The Doctor's Guardian

“That’s because they have,” Katie told her. She went about tidying the man up so that he had a little dignity left, even in death. “They’re old people,” she emphasized, just as Nika had in her mind. “It goes with the territory and is to be expected. It’s a lot harder to handle when you lose a patient in the pediatrics ward,” she pointed out. “At least these people have had relatively full lives.”

Nika nodded, then squared her shoulders, silently telling herself to get over it, to straighten up and fly right. She’d do none of her remaining patients any good if she allowed herself to break down and cry.

“You’re right,” she told Katie.

The woman grinned broadly. “Of course I’m right. It’s in my contract,” Katie told her with a wink. “Go help your living patients. There’s nothing more you can do for Mr. Kelly. We’ll do what needs to be done for him now,” the nurse assured her, taking charge.