"Yesterday you said my name." I couldn't help starting off our morning session like this. It was usual to start with the basic questions I'd asked for months now. What was her name? Where was she from? Was she alright? Did she need anything? Yet the previous night I lost all sleep.

One thing that was never permitted here, were name tags. They'd had them once of course but once someone knew your name it was a bad thing. A very bad thing. The patients here could get...clingy at times. They could even become obsessed. No names that's how it was supposed to be.

The girl said nothing though she now rested in a different corner of the room compared to that of yesterday. Her eyes stared at the flower I'd rested on the window sill yesterday.

"I see you like the flower." My voice was quiet as I changed the subject. "I brought you another. It's an orange one see?"

I pulled it from the folds of my coat the orange petals vibrant and bright compared to the dreary interior of her room. Her eyes slowly shifted from the flower on the window sill to the one I held in my hand.

Slowly as not to startle her I extended my hand towards the place she rested. I waited a moment but she did not reach out to retrieve the flower. So as I had once already I stood and rested the new one next to the old one.

"There now you have two. Tomorrow you can have a third." I smiled lightly down at her but she did nothing to respond. "Soon maybe a whole bouquet."

Sitting back down in my chair I studied her. Carefully I filled out the chart. It was the same as always. Nothing had changed. If anything the document from yesterday would be thrown out as a part of my imagination. I wouldn't be surprised if it already had been.

How could they believe that this little girl who never spoke could know my name. To her I should have been a familiar but nameless face. Just enough to feel comfortable around me, to let me into her small space, to talk to her.

The silence that so often clouded the air around us resumed its presence. She did not move, did not exchange a word, there wasn't even a fleeting expression. The only thing that shifted were her eyes. They stared almost thoughtfully at the two flowers that basked in the sun.

"I know I continue to ask the same questions but since you know my name I was wondering what yours was." My own voice sounded so soft and unsure as if this small little girl were dictating the conversation instead of me. Again she remained frozen.

Sighing I finished with the chart and stood to leave taking the chair with me. The door was shut behind me with a soft click. Clutching my clip board in hand I made my way along to the men's wing of the building.

Edward's cell was at the very end. He was one of the longest visitors we had. He was a well groomed man. In fact he'd formerly been a doctor, rather intelligent, but rumor had it he witnessed something so horrific he was damaged by it. PTSD was what he had.

Knocking lightly on the door there came the sound of scrambling around. The guards waited until the noise died down before opening the door for me.

"Hello." Edward smiled his chipper tone always refreshing compared to the silence I had previously experienced. He'd pushed his small wooden table into the center of the room. Stacked his two books in the corner and pulled up the two chairs that he was allowed to keep.

Edward was as much of a gentleman as you could get around here. He was so none threatening that for the most part he was given what he wanted. Even with the power to do that he remained with rather simple things. The only reason he remained here were for his occasional spells of panic and his knack for refusing food.

His hair was neatly groomed the color a glossy brown. Round spectacles rested on his face. Small stubble decorated his jaw line, his smile was crooked as usual, but his dark brown eyes gleamed with excitement and wonder that could belong to a child.

"Hello to you to Edward." I smiled sitting down as he stood pulling my chair out for me. "A gentleman as always."

"I try." He said sitting in his own spot and clasping his hands in front of himself. "So what news from the outside world have you brought me?"

"Well now you know I'm not allowed to smuggle papers in." I teased earning a smile from Edward so big his tongue stuck out from between his teeth.

"Ah yes how could I forget? My apologies." He laughed as I produced cut out article clippings from my coat.

"Only the best ones for you Edward." He took them with eager hands and sat there for a moment fading them. His eyes darting over the words with an aggressive curiosity.

Silence passed between us but unlike the girl I knew Edward would come back to me. Sure enough he smiled and passed the clippings back over to me. "Wonderful as always. I can't believe the horse races were canceled for the week. Must not have been as big of a bidding pool as they had hoped."

"Maybe." I nodded. "So now to get to the typical questions. Have you eaten this morning Edward?"

"Yes. I have to say I am very appreciative of the new meals you managed to get for me." He smiled bouncing his leg under the table a tic he'd developed after the accident he'd witnessed.

"I just try to take care of you is all Edward. If you keep eating then by the end of the year once you're a healthy weight we can get you out of here and back on your feet in no time." He nodded glancing at the door.

"Yes I'd assume so. Perhaps you should be going miss. Henry will be coming shortly for my physical exam and it'd be rather uncomfortable for the both of us if you stayed." Nodding I got to my feet and pushed in the chair.

"It was a pleasure as always Edward I'll be back this afternoon." He smiled and stood shaking my hand before escorting me to the door. Stepping outside I bid him one last good bye.

"Miss Irving just finished your report I see?" Henry called walking with his brief case in hand.

"Indeed. Be gentle with Edward today he's in a much better mood." I joked. Henry was the kindest physician we had around here. The others before him had been fired for numerous reasons. Mainly for harassment of the patients and unnecessary roughness.

"Teasing as always I see." He smiled and disappeared inside. Shaking my head I made my way back towards the central staircase. Padding down the steps lightly I made my way to the front desk where Helen was waiting.

"How'd it go today?" She asked as I passed over the papers.

"Oh Edward is such a darling." I laughed. "He'd be a real charmer I'm sure of it."

"Careful miss you don't want to get attached." She joked. There was one story, albeit a myth, that when this place first opened one of the doctors had fallen in love with a patient.

"Yes well I'm sure I won't. If anything he's like a brother." I sighed.

"Ah come now. Don't be sad. " Helen said gently. "I know you miss him but this is a way of honoring him. You've done very well here. I'd say one of the best ones we've had."

"Thank you Helen that means a lot." She nodded and rested her hand on mine.

"Now get home dear and have some rest before you come back this evening." Helen stood and headed to the back room that was tucked safely and snuggly behind the desk.

"That's right it's my turn to monitor visits this week." Sighing I switched out my over coat and made my way outside. As always I took my usual path. Visited the same people, laughed and smiled and chatted.

Until I was home again and set to work on making breakfast. For some unknown reason I thought about what flower I'd bring the girl tomorrow. For some reason it seemed important to pick the right one. Then there was Edward. What stories would I give him?

Sitting at the same old table that forever remained empty I scanned over the paper I had gotten that day. Then once finished, with careful hands I cut out the articles that seemed the most intriguing and pinned them together.

Edward would certainly love those. He was an educated man and anything he could get his hands on her read. I'd tried to smuggle him a new book on medical science once but he said it had somehow been torn apart.

When I asked him how he said someone had managed to get into his cell. It seemed like a long shot but Edward would never rip up a perfectly good book.

Setting aside the pieces of paper I gathered my things and prepared for the long after noon I'd have. Few of the patients received visitors but some received visitors every day. It was a sad sort of thing. Sometimes you'd see others watching with longing eyes. They too wanted to see a familiar face hat belonged to the outside world. Most of them never were that lucky.

It was the same old people who would wait in the yards expecting to see the one person they cared about but never get to.

Making my way back down the cobbled streets I scanned the shops to focus on something other than work. There were happy children all free and smiling. I couldn't prevent the melancholy air from claiming me. They were all so happy and cheerful. I wish it had been like that for him.

Shaking my head I walked on trying to close my mind to any intruding thoughts. Eventually arriving back to work I hurriedly switched out my coats and made my way towards the visitors section.

I would have to cut through the hard where the patients would be enjoying their afternoon recess. As I walked through the courtyard where dozens of people were laughing or saying hi to friends they'd made I couldn't help but search for two familiar faces.

The little girl I could not spot but Edward sat playing a game of chess with himself.

"Lacking a partner there Edward?" I asked walking past. He smiled at me that endearing grin.

"I find I am the most challenging opponent for myself." He laughed and turned back to his game.

At last I made it to the end of the court yard where the wall had small plexiglass glass windows and chairs. The patient would sit and the small whole lay the bottom of the window is how he or she would talk to who was on the outside.

Guards prowled  this area security always being highest here. My expertise were needed only when it came to providing information on the treatment of the patients. Or interpreting for those who needed it. I'd learned a small amount of sign language since I'd been here and those who spoke another language may have needed gestures to explain what the other had said.

It would be a long afternoon as conversations could last for nearly an hour in some cases. I didn't mind though. In some cases I saw familiar faces for instance Clara who talked for long times with her husband. Even though they were apart the two were as close as ever.

Maybe even old Harry who attempted to converse with his grandchildren. Though he was reaching the end of his years he never missed a day to talk with them.

It was things like this that I couldn't understand. The public called this place the looney bin. A place for crazies and lunatics and those who were unwanted. But it was far different from that. It was a place where even here people just needed someone to care for them.

That was the basis of human nature wasn't it? People needed care and love. Even the crazies.