The sun have never looked better or brighter
Gwen falls asleep 10 minutes after she convinced Mildred to stay with her. When she sees the woman is not going to wake up any time soon, she gets up to change into her uniform, eat breakfast and talk to Dr. Sullivan. That name makes her shiver and have memories: good and bad ones.
Already in her light blue custom, she drinks a cup of coffee accompanied with an éclair. As if he was summoned, Dr. Sullivan appears in the room by the time she’s leaving to go talk to him.
Dr. Sullivan – Good morning, Ms. Ratched.
Mildred smiles politely.
Mildred – I don’t recall of telling you my name.
The doctor returns the smile.
Dr. Sullivan – Everybody knows who the head nurse of this hospital is.
Mildred doesn’t feel great about being the head nurse. It’s not something she truly earned it. She blackmailed Dr. Hanover to get that position, and although she knows it’s wrong, she believed the ends justified everything. Again, everything for Edmund. The taste of his betrayal feels bitter in her throat, with her bile rising and burning it. She decides to pronounce herself before the doctor notices the change in her demeanor.
Mildred – Gwendolyn Briggs has already woken up and seemed okay, but I guess it’s better to do a check up on her to be sure.
The doctor makes himself a coffee. Mildred notices he doesn’t put sugar or cream in it. Plain and pure, like hers.
Dr Sullivan – I have some patients now, but I’ll check on her later surely. How did she seem?
Mildred remembers the radiant glow of the blonde’s eyes. An absolute angel, she wants to say.
Mildred – She seems okay, without any sequel, at least in a first impression.
Dr Sullivan – That’s good. – Sitting in one of the sofas, he sips a bit of his coffee.
The head nurse grabs the tray with Gwen’s breakfast. Like hell if she’s going to let her alone all day.
Mildred – Well, I’m going to give her the breakfast. See you later, doctor.
Again, the man smiles at her with that peculiar warmth. Mildred’s heart is touched in some odd way. Disregarding the sentiment, she heads to Gwen’s room. It’s a special breakfast and Mildred ignores the voice in the back of her mind telling the reasons behind the special treatment. Opening the door, she is gifted by the sweetest sight of her life: the assessor is sleeping, mouth a bit open and the chest going up and down showing the motion of her breaths. The simplicity of it makes Mildred’s heart ache in a good way. As if it wants more. More of this woman that became so much in so little time. Mildred didn’t know it was possible for a heart to ache in a good way.
Putting the tray down, she gets closer and for a minute she stays like that, only enjoying the peace of Gwen’s sleeping. Some rays of sun kiss her face, making her skin glow. No one outweighs the other. They complement themselves. None shines more than another. They blend and together gain another intensity. Mildred never liked the sun too much, her favorite season being the autumn. She was always a rainy person. But staying right there, looking at the view of Gwendolyn resting in all of her glory, she understood the sun have never looked better or brighter.