The nurse ignored the outburst, hurried to her patient, put an arm around her. “Lean on my shoulder, let’s get you back into bed. Oh, dear, I don’t know what Dr. Garcia will say! He’ll kill me—are you all right?” Johann saw that the little nurse was about to cry.
“Of course I’m all right.” Johann tried to shrug off the arm, found that the girl was stronger than she looked. “You didn’t answer.”
The nurse did cry then. “Oh, please, dear, don’t argue with me! Let’s get you into bed before you hurt yourself. Maybe Dr. Garcia won’t be quite so angry.”
Seeing that the younger woman was most unprofessionally disturbed, Johann let herself be urged out into the bedroom and to the bed. The little redhead caught her breath. “There! Now if you’ll hold tight around my neck, I can get your legs up-you bad, bad girl! To worry me so!”
Johann did not cooperate. “Winnie.”
“Yes, dear? Oh, do let me get you into bed! Doctor will be terribly angry.”
“Not so fast. If you’re planning on telling teacher, go do it. I can hang onto the bed, I won’t fall.”
The nurse looked desperate. “Are you trying to get me fired, Miss? Maybe blacklisted? What have I ever done to you?”
“Winnie dear.”
“Yes?”
“You aren’t going to say a word to Dr. Garcia.” Johann slid an arm around the redhead’s waist. “Are you?”
The nurse looked flustered but did not pull away. “Well, I should. I’m supposed to report everything.”
“But you aren’t going to. And I’m not going to tell him, either. Tight secret, just you and me. And no huhu for anyone.”
“Well. . . I won’t if you won’t.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Johann kissed her. Winnie did not dodge but seemed startled and somewhat timid. Then she caught her breath and her lips opened and the kiss progressed rapidly.
The nurse pulled her mouth free and said huskily, “I could get fired almost as quickly for this.” She did not say what “this” was. She ignored the fact that Johann’s free hand was cupping one of her breasts,
“So we’ll stop and I’ll get into bed—no, don’t help me; I don’t need it.”
Johann proved it by doing it. The nurse pulled the sheet over her,, at once resumed her professional persona. “Now let’s put our clothes back on, shall we?” She stooped to retrieve them. “What a naughty girl, throwing her clothes on the floor. And giving me such a fright.”
“Stuff ‘em in the hamper. I’m not going to wear them.”
“Now, now, dear. You needn’t wear the jacket. Just the gown. Or do you want a fresh one?”
“Winnie, I’m not going to wear those silly angel robes ever again, so chuck it. You can hang up the jacket. But I won’t wear a hospital gown. I’ll stay raw.”
“Dr. Garcia—”
“Quit threatening me with Dr. Garcia. We’re past that. Aren’t we?”
The nurse bit her lip. “Well. . . yes.”
“It’s none of his business if I sleep raw. And I shall, until something more appropriate can be bought for me. Or—Do you sleep in the house? Maybe you could lend me a nightie. A girl-type nightgown.”
“Well, yes, I sleep here. But I can’t lend you a gown because, well—I sleep raw myself.”
“Sensible.”
“But there are nightgowns and negligees and things right here. In your dressing room.”
“Be damned. Who ordered them?”
“I don’t know, Miss Smith. They were brought in and —stored there when, well, when it became clear that you were going to need them.”
“Good planning. Uh, do you know if they’re my size? Whatever that, size is, I don’t know myself.”
“Oh, yes! I helped measure you.”
“More good planning. Find me the most feminine -nightgown in there—I might as well practice.”
“Glad to.” The nurse left the bedroom.
(Butch.) (Oh, nonsense, Eunice. Sure, she’s a cute little trick…but I simply suddenly realized what treatment she would respond to. Had to dig back into my memory; I’m out of practice.) (‘Butch’ I said. You enjoyed it.) (Didn’t you enjoy it?) (Sure I did. She kisses like don’t-stop. But I’m not a hypocrite about it. Who was shocked when I said girls could be a blast? You, you dirty old hypocrite. And butch.)