The Nurse’s Office
Summary: Numbers, scales, and a call that changed everything.
I woke on a cot. The nurse, Mrs. Patterson, pressed a cool cloth to my head.
“There you are,” she said gently. “You scared us. When did you last eat?”
“I had breakfast,” I murmured.
She frowned. “Kimberly, be honest. You collapsed. Your blood pressure’s dangerously low. When was your last full meal?”
I stared at the ceiling tiles. Twenty-seven above me.
“Please step on the scale,” she said softly.
I did. Her face paled. “You’ve lost twelve pounds since your last checkup. Has eating been difficult at home?”
She offered me a doorway — not to trouble, but to truth.
She picked up the phone.
“I need to call your mother,” she said.
“Please don’t,” I whispered. But she was already dialing.
“This is Mrs. Patterson, the school nurse. Kimberly collapsed. If you can’t come within the hour, I’ll have to call emergency services.”
A pause. Then her voice sharpened. “I’m calling 911 now.”
