Valerie shook her head. “I don’t know anything for sure, but I would assume she’ll be there for several days.” She laughed. “She’ll be out as soon as they’ll let her go, of that I’m sure!”
“Right,” Gina agreed.
“I’ve been thinking,” Valerie added, “but I wanted to ask you first, about suggesting that Josie be brought here when she is released rather than going to the small apartment she shares with Sarah Green.”
Gina’s brow furrowed as she considered Val’s idea for a moment. Then her face brightened. “I think it’s a good idea. You have the space, and everyone is used to gathering here. It’s centrally located. And as for me, I would get to spend more time with her because I’d be right here. I could help you more.”
“You’re sure it’s not an imposition? If I rented out the other bedroom, you’d have to share with another person. But Josie is different. She is going to need a lot of care and attention around the clock for several weeks. It will be like Grand Central Station around here. And you get very little private time as it is. I want to be fair to you.”
Gina smiled. “Thanks for the consideration, but I want to help and I think I can do it better this way. I’m all for bringing her here.”
Valerie closed her book. “Well, thank you. I’ll mention it tomorrow to Judee and Lanie, and, if we’re all agreed, we’ll find a way to bring it up with Dr. Arnold before Josie is released.”
“Good. But if you don’t mind, I’m going to hit the hay,” Gina said, suppressing a yawn.
“Me, too.”
They climbed the first set of stairs together, with Sam at their heels.
“Goodnight,” Val said as she went down the hallway and on up to her attic room. Gina responded in kind.
Once in bed, and before she dropped off to sleep, Valerie thought some more about her offer to bring Josie to the house and she considered Gina’s support. Although that gal looked as if you could blow her away with a feather and seemed so terribly introverted, Gina had recently shown some real strength of character. And Val certainly hadn’t forgotten her unexpected, and quite surprising, physical response to Gina when they danced the other night at the Purple Priscilla. She sighed. Gina was a fascinating puzzle, but there was no time to focus on her right now. There were other, more urgent things to think about at the moment.
Two days later, between her morning job at the record shop and her late-afternoon shift at Ritchie’s, Gina managed to visit Josie in the hospital. Althought Gina was feeling a little pressed for time, she was very relieved to see that Josie was alert and obviously feeling much better.
“I’m sorry I didn’t have time to get you a stuffed animal or flowers or anything,” Gina apologized. “I’m here, and I guess I’m the present.”
Josie laughed. “Geez! Given your schedule, I’m really honored that you came to see me.”
They were both quiet for a moment. Neither knew the other really well. All their conversations had been in the midst of the poker foursome, or the “fivesome” when Gina attended.
Finally Gina looked at the way Josie’s leg was encased in some kind of medical contraption and hanging from a sling. “How is your leg coming along? Any less pain today?”
“Much better,” Josie said. “It still hurts like hell, but I know it’s improving. The doctor seemed much closer to giving me a date for getting out of here. I hate hospitals.”
“Yeah, me too,” Gina said, almost without thinking. Then she paled and bit her lip. She didn’t want to talk about hospitals, or being in them.
Josie didn’t seem to notice. “The nurses are really nice, but I mostly want out because of the money,” she said. “I never really thought too much about what hospitals cost, but I’m getting the picture. I can see my college education going down the tube, and I’ll have a debt to pay off that will take the rest of my life. It’s real scary.”
Gina touched Josie’s arm and smiled understandingly. “I don’t think it will be that bad. Your doctor sounded really cooperative and I’m sure you’ll work something out. But I understand about having a big debt hanging over your head. That’s why I’m working three jobs, to pay off a large bill I owe.”
“Wouldn’t you make more money teaching?” Josie asked. “You have tons of education.”
Gina uttered a deep sigh and plopped down in a chair near Josie’s bed. After briefly considering it, she decided to share part of her own story. It might help Josie. “Well, after graduate school I had some emotional problems,” she explained, “and was in a hospital briefly. Then I had to have therapy. It cost a lot of money and now I’ve got to pay off the debt. I had to kind of start over again, to build up my confidence. Maybe someday I’ll be ready to teach, or maybe I’ll write. Or both. Right now I’m not sure.”
“Did your problems have anything to do with being a lesbian?”
Gina hesitated but then nodded, surprising herself by admitting this to Josie.
“I went to a counselor once, about being gay,” Josie said. “My parents pretty much threw me out of the house when they found out. They didn’t want a lesbian daughter and they didn’t want me tellin’ family secrets to a therapist. I was 19 and ready for college, but I would have had to live at home even though I had a scholarship. So when they threw me out I had to find a job and a place to live. The scholarship disappeared, and any dreams of college I had were put on hold. For years. And that’s why, finally, I’ve been workin’ and goin’ to school part time. It’s kinda hard, but tryin’ to live any other way is even harder.”
“Yeah, I guess it is,” Gina said. “You’re lucky, though, you’ve made some real friends.”
“I know. I can’t believe how supportive everyone is. It’s like, incredible!”
“I hope you’ll count me as one of your friends,” Gina offered.
“Sure. I mean, I was a little overwhelmed when I first met you. I don’t do so well in school—I get by, but I’m certainly not an A student. When I think of all the college you’ve had and how smart you must be, I’m kinda in awe,” Josie admitted.
Gina smiled. “Underneath everything, I’m a just farm girl from Illinois. I’ve milked cows, swept out barns, collected eggs, and changed the oil on a tractor. I’m really a basic person so don’t pay much attention to my college degrees. If my mother hadn’t been a teacher and pushed me to go to college, I’d be doing some kind of outdoor work like you, most likely.”
“Really?” Josie asked. “You don’t seem like the outdoor type to me.”
“I used to be, when I was a kid. A real tomboy. But several years of school, intense studies, late hours, emotional problems, and now a heavy workload have kind of taken their toll. I was always slender, but I used to be strong as an ox. I think I could get it back if I worked on it. That’s just not my priority right now.”
“I understand,” Josie said. “I’m a chunk, always was a chunk, and will always be a chunk, no matter what. Can’t help it. But I do love working in landscaping. I feel like it’s my calling, you know what I mean?”
“Yep, and that’s great, to know what you want to do. You’ll do it, too.”
Soon it was time for Gina to take off for Ritchie’s, but when she left Josie she felt much better than when she had arrived. Opening up to Josie was a good thing. Josie was smarter and more aware of things than she had realized. Now they were becoming friends and that felt really good. Gina wasn’t sorry, when she looked back on the conversation as she drove to the restaurant, that she had talked about some of her difficult past. Josie had also had a hard life, and they shared that in common.
Chapter Eight
Late the following Saturday morning, Josie was released from St. Joseph. She was taken by ambulance to Valerie’s home, where the EMTs used a gurney to carry her up to the second floor. The spare bedroom had been readied for her and included a hospital bed and a wheelchair. Valerie had discussed with her friends the possibility of putting the bed in the living room, but since there was only a partial bathroom on the gr
ound floor everyone agreed that the second floor bedroom was the best choice.
A home-health nurse was scheduled to come to the house for the first few days to help Josie and to teach the volunteer crew how to manage her care. There were also several sheets of written instructions about medications, what to do and not to do in terms of moving Josie, and how to keep the area around her cast clean.
Even under these trying circumstances, Josie was an agreeable houseguest. If she was embarrassed at having her friends taking care of her physical needs, instead of being irritable about it, she covered her discomfort with jokes and laughter. Both were a lot easier for everyone to take. At least once a day Josie or someone in the group came up with a new bedpan joke.
Valerie was very nervous at first, even though she was still glad she had volunteered use of the house. It didn’t take her long to discover that it was nice to have another person around, especially one who brought smiles and laughter into the space. Samantha was beside herself with yet another soul to watch over, sniff, and lick. Despite being in considerable discomfort, Josie was able to enjoy Sam’s antics as well.
During the first week, the nurse came in the mornings while Valerie and Gina were at work. She was a hefty, middle-aged woman with graying hair, dark-rimmed glasses, and plenty of experience in moving unyielding objects in restricted space. Once Val and Gina arrived home just after noon the nurse, Amanda Cardwell, showed them what to do and then left the two in charge. Valerie and Gina spelled each other, so each could get some personal things done. When Gina went to work at Ritchie’s Grill, Valerie took over. Judee and Lanie supported her in the evening.
On the weekends everyone helped out. Judee brought textbooks and assignments from Josie’s classes, but since Josie would be out for several weeks there were plans afoot to hook her up through the Internet to her classrooms. Otherwise she wouldn’t be able to keep up with the work and would lose the whole semester. Josie seemed overwhelmed by the Internet proposal, but Judee told her that the university staff had funds for just such situations, would set it up, and would show her how to use the equipment. Thanks to modern technology, home confinement was a whole lot less “confining”—at least in terms of education.
As the first days turned into two and then three weeks, Valerie was relieved to see how well her friends cooperated and followed through with Josie’s care and companionship. She had been a bit worried that she would end up doing most of the work herself and would have to bear the financial burden as well. Even though she owned the house, she didn’t really have extra cash to pay for increased utilities or any other added expenses. But Judee and Lanie cornered her the first day and offered some money. They also brought in food when they came. Fresh sandwiches and homemade soup, enough for both Josie and Valerie. This unexpected contribution helped a lot during Josie’s recovery.
Val was particularly impressed with how much time Gina continually gave to Josie’s care, despite her own heavy workload. She carried her fair share of everything they did for Josie. Valerie began to look forward to the moment when Gina arrived each day because she could trust her to take over and do a good job. Even though she was the newest member of this little group of friends, she was proving very responsible and Val’s respect for her grew.
An unexpected side benefit, Valerie considered, was the way in which they were getting to know each other better. When you emptied bed pans and administered sponge baths you got to know a person a lot better than sitting around a poker table. They also saw each other in new ways. Lanie wasn’t really a cook, but she knew where the best and healthiest sandwiches could be found and she brought plenty. Judee, who was a good cook, prepared big pots of homemade soup and large pans of lasagna that could last several days. When Judee came in the evening, sometimes she had to bring her kids along. Sometimes they spent the evenings at homes of their friends, but when they were at Valerie’s house, the two boys did their homework at the dining room table or watched television in the living room. Valerie’s appreciation for Judee’s parenting skills rose as she saw how they could have fun, like their mother, but also be quiet and respectful in someone else’s home. One evening, when there was a scheduling conflict, Lanie took Mark and Steven to an action movie at the multiplex so that Judee was free to come and help Josie with her homework.
Valerie was surprised but pleased when Judee mentioned to her one evening before leaving the house that Josie had less than good study habits. “She’s not stupid, you know,” Judee explained. “Actually, she’s quite bright. But her schooling has been so sporadic that she’s never learned real discipline. I’ve got some questions about her family and the environment where she grew up. But, that aside, I’ve been helping her study for tests and do papers. I’ve also been showing her how to organize her studying to achieve the best results. I think she’ll be a better student from now on.” Val had thanked Judee for her insight and her help. When Judee was gone, Valerie shook her head in wonder. She seemed like such a joker but the inner Judee was very sharp. Had to be, Val mused, to keep up with her two boys. Counseling probably would be a very good career for her once she graduated.
Gina scooted into the room, and Valerie slipped out the door. “I’ll be in the studio if you need me,” she called as she passed. “Oh, and if you need any laundry done, I can run a load through for you.”
“Thanks, but I’m good,” Gina called back, winking at Josie as she then spoke quietly to her. “Things are getting really good around here, thanks to you.”
They both laughed and Josie whispered, “You mean we’re getting your strict landlady to relax a little?” Their laughter turned into giggles, which they tried unsuccessfully to smother.
Gina watched Josie and could see instantly that she was feeling much better. Her eyes were brighter and her smile, always there, was less tense, less pained. The bruising on her face had almost totally disappeared.
“So how’s the recovering landscape gardener?” Gina asked.
“Really good. Dr. Arnold called this morning, and he’s ordered an ambulance to take me in for an X-ray tomorrow. After they look at the pictures and if everything is okay, they are planning to put a walking brace on me. I’ll be able to get out of bed more easily and start moving around. Then I can start physical therapy very soon. I feel like I’m really beginning to mend,” Josie said in an unusual flurry of words.
“Hey, that’s great!” Gina exclaimed. Then she took a look at the book Josie had been reading. “One of those sexy lesbian romance novels, I see. I thought you were studying your biology.”
Josie grinned. “I get biology this evening when Judee comes. Right now I’m having my relaxation period.”
“Oh, I see!” Gina grinned at her.
Josie motioned Gina to lean over near her. “Speaking of romance, I think Valerie likes you,” she whispered.
Gina blushed. “Really? What makes you think so?”
Josie shrugged. “The way she looks at you. It’s subtle, but something changes when you walk into the room. Her eyes soften.” Then she whispered, “And she just offered to do your laundry for you.” She grinned. “I’ve watched Valerie long enough to know that is a big one for her.”
“Well, could be you’re right, but maybe you are reading too many lesbian novels.”
“Yeah, sure. But what do you think of her?”
Gina shrugged. “I like her a lot. She’s a decent landlady. She’s admittedly an attractive woman but, geez, she’s nearly 20 years older than I am. That’s about the age of my mother or that shrink I used to see,” she confessed.
“So no attraction, huh?”
Gina reddened even more. “Mmmm, I don’t know about that, but she can be a bit intimidating.” She felt uncomfortable talking about Valerie this way.
There was a moment of silence as Josie studied her. “So you really had some heavy counseling, huh?”
Gina nodded. “Yeah.” She considered Josie, then decided to share some more. “I was very homophobic—I’m sure you know what I m
ean. I had never considered myself to be anything but straight. After all, what else is there?” They both smothered a laugh.
Settling herself into the blue velour-covered chair near Josie’s bed, Gina continued. “I hadn’t dated a lot, since I was busy with school, and I just thought that sort of stuff would come later. Then, after I’d finished graduate school, this woman came onto me. Totally unexpected. It really freaked me out. After all the pressures of classes and writing my dissertation, I guess I was kind of fragile. This incident put me over the edge.”
“So you had to go in the hospital?”
Gina nodded. “Yeah, for a little while. They piece you together and get you out on the street as fast as they can. Insurance, as you well know. But then I had to have outpatient therapy and that got really intense.”
“Did it help you?”
Gina sighed and thought for a moment. “Well, ultimately I came to some peace about being gay, so I guess it helped. But it worked backward because this shrink thought she could make me straight, or at least she said she could. And in the beginning I wanted desperately to be straight so I bought into it.”
“What did she do?”
“She was a psychoanalyst, like, you know, Sigmund Freud. The couch and a lot of listening. They get you to talk about all sorts of things and, while you’re spilling your guts out, you are unconsciously becoming emotionally attached to the therapist.”
“That sounds scary,” Josie admitted.
“It is. I mean they have all these technical terms for it, like ‘transference,’ and for them it’s all a head trip. But when you are the patient you feel all this stuff, and it’s painful, and you sometimes wish you were dead instead of experiencing all this intense emotion. You feel like you’re losing it. Then they tell you that all these deep feelings aren’t real. That part is really agonizing.” Gina shuddered. It still upset her so much that she had never spoken with anyone in depth about this part of her past before. As she talked, she looked away or down at the floor most of the time.
North Coast: A Contemporary Love Story Page 13