“I can’t believe I have to work extra shifts again,” Vivian complained, sipping her coffee with disdain. “Some of us actually have lives outside this place.”

“Well, at least we’re helping people,” Rose replied softly, her tone genuine. “I mean, that’s why I became a nurse in the first place — to make a difference.”

Vivian rolled her eyes. “You’re too idealistic, Rose. It’s just a job.”

For Toby, this exchange was a revelation. In Rose, he saw a glimmer of something he had not seen in a long time: sincerity. She cared about her work for reasons beyond a paycheck, and she treated everyone with kindness, from patients to fellow staff.