Chapter 6 - The Return of Nurse Marsh
Two weeks later.
The main auditorium of Chicago General Hospital was packed with over five hundred doctors, nurses, reporters, and city officials. Cameras flashed continuously, their bright lights illuminating a large banner hanging above the stage:
REINSTATEMENT AND HONORARY CEREMONY: DELA MARSH, RN
Sitting in the front row was Leo, wearing a adorable dark blue suit, sitting on Maya’s lap. Beside them sat Liam Brennan, looking handsome and healthy, chatting warmly with Maya.
Standing at the podium on stage was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, looking visibly nervous as he adjusted his microphone.
"Today," the Chairman announced, his voice echoing through the speakers, "Chicago General Hospital formally issues a complete, unreserved public apology to Nurse Dela Marsh. Two years ago, a grave administrative error resulted in the unjust revocation of her license. Today, based on newly uncovered evidence, her license is fully restored, and she is hereby awarded the Hospital’s Medal of Valor for exceptional clinical courage."
The auditorium erupted into thunderous applause.
Dela stepped up to the podium. She wore an elegant, simple dark green dress. She looked beautiful, confident, and radiant—a complete transformation from the thin, terrified woman who had held a mop in a blood-stained warehouse three weeks ago.
She accepted the medal and her framed nursing license, smiling brightly at the flashbulbs.
"Thank you," Dela said into the microphone, her voice steady and clear. "Two years ago, I thought my life was over. But I learned that being a nurse isn't about a piece of paper or a title. It’s about stepping forward when everyone else steps back. It’s about protecting life, no matter where you are."
She looked directly into the front row, meeting Salvatore’s deep gray eyes. He sat in the middle of the crowd, impeccably dressed, looking at her with a proud, loving smile that made her heart sing.
After the ceremony, a grand reception was held in the hospital’s glass atrium.
Dela was surrounded by former colleagues apologizing, congratulating her, and offering her high-level positions at top clinics across the city.
Salvatore walked up beside her, carrying two glasses of sparkling cider. He offered one to her with a charming smile.
"Congratulations, Nurse Marsh," Salvatore murmured, his voice low and intimate. "Or should I say, Chief Nursing Officer? I heard the Board offered you the head position in the Trauma Unit."
Dela took a sip of her drink, smiling up at him. "They did."
"Are you going to take it?"
Dela paused, looking at him thoughtfully. "I told them I would think about it. But I have another offer I’m considering."
Salvatore raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Who is offering to hire Chicago’s most famous nurse?"
"A very stubborn man from the South Side," Dela said teasingly, stepping closer to him, resting her hand against his broad chest. "He owns a private foundation that just funded three new pediatric respiratory clinics across the city for low-income families. He needs someone to run them."
Salvatore’s eyes softened completely. He slid his arm around her waist, pulling her close amidst the bustling crowd of reporters and doctors.
"That man sounds very fortunate," Salvatore whispered, his breath warm against her cheek.
"He is," Dela agreed softly. "Because he gets to keep me."
Before Salvatore could kiss her, Marco hurried through the crowd, looking slightly panicked.
"Boss," Marco whispered, leaning in close. "We have a problem at the front entrance."
Salvatore’s expression tightened instantly. "What is it?"
May you like
"It’s Leo," Marco said, pointing toward the lobby. "He found the hospital’s cleaning supply closet... and he’s holding a mop."
Dela and Salvatore both burst out laughing, the sound ringing joyfully through the high glass ceiling of the hospital.
