Dear reader,

This is week 7 of the series of character interviews during social distancing 2020. This week I’m going back to Spring Harbor, Oregon for the last time, to chat with two members of the pediatric ward in Curry County General Hospital. Read on to discover what Leilani and Zach, the main characters in Trust In Love, have been up to.

*** Please note: this is unedited, so please excuse any typos or mistakes.***

G: Aloha!
L: *chuckles.* Aloha back at you. I’d rather be on a beach in Hawaii right now.
Z: I wouldn’t mind that either.
G: Tell me about it! I’d love nothing more than a sandy beach and blue waters. I bet social distancing wouldn’t have been that much of a pain there.
Z: It’s not too bad here but, yeah, I guess being in Hawaii would have been pretty cool.
G: How are you, guys? Have you been on the frontline or was it a bit quieter in your ward?
L: We were asked not to wander around the hospital, since we’re around kids all the time and it would be risky if we passed on something to them. So in a way, we were lucky even if we work in a hospital.
Z: It’s been tough, though. We’ve been in touch with our colleagues and friends in the other wards, and some of them were truly fighting a war. Not being able to help them sucked.
G: I bet it must be tough when you’re close to the people on the frontlines. I always got teary-eyed whenever I saw a doctor or a nurse on TV, especially during the worst weeks, and I didn’t even know those people. I can imagine how hard it must be for you. How have you been coping with this crazy situation? What do you do when you’re not working?
Z: Leilani moved in with me, while Rob went back to live with our parents for the time being. We thought it would be safer for everyone—my family and her aunt—if we self-isolated together, considering we haven’t stopped working and we go in and out of the hospital, though in a safer area than our colleagues.
G: It makes sense. How are your families doing? I suppose Mamma Maria is closed these days?
Z: *nods.* The restaurant is closed to the public, though Dad and Rob have been going into work since they thought offering home delivery might be a good idea. And they keep themselves busy, so they don’t drive my Mom crazy.
G: For some people self-isolation has been tough. I know my Mom is going crazy because she’s not used to being cooped up all the time. I, on the other hand, haven’t been so disappointed about being forced to stay at home. In fact, my life isn’t that much different from how it was before quarantine!
L: I hate being at home. I’m an extrovert and I love being around people. Not being able to see friends and family, or to just go out for a walk or to Spring Delights for cinnamon rolls has been quite tough.
Z: She takes any chance she gets to take Blue out for a walk. I think the poor dog can’t wait for self-isolation to be over so he can go back to being lazy and taking naps during the day, like he used to.
G: I’ve found myself wishing more than once I had a dog I could take for walks, if I have to be completely honest here.
L: Zach makes fun of me, but self-isolation is hitting him just as bad. We’re lucky we can go to work and be around kids all day. They’re a breath of fresh air.
Z: The town looks quite weird without the usual hustle and bustle. Even a simple walk on the beach doesn’t feel the same. I miss my friends.
L: We miss the friendly and happy atmosphere of Spring Harbor.
G: I bet it must be strange. Let’s hope things go back to a sort of normal as soon as possible, and we can all leave these dark months behind. What’s the first thing you’ll do when this is over?
L: I want to go see my family in Honolulu. I miss them, even though we see them all the time on Skype.
Z: A trip to Honolulu sounds quite amazing. I’ll definitely go with you.
G: Any chance of taking me with you? I promise you won’t even know I’m there!
Z: *chuckles.* You’re welcome to join us. You’re our very special Cupid after all. *winks.*
L: We should organize a family trip, and ask your parents, Rob and Paige to go with us.
G: Oh, is Paige back in town?
Z: For now. She’s still contemplating what to do with her life. I think she’s torn between wanting to go back on the field and stay with the family. She won’t admit it straight out, but I know she’s happy she was home when all this happened. I think my Mom would have gone crazy with worry and fear if she’d still been in South America.
G: I hope she decides to stay. I’d like to get to know her better and, who knows, maybe play Cupid and find the perfect match for her too.
L: That’s a really good idea! And I do hope she decides to stay for good. I’ve always wanted a sister and we’ve been getting along pretty well, not just because we’re both nurses. She’s fun to be around.
Z: Still a pain in the neck sometimes but yeah, it’s nice to have her home.
G: Okay, well, I’ll see what I can do…
L: I’m not sure if we should be worried because of that naughty expression on your face.
Z: *chuckles.* Somehow I have a feeling Paige is going to be in big trouble.
G: Don’t know when I can make it happen but… I think she’d better brace herself. And on this note, I’m going to let you go back to your lives, since I can see Blue wagging his tail and he probably wants to go for a walk.
Z: I think he does. We’re both off today so we’ve been catching up on chores and haven’t taken him out yet.
L: It was nice seeing you, Grace. Thanks for checking in on us.
G: I was happy to chat with you, guys. Stay safe and say hi to your families.
Z: We will. Thank you.
L: Bye! *waves.*

Did you like this interview? Let me know in the comments!

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