“I think there’s something wrong with my ankle. It really hurts today.”
“Let me take a look.” Jessica lifted the blankets to look at her aunt’s ankle, which was elevated on a stack of pillows. She gently touched her aunt’s ankle, which was red and swollen and hot to the touch. “Oh, Ellen. I think it might be infected.”
“Well that figures. First I’m one of the few whose ankle injury requires surgery. Then of that group I’m one of the rare ones whose wound becomes infected. Maybe I should play the lottery. It seems I’m winning all the odds.”
Jessica smiled. “I’ll call the doctor. I’m sure he’ll want you to come right in.” She called the doctor’s office and left a message with his answering service. A short time later a nurse called back and when Jessica described her aunt’s ankle, the nurse suggested they go to the emergency room to have it looked at immediately as the surgeon was in surgery and wouldn’t be available to look at Ellen’s ankle until later that day.
Within an hour they were waiting to be called back to see the physician on duty. A short time later, when Ellen was taken to an exam room, Jessica went with her. It didn't’ take long for the physician to pronounce that the ankle was infected. “I’d like to check you in to the hospital and start an intravenous treatment,” the doctor said. “I think your recent bout with the flu must have weakened your immune system.”
Jessica stayed with her aunt as she was checked in and taken to her room. Once Ellen was settled, they inserted the IV and began the treatment.
“I’m rather tired, Jessica,” Ellen said. “Why don’t you go on home. I know you have work you need to do, and I’d like to sleep.”
“Are you sure? I could bring my laptop here and work.”
“I’ll sleep better if I’m not worrying about keeping you here.”
Jessica knew she really did need to focus on getting some work done, or her employer would find someone else to do the project. “Okay. I’ll go back to the house, but promise you’ll call me if you need me.”
Ellen smiled. “I promise.”
“Okay. I’ll be back later today.”
As Jessica drove home, she thought about how her aunt hadn’t been feeling well before she hurt her ankle, and was worried that her body might have trouble fighting off this new threat.
I’m sure the hospital will take good care of her, she thought as she turned up the drive to her aunt’s house. As she passed through the trees, the house came into view and Jessica felt her heart give a jolt when she saw Kyle’s truck parked out front and him sitting in the front seat. In all the excitement of getting her aunt to the hospital and then getting her settled, she’d completely forgotten that Kyle was coming to the house to begin work.
She parked her Honda and took a moment to gather herself before climbing out of her car. Kyle had gotten out of his truck and was standing next to it. Jessica walked toward him but stopped about ten feet away.
“Is everything okay?” he asked. “I got here a little while ago and no one was home.”
Keeping a safe distance, she said, “I had to take Ellen to the hospital. Her ankle is infected.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” He glanced toward Jessica’s car. “Are they keeping her there?”
“For now, yes.”
“Does she still want me to go ahead with the work or does she want me to wait until she’s home?”
If only, she thought. “She didn’t say anything about waiting.”
Kyle smiled and his eyes seemed to sparkle. “Then let me get my gear and I’ll get started.”
Irritated that his smile still had the ability to distract her, she frowned. “I’ll be working so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interrupt me unless it’s an emergency.”
“Sure thing, Jess,” he said, still smiling.
“I’d rather you didn’t call me that.”
When he didn’t respond, she walked past him and up the porch steps, then let herself into the house. After booting up her laptop, she tried to immerse herself in her programming project, but when Kyle walked in the house carrying his tools, she found herself looking toward the entry where he stood. Their eyes met and he smiled again.
“Don’t let me interrupt,” he said, then he went up the stairs.
Jessica turned back to her work, but every time she heard a tool being used, her attention was drawn to Kyle’s presence. She pictured him working, his brow furrowed in concentration, his spectacular eyes focused on his task, and found herself longing for the time when they were together and his focus was always on her. He’d always made her feel special, like no one and nothing else was as important as her.
Lost in her memories, at first she didn’t notice that the sounds had stopped. Suddenly she realized all was quiet and glanced around, expecting to see Kyle standing there. But she was alone. Pushing back from the desk, she walked to the window and looked out and saw Kyle getting something from his truck. He turned and walked back toward the house. Jessica scurried away from the window and into the kitchen where Kyle wouldn’t be able to see her.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered. Even so, she waited until it sounded like Kyle had gone upstairs before going back into the library. She picked up her laptop and brought it into the sunroom, then put in her earbuds and turned up the volume on her iPod before resuming her work. This time she was able to work steadily until late afternoon, when she decided Ellen would be ready for her to visit.
Removing her earbuds, Jessica shut down her laptop and stretched, then fixed herself something to eat. She wondered if she should say anything to Kyle before leaving and decided she probably should. Heading for the stairs, Jessica listened, but didn’t hear anything. She climbed the stairs and entered the master bedroom and didn’t see Kyle, then went into the bathroom. Though she could see he’d made some progress, he wasn’t there. She went to the window and looked down at the front yard and saw that Kyle’s truck was gone.
For some reason, it bothered her that he’d left without saying anything.
Typical, she thought. Just like when he ended our relationship. Why should I expect anything different now?
She left the bedroom and walked down the stairs, then went out to her car and headed toward the hospital.
~*~*~
“You’re sure it’s in the attic?” Jessica asked.
“Well, no. But if it’s not there, I don’t know where it is.”
“And you need it right away?”
“Well, I guess not, but I’d like to have it, if it’s not too much trouble.”
Jessica smiled. “Of course I’ll look for it, if it’s important to you.”
“Thank you, dear.” Ellen settled back on her pillows.
“Is there anything else I can get you or do for you?”
“How is the work in my bathroom coming along?” Ellen asked, a mischievous smile on her face.
Frowning, Jessica sighed. “Okay, I guess.”
“So, Kyle does good work?”
Jessica tried not to glare at her aunt. “It’s too early to tell. He’s only been working for one day.”
Ellen chuckled. “All right. I’ll stop pestering you about him.” Lifting her water from the bedside table, she sipped from the straw, then set the glass down. “I’m just looking forward to having a nice bathroom when I come home.”
“It’s going to take a little time for him to finish the job.” Jessica drew her eyebrows together. “How long do you think you’ll be in here, anyway?”
“The doctor says I might need to go to a nursing home while I recover.”
“A nursing home? Why can’t you come home and let me take care of you?”
“I asked him that very question and he said this infection is serious enough that he wants it monitored closely, and staying in the hospital for more than a few days is too expensive, so he said the next best option would be a nursing home. But it would only be temporary.”
“Oh, Ellen. I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t think it w
ill be so bad. I had a friend who had to do the same thing once, and she survived.”
Jessica saw through her aunt’s bravado. “Do you think it would help if I spoke to the doctor?”
“It certainly wouldn’t hurt, but I don’t know if it will make any difference. When he talked to me he seemed convinced that the nursing home was the best option.”
Jessica visited with her aunt for a while longer, then just before she was going to find the doctor, the man entered the room.
“Dr. Davis, this is my niece, Jessica Stevens.”
“Hello,” he said. “Your aunt told me you’re staying at her house.”
“Yes, I plan on being there for as long as she needs me.”
He nodded.
“Dr. Davis,” Jessica began. “Ellen tells me that you plan on sending her to a nursing home to recover. What do you think of the idea of having her come home where I can care for her instead?”
Dr. Davis glanced at Jessica, then looked at Ellen. “I know both of you are concerned, but let me reassure you that the skilled nursing facility where you will be, Ellen, is excellent. And keep in mind that the purpose of sending you there is more than just caring for the infection, but also to provide daily physical therapy.”
“How long will she need to be there?” Jessica asked.
Dr. Davis turned to Jessica. “I would expect her to be there for no more than two weeks.”
Hearing him explain it made Jessica feel a little better, and as she watched Ellen’s face, she thought Ellen seemed more comfortable with the idea as well. Once he left, Jessica visited with her aunt a while longer, then she said good-bye and left.
Going back to the empty house didn’t appeal to her, so Jessica decided to stop by a local restaurant to have dinner. As she drove down the main street, memories of her previous stays filled her mind and she realized that she and Kyle had eaten at every restaurant at least once. Sighing in resignation, Jessica pulled up to a Mexican place that had always been a favorite and went inside. They seated her in a booth near the back, which suited her fine. It had been a long and emotional day and all she wanted was to enjoy her meal and not have to think for a while.
She ordered a quesadilla and while she waited for the food to come, she munched on chips and salsa. When the server placed her meal in front of her, she felt her stomach rumble in anticipation. Focusing on eating, she didn’t pay attention to the people who entered the restaurant, but when she heard a familiar voice, her eyes shifted from her plate to the front of the restaurant where a good-looking couple waited to be seated.
Lowering her head and placing her hand against her forehead to shield her face from view, Jessica surreptitiously watched as Kyle and a gorgeous blond woman chatted and laughed. After a moment the couple was led to a table in the middle of the room. Jessica willed herself to be invisible as Kyle and the woman walked to their table and sat. When Kyle took his seat, his back was to Jessica, and she released her held breath in relief.
Trying not to be obvious, Jessica studied the woman sitting across from Kyle. She appeared to be about Jessica’s age and her blond hair looked natural. She had a dazzling smile, with perfectly straight white teeth and when she smiled her entire face lit up. The blouse and slacks she wore showed off her shapely figure. Jessica wondered if the woman was a model, but then imagined she was probably beautiful and smart and was probably a successful businesswoman.
Picking at her quesadilla, Jessica suddenly had no appetite. Here she sat, pathetically all alone, eating her dinner, while the man she had once been planning to marry sat nearby with a spectacular looking woman, having a great time. Jessica wondered if this was the woman Kyle had been talking to on his cell phone the other day.
As she watched them interact, she felt like someone was using a spoon to scoop out pieces of her heart.
“How is your meal, miss?”
Jessica looked up at her server, but stared at him, trying to understand what he was asking. After a moment she said, “It’s fine.”
“Can I get you anything else?”
“No. Thank you.”
He walked away and suddenly Jessica wanted nothing more than to escape the restaurant and the awful feelings she was having. The only problem was, how could she leave without walking right past Kyle? The last thing she wanted was for him to see her there, all alone, and feel sorry for her. It would be humiliating.
Chapter Ten
Jessica sipped her water as she thought about how to leave without Kyle noticing her.
It might not be too hard, she thought as she observed Kyle and the woman. Kyle seemed to have eyes only for her. He probably wouldn’t notice me unless I walked up to his table and tapped him on the shoulder.
Scowling at the thought, Jessica pushed her plate away.
“Would you like a box, miss?”
Jessica looked at the server and realized she couldn’t hide there forever. “No, but I’m ready for the check.”
“Would you care for any dessert?”
“Oh, uh, yes.” Jessica smiled, realizing that having dessert would give her a reason to stay in the booth a little longer.
The server handed her a menu. “Would you like a minute to decide?”
“Yes, thank you.” Jessica watched the server walk away, and then glanced at the choices before turning her attention back to Kyle and his date.
I wonder how long they’ve been dating. How important is she to him? Then a thought came to her that made her inhale sharply. What if she is his fiancée?
Hot tears filled her eyes and Kyle and his date blurred. Picking up a napkin, she dabbed at the tears clouding her vision
“Have you decided, miss?”
Barely holding herself together, Jessica stared at the dessert menu as she spoke. “The chocolate flan.” Scarcely glancing at the server, she handed him the menu.
“I will have that out to you shortly.”
Jessica nodded, but didn’t speak. The moment the server walked away, she scrutinized Kyle and the woman more closely. Each time they gazed into each other’s eyes, Jessica cringed. When Kyle took the woman’s left hand, Jessica strained to see if a ring adorned her ring finger, but she couldn’t see clearly.
The server materialized next to her table and set the cold dessert in front of her.
“Thank you,” Jessica said, giving him a smile this time.
“You are welcome.”
As he walked away, Jessica saw that the blond woman was approaching her table. Alarmed, Jessica turned her attention to her food. Using her peripheral vision, she watched as the woman walked past, never acknowledging Jessica’s presence.
She must be going to the restroom, she realized, feeling foolish for having thought the woman was coming to her table.
Lifting her gaze to Kyle’s table, Jessica saw he was still sitting and eating his meal.
What if he needs to use the restroom? Jessica thought. There’s no way he wouldn’t see me. If he knows I don’t have someone as crazy about me as he seems to be for his date, will he feel sorry for me? The idea made her head pound; she couldn’t abide the thought of him knowing she was alone. Even though she had just broken up with Alex, that didn’t change the fact that she was single now. Yet there he was, perfectly happy with another woman. His life had gone on just fine without her.
Desperate now to leave the restaurant without him seeing her, she frantically looked around for a solution. When she saw her server, she motioned him over.
“Yes, miss?”
“This is going to sound strange, but do you have a back door I can leave through?”
His eyebrows drew together. “It is for employees only.”
Jessica nodded. “I know, but this is kind of an emergency.”
Looking uncertain, the server hesitated. “I don’t know . . .”
Jessica bit the inside of her lip, then reached for her purse. “How much is the bill?”
The server pulled his notepad out of a pocket and told her the amount.
&nbs
p; Lifting her wallet from her purse, Jessica grabbed triple the amount and held it out to him. “Please.”
Taking the money from her hand, he glanced around. “This way please.”
“Thank you.” Pure relief filled her voice. She followed him as he walked toward the bathrooms. Just as they passed the door to the Ladies room, the blond woman walked out and ran into Jessica.
The woman flashed her perfect smile at Jessica. “I’m so sorry.”
“That’s okay,” Jessica mumbled, noticing the musky scent of the woman’s perfume. She continued following the server and a moment later they walked through a door marked Employees Only.
A few steps in, the server stopped and pointed toward another door. “That door leads to the alley. You can leave through there.”
The other employees stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Ignoring them, she smiled at the man who had been her server and was now her lifesaver. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
He nodded. “Have a good evening.”
Jessica nodded in return, then turned and hurried toward the rear door, pushing it open. Cool evening air washed over her and she inhaled deeply, feeling liberated from the trap she had found herself in. Glancing to the left and then the right, she could see the street where she had parked and headed in that direction. As she approached the end of the building, she paused and glanced around the corner of the building to make sure Kyle and his date weren’t coming out. Seeing the coast was clear, Jessica hustled over to her car and quickly got in.
Exhaling in relief that she’d made it without being seen, she turned on the engine and drove away. Once home, she found she was exhausted from the events of the day and went to bed a short time later. As she tried to fall asleep, she worried about how she was going to face Kyle the next morning when he came to work on the house. Though she was certain he had no idea she’d seen him with someone whom he appeared to care about, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hide her distress over seeing him with another woman.
“Why do I even care?” She said aloud.
At the sound of her voice, Hudson, who was curled up next to her, began to purr. Jessica rolled onto her side and propped herself up on one elbow while rubbing Hudson’s soft fur with her free hand. She felt comforted by her cat’s presence.
Over You Page 6