“So, tell me about yourself?” he requested.
“What do you want to know?”
“Whatever you feel comfortable telling me.”
“Well, I’m twenty-four,” she told him. Rohan wasn’t too surprised; he knew she was younger than he was.
“I’ve been working at the hospital for a little over two years. Before that, I worked at a nursing home as a CNA. I’m currently going to school to become an RN.”
“I have a question. When Alynn was there, you knocked on the door and did the whole Marco Polo thing. Why do you do that?”
“Well, I do something different for each child that’s there, but it’s to gauge how they feel before I enter. With kids, their voices tell you a lot about how they feel.”
“That’s really creative. So, do you have any kids of your own?”
He watched as she bit her bottom lip before nodding. “Sort of.”
Rohan waited for her to elaborate, but when she didn’t, he spoke again. “I can see you having kids. You were great with Alynn.”
She smiled at him. “Thank you.”
“So, boy? Girl?”
“Girls,” she told him. “Five of them, actually.”
Rohan raised an eyebrow at her. She was far too young to have five kids, but who was he to judge that fact?
“Seems like you have your hands full. Five girls, I feel for you. I only have Alynn to deal with every now and then, and that’s enough most of the time,” he told her with a smile.
“They’re good girls.”
At that moment, the barista called his name, and he got up to grab their order. Since it was lunchtime, they had both ordered deli sandwiches and bypassed coffee, opting for tea.
While they ate, they continued to talk and get to know one another. Rohan found out that she volunteered to work ten-hourshifts in order to have three days off so she could spend more time with her girls. Rohan thought that was admirable.
Once they were finished eating, he volunteered to drive her back to the hospital when she stated she needed to head back. However, she told him she would walk since it was just a couple of blocks away.
“I’ll walk with you,” he told her.
The two of them headed out of the coffee shop and towards the hospital.
“I enjoyed having lunch with you, Jalen.”
“Thanks. I had fun as well.”
“Then, when are you going to allow me to take you to dinner?”
He watched as she bit her bottom lip. “I don’t know. I’m not sure how soon I’ll be free for dinner,” she told him.
“It’s no rush. When you have time, just let me know,” he responded.
“I will.”
They made it to the entrance of the hospital, and she turned to him. “Thank you for tea slash lunch,” she said with a smile.
“It was my pleasure. I’ll call you.”
“I’ll answer.” He then watched as she forehead-palmed. “That was so corny.”
