Cherry Ames 02 Senior Nurse by Helen Wells Read Free Book Online Page B

seniors. I’ll count off the days against that.” And Cherry determinedly opened her book, to study for Delivery Room work which was almost upon her.
    It was still six days before the dance, when Cherry had a meeting with her other adoptee, Mildred Burnham.

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    With Mildred on her conscience, Cherry had left three notes in the girl’s room trying to make an appointment.
    The first two had gone unanswered. But here the two girls were, finally, on a Sunday afternoon in the deserted lounge.
    Outside, the wind rustled the red and gold leaves, and the sky was very blue. Cherry longed to be outdoors, but Mildred did not want to go for a walk. She sat slouched in a chair, her lumpy face wearing its habitual sullen expression. Cherry settled herself resignedly in her own chair and sighed. She felt as if she were pulling, all alone, on a heavy weight. After some preliminary small talk, she made a start.
    “It’s only a little over a month until probationers are capped, Mildred——”
    “—or expelled,” the girl interrupted. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
    “I’m not worried, because I’m sure you’re doing very nice work.” Cherry tried to smooth the girl’s prickly feelings. “But every one of us has her weak points and I wondered if you might want some special coaching.”
    “No, thanks.”
    Cherry felt as if she were pushing against a wall.
    Wasn’t there a door anywhere in this closed wall? She talked for a while about what the probationers’ written and oral and practical examinations would be like.

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    Mildred listened but made no response. Recalling her own probie experience, Cherry warned Mildred what an ordeal capping could be and suggested how she might best face it. There was no response to this, either.
    At last Cherry said:
    “I wish we could be friends, Mildred. I’d like to be.
    Wouldn’t you?”
    Mildred Burnham gave her a sharp look. “You don’t feel friendly toward me.”
    Cherry felt caught up short. It was true she did not like Mildred. So the girl sensed it! “You’re rather difficult to be friends with,” Cherry reminded her gently.
    “Then why don’t you let it go?” Mildred said, getting to her feet. And Cherry was too discouraged, after this awful half-hour, to push the interview further. She wondered how in the world she was going to deal with Mildred Burnham for a whole year.
    A few days later, a talk she had with Bertha Larsen did not help matters. Cherry had learned that Mildred was on the same ward with Bertha, and she asked the good-humored farm girl how Mildred’s ward work was going.
    “Well,” said Bertha and stopped, troubled. “Mildred’s work is all right, but she does not understand that we all must work together. She is a little selfish—” Bertha stopped again. “Maybe she just tries too hard,” she said apologetically.

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    “You mean she grabs the best of everything for her own patients and leaves the rest of you to get along as you can?” Cherry asked sharply.
    “Sometimes,” Bertha admitted. “She hurries and takes hers, as if she did not trust the rest of us. Oh, it’s nothing!
    She’s just a foolish little probie, she will get over it.” Cherry made a point of seeing Mildred Burnham that same afternoon. She came straight to the subject of the way Mildred was behaving on the ward. Cherry was angry that Bertha Larsen, who was so kind-hearted and generous, should be imposed upon. She felt it was hopeless to try to be friendly or kind or understanding with Mildred. So she spoke sharply to her probationer, to drive her point home.
    Mildred looked unhappy. It was the first time Cherry had seen any expression except sullenness on the girl’s face.
    “I’m sorry to scold you,” Cherry said, picking up her cape to leave. “But it’s better to hear this from your adopting senior than from your head nurse—or from Training School