bridgette and I rushed into the room but immediately stopped as we made eye contact with several cold hard eyes that pinned us to the spot. I took one shallow breath and then made my way to Augustus’ side. I refused to freeze as a familiar set of cold blue eyes stared at me. I began my examination and began delegating tasks to my fellow nurses. I reached for the collar of his shirt I felt cold hard metal on my temple. I froze, but my hands didn’t shake. I felt a strange calm come over me as I turned slowly to look into the eyes of the man who held the gun. Familiar blue eyes. Theodore Bennett. I knew his name and face, but not the man. He was the nephew of Augustus and one of his most trusted and ruthless men. His eyes were cold and dead, no emotion, no light. His strong jaw was clenched and the cherry at the tip of his cigarette glowed brightly as he inhaled slowly.

“I suggest ya keep your hands off of him.” He said cooly, no hint of pity or surrender in his eyes, a billow of smoke blowing into my face. Everyone smoked but me, and I just couldn’t get used to the smoke. I tried not to inhale but failed and felt the burning down my throat into my lungs. The burning didn’t soothe like it must him, it surrounded my entire thinking. It took everything in my body to not choke and cough. I breathed deeply through my nose and out through my mouth as I mustered threw strength to respond without coughing.

if I take my hands off of him he will die in this hospital bed or you’ll have to drag him to the nearest hospital but he’s not likely to make it that far.” I said with as much gusto and strength as I could manage with my burning lungs. His eyes turned into slits and the gun shifted back up into my face. “Send for the doc. I’ll not have some weak stomached woman caring for him.” He snarled.

“The doc is currently inebriated. I’ve been apprenticing under him, I can help. The longer you insist on pointing the gun in my face the closer to death he becomes, he’s bleeding quickly.”

“A woman apprenticing under a doctor. What a crock of shit.” Augustus’ older brother murmured from across the room. I felt my back stiffen, but didn’t break eye contact with Theodore.

“His blood wont be on my hands.” I said as I turned away and grabbed Bridgette and Charlotte's hands, effectively dragging them from the room.

“What do you think you are doing Evylynn!?” Bridgette whispered as we exited the room. I, myself was shocked at myself. But I refused to be treated so poorly. Bridgette’s grip on my arm became firmer the further from the room we got. Tight enough to make me flinch.

“If we’re unfit to take care of him in their eyes then I refuse to even try to help,” I said loudly enough that I knew those in the silent room could hear me. I began making my way to the lounge to attempt to awaken Doc Johnsy. Before I’d even made it ten feet a door slammed open behind me causing me to flinch and my fellow nurses to squeak and push themselves up against the wall. I’d barely had enough time to turn around before Theodore's hand had me pushed against the wall by my throat and the other hand lifted to grab the cigarette out of his mouth, dropping it on the floor. His face drew closer and his grip tightened fractionally. “You think you can refuse Augustus James help? Who the bloody hell do ya think ya are?” I cleared my throat causing his grip to loosen to where his hand was just resting on my neck.

“As I recall, you were the one who refused me because I’m a woman. I could care less who’s in that bed. I was refused so I left.”

“There’s truly only you?” Whispered a man the same age as Theodore. I hadn’t seen him behind him, but he must have been Augustus’ littlest brother Henry. He had kind eyes but a hard face. Handsome, but he held nothing on the man directly in front of me. My throat ached from his firm grip. I didn’t dare speak, so I simply nodded.

“Let her go, Theo." The man who you guessed was Henry said. Theodore’s eyes closed for a moment before he sighed and growled, “Well, get a move on woman.” He turned away and strode down the hall. I didn’t immediately move after him causing him to freeze. He turned slowly, dangerously. After what felt like forever, his eyes were on me again. There was murder in his eyes. He took a few deep breaths before asking, “What do you think yer doin'?”

“Say please.”

“What did ya just say to me?”

“Say please, and I’ll help him,” I said with a small smirk on my face, Henry inhaled loudly behind you, and stifled a laugh.

“Get your ass in there and help him.” He spoke sharply lighting his cigarette and inhaling deeply while blowing the smoke out into my face.

“Say please and apologize and I’ll help him.”

Do you know who yer talkin' to?”

“I don’t care who I’m talking to. Say please and apologize, and I’ll save that man's life.”

“Theodore..” Henry warned.

“I’m sorry, now please get your ass in there and help him.”

“Good enough.” You responded as you pushed past him, into the room and to the bedside of the one and only Augustus James.