by Ruby Cruz
After I rejoined the others in the bar, I nursed my wine. Kate and Mary obliviously continued their conversation about the day’s events at the hospital and more than ever I acutely missed Luke. I promised myself to call him after I got home.
After a half-hearted attempt to finish my wine, I made the excuse of being tired and headed home.
~
When Hal called me back, I could barely hear him over the wailing in the background. “I guess Mom heard about Lydia,” I greeted.
“How long have you known about this?” Hal’s tone was the most concerned I’d ever heard from him.
“She told me last night and I called you right after.”
“Your ma’s upset that my daughter’s getting married before hers.”
“Obviously. Did you know she was dating George?”
“No, though her ma mentioned something about a boyfriend. Didn’t know who it was.”
“Hal, you can’t let her marry him. I know him and…he’s not a good guy.”
“You know Lydia. I’m her dad but she stopped listening to me the minute I divorced her ma. And I haven’t even met the guy – how’m I supposed to convince her not to marry a guy I never met?”
“Trust me, Hal, you don’t want Lydia anywhere near this guy. I’ll talk to Carol, maybe she’ll be able to talk to Lydia.”
“I doubt it. Carol’s even more excited than Lydia is. She already called me asking how much I’m willing to pay for the wedding.”
This was a disaster. “Okay. I’ll try to talk to Lydia again. And if you do meet George, don’t get sucked in by him. He pretends he’s all friendly and charming but he’s a manipulative dirtbag.” When Hal became quiet on the other end, I knew I’d finally gotten his attention. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
When I told Luke what had happened, he was sympathetic for Hal. “Poor guy. How’d he get stuck with having such idiots for family?”
“Hey,” I protested.
“You know I don’t mean you. Did Lydia say when they’re going to get married?”
“No, but then again she didn’t really stick around long enough to talk about details. This is such a mess. If I’d only told everyone what George was like, this never would’ve happened.”
“You thought he’d gone. There was no way you could’ve predicted this.”
“I know. I can’t help but wonder, though, why Lydia? It’s not like she’s super-rich or anything.”
“Maybe he really likes her, though Lord knows why,” he scoffed.
“As far as I know, they haven’t been dating more than six months.”
“You know what I think? I think he’s still trying to get back at Darcy.”
“How? Darcy’s not exactly Lydia’s biggest fan.”
“No, but Lydia is your stepsister. George knows that by hurting you, he’s probably hurting Darcy.”
“But all that happened months ago. George can’t possibly think that Darcy still has a thing for me.”
“Whatever the reasoning, I think George does and that’s why he’s targeted Lydia.”
I let Luke’s words penetrate, tried to make sense of everything but failed. “God, what a mess. What should I do?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s anything to do. Lydia’s old enough to be making her own decisions, as stupid as they are. You’ve warned her about George, you’ve warned Hal. I think you just have to let things lie for now. Just be ready to duck for whenever George throws the shit to the fan.”
Jane entered the living room where I’d been lounging on the couch while talking to Luke. I saw the look on her face so I said, “Okay, Luke. I’ve gotta go.”
“Everything ok?”
“I don’t think so. I’ll call you later.” I disconnected the call, then asked Jane, “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Lizzy, Mom just called. It’s about Aunt Jo.”
“Aunt Jo? What happened? What’s wrong?”
“She’s in the hospital.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Lifestyle Changes
The next few hours were a whirlwind of shifting schedules, packing, and hurried phone conversations with Mom and Hal. Because Mom was a wreck lamenting the impending nuptials for her step-daughter (an event that apparently took greater precedence over her sister’s near-death), they entrusted me with visiting Aunt Jo.
When I arrived at the front desk of the hospital and inquired about her, I was directed to a bank of elevators that took me to the fourth floor. The hospital was much larger than Meryton Medical Center and I made a half-hearted attempt to memorize my path from the entrance so I’d be able to find my way back later. When I finally gained entrance to the CCU, I walked past several rooms before finding my aunt. She was sleeping, or at least she appeared to be sleeping. Normally hale and sturdy looking, she had a sallow pallor to her skin that concerned me. Not wanting to wake her if she really was sleeping, I placed my purse quietly on the chair and sat. She must have heard me rustling about because she immediately opened her eyes and focused on me. “Lizzy, I told you not to bother about seeing me. I’m fine.”
I approached the bed and grabbed my aunt’s hand. “You’re not fine, Aunt Jo. You had a heart attack. You just had two stents put in your heart.”
“More reason for you to go home and let me rest in peace. I told your mother not to bother you with this nonsense.” She stubbornly waved me away and I stood lamely at her bedside.
“My mother told me because she knew I’d want to know. And I’m here because I want to make sure you’re getting the very best care possible.”
“Don’t you worry about that. My doctor has been on top of things since I got here. None of that nonsense I usually get. Unless you want to talk with him yourself if you don’t trust me.” Her belligerent expression told me what her feelings would be if I actually followed through with that suggestion.
I did want to talk to the doctor regarding her prognosis and plan of care but I didn’t want to make her feel stupid or inadequate. “Has the doctor done rounds yet today?”
“Nope, though it seems like everyone and their mother has been here to poke and prod at me. I ain’t got no blood left with all those needles they keep sticking in me.”
As I listened to her complaints, I nonchalantly checked the tracings on the cardiorespiratory monitor on the wall and noted that her vital signs were stable.
“Any more chest pain?” I asked.
“Not since they wheeled me back on the stretcher and put me in this bed. Don’t you go doing one of your nursing exams on me. I know exactly what you’re doing, Elizabeth Ann Bennett. If you’re going to be here, just be here. Don’t be playing at work, got it?”
“I’m just worried about you. You gave me and Mom a scare.”
“Yeah, well, if my sister was really scared, she’d be here, wouldn’t she? Where is she, by the way? Off scheming to get you married again?”
I shook my head. “She wasn’t feeling well. You know how she gets with those palpitations.”
She sniffed. “At least your sister had the sense to stay home instead of dragging her poor daughter here with her.”
“Jane wanted to be here, also.”
“Yes, well, can’t say as I’m too disappointed your mother isn’t here. She would’ve given me another heart attack with all that carrying on she usually does.”
“I won’t argue with you about that. Mom and hospitals don’t mix.” Come to think of it, my aunt didn’t do too well with hospitals either. “Oh, I almost forgot.” I reached into my bag and extracted the gift I’d picked up for Aunt Jo. “To keep you company until you get home.”
“Now, what in God’s name am I supposed to do with this?” she demanded grumpily, but she held the stuffed cat like a baby and started to pet the fur. She became quiet and that’s how I knew how scared she really was. All the complaints and anger were just bluster. “Jasper is all by himself at home. He had enough food for last night but
he’ll need feeding.”
“I’ll take care of him, don’t worry.”
“And my plants will need watering.”
“Done. I’ll get your house keys now.” I spotted her monstrosity of a purse by the window and began to rifle through it for her keys.
“How long are you in town for?”
“I have the next couple of days off and I can call out sick if you need me to stay longer. Jane said she’d ask Mom or our friend Kate to watch Chloe if I couldn’t be back in time for her next shift.”
“Well, if you insist on staying, I suppose you’ll have to stay at my place. Don’t be surprised if Jasper tries to mark his territory. He doesn’t like strangers messing around the place.”
“I’m sure we’ll get along fine. Jasper has only hissed at me once and he actually let me pet him the last time I visited. We’re old pals.”
After she detailed all the chores she wanted me to do at her house, she then began to recite a list of items she wanted me to bring back to her when I returned to the hospital. “Aunt Jo, I’m sure you’re only going to be here a couple of days. I really don’t think you need your curling iron,” I protested as the items in her list would probably fill a small moving van.
“Is this how you treat your other patients? Just because I’m in the hospital doesn’t mean I have to look like a hobo. When I leave here, I want to look presentable, not like I just stepped out of one of those horror movies you like to watch.”
As I sighed inwardly, there was a knock on the door. “Mrs. Gardiner? How are you feeling?”
My stomach dropped. The feeling was mirrored in the visitor’s eyes. Darcy. William Darcy was here and he was apparently my aunt’s doctor.
~
“Lizzy.” Darcy seemed as disconcerted as I was. “What are you, I mean, this is a surprise.”
My aunt’s eyes flitted between us interestedly. “You two know each other?”
I found my voice. “We work together at my hospital.” I turned towards Darcy, if only to avoid meeting my aunt’s eyes. “I didn’t know you had privileges here.”
“Yes. Here and Meryton.” I had a vague recollection of his sister attending a college nearby. Darcy ran a hand through his hair. I’d never seen him so disconcerted, not even when he’d botched the time he’d told me he was in love with me. He cleared his throat and addressed Aunt Jo. “How’s my favorite patient?” He flashed a rare smile at her.
To my surprise, she smiled back and I could detect a hint of a blush on her pale cheeks. “I was just telling my niece here that I feel fine, no chest pain, no shortness of breath, none of that nonsense that brought me in here in the first place. So when the hell can I get out of here?”
“All in due time, Mrs. Gardiner. I don’t see any reason why we can’t transfer you out of the CCU and to the regular cardiac unit.” My aunt began to protest at the additional length of stay but Darcy added, “Please hear me out. Your heart’s been weakened quite a bit and I want to make sure you’re observed at least one more night before I cut you loose. Also, I’d like to arrange for cardiac rehab for you. You’re an excellent candidate for it and it’ll help you recover and get back to your previous lifestyle.”
“I hope you’re not including smoking in that previous lifestyle,” I said pointedly to Aunt Jo.
She sniffed again and lifted the arm of her hospital gown to reveal the nicotine patch placed there. “I hate these infernal things but I don’t want another heart attack either. Worst pain of my life. Your Dr. Darcy explained that to me fully yesterday after he fixed me up, stop smoking, watch my diabetes, exercise more, blah blah blah. I hope that rehab place of yours isn’t going to have me running on a treadmill or anything stupid like that.”
“It does have treadmills, but the place I’m recommending to you has extensive trails and paths for you to walk.”
“Sounds expensive,” she said dubiously. I had to agree with her. No other cardiopulmonary rehab center I knew had extensive grounds.
“I have an agreement with the owner.” Darcy winked at my aunt. “In fact, if all goes well with your blood work and EKG tomorrow, I can meet you there tomorrow afternoon after you’re discharged.” He glanced up at me. “That is, if Lizzy will be able to drive you, of course.”
I blinked in surprise. It was one thing for Darcy to recommend an exclusive rehab center to my aunt, but to escort us there personally? This seemed a bit much. Aunt Jo ignored my hesitation when she began to protest, “I’m perfectly fine to drive myself.” After arguing with my aunt about whether or not she could drive herself around for the next week, she dismissed Darcy and me. “Since I’m such an invalid, maybe you both should leave so I can get the rest I need.”
I followed Darcy out of the room and shut the curtain behind me. He approached the nurse’s station to retrieve Aunt Jo’s chart. Taking a steadying breath, I stepped towards him and touched his arm. His eyes were neutral but guarded. “I’m so sorry to surprise you like this. Obviously I didn’t know you were her doctor.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I can see where you get your spirit from.” His expression remained neutral but a twinkle emerged in his eyes.
“I’m not sure if that’s meant as a compliment or not.” When he didn’t respond, I said. “Seriously, though, she’s okay? All that talk about getting her out of here and starting rehab wasn’t just a bunch of bullshit?”
“I’m sorry, Lizzy, you’re not listed as her next-of-kin. You know I can’t discuss this openly without her present.”
“I know.”
A beat passed and he sighed. “Look, what I can tell you is that I wouldn’t be discharging her tomorrow if it wasn’t safe for me to do so. I think you’ve worked with me long enough to know that.”
“Yes, I know.” Another beat. I blew out a breath. “Thank you, Dr. Darcy, for taking care of her. Ever since my uncle died and with my mom…preoccupied all the time, she’s basically just had me and Jane to check on her.”
“I’m just her doctor.”
“Yes, but she likes you. Normally, she’d just ignore whatever advice her doctor was giving her, hence the smoking and the uncontrolled diabetes.” I narrowed my eyes. “How long have you been her cardiologist anyway? She’s never mentioned you and I get the feeling she would have.”
“Just since last night. Dr. Yoon is on vacation and I happened to be the one filling in.” He reached for his wallet and extracted a card. “This is the place I’m recommending to your aunt for rehab. I think she’ll like it much better than some of the other places I send my patients to. It’s very exclusive so I don’t recommend it to many people, but I think she’ll do well there.”
“I don’t know if my aunt’s insurance will cover it.”
“Like I said, I know the owner, so don’t worry about the cost, it’ll be covered. So, I’ll see you tomorrow here? I usually do my rounds this time of day.”
“I’ll be here.”
~
After I left the hospital, I headed to Aunt Jo’s townhouse. When Uncle Jim, at the age of fifty-eight, died three years ago of a massive stroke, I would have thought Aunt Jo would have learned about the dangers of smoking and uncontrolled diabetes. Instead, she became reclusive, living off the life insurance payout, staying home most days with her cat and online shopping.
When I arrived at Aunt Jo’s place, I dealt with the cat (who summarily hissed at me as soon as I walked in the door), set out fresh food and water for him, cleaned his litter box, and picked up his cat toys. I knew better than to try and sort through the piles of mail and papers littering the kitchen counter, though I did throw away many of the old newspapers gathering dust. I tidied up what I could, ran the vacuum, and was just about to tackle the bathroom when Jasper hissed at me from the bathroom door. Leaving him to do his business in the litter box, I decided to clean out the fridge instead and regretted the decision almost immediately. I couldn’t believe the types of junk in the fridge: moldy cheese, sour milk, old pizza a
nd Chinese food, numerous containers of sugar-laden soda and juice. Nothing even resembling fresh produce. Her freezer wasn’t much better. I was surprised Aunt Jo hadn’t been found in a diabetic coma.
I made a list of groceries to buy for Aunt Jo before returning to the hospital the next day. I checked the anemic houseplants clustered around her living room window. The soil was moist but the plants looked so sad I hunted around for fertilizer. Not finding any, I added that to my list of groceries. I cleaned the litter box again, and, after Jasper finally vacated the premises, I made a passable attempt to clean the bathroom before deciding that the stains in the tub would never come out. Because the efforts of my afternoon left me feeling grungy, I showered in the newly clean tub, then set out to the grocery store to replenish Aunt Jo’s nearly bare pantry. Whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, some sugar-free snacks and drinks. Aunt Jo will probably kill me for doing this, I thought, but it’s for her own health.
After putting away the groceries and fertilizing the houseplants, I lit some candles to alleviate the smell of cat that seemed to have permanently seeped into every crevice of the apartment. I then checked the list of items Aunt Jo had requested me to bring. I smiled to myself when I saw the listing for her curling iron. After remembering her blush at Darcy, I understood why she’d insisted on the item.
After packing a tote with Aunt Jo’s requested items, I made the trip back to the hospital. She was in slightly better spirits now that she had some of her personal items at hand. I helped her arrange her hair and get cleaned up (“There’s no way I’m letting some stranger help me wash!” she’d exclaimed), then she sampled some of the diabetic snacks I’d brought with me.
“They’ve got me on this carb counting nonsense. I can’t make heads or tails of it.” She showed me a sheet the diabetic educator had left for her and I went about explaining how to calculate insulin dosage on the amount of carbohydrates ingested. Aunt Jo became frustrated after about two minutes, so I did the calculations for her snack and made a mental note to try and devise a chart for her to use until she fully understood the process.