Heart Don't Fail Me Now

Tyler Seguin has spent the last several seasons in Dallas. Although he knows he has found his place with the team on and off the ice, he feels like something is still missing; and he knows just what or should he say, who, it is. Taylour. She works at the local hospital and has seen her fair share of hockey players come in with broken bones and concussions. Tyler met her when she was on rotation in the children’s oncology wing.
The Dallas Stars were visiting the hospital’s children’s wing for the first time that season. Jamie Benn liked to visit at least once a month.
“Man, I’m happy we’re doing this before pre-season practice starts on Monday” said Jamie
“Yeah, I would be too tired and sore to handle this next week.” agreed Tyler
“So, are you excited to see your nurse?” teased Tyler while pushing the bill of Jamie’s hat down his face in a playful manner. Although Tyler is the younger of the two, everyone knows he is more experienced with women.
“She’s not a nurse, Segs.” Said the captain rolling his eyes “She’s a financial aid advisor for the families in the children’s oncology unit” Jamie knew Tyler made the mistake on purpose just to irritate him.
“What’s this chick’s name again? Megan? Marige?” Jamie then cut Tyler off with a playful shove.
“Her name is Marie.” He whispered
“I know, you mention her every time the hospital is brought up, which is all the time.” responded Tyler
Tyler knew it was just as much because of Marie as it was the children whose smiles he adored that he enjoyed these frequent visits. She helped ensure that all patients who could not afford their medical bills have the help they need.
As they settled into a room with an eight year old girl named Annie, Tyler wondered if they would see Marie today. He would love to give his captain a little trouble in front of her. While he was caught up in his thoughts and half-paying attention a woman in scrubs walked in.
As she passed the two boys in green the little girl’s eyes lit up “Taylour!” yelled Annie with happiness
“Annie!” replied Taylour with just as much enthusiasm
That was the first time Tyler saw her. With long blond hair, brown eyes, an infectious smile and curves to die for. Tyler could easily see them from under the shapeless scrubs she was wearing.
************
Taylour was walking through the halls getting ready to make her first rounds of the day when she overheard some of the interns giggling in the nurses lounge. They were talking about the Dallas Stars visiting the hospital today. She just shook her head and rolled her eyes as she moved along toward the nurse’s station to get the charts she needed.
As much as Taylour loved hockey, she found herself avoiding these guys as much as possible. She didn’t want to take any attention from the children.
As Taylour moved from room to room checking on children and distributing medication as needed, she was able to avoid any real contact with the NHL players. She got away with a quick smile in their direction before moving on to the next room.
Finally, Taylour came to the last patient file in her hands, Annie. She adored Annie and Annie adored her. They clicked when they first met on a deep level. As she walked into the room, she noticed two men of similar height. One she recognized as Jamie Benn, the guy who has been mooning over Marie for the last several months. He was tall, with a broad build and dark hair and eyes with scruff on his face. Overall, an attractive guy. He was sitting at the end of the bed. But the other man was an Adonis. Tall, like the other man, with light brown hair, blue eyes, tattoos peeking out from under his jersey, and a thinner build. He was leaning with his arms on the footboard leaning toward Annie as he spoke. She knew right away it was Tyler Seguin. What she didn’t know—after her first glance—was that Tyler was looking back and wanted to know who she was.
“Taylour!” squealed Annie excitedly
“Annie!” she said just as enthusiastically
Taylour walked over to the bed and gave the girl she looked at as a little sister a hug.
“Okay Annie, I know this isn’t your favorite time of day, but I need to check all your vitals and administer your medication. Do you want to take it orally or by IV?” Taylour asked while pulling her stethoscope from around her neck to place under the blood pressure cuff she had just attached around the girls arm.
“Can you put it through the IV? I don’t like swallowing those nasty pills!” responded Annie with a scrunched up face
Taylour smiled at Annie and quickly removed the cuff and stethoscope. As she wrote down the data, she hummed a Disney tune that Annie instantly recognized.
“Cause for the first time in forever there’ll be music there’ll be light, for the first time in forever I’ll be dancing through the night” Sang Annie while Tayour continued to hum the tune
Taylour began administering medication and to help distract Annie she joined in the singing with Elsa’s part.
“Don’t let them in, don’t let them see, be the good girl you always have to be, conceal don’t feel, put on a show, make one wrong move and everyone will know”
“But it’s only for today, it’s agony to wait, tell the guards to open up the gates!” They sang together.
As they finished the tune, they heard clapping. Annie giggled and Taylour blushed and smiled while finishing her work quickly. She forgot the two men were in the room.
“Okay, my little Ana, I’m all done for now. I will be back soon to check on you. And you know I’m just the push of a button away if you need me.” Taylour said to the girl giving her a hug and swiftly walking out of the room.
As the door closed, Taylour let out a sigh of relief. She couldn’t believe she forgot that they were in the room. Shaking her head, she moved back to the nurses station to file the last of the paperwork for later reference. Tyler sat stunned staring at the woman with the little girl singing like there was no one else in the room. And judging by her reaction when Jamie and I clapped she had forgotten there was someone else in the room. She has the voice of an angel. But before Tyler or Jamie could comment she said goodbye to Annie and made her way out the door.
************
Confused, Tyler turned his attention back to Annie and her toothy grin. She had a knowing look on her face. Jamie could barely contain his humor for the situation.
“What?” Tyler asked Annie
“You like Taylour, don’t you?” she said more than asked with her arms crossed over her chest.
Tyler’s face turned red with embarrassment for the first time in a long time. Tyler tried to avoid answering by changing the subject to Annie and her favorite things.
“It’s okay to like her, Tyler. Taylour is really nice and funny. She’s my favorite nurse!” said Annie as she started to drift off from her medication’s side effects. Tyler took this as his and Jamie’s queue to leave Annie and visit with some of the other patients. He and Jamie walked down the halls toward the play room and were not at all surprised to find many of their teammates there playing various games with many of the children.
As they were walking out of the hospital chatting about the kids and how they wanted to rent out a suite or two at the arena for opening night, Jamie stopped in his tracks. Tyler looked back at Jamie and followed his gaze to a woman just coming out of Annie’s room while talking to Taylour. She was wearing a white long sleeved blouse tucked into a pencil skirt and black heels. She was short, even in heels. She looked no taller than 5’5. She had her light brown hair pulled back in a hair stick to keep the unruly locks out of her bright green eyes. She wasn’t wearing any noticeable makeup.
Waving his hand in front of Jamie’s face Tyler called out to him “Chubbs! Who’s the chick you’re staring at?”
That comment caught the attention of both women as well as Jamie. Both boys had sheepish looks on their faces when the two women started making their way toward them.
************
Taylour walked into Annie’s room to find Marie already there speaking with Annie’s parents. Walking over to Annie in her bed Taylour felt bad because she know how much the little girl hated having check ups done.
“I hate to do this to you Annie, but its that time again” Pouted Taylour
“Awww! Do I have to Taylour?” Whined Annie dramatically causing everyone to laugh to themselves. Taylour thought she would make quite the actress once she was healthy.
To distract Annie, Taylour started humming a tune she and Marie knew well. Like she had hoped, Marie joined in.
“What song is that?” Annie asked
“You don’t know that song?” Marie playfully asked while Taylour continued her humming.
“You were born in a palace by the sea” Marie began
“A palace by the sea? Could it be?” Taylour sang back
“Yes, that’s right. You rode horseback when you were only three.” Maire picked up the next lines in the song
“Horseback rididng? Me?” Taylour called back as she checked on the IV’s and the monitors
“And the horse, he was white! You made faces and terrorized the cook! Threw him in the brook!” Marie sang back
“Was I wild?” Taylour sang while making a silly expression to make Annie laugh
“Wrote the book! But you behaved when your father gave that look! Imagine how it was! Your long forgotten past! We’ve lots and lots to teach you and the time is going fast!” Marie sang and played along with Taylour’s antics.
“All right… I’m ready!” Taylor said
“Now, shoulders back and stand up tall. And do not walk, but try to float” Marie sang to start the next part of the song.
“I feel a little foolish. Am I floating?” Taylor sang
They went back and forth performing for Annie and to make themselves laugh. Taylour knew that Marie had just as much fun performing as she did.
“Wow! What song was that? What movie was it from?” Asked an excited Annie
Taylour had a hard time containing her mirth at the little girl’s excitement.
“You girls sure can perform. Do you do this often?” Asked the Colonel’s wife
“Well, we live together and enjoy kids movies. And we always have kids music playing while cleaning. We’re really just kids in grown up’s bodies.” Said Marie while grinning
Taylour stuck her tongue out at Annie playfully when she noticed the little girl watching her.
“The song is called Learn to Do it” Taylour told Annie as she started to collect all her medical equipment. Taylour then set a surprise on Annie’s lap: a basket filled with goodies to keep her in high spirits while staying in the hospital.
“What is this?” Annie asked
Annie looked confused, bless her heart, thought Taylour.
“This is a basket for you filled with goodies.” Taylour told her with a smile
As Annie excitedly tore into the basket, she pulled out many items, the last being a copy of the movie, Anastasia.
As Annie looked at the movie Marie started telling her all about it. Taylour wasn’t paying much attention to what they were saying as she was busy thinking about Tyler and why he looked so confused earlier when she left the room. Taylour was brought back into reality when she heard Annie’s voice drop from happy to sad. Taylour knew why she was upset.
“But, I have tomorrow off and so does Marie. How would you like for us to come and we can watch the move together?” Taylor appeased Annie
“Can we really?” Annie asked as her eyes started slamming shut from the medication she was just given.
“Of course, sweet girl.” Marie responded
Marie stated speaking to Annie’s parents so Taylour turned her attention back to Annie. The poor thing was out cold. Smiling fondly at her, Taylour pulled the blankets up over Annie and made sure she had her teddy bear before cleaning up the room a little. After she was sure she had all her things, Taylour left the room to find Marie.
************
As the girls stood by the door to Annie’s room they discussed a plan of action for tomorrow. When they were getting ready to walk down the hallway they heard commotion coming from the right of them. Looking over they saw two of the Dallas Stars were still in the hospital. Marie decided to go over to say hi and drag Taylour with her when she noticed just which ones they were.
“Hi Jamie, how was your day?” asked Marie smiling but maintaining a professional distance. She didn’t want to give either man the wrong idea.
“Hey Marie, hey Taylour. My day was good. Tyler and I enjoyed spending time with the kids. How was your day?” Asked Jamie
“It’s been alright. My son spent the day with my parents while I was working.” Replied Marie.
“You have a son?” asked Tyler shocked. She didn’t look a day over 21. There is no way she should have kids.
Shaking her head with a laugh Marie posed this question to Tyler and Jamie: “Yes, I do. He is seven. Why is everyone so surprised by this?”
“Because of how young you look—” Jamie started to say when Tyler cut him off with a statement of his own. “Because of how banging your body is!” Tyler said this all while looking at Taylour.
The four knew that Tyler was talking about Taylour, not Marie. This was a relief to Jamie, Marie and Taylour. As much as Taylour didn’t want to admit it, she thought that Tyler was cute and was hoping they would run into each other outside of work. This way she wouldn’t feel bad about interacting with him.

Notes

This is a work in progress. If you have any ideas or suggestions let me know. (: