by Leen Elle
Turning his palm upward he gripped her fingers tightly. After a few seconds he released her hand returned to his meal. Taking a bite he swallowed and blinked. Looking down at the plate he murmured in a tone of awe, "This isn't half bad."
The doors swished open cheerfully as she entered the dementia unit the next day. After guiding Mrs. Mallon away from the entrance and depositing the woman with her husband, another patient, Promise checked in at the nurses' station to catch up on anything she may have missed in her small absence. Three yellow paper post its caught her eye. The one attached to the computer read: "keyboard not found, press any key and call the Tom…again." Promise sighed until Tom, their maintenance man, could be reached all paper work would have to be on paper once again.
Plucking the yellow flag from the critical messages board they kept on the nurses' station Promise read: "Mr. Donaldson has taken a turn for the worst. Family unreachable. Call again when shift begins". After reaching Mrs. Harlem, the patient's daughter, Promise moved onto the third and final note stuck to Mrs. Helen's file. "Refused to take all medications." Wonderful.
After settling down at the desk Promise shuffled several papers about until it was time to serve evening meal. As she rose to head down the hall, Mrs. Harlem entered the unit.
"Is my father able to take visitors? The rest of the family is one the way. How bad is he?"
Looking into her doleful, brown eyes Promise was forced to say, "It's not looking good but as of now he's stable enough he can remain here. If there are any family members you haven't contacted, however, I can let you use our phone."
"No, no I've contacted everyone. Are you the one I talked to on the phone? Your voice sounded so serious I thought it best to call everyone right up."
Nodding Promise told her she could go see her father and to ring if anything should happen. Promise was half way down the hall when Mrs. Harlem, who had headed to see her father, exploded out of his room.
"Nurse Genson, he's not breathing!"
After the ambulance had carried away a briefly revived Mr. Donaldson, Promise wrote up the paperwork and proceeded down to the lunchroom to see if any stranglers remained. The meal appeared finished but a few lone residents remained spattered about the room, talking amongst themselves or watching the small television provided. Things were calm once again.
At the end of her shift, Promise found herself at the desk once more filling out a final slip of paper before she could go home. As she reached for the patient's file a small light flickered in the alert system by the station. The room number was highly familiar. As Promise rose to make her way down the hall an aid popped her head out of room 211.
"Promise, it's Mrs. Helen. She's having a seizure."
So today was the day, Selah thought nervously as she filled the orders that came to where she worked over the heated stove. At twelve sharp she was suppose to meet Eden over a cup of iced coffee at the bar style counter she served all the quick meals on. It was close to where she would be exiting the kitchen. She could ditch her apron on the hook by the door and waitress Eden when he came. He already knew she worked here after all. What was the horror in having him see her serving her customers? As noon drew nearer and nearer Selah became fidgety and clumsy. Steward, who was supposed to take over for her until eleven forty-five, stepped in so she wouldn't hurt herself, as he put it. When she exited the kitchen Michael was walking into the café. Finding his normal seat he sat down on the one of the raised stools at the nearby counter.
"Your usual?" she asked without thinking; he nodded. "How's business today?" he questioned causally.
"The morning had been kind of slow but things will pick up tonight. Friday and Saturday night are always my best. Sunday afternoon normally isn't too bad either." She was babbling she realized. She couldn't help it. She was so nervous about meeting Eden she couldn't keep her mouth shut. She talked when she was nervous and having Michael here wasn't helping. Eden had told her to come alone had he not? Was there a polite way to get Michael to leave? She didn't want Eden to misunderstand. After she set his sandwich down in front of him she tried to be discreet about looking around the small dinning area of the Daisy. Eden hadn't told her what he looked like. He was probably ugly. No one was that sweet and caring and handsome too. It would defy the laws of nature.
"Looking for someone?" Michael queried. "
Well yes but I don't see him." Not that she really would have known if she had seen him in this crowd. There had to be four possible candidates in here; however, none of them look the way she would have imagined Eden to appear. She hoped he wasn't that old man in the corner. How depressing would that be?
"What does he look like?"
"I'm… not sure…"
"Not sure?"
"Well yeah. You see I… never mind," she murmured as the bell jingled above the door and a young man of her age entered. He could possibly fit the mold she conceived of Eden. As she watched him step further into the café she held her breath to see if he would come here way.
"Heaven," Selah cocked her head and blinked. Only Eden would know her by that alias but he was still halfway across the room, talking to some blonde now. The voice that she heard however was coming from beside her. Had Eden snuck up beside her unnoticed? It was possible she supposed but… The voice was strange and familiar. It sounded like…Michael? But that couldn't be right… could it? "Heaven?" She turned around to face Eden.
When Colin got home that evening he shucked his work shoes off and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Today had been… a day. People died every second but today it seemed everyone of them had ended up in his morgue. There was the teenage girl who had crossed the street without looking both ways, a murder victim so gruesomely disfigured his death-numb stomach roiled, a tiny child that hadn't even drawn a single breath, and his mother which would draw no more. There was another body coming in as his shift ended, an elderly man who had died of… What had it been diagnosed as? Ah yes, myocardial infarction, the common heart attack.
"Don't say a word," he muttered to the man on the couch as he slipped past his roommate into the kitchen. Wrenching the refrigerator open he scrutinized its contents. Nothing. Growling he flung it closed then leaned against its cool surface. As he fumed about his roommate's lack of competency and his own bad fortune he saw a small red light flashing below where the phone was anchored to the wall. "Have you checked the messages lately, Sean?"
"We got messages?" Restraining the urge to say something he'd regret, Colin pressed the small, illuminated button.
"Colin, this is Promise…" Colin fairly saw Sean's pointy little ears jump to attention when Promise spoke. Colin considered stopping the message and replaying it later when there wasn't an audience to overhear but there was something in her voice… "I have some bad news." He heard her slow intake of breath then its anguished release. When she spoke again there was a deep sorrow in her voice. "Mrs. Helen has had a seizure. I'm afraid she injured herself before it was brought under control and won't be up to visitors tomorrow. I…" Her voice ceased then after a small pause her voice followed, quieter than before.
"We're all hopeful for a full and speedy recovery. She's a fighter, so there's not need to worry." Her voice ended on a hitch. She sounded to be assuring herself.
"I would much rather have told you this myself but you didn't pick up. You must have had a long night too. I'm off tomorrow. Maybe we can get together and… talk," her voice finished lamely. "I have to go before Alex chews my good slippers to bits begging for her meal. See to you soon."
"Wow," Sean marveled from where he sat half turned about on the couch, "that's harsh."
"It's life, Sean; welcome to it."
"Don't start taking your bad day out on me, Minstrom." Turning back around, Sean began flicking through the channels, no doubt searching for something good to watch. "Call your lady friend if you need to talk to someone. You'll only talk at me and I don't appreciate it." Lifting the phone from its cradle he looking at it in a ponder some manner
.
"Maybe I will." Promise did seem rather distraught in her message. Perhaps she might not mind talking for a bit. There was only half an hour to midnight but she would probably still be putting around, especially if she was thinking about Mrs. Helen.
When the phone rang Promise's eyes darted instinctively to the clock. Her mind questioned who would be calling at this hour. There was only one name that came to mind; a small smile brightened her features. Removing the phone from its port she said into the mouthpiece, "hello, Colin."
"Hello, Prick," his voice responded, matching her tone, "I just called to see how you were doing. You sounded a bit… upset in the message you left."
"I know I also complain about her but I really would be just heart broken if something happened to Mrs. Helen. She's no sweetheart but she's got her charm."
"I was actually looking forward to seeing her this weekend," he admitted quietly.
"If I know Mrs. Helen she won't say down long. It was only a broken arm; she'll be more impatient with it than anything else." Colin chuckled, a great relief lifting from his shoulders.
"I'm glad to hear her pride was more wounded than her body."
"As was I," Promise agreed softly. The faint sound of a television laughed in the background as Promise thought of what to say next.
After clearing his throat she heard Colin asked timidly, "Are you doing anything tomorrow?"
"I told you I wasn't."
"Well, yes… May I take you out to a movie? Sounds to me like we could both use a good laugh."
"Did you have a certain title in mind?"
"Haven't had much time to pay attention to the new releases. How about you?"
"No, not particularly," Promise admitted.
"Great then I'll pick you up at 2 o'clock and we'll pick a movie when we arrive."
Promise chuckled again, "sounds wonderful."
When they got to the movie theater no intriguing comedies were playing. However, the newest horror that had been released caught his eye. After a small fight Promise had agreed to watch it with him, providing they could leave if she became overly frightened. When the previews ceased and the opening scenes rolled she inched closer to him as a haunting tune began to fog over the theater.
She leaned closer to the screen as the people talked back and forth, laughing quietly with them at their own paranoia. When the dark shadow loomed behind them she sank down beside him, her eyes wide.
"We can leave if you want." Her scream echoed with the girls on screen, slightly preceding its twin in the poor light confines of the viewing area.
"Don't scare me like that!" she chastised him aloud and breathless.
"This has obviously scared you."
"I won't have screamed if you hadn't spoken at that moment," she defended, her tone almost without unsteady.
"As you wish," he murmured hearing the sounds of agitated shushing behind him.
By the end of the movie he was the half of the pair with their eyes still on the screen. As blood spattered 'the end' across the screen and the actresses shill cry was cut short, he gently nudged her head with his shoulder.
They gathered their things in silence and exited the theater, Promise hugging her empty popcorn container to her. He paused by a trash can and inclined his head towards it momentarily.
"If you would like to throw that away," he said more trying to break the spell of shock she seemed to be in than to actually dispose of debris itself. Shaking her head Promise threw her bucket away and sipped the last of her drink, disposing of that too.
"I have remembered why I never watch horror films," she stated plainly as they began walking again.
"I know we just ate all those concessions but are you feeling up to perhaps a small dinner at the nearby café? I can never remember its name."
"How can you still be hungry?" Colin shrugged. "I'm not particularly hungry but I won't mind just sitting for a bit."
"So much for getting that laugh we needed," he mused aloud as he walked slightly ahead.
"Colin, Be careful you'll…" Stumbling over the edge of the sidewalk he managed to catch himself on a tree. He clung to it a moment, gathering his bearings, as a car swooshed by.
"First steps a dozy," he called back off handedly; Promise giggled.
"Eden?" she tested when confront by Michael's timid features.
"Before you say anything, Selah, let me…"
"You're Eden!" she exploded in a tone lacking quiet. Between the two of them she murmured, "This isn't happening."
"It is," he assured her quietly. So this wasn't a dream. "Now if you'll let me…"
"No, no, no, no... This is all wrong."
"Selah, please listen to me." Shaking her head she turned to walk away. She had been ready to fall into a stranger's arms to be comforted but Michael was no stranger. Thinking about everything she'd told him, everything he'd let her believe… Gently his lengthy fingers circled about her arm. Michael remained silent a moment, his head hung then suggested, "Perhaps we should move to a more private location to continue discussing this mater."
Her mind whirled and her body struggled not to sway. The one stronghold she thought she possessed was crumbling. As Michael reached out to her she withdrew and forced herself pull it together. She was strong enough to handle this on her own. She'd just talked to Eden because he was there. But…
Talking to Eden felt like talking to a long lost friend, someone who truly knew everything that was going with her… Because he did, she reminded herself fiercely. He wasn't sensitive and intelligent he was sneaky and shifty and...And…. She felt betrayed. Anger sizzled below the surface again. At first she'd been surprised but now she was feeling vengeful. How dare he?
"I knew you were protective of me but this is ridiculous. You've stepped over the bounds of protective, Michael. What made you think you had the right to stalk me like that?"
"I wasn't stalking you, Selah. I knew you were upset and you weren't talking to us. You really seemed to need someone to talk to. I saw no harm in it at the time. I didn't mean to upset you farther."
"But you did." He remained silent and once she had released herself from his hold she stood taller. "I am leaving now," she announced. "Don't call me."
When Selah had stalked off Michael sighed and slumped on his stool. The encounter could have gone better, not that he really expected it to. As he went to rise of his stool he heard an amused voice behind him.
"I told you it was dangerous," Dante informed him smugly. Michael clasped his fist up against his side. He was just in the mood to use it but, counting to ten decided against it. Letting his fist fall apart he returned barb for barb.
"She wasn't too happy when I told her about Stars fishing for answers from Eden either."
Peering into the depths of her cupboard, Promise squinted. Her cupboards were full, full of empty space. Sighing, she quietly shut the cabinet door and turned her eyes to meet Alex's pleading ones.
"Sorry girl, all out I'm afraid." Alex mewed again but Promise shook her head. "I've checked everywhere, Alexa. You'll just have to wait until I can get out to the store. You have dry food you'll survive." The look Alex gave her said she believed otherwise. "No dessert tonight. I'll run out to the store tomorrow."
Pushing her cart ahead of her Promise scanned the aisles beside. Soups, sauces, and spices lined the walls about her but none caught her attention. Her mind wandered, as if often did when faced with the mindless drone of shopping, while her fingers absently placed the needed items in her cart.
Hearing a child's sudden chortle she turned her head towards it. A moment later her cart came up against a sudden stop. She drew back and gathered herself as the woman stared, strangely not at her but at the child. In fact it seemed the small tap had gone completely unnoticed. Promise studied the woman's features and recognition dawned.
As she was about to speak the slightly older woman turned abruptly, running at her full speed into Promise's cart. As promise recovered form the small jolt she saw two sma
ll slips of paper float to the ground. Mumbling an apology the woman stooped to retrieve it.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to… I don't know where my mind was…"
When her eyes locked with Promise's guarded gaze, Shannon stiffened. They stared at one another several moments before Shannon began looking about. Her eyes fell settled on a red carrying basket among the shelved groceries; she quickly scoped it up.
As she turned to leave Promise noticed another paper on the ground. Bending to pick it up she realized, to her surprise, it was a picture. She fingered the caption as she called out to Shannon's retreating back.
"Is this yours?"
Shannon turned about and, seeing the picture in Promise's fingers, hurried to retrieve it.
"Y-yes, thank you." She hurried away.
After putting away all her cold supplies, Promise sank down into a chair at her table. The fact she was surrounded by a task to be accomplished escaped her. The date was running endless circles around her troubled mind. 19??. Pressing her palms to her temples, Promise tried not to think of the implications. 19??. Aidan may have been a two woman man but Shannon had always been a one man woman. The rumors swirled in her fogged mind again.
She was sitting in the girls locker room her senior year again, waiting for a shower to open up. Gym had just ended and all around her voices chattered about the latest gossip.
"Did you hear the latest bet Simons made with Jimmy?"
"You mean the one about Aidan and Promise?"
"No, I mean the one about Aidan, Promise, and Shannon."
"What's she got to do with them?"
"You're so out of the loop, Sandra," Kay Weller, the main gossip, put in. Then she added, "She has everything to do with them."
"Yeah, Sandra, everyone knows Aidan's playing them both, trying to see which one will succumb to his charm first."
"I hear Simons lost the bet already."
"How!"
"He bet that little prude would fold first once she got that ring…"