at the hospital

It was really happening. Tina was gone. She'd left him a note which didn't say much. It wasn't what he wanted to find. But she was going back. She'd left for Germany.  From there, she would go to the Middle East.

It finally donned on Josh that she wasn't in love with somebody else, but this was her life now. She was a solider.

Of course, he didn't have much time to dwell on it. They'd needed him for extra hours, and the pay was good down at the fire station. Just when he thought things were looking up, he guessed they weren't.

But it didn't matter now. He knew Tina wouldn't want him to be selfish. Besides, he was in pretty much a sterile environment between the ambulance rides and the hospital. Still, he felt a little bad leaving baby Nadine with the neighbor. It was Christmas.

Yet, his adrenaline kept in pace with each call. He couldn't even remember if he ate lunch or dinner. Would he have time for breakfast?

He stopped at the coffee machine at the hospital. He guessed a little cream wouldn't hurt. Josh looked over his shoulder and noticed the girl he'd seen, ride in the ambulance with the young woman who might be having a miscarriage.  Maybe she was all right. He thought they rushed her to surgery. He guessed the girl was waiting.

He got another coffee and brought it to her.

"Merry Christmas." His words were somber. He offered her the coffee. She took it with a nod.

"How's your friend?" He then noticed the girl was pregnant.

"Actually, I don't even know her." She then told him. "I..I was worried." She told him, sometimes, she got carried away. "It was a Christmas party. I..I had seen something like that..before..and I dunno." She sounded as if it was a mistake coming. "but I don't have anywhere else to go."

Josh didn't know if he believed her. She was in warm clothes. It couldn't be that bad. Still, he offered to take her to breakfast. His shift was over. First, he needed to pick up Nadine. Maybe there was still time to celebrate Christmas.