They drove through the lengthening shadows of the late afternoon in silence. Finally Dr. Benson heard the sound of muffled sobs next to him and he turned to look at Eileen. He slowed the car.
“Good heavens, baby, what’s the matter?”
Eileen dabbed at her nose with a tiny handkerchief. “That speech! What you told Timmy, I mean. You’re some guy, doctor. And I feel as if I should get out of your car and walk home!”
Dr. Benson grinned. “Oh, you’re not so bad,” he teased. “As a matter of fact, you’re kind of cute. You sort of dress up the old jalopy.”
Eileen grinned in spite of herself. “Wasn’t I the Lady Bountiful this morning, though, when I said I would condescend to date you some time? Doctor, if you ever look at me again, you have a screw loose. And I’ll be the happiest girl in the world!”
Dr. Benson stopped the car. “It just happens that I have a screw loose. Here. Give me that hanky. No, I’ll use mine.” He pulled out his handkerchief. “These things women carry aren’t worth a darn.” He wiped her cheeks tenderly. “Oh, Eileen, you darling little idiot! Don’t you know that if you had looked at me when I first came the way you’re looking at me now, I would have served my internship standing on my hands, if you’d wanted me to? But when I got the brush-off from the cool, crisp, efficient Miss Gordon, I decided to play things differently. I guess I’ve been as big a dope as anyone.”
15. Graduation!
July was nearly over. And although there weren’t any summer patients at the clinic, Jean and her classmates were very busy. Graduation was scheduled for the end of the month. But before Jean, Sally, Hedda, Ingeborg and Lucy could wear their registered nurses’ caps, they had to take their final exams.
They all studied every free minute they had. And Jean was frankly worried about her approaching exams. Although she had mastered most of her studies with ease, she was still baffled by the nervous system and the essentials of psychology which were required knowledge for the graduate nurses.