Chapter 3

The tests took most of the rest of the day, and while they didn't seem to tell the doctors anything, it was decided that he was no longer in immediate danger. He was moved out of intensive care into an ordinary room, but they told him that he had to stay for at least another day while they did still more tests.

His mother and sister rejoined him for dinner, and talked for a couple of hours about what had been going on in school while he'd been unconscious. Eventually visiting hours ended, and they had to leave, promising to come again first thing the next morning.

It was nice to be free of the IV and sensors, but Sam found that he couldn't sleep. The bed was comfortable enough. It was fairly dark, though light came in under the door from the corridor. He just felt wide-awake. Perhaps, having slept for three days straight, his body didn't feel the need for rest. He lay there, staring up at the ceiling in the dim light and listening to the faint roaring in his ears. He'd mentioned that to the doctors, who had discussed something called 'tinnitus, ' but hadn't seem much enlightened. It really sounded, he thought, like the murmur of many voices; like a large crowd very far away. It was strange, but not unpleasant.

At about two in the morning, the night nurse made her rounds. Looking in at his door, she saw that he was still awake and entered.

"Hi," the nurse said softly. "Are you all right? Do you need anything?"

Sam looked at her. She was quite pretty, with dark brown hair, and her close-fitting white uniform emphasized a rather nice figure. It was too too dark to distinguish her eye color, but they were light and concerned.

"I'm fine," Sam answered. "I'm just not very tired." Strangely, the roaring sound seemed a bit louder now, but it wasn't distracting.

"Not tired?" the nurse repeated.

"No," Sam said. He smiled and added, "It's not like I've done anything to wear me out."

The nurse smiled too. "No, I don't suppose you have." She walked to the door and shut it, flipping on the light switch before turning back to him. Her eyes were blue -- bright blue. "But maybe you should."

"Should what?" Sam asked.

The nurse started to unbutton the front of her uniform. "Should do something to wear you out."

Part of Sam was astonished. Another part accepted what was happening at once, as right and proper. The nurse quickly undid her uniform and took it off, tossing it onto a chair. She was wearing a plain white bra and panties. She bent over and untied her shoes, removing them, then took off her socks as well. Reaching behind, she unhooked her bra and set it aside as well. Her breasts were as large as her outline had suggested, firm and well-shaped, with dark nipples standing out from her skin. Last, she slid her panties down and stepped out of them. Dark hair curled between her legs. Sam had a carefully-concealed stash of men's magazines, but he had never seen a nude woman in the flesh. She was really lovely, rounded and alluring.

"Do you like what you see?" she asked with some amusement, as Sam eagerly drank in the sight.