by BL Miller
The drive from Albany to Loudonville where Ronnie's home was located normally took less than fifteen minutes. The black-haired woman gave the ambulance driver a warning that he was not on a life or death call, and he had better do his best to avoid hitting any potholes on his way out of Albany, even if it meant it took twice as long to get there. Loudonville was an area filled with old money and old homes, most dating back to the early sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It was often considered a rich suburb of Albany even though it was a separate entity altogether. The only relation Loudonville had with the Capital City was they were within the same county. People who lived in the prestigious village made it clear they were not residents of Albany in any way, shape, or form.
The ride to her home was the most agonizing drive of Ronnie's life. The roads were typical of early December--slush and ice chunks made the ride bumpy enough but with the added factor of potholes, the ambulance found itself bouncing around far more than usual. Knowing that every bump meant pain for Rose, Veronica yelped when the ambulance hit a particularly large pothole just as they were leaving Albany and crossing over into Loudonville. The green and white ambulance bounced and shook over the uneven road, turning Ronnie into a nervous wreck before they finally hit the smooth streets of her hometown and turned onto Cartwright Drive.
Maria opened the door and stepped out just as the ambulance pulled up the driveway, followed closely by the bright blue Jeep. Normally Ronnie would use her remote to open the appropriate garage door and put her vehicle away but she had something more important to do. She parked in the large parking area in front of the garages and waited for the back doors of the ambulance to open. She did her best to stay out of the way as they brought Rose out, noting that beyond a few tear streaks she seemed to be none the worse for wear. "And I thought the hospital was cold," the young woman commented, the threadbare blanket and sheet doing nothing to stop the biting wind that had picked up.
"Don't worry, you'll be inside and toasty warm soon enough," Ronnie replied, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Maria had the double doors open to give them maximum room to get through with the stretcher and its precious cargo.
Flat on her back, the first thing Rose noticed when they entered the large structure was the high ceilings, dark beams against a cream colored background. She turned her head and her eyes widened at the sights. The living room was huge, easily larger than her whole apartment had been. When she felt the change in height she realized that part of the living room was sunken, something she had seen in magazines at the library but never actually seen in someone's home. The wall to wall carpeting was the same cream color as the ceiling, thick and plush without a single sign of matting or wear. Large dark wood cabinets lined one wall; Rose guessed them to be either cherry or mahogany. A set of stairs took up another wall. They reminded her of the stairs from the television show The Brady Bunch, except that instead of having a lower landing, these stairs curved around at the bottom. The railing was also the same deep color as the cabinets and ceiling beams. She heard Ronnie cursing somewhere in the background but could not locate her no matter how she turned her head. Then she saw her exit from a room at the far end and race up the stairs. Maria stepped into her line of vision and Rose got her first real glimpse of the housekeeper. "Hello."
"Well hello there, you poor thing," the housekeeper replied. "Ronnie had to run upstairs to get some sheets. She'll be right back down."
"My name is Rose." She held her out her hand.
"I'm Maria, child," she replied, taking the offered hand and shaking it. "Once you're settled in I'll make you something good to eat. I'm sure you're sick of that awful hospital food."
"That's very kind of you but I don't want you to go to any trouble."
"Oh, it's no trouble at all. Oh, here comes Ronnie. I'd better go get those sheets on the bed so you can get comfortable."
Maria took the linens from Ronnie and disappeared into the far room while the tall woman went to Rose's side. "Sorry about that," she said.
"Ronnie, can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Can you cover my feet? They're freezing." A second later she felt large warm hands clasp around her ice cold toes, the only part of her lower extremities not encased in a plaster cast.
"Why didn't you say something?" Ronnie looked up and glared at the ambulance attendants while adjusting the sheet and blanket to cover the exposed feet. Maria stepped out of the room a few minutes later, announcing that everything was all set. "We'll get you in bed and then I'll run upstairs and get you a pair of nice warm socks," Ronnie said before backing out of the way as the attendants took hold of either end of the stretcher.
It only took a quick look around for Rose to realize that the room she was being put into was Ronnie's office. Two tall file cabinets were pressed up against the wall, apparently to make room for the queen sized bed sitting in the middle of the room. A computer desk with the largest monitor she had ever seen was against a near wall and an immense television took up the remaining wall where she could see it comfortably.
"Okay Mike, you ready?" The one attendant asked, gathering the sheet beneath Rose in his hands. "On three," Mike replied. "One…two…three." They easily lifted her up but in the process of putting her back down, one corner slipped out of his hands, causing the heavily casted right leg to flop down onto the bed. The jolt sent a rush of pain through Rose and the subsequent yelp brought Ronnie over to her side. "Sorry Miss," Mike said. "We need to roll you onto your side now so we can get the sheet out from under you."
"No," Ronnie said. "I'll get it." There was clearly anger in her tone as well as concern that Rose not be injured any further. With infinite care she worked the sheet out from under the young woman until it finally came free. She tossed it to Mike's partner. "Is there something I need to sign?"
"No Ma'am. You'll receive a bill from us in a few days."
"Fine. Is there anything else?" Without waiting for an answer she nodded at Maria, who was standing in the doorway, "Maria will see you to the door."
"It was an accident," Rose said once the attendants were gone. Ronnie was busily reviewing the instructions on how to operate the new bed.
"It was a stupid accident. He should have been more careful. What if you hadn't been over the bed?" She reached down and wrapped her hand over Rose's cold toes. "Let me get some socks for you. I'll be right back. Do you want anything from the kitchen?"
"No, thank you. I can wait until dinner."
"Uh huh. Well, I know I could use a cup of coffee. Do you want something warm or cold to drink?"
"Um…" The look in the deep blue eyes told her that she had better pick one or the other. "Warm, please."
"Here's the controller for the bed." She handed the white plastic device to Rose along with the instruction booklet. "It comes with heat and massage. Just press these buttons if you want to turn them on. These control the foot and the head of the bed." She watched as the young woman experimented, raising the head up until she was at a forty-five degree angle. "I'll let you get used to it and I'll be right back with those socks."
Ronnie returned a few minutes later with a pair of thick white socks and a purring pile of orange and white fluff. "Look who I found hiding in the mud room," she said, setting Tabitha down on the bed and smiling when she saw Rose's arms wrap around her precious kitten.
"Hi Honey…I missed you," the young woman cooed to her contented cat. "You've gained weight."
"Mrrow?"
"Did you miss me?" She hugged Tabitha again, unmindful of the tears that spilled out of her own eyes. "Thank you," she whispered to Ronnie. "Thank you so much for taking care of her for me. I can't tell you how much…" Her voice broke off and she gave up trying to speak.
"I know," the dark-haired woman said softly. "And you're welcome." A week ago she would not have believed that it could mean so much to anyone to have their pet taken care of but now Ronnie understood just how important the four legged feline was to Rose.
"Hey, let's get these socks on you." She moved down to the end of the bed, still watching the tearful reunion between Rose and Tabitha. "These were the warmest I could find," she said as she untucked the blanket. She gathered the cotton material up in her fingers and carefully slid it over the small toes of Rose's feet, then up over the cast-covered foot and ankle. With the heel in place, the toe portion of the socks flopped over, clearly showing the difference in the sizes of the two women's feet. "Sorry about that. I'll get you some socks that fit you tomorrow."
"You don't have to do that, Ronnie. These will be fine, if you don't mind me wearing your socks. Besides, they have to be big or they won't fit over the cast." The heat emanating from the bed took more than just the chill out of Rose, it eased the pain in her legs and relaxed her to the point where her eyelids felt very heavy and she was unable to stifle a yawn. "Would you mind if I rested for a little while?"
"Of course not, Rose, when you're tired, you just tell me." Ronnie looked over at the computer, groaning inside at the thought of the work that had been piling up all week waiting for her. "Will the keyboard bother you if I do some work?"
"Oh no. Go right ahead. It won't bother me at all." Rose did not know if it would or not but she was not about to tell Ronnie that she could not do her work in her own office in her own home. Tabitha seemed quite content to lie down on the heated bed and soon fell asleep.
Sleep did not come as easily for Rose, however. The clackity-clack of the keyboard drew her attention to Ronnie working hard only a few feet away. There were computers at the public library and she knew how to use them to look up the location of books but little else. Even from this distance she could see that Ronnie was looking over some kind of spreadsheet. Though the sculptured face was turned away from her, Rose had no doubt that the head of Cartwright Corporation was frowning. A pencil with the end well chewed found its way into Ronnie's mouth again and again. When it was not being gnawed at, it was being bounced up and down on the desk, an apparent nervous habit. Every so often an incongruous expletive would spew forth from the cultured woman's mouth and the screen on the computer would change from one spreadsheet to another.
Ronnie stood up and walked over to the file cabinets, pulling out wads of computer generated reports. "What the hell are you doing, Tommy?" she asked the air before returning to her seat and comparing the information on the paper to what the screen was telling her. Through half-closed eyelids Rose continued to watch her new friend struggle to make sense of what she was looking at. Several times Ronnie leaned back in her leather chair and let out a frustrated sigh. It was those times that Rose could see her face, brow furrowed with thought, lips pursed, jaw clenched. The young woman finally fell asleep wishing that she could do something to ease Ronnie's problems the way the gentle woman had eased hers.
**********************
Ronnie shut the monitor off and turned in her seat to find Rose sleeping, Tabitha by her side. The orange and white feline was busily cleaning her paws and did not even bother to look up when the executive left the room.
"How is the poor dear?" Maria asked when Ronnie entered the kitchen.
"She's sleeping right now. I'll wake her up when dinner's ready." She reached into the cupboard and retrieved a glass before taking a beer out of the fridge. "I really appreciate you staying late today to do that."
"Oh, it's no problem at all, Ronnie, you know that," the older woman said. "What happened to her?"
"She was hit by a car. She has no family and no one else to take care of her. She's going to stay here until she's completely healed and I don't need my mother and sister knowing about this," Ronnie warned, wanting to avoid any family discussions.
"I take it she is Tabitha's mother?"
"Yeah." She took a sip of beer and sniffed at the oven. "Smells good."
"Uh huh and it will be good once it's done. Don't even think about sneaking in there and taking any." Maria remembered far too many times when forkfuls of dinner were found missing by the time she removed it from the oven. "You didn't tell me what she liked so I made a pot roast."
"Oooh. Sounds good." Ronnie's eyes lit up. "Hope you made plenty." She took another sip of beer and looked around at the rows of cabinets. "Do you know where that tray is that we used when Mom was sick?"
"Of course I do. Unlike you, I know my way around the kitchen."
"Hey, I know where things are. I found the beer with no problem." Ronnie grinned.
"Always the smart aleck, aren't you, Veronica Louise?"
"Only with you, Maria," the tall woman replied, leaning over and giving her beloved housekeeper a peck on the cheek and ruffling the salt-and-pepper hair. "I'll take my dinner in the office with Rose. If you need help just give me a yell."
"Considering that I served your entire family when everyone lived here I think bringing two dinners into the office won't be a problem." She opened the oven door and poked at the roast and potatoes with a large fork. "Now you go see to your guest. Dinner will be at least another half hour."
Once she was alone again in the kitchen, the smile left Maria's face. She walked over to the sliding glass doors and peered out into the night. The large sodium lamp illuminated the garage…and the battered Porsche sitting inside it. "Oh Veronica…" she whispered. "What have you done?"
*********************
"That was delicious," Rose said for the umpteenth time, putting her fork down on the empty plate. "I never cared much for carrots but those were terrific."
"I think Maria puts some sugar on them while they're cooking," Ronnie replied, taking the tray off of the blonde's lap and setting it on the desk. "You ready for dessert?"
"Dessert?" Green eyes lit up.
"Dessert. I know she has fresh brownies out there and if I look real hard there might be some ice cream to go with them." The look of utter delight on Rose's face brought a smile to her own.
"You keep that up and Maria will make you as big as a house. Nothing pleases her more than seeing people enjoying her cooking." She glanced at the young woman still in her blue and white hospital gown. "Of course you look like you could use a little meat on your bones, so that might not be such a bad thing. While I'm at it, I'll get you something a little more comfortable to wear than that thing."
"Oh, well I guess it is a little drafty," Rose replied, tugging the material up over her shoulder.
"I don't think I have any pants that are big enough to go over those legs but I'm sure I have a nightshirt somewhere. I'll be right back." She picked up the empty plates and left the room.
"Meat on my bones?" Rose queried Tabitha once Ronnie left. "I feel like I've gained ten pounds from all the food I've eaten the last few days."
"Mrrow?"
"Yeah, you look like you've been enjoying some of Maria's cooking too," she grunted when the orange and white cat climbed over her thigh to rest on her lap. "I don't understand it." She scratched absently behind Tabitha's ears while voicing her thoughts. "She finds me on the street, takes me to the hospital, and that should have been it. Instead she takes care of both of us like we were the most important things in the world to her."
"Mrrow?"
"Oh, heaven forbid I stop scratching you, your majesty." She resumed her gentle scratching.
"You I can understand." She lifted Tabitha up to her chest and nuzzled the soft fur. "You're so adorable. Anyone who sees you falls in love with you." She listened to the soft purring for a minute, taking comfort in holding her precious kitty. "Nope, I don't understand it at all. I'm grateful but I don't understand it."
"Here we go," Ronnie said as she entered the room. Each hand held a dessert plate with a large brownie and a scoop of vanilla ice cream pierced by a spoon while a pale maroon nightshirt was slung over her shoulder. She set the plates down on the desk and handed the nightshirt to Rose.
"Dartmouth?" The young woman asked, holding the shirt up in front of her.
"Yeah. I got my Bachelor's from there and my Master's from Stanford," Ronnie said as s
he handed one plate to Rose. "It's old and faded but I still love it."
"What are your degrees in?"
"Mmm, good brownie. Let's see…I have a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing and my Master's is in Business Management."
"No wonder you're the president of your company."
"Well, that and I'm the oldest," Ronnie grinned. "When it comes to Cartwright Corp., nepotism will get you everywhere."
"I'm sure it took more than that to get where you are," Rose replied, spooning the tasty dessert into her mouth.
"It did, but if I were with any other company I'd just be middle management. My father died less than three years after I graduated and I took over the reins then."