“We all start somewhere, honey. Of course, I would be happy to wait here.” She was very nice, and Valen was grateful for it. Before making a beeline for the door down to the cellar, Valen walked up to the older woman who was browsing through the soaps and candles.
“I will be with you shortly, but is there anything you need form me right now?” Valen asked her, making sure she did not feel neglected.
“Oh, I am fine. I am just looking for a birthday gift for my daughter in law, and she is really into this kind of stuff.” Valen nodded his head politely before walking away and quickly making his way down the stairs, seeing the two women down there working diligently bad carefully in the makeshift lab down there.
“I am sorry to bother you, Evette, but there is a customer that has kind of a complicated case, and I think you would be best to help her,” Valen announced.
Evette looked up at him, taking off her goggles and gloves. “Okay, tell me about it so I can be prepared.”
“She has cancer and is taking chemotherapy drugs. She has a lot of nausea and wants to know if we have something to help. Obviously, there are individual things, but I thought you might be able to tell her something that required less pill taking and maybe something extra that could help her with her illness.”
“Hmm,” she said thoughtfully, going past him up the stairs. “I am impressed by your insight. I hate to admit it, but you are learning.”
Valen smiled behind at her as he went up the stairs. He followed behind her as she went up to the woman. He watched as an expert went at it, not only giving her a miracle for her health but also being completely compassionate as if they had known each other forever. Valen hoped he could get to that one day.
“I am so happy you have come here seeking help. I can’t imagine the struggle you are going through trying to beat this thing, but I know you can do it. Let’s try and get you feeling a little more like yourself so you can kick cancer to the curb.” Evette gently grabbed the woman's shoulder while she said this, and it was like she lit up, color coming to her face that was not there before. “Now, I can put all of these ingredients together in the right amounts. They will be in little packets, and I will put instructions on how to boil them down into a tea that you can drink each morning. I’m also adding a bit of a platelet booster to help you with your immunity. I know that you don’t have much of that right now, and how can you fight this if you’re getting sick?”
As she rattled everything off, Valen watched each ingredient she pulled to see if he could memorize them. It was a brilliant way to put it all together. He hadn't even thought about the idea of making them into a herbal tea so she didn't have to take pills or tinctures. And it would all support her in her needs as a cancer patient. He was even more in awe of this woman in front of him.
“Bless you for all of this. I will certainly recommend you to all the women I know from radiation.” The woman reached out for a hug, and Evette gave it. That was what Valen didn't have, that human affection. He still hadn’t gotten that down quite right yet, but also the women seemed to be better at it in general.
“That is very sweet. Honestly, I just love helping people heal in any way I can. Illness is not easy.” That was genuine. Valen could tell. He thought yet again about how she had fainted the first time they met and still wished he knew what was wrong with her. Maybe he should not have tuned that doctor out. “I can have all this ready for you by closing time if you would like to come back,” Evette offered.
Valen noticed the other woman, the one with sops, coming up to the counter to check out. He had to leave the two women to it and go do his job. This part, he could do, and he hoped the more he worked the floor, the more people he would be able to help on his own. If he could ever find a place among humans, this place would be it.
_
Chapter Four
Valen could see something was off with Evette. He had now been working with her for three weeks, three whole weeks, and only one other time had he seen her so off her game, and that was the first time they had met when he had to take her to the hospital. She didn't look like she needed to faint, but she had made it to the store at the same time as him and seemed very tired and slow. She wasn’t as well kept as usual, and he could smell something very faint like she was ill.
He was about to turn to her as she stocked the shelves and ask her if everything was alright, but suddenly a customer came in, a woman in a panic with a little boy by her side who looked to be maybe seven or eight. She came up to the counter and practically stuck her son's arm in Valen’s face. Evette looked over her shoulder, probably seeing if she would be needed for this case, but as she did, one of her glass bottles fell from her hands, smashing on the floor with a loud shattering. That was not like her at all. He knew something was up. She would never be so careless, and from far off, he could see her hands were shaking. But he needed to handle this customer first. He nodded to her, hoping she could trust him and just take care of herself.
The customer looked annoyed at the momentary interruption, but then she turned her eyes back to Valen. “This started showing up on my son's skin about a year ago, but it was gone with lotion and baths. But now, it is spreading, and he is scratching it. I need to know what it is and how to fix it,” she demanded.
Valen leaned over the counter to take a look at the rash to see if he recognized it. He reached under the counter pulling out a binder with rashes and bites and what each one looked like and meant. He was almost certain of what it was, but he wanted to compare it to the picture to be certain. He was dealing with a child's life. “Let me just consult this to be sure,” he told her, knowing she would have no patience, so being polite wouldn’t even matter. He found what he was looking for and held it up next to the boy's arm. “It’s a skin ailment that is known as eczema. It is related to allergies, in particular, but can be severe in some. Can you tell me what allergies your son has?” Valen asked as Evette was kneeling on the floor, cleaning up the mess. His thoughts kept going to her, wondering if he would have to shut the store down and take her to get help.
“Umm, he is allergic to a lot of trees, pollen, and peanuts. So, what do I do about it? Is it serious?”
Valen shook his head at the worried mother, seeing that was just what she was; not mean or overbearing. She was just worried about her child. “I know it can be scary to find out your son has a new illness that you do not understand, but eczema is totally manageable and not dangerous. Watch his exposure to allergens for sure, and then I can give you a cream to put on places like on his arm when it flares up. And for itching, putting carnation petals in his bath can soothe.” Valen could not help but be proud of himself as he led the woman to those two spots in the store, getting her the right topical and then the petals. “Would you like to make this a regular order to pick up every month?” Valen asked her.
The woman nodded. “If he will always have this, then yes, that might be a good idea.” After the transaction was done, she thanked him with sincerity, having calmed down. Even the little boy was smiling. It made Valen feel like he had definitely improved.
But as soon as she left, he locked the door and went over to Evette, even as she looked angry at him for it. “What are you doing?” she seethed, but then he could see how pale she looked. He didn't like it at all.
“I am making sure you are alright. You never drop any of these bottles, and you looked beyond tired when you came in. Do you need to go to the hospital again? I can call your sister.” She shook her head.
“No, we are not closing the store. I will sit for a bit and then be fine.” But her voice was shaking and so was her body. “Okay, fine,” she said after he was looking her over. “I am not doing well, but I can’t ask her to keep saving me. I will just go home, and you can handle things until I can get one of y other employees in here. You did a good job with that mother. You’re learning.” Valen accepted the importance of the compliment even though she was not doing well.
“I don't think I can let you drive
home. I’m going to call someone in. Is there anyone with a key so I can go ahead and take you somewhere?” Valen asked, hoping there would be no more fight in her as she went downhill.
She nodded and gave a name. Her apprentice, she had a key. Maybe she could come in long enough to open the place up for someone else even if she had classes. Valen scooped her up into his arms like he did the last time and managed to get her out and locked the door behind them agilely. It looked like they were getting into a habit here.
*****
Evette blinked her eyes open, looking around to find herself surrounded by bright fluorescents and instantly knew where she was. She was in the hospital once again. She wanted to scream and curse and cry, but she knew she felt too jittery for any of that. Looking above her she could see there were a couple of drips going through her veins. One saline, but the other she was unsure of. She did know she felt swollen, and then she felt a hand touch hers to her other side. There was Valen, her savior yet again. He smiled at her. “We have got to stop making this a habit,” he teased. Evette was glad he was trying to make light of it and make her laugh. She hated the idea that people would begin to feel sorry for her. It was pathetic.
“What happened exactly?” she asked him, coming out of that fog still. Valen nodded towards the doctor who was coming into the room; a woman this time. It was one she didn't recognize, but then maybe that was a good thing. The usual doctor was kind of a jerk and didn't get the way she wanted to be treated at all.
“I will let her break it down for you.” Wow did that sentence coming from his mouth make her feel old.
“Hi, Mrs. Summers. I have been looking at your chart, and I am glad to see you are awake and doing better. I think we should be talking about what happened and how your condition is progressing. I understand that you want to try natural treatments. I assure you I am all for that, but a couple of things to supplement that because your case is so complicated would be a good idea. Is it okay to talk with him in here, or would you like privacy?” the doctor asked.
Valen looked ready to bow out, but she thought she couldn't take this alone, and her sister wasn't there. Even if he was just an employee, it was better than nothing. Besides, she had never seen someone she felt so trustworthy about at the store or otherwise. “He can stay.” Valen looked surprised, but Evette ignored it for the moment and focused on what the doctor had to say.
“Right now, you are on a magnesium drip. This is to try and prevent seizures. You had a small one just after you got here. To me, it looks like your MS is a very progressive version. What this means, in plain terms, is that you could easily get worse rather quickly. I don't have to tell you what complications you may suffer. I would hate to see this at your age when I knew there is a way to at least improve your quality and length of life. I think you should consider something mild and low dose in conjunction with your natural remedies.”
“If you have read my file, I am certain you must already know how I feel about that. I am sure that the regular doctor I see has put in an entry of frustrated notes about me. If you want to do diet and physical therapy I am all for it. As far as for seizures, I have access to CBD oil. Would that do it?” Evette asked, knowing she was exhausted and did not feel like fighting with a doctor all night.
“I think that would work just fine, actually. Not all of us are total against the natural way, Ms. Summers. I just want you to be able to live out your life happily. I will get the two referrals set up for you, but I really want you to consider the medication we can give you to stop the progression of this, or at least slow it. I don't see this case just going away and getting all better, even as good of a healer that I hear that you are,” the doctor said kindly. Evette at least appreciated her lack of judgment.
“I will consider it down the road if none of this does any good.” The doctor nodded, satisfied with that response. Then, the woman looked to Valen.
“I don't know what your relationship is, but since you brought her in here I want to ask that you make sure for the night she is not alone. She needs to be watched by someone, even if she gets a dose of the oil tonight because she could have another seizure at any time.” Evette looked to Valen, not liking that this was being made his responsibility. Could she trust this stranger to take care of her? But then again, he had now saved her twice and had been able to help a customer all on his own she was sure he couldn't handle. On top of that, her sister needed a break from the burden she put on her. What other choice did she have but allow him to take her home and watch her for a few hours?
“Okay, I will get you going here in a moment so you can leave. You can change back into your clothes.” The doctor left the room, and Evette could hear her giving instructions to the nurse that was out in the hall before Evette turned to Valen.
“If you don’t want to do this, you can just call my sister to come over to my house after you take me there. But first, could we stop by the store and grab the CBD oil? I probably should be taking it as soon as possible.”
“I don’t mind helping you out. Tomorrow is my day off anyway, right?” he asked with a sly smile on his face. He was trying to make her laugh, and she appreciated it. Maybe he wasn't such bad company to have for the night.
“Yes, I guess you are right about that but don't think that means you can hang out all day and eat off my food and stuff,” she scolded him in a teasing way. “Really, though, thank you for this. In all honesty, my sister needs a break from all of this. I feel so guilty the way I always rely on her, but I don't want to become a burden on an employee either,” Evette admitted to him.
“It is no problem. Besides, it will give me time to convince you that I should be your apprentice,” he told her with a wink. Evette felt swoony as she watched him like that. The words of her sister Kathy came back to her for a minute as she noticed his good looks in her weakened state. He was hot, he was a hero, and he was nice. He had to have some kind of flaw, that, or he wasn't human at all. This guy could not be for real, and Evette got a strange feeling in her stomach as she stood up to get changed back into her clothes, Valen turning around to give her some privacy. Was it a bad idea to let him into her house and her life? She was not looking to make a mess with any more men, especially if she could become dependent on them with her illness. But he was just offering himself up like some Goth knight in shining black armor. She had to know more if nothing else. Where did he come from, and why did he want to help her?
The nurse came in with the discharge paperwork, and then Valen walked her back out to his car, or tank, as she liked to think of it. It was really too big for her taste and didn't fit him at all. It had to be just an A to B car or something. She tried not to laugh, watching him get behind the enormous wheel.
“So, to the store and then your house?” he asked, suddenly looking and sounding nervous. Now, Evette was laughing.
“We are both adults here you don’t have to be so nervous. We will have some herbal tea, probably pop in a movie, and then I will go to bed. That is that. Don’t get all weird about this, or I will have to call my sister and then fire you. Can’t face you at work if you make this a big deal.” Evette made sure there was some amusement in her voice. She knew sometimes she could sound bitter and harsh even if she was joking, and that was not a vibe she wanted to give off to someone who was trying to help her the best he could.
“Right,” he nodded with a silly smile. “Just tell me where I am going.”
Chapter Five
Evette came out of her room, wrapped in a blanket her mother had knitted for her years ago. When they had gotten there she had gone straight to the bath while she showed Valen around the kitchen. Looking at the coffee table, she could see that Valen had made them both some chamomile tea, and it was waiting or her, nice and warm. The television was on for noise, low volume, but nothing other than sitcom reruns were on the station. Maybe he wasn't a TV guy, but that was okay because she mostly wanted quiet and maybe some conversation. It would feel weird having him in her house, making
sure she was safe, if she knew nothing personal about him.
“So, how did you end up in Phoenix?” she asked him, starting to grill him as kindly as she could. When getting to know people she was probably more like an interviewer or something. That was what her ex-husband had told her when they first started dating. He had liked that about her though. He liked a lot of things about her that he decided were overbearing once they broke apart. She blamed herself but maybe, in hindsight, it was on him for not realizing he couldn't handle her before he took her hand in marriage.
“Is it that obvious that I’m not from here?” Valen asked, looking more like his calm self as he leaned back against her sofa while she was curled up in her recliner with her mug in her hand.
“Yes, I think it is, but how many of us were actually born here? Less than 50% probably,” she reassured him.
Valen nodded. “Yeah, I haven’t been here for that long. I was actually trying to find my home, if that makes any sense, and had tried small towns in the past. I was always an outcast, and they just didn't work well for me. I heard good things about Phoenix and how it’s a big city but still with wide open spaces nearby. I was hoping this would be home,” Valen answered.
“What do you think so far?” she asked.
Valen shrugged. “I don’t know if I have been here long enough to say for sure, but I think it works a little better than a small town. It is hard to get used to the crowd and the noise, but that also means fewer people to point their finger at me and say things.” Evette cocked her head at that. He had clearly experienced some adversity. He did look a little different, but in Phoenix everyone was different, that was the beauty of it.
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