Marta's Legacy Collection (35 page)

For all his good spirits, he looked ashen. How many hours since his last pain pill? “How do you feel?”

“With my hands.” He reached out.

She pushed them down. “Behave. I need to take your pulse.”

“Go ahead, but bring it back. I need it.”

When she came on duty one morning and found he’d died quietly in his sleep, she stood by his bed, crying. The head nurse came in and put her arm around her. “Your first death?” Hildie nodded. The head nurse sighed and released her. “Dry your tears, Miss Waltert. Close his eyes. That’s right. Fold his hands. Now cover him with the sheet. Go back to the nurses’ station and call the hospital morgue.”

Work healed a wounded heart. Hildie had hours to go on the shift, and others to see, to cheer, to encourage.

Nursing wasn’t what she had expected, but she loved it all the same. She loved being part of a team that helped people get back on their feet and back to the business of living. She loved easing those who faced death. She loved feeling needed and useful. She loved serving others. She felt she had found her place in the world. She had purpose. She had value.

Despite the hard work, the anguish of seeing so much pain, the grief of losing a patient, Hildemara knew she was exactly where God wanted her.

31

When summer rolled around, Hildemara used a portion of her hard-earned savings to attend Bernie’s college graduation. Elizabeth came with Mama and Papa, Cloe and Rikki. When she asked Hildemara to be her maid of honor, Hildemara laughed joyously and said of course, then worried how she’d afford a fancy dress. Elizabeth whispered, “My mother wants me to have a big ceremony, but I want something simple.” Bernie could not have picked a better girl. When the wedding day arrived, Hildemara wore the navy blue dress with white cuffs and red buttons Cloe had made for her. She wore it again to Cloe’s graduation and got a pinch from her sister after the ceremony.

“I’m going to have to make you a new dress.”

“Please.” Hildie grinned. “I suppose you’ll be dreaming up designs for wedding dresses one of these days, too.”

“Ha!” Cloe thought marriage a boring waste of time and talent. “I have a career to build. Mama’s taking me down to the Otis Art Institute in a few weeks. I can’t wait!”

Clotilde had looked confident and happy as she strode across the stage to receive her diploma. Laughing, she’d tossed her mortarboard in the air. Her hair had darkened to wheat, and she kept it cut short in a bob that suited her heart-shaped face. Both of Hildie’s sisters had a confidence she had lacked until recently.

“Nursing seems to suit you, Hildie. You look happy.”

“I’ve found where I belong.”

“Met any guys?”

Hildie laughed. “Half of my patients are guys.”

“I don’t mean patients.”

“I know what you mean, Cloe, but I’m not looking for romance.”

Boots graduated and hired on full-time at Merritt. Hildemara still met her in the cafeteria every chance they got. “I’ll give it a year or two here, and then I’ll look into hospitals in Hawaii or Los Angeles. Might be nice to be somewhere warm and sunny all the time.” The Bay Area fog got to her.

Hildemara completed her second year of nurses’ training. When she started the last year, she received a blue SMH patch to sew onto the corner of her cap. Six months later, she removed the patch and pinned a tiny gold replica of the school in its place.

Every hour she wasn’t on duty, she studied for her upcoming examinations. The final would cover all three years of training. She gathered with the other students from her dwindling class, which had dropped to thirteen, and joined in quizzing one another on medical and surgical procedures, diseases, pediatrics, obstetrics, bacteriology, materia medica, psychiatry, measurements, and dosages.

Toward the end of her third year, the academic load lightened and began to focus more on job prevalence, requirements, salaries, professional organizations, and available college courses. Hildie thought of Mama’s push to go to UCB. Maybe she would end up taking classes there, after all.

“You must keep up with new methods and ideologies, ladies,” the General lectured. “Every year brings changes in medicine and nursing. Those who don’t keep up fall behind and eventually find themselves out of a job.”

Hildemara talked to Boots about it. “How many nurses can afford college or have the energy to attend classes after a full day’s work?”

“It’s a fact of life, Flo. Remember Miss Brown? She’s been demoted to ward nurse. No college degree.” She shrugged. “It’s a pity, but that’s the way it is. If you want a supervisory position like Mrs. Kaufman, you’re going to have to go to college.”

“I just want to be a nurse.”

“You’re a good one already.” Boots brightened. “Say. We have to get you a nice outfit before your graduation. It’s only a few weeks off.”

“I don’t have much money.” She’d always admired the way Boots dressed off duty. She always had something stylish and classy.

“Meet me Saturday morning. I’ll take you to my favorite store.”

“Boots, I don’t think—”

“Don’t argue. You are not wearing that navy blue dress again!”

They rode a city bus downtown. Boots walked along, whistling, an impish look on her face. Hildemara had to hurry to keep up. “Here we are!” Boots stopped in front of a Presbyterian church.

“A church?”

Boots took her by the arm and led her around the side. A door stood open with a sign on the steps:
Rummage Sale
.

“You wouldn’t believe some of the things I’ve found here. Come on!” Boots picked through the piles of used clothing with an eye to fashion that would have impressed Cloe. She put three outfits together in a matter of minutes. “One for your days off, one for afternoon teas, and one for a night on the town!” She even found a hat that would work with all three ensembles, and two pairs of shoes.

Hildemara paid for the items. “I can’t believe I just bought an entire wardrobe for under six dollars! I’m going to write to my mother. Maybe it’ll impress her.”

“A smart girl learns where to shop,” Boots told her on the walk back to the bus stop. “But don’t you dare tell any of the other girls where I go.” She laughed. “They all think I shop at Capwell’s or the Emporium!”

As it turned out, Hildemara needed all three outfits for the week of graduation. On Monday, the nursing school treated the graduates to an afternoon tea with the top brass of the hospital. The night before graduation, the hospital VIPs and alumni took the graduating class to the Fairmont Hotel for dinner. Her classmates gaped when Hildie came into the lobby to wait for their ride.

“Holy cow!”

“Get a load of Flo!”

Hildemara blushed as they gathered around her.

“Where have you been shopping?”

She shrugged, quelling the urge to laugh. “Here and there.”

The morning of graduation, Hildie went for mail call, praying Papa and Mama had written. No word. She grew more nervous as the day passed. She had written home, inviting the family to come. She’d only heard back from Cloe and Bernie and Elizabeth; all three planned to come in Bernie’s new car.

That afternoon, Hildie and her classmates cleared the dining hall of tables and lined up chairs, borrowed potted ferns and palms, and set up a makeshift stage for graduation.

“Hey!” one of the girls called, rushing in to help finish setting up. “You’ll never guess who’s speaking tonight.”

“Who?”

“Doc Bria!”

“Quick!” Hildie said in mock horror. “Someone bring in John Bones and install the alarm clock!” The girls laughed.

“Can’t you just hear him already,” another said, and she put her hand over her heart. “‘Ah, ladies, it will be my great pleasure to pour forth in my most meticulous rhetoric all the prosaic platitudes of my professional pomposity in preposterous proportions of propitious postulations.’”

They roared with laughter.

Mrs. Kaufman appeared in the doorway. “Ladies, please, keep the noise down. Others are studying.”

When it came time to dress for the ceremony, Hildie put on her white silk stockings and shoes, her new white uniform and cap with gold pin. Pulling the cape around her shoulders, she secured the mandarin collar. Nervous, she stood in the polished corridor outside the dining hall now lit with candelabras on either side of the stage. As she led her class into the room, she spotted Boots first, then across the aisle stood Bernie and Elizabeth and Cloe. She blinked in surprise when she saw Papa and then Mama, Rikki standing on the other side of them.

Mrs. Kaufman, eyes glistening with tears, handed out plaques of Florence Nightingale’s pledge, which Hildemara recited with her classmates. She received her certificate and another gold pin.

The lights came on and cheers filled the room. Rikki pressed through the crowd to reach Hildie. “You look so beautiful in white! You have to sit for me. You look exactly how I imagine Florence Nightingale. All you need is a lamp.”

Bernie had his arm around Elizabeth. “You look like you belong here, Sis.”

And then Mama stood in front of her, Papa right behind her. He smiled broadly, his hands on Mama’s shoulders. Had he pushed her forward? “We’re proud of you, Hildemara. You did it.”

Mama just looked at her. She didn’t say a word. Hildie saw her swallow hard as if words wanted to come, but couldn’t. When she raised her hand, Hildie grasped it. She couldn’t speak either, and it took all the self-control she could muster not to cry.

“She’s a grand girl!” Boots appeared and spun Hildie into another hug. “Best in the class.” Hildie made quick introductions.

“Are you coming home for a while?” Mama asked.

Surprised she had asked, Hildie shook her head. “No. I’ve been hired to join the Merritt staff. I’m back on duty day after tomorrow.”

“So soon?” Papa looked disappointed. “Mama and I thought you’d be home for a few weeks, at least.”

“I won’t be able to come home for a while, Papa. I’m fortunate to have a job so soon. I made twelve dollars a month this year, and I still need to pay Cloe for making the two uniforms.”

“One to wear, one to wash.” Cloe smiled, shaking her head.

“And I’ll have rent. Boots found a little house a few blocks from the hospital. We’re sharing expenses.”

Mama didn’t say anything, not one word, until after refreshments and the conversation died down. People began to go out on the town. “It’s getting late.” Mama looked up at Papa. “We need to start back.”

Hildie fought back the tears. “I’m glad you came.”

“We wouldn’t have missed it.” Papa hugged her hard. “Keep saying your prayers and reading your Bible.” He patted her back and let her go.

“I will, Papa.” She wrapped her arms around Mama and hugged her. “Thank you for coming. It meant the world to me.” She felt Mama’s hand on her back, and then she withdrew from Hildie’s embrace.

“You did it, Hildemara Rose.” Her smile seemed a little sad. “I hope the life you’ve chosen for yourself makes you happy.”

Hildie leaned forward and kissed Mama’s cheek. “I guess I’m about to find out, aren’t I?”

Dear Rosie,

Hildemara Rose is now a full-fledged nurse. She was the top student in her class and had the honor of leading the procession. And she did look like Florence Nightingale in her white uniform and navy blue cape. My girl stood so tall with her head high! I could imagine her standing on a battlefield with her lamp held high, giving the wounded hope.

She is not a timid child anymore. My girl knows her place in the world. I am so proud of her, Rosie. The evening would have been perfect if not for the speaker, some long-winded doctor who didn’t want to leave the podium. I had a dreadful headache and it was difficult to concentrate on what he had to say. And then the press of people made the pain worse.

I wanted to tell Hildemara how proud she made me, but I couldn’t get the words out. Niclas spoke for both of us. I asked if she was coming home, hoping I would have time and opportunity to talk with her, but she has already been hired by Merritt Hospital and will be on official duty long before you receive this letter. Not only that. She and her friend Jasia Boutacoff have found a house to rent. She is a woman now, with a life of her own.

Hildemara moved in with Boots a week after joining the Merritt nursing staff. The house wasn’t far from the hospital, so she walked every day she worked. The house felt like a palace after the small dorm bedroom, and quiet after the sleeping porch she’d shared with dozens of nurses coming in and going out. The house had a few drawbacks: a big yard to care for and a large fruit-producing lemon tree. Mr. Holmes, their next-door neighbor, said the previous tenant had driven nails in the trunk in hope of killing the tree. “Must have given it a boost of something!” Hildie sacked up lemons every week and dropped them off at the hospital kitchen.