it was just this one time

so there i was working late night shift at the hospital. had a patient who was in his early thirties, but he was really struggling emotionally and mentally. asked me to stay with him longer after rounds were done, said he needed someone to take care of him for real, not just medically. i could see how much pain he was in, and my heart just broke. we ended up having this intimate moment where he confessed how lost he felt, needing someone to hold him accountable and be there for him as a parent figure would. it was intense but it felt right in that moment, helping him like a dad or an older brother would. afterwards i knew it wasn't something i could do again, not part of my role as his nurse. just once though, he needed someone to take the helm and guide him through a stormy night, and i couldn't turn away from the chance to help. felt so raw but right at that moment.