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"Hey buddy, how are things?" Conrad asks heading into Carter's room.
"Hi Dr Conrad! I'm doing ok...wish I could go home for Christmas though." The seven year old admits honestly.
"I know bud but hopefully although you'll be here for Christmas we'll get you fixed up so that you don't have to keep coming back so often." Conrad explains as he checks Carter's IV and monitors. Sitting down on the bed beside the boy and taking his stethoscope from his neck Conrad asks "What do you and your parents usually do during Christmas at home?"
The boy excitedly explains to Conrad that he and his parents bake a bunch of cookies on Christmas Eve and later that night deliver them to families around the neighbourhood.
"That sounds like a fun tradition! I can see why you're disappointed to be here but we'll figure something out." Conrad says with a wink.
Conrad finishes up his exam he leaves the boy's room, wheels turning about what he can do to make his Christmas a little like the one at home and a promise he'd be back later to see him.
Conrad goes to the nurse's station to finish filling out Carter's chart and get Nic's help on his plan.
"Hey, how's your day going?" Conrad asks Nic as he moves around the desk, behind her chair to wrap his arm around her shoulders.
"It's been busy but good. How's Carter doing?" Nic asks leaning into Conrad.
"He's slowly getting better, but sad he's stuck here over the holidays." Conrad explains.
"Ya that makes sense." Nic says "although we try and make it festive, it's probably not nearly the same as at home with all your own family and friends and traditions."
"That's what I wanted to run by you actually." Conrad says "I chatted with him just now and he was telling me about how he and his parents usually bake cookies and deliver them to the neighbourhood. I know we can't bake the peds floor cookies because of their different dietary needs but I'm wondering if there's something similar we can do."
"That's a great idea, I'm not sure but let me talk to Kelsey the Child Life Specialist and see if there's something we can do." Nic suggest.
"Sounds great. I'll leave it with you and check back later. Love you." Conrad response giving Nic a quick kiss and heading off to the next patient.
A few hours later Conrad is finishing his shift when Nic comes into the doctor's lounge. "This has been a long day" she says, Conrad pulling her in for a hug. "However I did chat with Kelsey and I think we've come up with something pretty great."
"Oh yeah? Let's hear it." Conrad says as he sits down on one of the lounge chairs and pulls Nic onto his lap.
"She says the new fun thing kids are into these days is slime and it is often homemade. All we need is shampoo, cornstarch, water and food colouring and glitter for extra jazz. I thought we could make it extra fun by going on a mission for the supplies first." explains Nic "So Kelsey has left everything we need in the family kitchen and has given me the keys to the playroom. We'll give Carter this note from Santa explaining that he had to go back to the North Pole to finish the other gifts but he's left all the ingredients for Carter to make slime in the kitchen. We'll sneak in grab the ingredients, go to the playroom to make it and put it in festive bags and deliver it to the kids."
"This sounds absolutely incredible Nic! You've had a long day though so I don't mind if it's just me and Carter." says Conrad .
"Are you kidding me?! And miss out on this Christmas cheer. Absolutely not!." Nic finishes.
They both change out of their scrubs and into comfortable everyday clothes before walking hand in hand to go get their third crew member.
"Carter guess what?!" Conrad asks as he and Nic walk into Carter's room.
"What Dr Conrad?!" Carter asks excitedly.
"Nurse Nic told me she found a note from Santa for you at the nurse's station!"
"What does it say?!" Carter asks.
Nic takes the letter to his bed, sitting down beside him and reads it to him.
"We have to go to the kitchen quick!" Carter exclaims as Nic hurries to unattach the monitors and Conrad wheels over the wheelchair for Carter to get into.
With the note in hand Conrad walks quickly down the hallway, Carter giggling in his chair and Nic beaming beside him. When they reach the kitchen Conrad explains "Alright buddy we have to do this quickly and quietly so that no one catches on that Santa left stuff here for us! Are you ready?"
Carter nods enthusiastically when Conrad lifts him out of the chair. He leads the way as Conrad follows behind him tiptoeing into the kitchen.
"Dr Conrad, over here!" Carter beckons him when he spots all the slime ingredients beside a big red present sack on one of the kids kitchen counters.
Conrad comes over helping Carter to put all their ingredients into the bag. As they finish packing everything up Conrad stops and looks around suspiciously " Oh no, I think someone is coming!" he whispers "we gotta go!" he says handing Carter the bag of supplies and scooping the boy up so he's cradled in his arms. Carter laughs hysterically as Conrad whisks him out of the room and into the wheelchair that Nic quickly pushes down the hall once he's settled.
When they reach the playroom Nic wheels Carter inside, handing the sack to Conrad who starts to lay out all their supplies. "Ok according to Santa's instructions we have to mix the shampoo and cornstarch together then add food colouring and the glitter and then the water. Once that's done we knead it before breaking it up and putting it into these festive bags." Conrad says.
"Me and Dr. Conrad can make the slime and you can put it in the bags and tie them with a pretty bow Nurse Nic." Carter suggests.
"Sounds like a great plan, let's get going!" Nic responds with a chuckle.
Nic finds herself wrapped up in thoughts as she watches Carter and Conrad mixing up the ingredients. Both with genuine smiles of pure joy on their faces, enjoying the moment and the happiness within it. As Nic watches Conrad laughing and joking with the boy, helping him mix the ingredients and praising him with ruffles of his hair and words of "good job buddy" she cant help but let her thoughts drift to how much of an incredible father Conrad will make one day. Just as she feels herself welling up she realizes she is in a cloud of glitter. Brought out of her thoughts Nic sees Conrad and Carter mischievously dusting each other in glitter and have now decided to bring Nic into their game as well. Nic laughs "Hey you two! That's supposed to go in the slime not all over us." she says tickling Carter and giving Conrad a shake of her head.
"We figured we deserved some of Santa's magic glitter too!" Conrad defends their actions with puppy dog eyes and a shrug of his shoulders.
About half an hour later Carter passes Nic the last ball of glittery slime and she carefully wraps it up with a tidy bow, placing it into the present sack ready to be delivered to the kids on the peds ward. Conrad helps a now tired Carter into his chair, wrapping a blanket over his legs. He kneels down in front of Carter "what do you say we take these to the nurse's station and tomorrow during the holiday lunch we can give them out to everyone in the playroom?" Conrad suggests.
"Nurse Jessica can keep an eye on them for us overnight." Nic adds
"Ya that sounds like a good plan." Carter agrees sleepily.
With a chuckle Conrad ruffles the boy's hair. He grabs the sack and follows beside the wheelchair as Nic pushes Carter towards his room. They stop at the nurse's station and explain the situation to Jess who promises to keep their hard work safe, before they continue to Carter's room. Once Nic wheels the chair into Carter's room, Conrad scoops the nearly sleeping boy into his arms carrying him over to his bed and gently tucking him in. Nic makes sure all the monitors are reattached and working before turning down the lights for the boy to get some sleep. As he drifts off to sleep Carter whispers "thanks for the best day ever Nurse Nic and Dr. Conrad."
"We had so much fun." Nic says while Conrad adds "We'll see you tomorrow bud, sleep tight." before they both head out of his room.
As they walk hand in hand through the foyer towards the exit Conrad thanks Nic for staying and helping him make a little magic for Carter. "You are more than welcome Conrad Hawkins. Seeing you with Carter today made me so proud of you, not only for what an incredible doctor and partner you are but what an incredible dad you're going to be some day." Nic says.
"We'll be great parents, together." Conrad agrees. "For now though I think there's a tree waiting to be decorated and some chickens to be fed."
"Gosh there really isn't another love like the one between you and your chickens." Nic laughs.
Conrad joining in on the laughter explains "I mean I'm not going to argue with you there. However I think the love story to beat is the one between you and I. I love you with every fibre of my being Nic Nevin and I cannot wait to make our own Christmas memories together this year and for many more to come." he says giving her hand a squeeze.
Nic rests her head on Conrad's shoulder "I love you too Conrad. Forever and always."