Graveyard Shift

by Michelle Dorey

  Amanda closed her eyes for a moment to banish long past memories and opened them again to look at Carmel. The woman watched her closely, the small smile now...smug?

  But that was crazy. Carmel was just an addled old woman, that was all. Amanda gathered her wits and forced a lightness in her voice that she definitely didn’t feel. “Okay then. But if you want to just visit, talk about anything, I’m here.”

  She looked over at Jane who was making a show of rummaging in her dresser, not like she was eavesdropping—which of course she was.

  When Jane, nightgown and housecoat in hand, went past them to go to the bathroom to change, Amanda continued. “I know that you lived alone but surely you must have friends or even a distant relative who we could contact. A visit from a friend might cheer you up.”

  Carmel shook her head. The silver hair was like spun sugar falling almost to her shoulders. “No. I lived a solitary life. I always enjoyed my privacy...” She glanced over at Jane’s empty bed. “...which is why I can’t have that woman in this room with me.”

  Amanda was silent, gazing at the old lady. There were only a handful of private rooms but they were occupied with a long waiting list trailing after them. “Just give it some more time, Carmel. Try to keep an open mind. You don’t have to be best friends with Jane but at least be polite. I’m sure she’ll return the favor.”

  But when Jane came out of the bathroom, her purple housecoat tucked neatly around her, the stern look in her eyes was anything but forgiving.

  Amanda tried to calm the troubled waters one last time. “Do you play scrabble, Carmel? Jane claims to be the master champion here at Serenity. Maybe you could challenge her.”

  Jane shot a dark look at Amanda before commenting. “Any time. Any place.” She shook her head. “Actually it would have to be in the sunroom. That is, if she’s brave enough to venture out of here.”

  Amanda looked down at Carmel. “You didn’t leave your room today? I mean, aside from seeing Dr. Stone?”

  Carmel’s silence was the answer. She looked up at Amanda and her eyes narrowed. “I hate this room and I hate this place. It’s a bad place.”

  There was no placating Carmel at this point. Amanda looked over at Jane who was getting settled in her bed. She placed her hand on Carmel’s shoulder and gave it a small squeeze, “I’ll be around later with sleeping meds.”

  When she opened the door to leave the room she almost stepped into Linda. Immediately the older woman jerked back. She showed no embarrassment for eavesdropping and didn’t miss a beat in commenting, “I’ve seen this kind of whiney behavior from a new resident more than a few times. She’ll get past it faster if there’s no audience to play to. For Carmel’s own good, don’t coddle her, dear.”

  Amanda’s eyes grew wider and her back stiffened at Linda’s criticism. She tried mentally counting to ten but didn’t make it past three before the words burst forth, “I’m not coddling her. It’s called listening and trying to be empathetic. It’s part of what makes a good nurse. You should try it sometime.”

  She darted around Linda and strode down the hallway. Behind her Linda countered, “I was nursing when you were still a youngster playing hopscotch, little girl.”

  Amanda jaw tightened when she noticed the food service worker, Janis Baines, standing next to her trolley her gaze ping-ponging between Linda and Amanda. It was bad enough to be bickering with the older nurse but for the scene to be witnessed by other workers was downright embarrassing. She swallowed hard and then spoke softly to Janis, “Please see that Carmel in room eleven has warm milk with her snack.”

  Janis nodded but placed her hand on Amanda’s arm, stopping her, “Is everything all right?”

  Great! Amanda smiled, even though she knew that the little spat she’d had with Linda would be all over the place the next day. Janis was nice but she was a total gossip. “Yes. Linda and I had a slight difference of opinion. That’s all.” She shrugged and slipped away to the nurse’s station.

  After clicking the computer’s mouse bringing the nursing records up on the screen, Amanda peered hard at it. Even so, from the edge of her vision she knew that Linda was coming up the hall to join her. When the call light from room twelve lit up, it was a relief to answer.

  As she passed by Linda, her words were curt, “Mable is ready to go to bed now. I’ll look after her.” She held her tongue, not adding the rest of the words blaring in her head, ‘...better than you could ever hope to.’

  It was going to be a long night.

  Amanda didn’t know the half of it.

  FIVE

  IT WAS ALMOST THREE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING. Unlike the night before, all was quiet and the stony silence at the nursing station wasn’t helping in keeping her awake. Three times Amanda had stifled a yawn.

  When the call light lit in room eleven she started to get to her feet. But Linda rose faster. “I’ll see what the matter is. I’d be surprised if it was the new patient. Two Lorazepams should have done the trick.”

  Amanda wasn’t going to argue. “Fine. Signal if you need my help.”

  A dismissive wave from Linda was the only answer she returned. The older woman lumbered down the hallway with absolutely zero sense of urgency. She tucked the navy cardigan tighter around her body as she walked into the room.

  Amanda picked up the book she had been reading that morning and sank deeper into the chair. But the words jumbled together and her thoughts drifted to her family. When Will woke her up at a little after four that afternoon he’d seemed better than he had in a long while. Most afternoons it was she who woke him up from an extended nap on the sofa. And considering that he’d gone for a long walk—well long for Will but really only a few blocks—he still had enough energy to start dinner. Maybe the new therapy was working.

  Her shoulders fell as she thought of her daughter. She’d had to pry Kelly away from her laptop and yank the ear buds out before she’d even acknowledged her, let alone say hi. The days when her daughter was in primary school were more loving than they were now. They’d talked and played together a lot more when the kid was younger. Maybe on her days off she would do something with Kelly, even if it was just clothes shopping—Kelly’s new passion. The teen years were important to make sure Kelly didn’t get in with the wrong crowd, doing stupid or even dangerous stuff.

  She looked up when Linda approached the desk.

  The older woman shook her head. “I don’t know why the call light went off. They were both sound asleep.” Her nose wrinkled, “There was a pretty bad smell in the room—like rotting meat or something. I’ll make a note to ask housekeeping to check the room for that.”

  “One of them must have hit the button by mistake,” Amanda looked at the light now dim like the others. It was possible that an arm thrown to the side could reach the button but not likely. The call buttons were pinned to the outside railing on the bed. Could Carmel have pressed it and then pretended to be asleep when she saw Linda answering as opposed to Amanda?

  She took a deep breath setting the book down. Now she was ascribing to Linda’s theory that Carmel was acting up for attention. That was nonsense. The poor woman was lonely and scared being in a new environment. That was all it was.

  As if on cue the call light in room eleven once more lit up. Amanda flipped it off and then looked up at Linda, “I’ll get it this time.” Without waiting for Linda’s reply, she started down the hallway. When she came to the door to the room she paused, listening hard. It sounded like Carmel was talking to someone. She entered and found Carmel sitting upright in her bed while the sound of Jane’s soft snores drifted over.

  Amanda approached the bed, and whispered, “Did you need something?” The woman must have woke herself talking in her sleep. On closer look into Carmel’s face she saw that she looked terrified. The whites of her eyes showed in the dim light. “What’s wrong?”

  Carmel gripped Amanda’s forearm. “They’re here again! Only now there’s four of them! They were clawing at my covers.” She pulled
her leg higher and peered down at it. “See? See that scratch?”

  Amanda bent lower to have a better look. But in the light and with the angle of Carmel’s thin, ivory leg it was hard to see. She fished a penlight from her pocket and shone it on Carmel’s leg. Three thin red lines snaked down the outside of the old woman’s thigh. They weren’t bleeding, but they looked painful.

  She shone the light to the space next to Carmel’s bed and then over the rest of the room. There was no one there. It was then that she noticed that rotting meat smell that Linda had mentioned.

  What the hell?

  Stifling the gorge that rose in her throat, she turned back to Carmel, “There’s nothing here. You must have had a nightmare again. Somehow in your sleep you managed to scratch your legs, Carmel.”

  “No! Don’t you see them?” She gestured wildly at the foot of the bed. “They’re right there!” She looked up to Amanda, her eyes bright with terror. “Surely to God you notice the smell! It’s like a slaughter-house. They won’t leave me be!”

  Amanda felt the hairs on the back of her neck tingle. Her gaze darted to where Carmel was pointing but there was only the empty space beyond the foot of the bed. She pulled the covers back to cover Carmel’s lower body again. “I’ll stay here with you.” She reached behind the old woman, smoothing the sheets and plumping the pillows for her. “Lay back and get some sleep, Carmel. You need to rest now.”

  Pulling the chair closer to the bed, she sank down into it.

  Carmel settled back, tucking the covers up to her chin. She looked over at Amanda, “Don’t leave me. They’ll keep their distance as long as you’re here.” She pulled the sheets over her head ending any more talk.

  Amanda shone the light one last time towards the door and in the areas around the bed. The old woman was convinced that she hadn’t had a nightmare, not last night or even now. But that was the only reasonable explanation for her distress. It was doubtful that any of the other residents had wandered in there by mistake. Each room had a bathroom and besides which they were all asleep.

  The smell in the room persisted making her breathe through her mouth to avoid it. But even that didn’t help much. It was so strong she could practically taste it. And it was damned cold in there. She pulled the sweater higher, covering her neck. Seconds dragged into minutes. All the while she sat there she couldn’t help feeling that she was being watched. She turned to see Jane but the snores coming out of her mouth were genuine.

  When the door to the room opened casting a band of light, Amanda jerked higher. She felt her cheeks grow warm, seeing Linda step over to the bed. She did a quick check on Carmel before staring at Amanda. “What are you doing?” she whispered. “It’s time for rounds or am I the only one working here?”

  Amanda eased up out of the chair and crept to the door, ignoring the woman. When Linda joined her in the hallway, Amanda’s voice was a low hiss, “She had another nightmare. I promised to stay until she got back to sleep. I’ll do this side of the floor if you’ll do the other.”

  Linda snorted, “Funny how she was all upset with a nightmare when you answered the call light. You can’t underestimate the residents, Amanda. They may be old, even senile but they can still play you if they think you’ll buy it. The next thing, she’ll have you holding her hand till she goes to sleep.”

  Amanda’s jaw clenched tight. “She needed some kindness, Linda. It’s hard for some new patients when they first get here. She’ll be fine after a few days.” She spun on her heel heading for the room next to Carmel’s.

  When she entered, closing the door behind her, she closed her eyes, counting to ten and trying to calm the adrenaline pounding through her body. If there was a way she could find of requesting that she never team up with Linda, she’d jump at the chance. But that would be a strike against her, not being able to work with, let alone Supervise bitches like Linda. She needed that promotion. Especially now with Will being ill. Who knew how long until he’d be able to work again?

  She took a few deep breaths and then proceeded further into the room. Both residents were sleeping peacefully.

  It was when she had checked the last room in her rounds that a scream broke the stillness. Room eleven! She broke into a run from the end of the corridor. Loud moans followed the scream as she pulled up to the door. It sounded like Jane, not Carmel!

  Linda was right on her heels as she shoved the door open and flipped the light switch. She stopped for a moment and gasped. Jane lay on the floor, her face contorted in pain, while she groaned, holding her hand at her waist.

  “Jane! Don’t move.” Amanda rushed to squat next to the old woman sprawled next to the bed. Linda took a position next to her, holding the woman’s head and examining it for injury.

  “It hurts! My hip! Oh God, the pain.” Tears rolled down a face blanched of color. Her eyes squeezed tighter.

  “I don’t feel any contusions in her scalp. She must have taken the brunt of it with her hip.” Linda set Jane’s head gently down before rising. “We’ll need help getting her up onto a gurney. I’ll call for an ambulance. She’s going to need x-rays.” With that Linda raced out of the room faster than Amanda thought possible for her age and physical shape.

  As Jane sobbed in agony, Carmel spoke. She was sitting up watching everything with narrow eyes. “She’s going to go to the hospital now, isn’t she?”

  Amanda nodded. “Yes.” She wiped Jane’s forehead lifting the hair which had fallen over her eyes. “Hang in there Jane; we’ll get you something for the pain as soon as we can.”

  Jane began to squirm, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “Ooooo! It hurts so bad!”

  Amanda put her arms around the woman, holding her still. “I know this is painful but you don’t want to do any more damage than what’s already done. Were you trying to get up to go to the bathroom?”

  Jane’s eyes opened and she blinked the tears away. “No. I don’t know.” She looked off to the side, trying to remember and her eyes became wider. “I was pushed! I was in bed one minute and then the next thing I know, I was falling. Oh God. The pain!” Again her eyes closed and more tears fell.

  Amanda looked over at Carmel. Jane was a good forty pounds heavier than Carmel. Carmel was frail, more like a bird than Jane’s wrestler build. She couldn’t have pushed her from the bed. Asleep, Jane would be a dead weight as well.

  The look on Carmel’s face was curious. There wasn’t a shred of sympathy in her gaze. She’d got her wish to remove Jane, even if it was temporary.

  Linda rushed into the room once more. “An ambulance is on the way.” She snatched the blanket from the bed and covered Jane. Turning to Amanda she directed, “Get some water. I’ve got pain meds.”

  Amanda rose. As she passed by Carmel the old lady smiled, “Be a dear and get me a glass as well.”

  Linda turned on her, “Jane is our first concern. If you want water, I suggest you get up and get it yourself.”

  When Amanda returned she carried just a glass of water for Jane. For once she had to agree with Linda.

  SIX

  AT SEVEN THIRTY THAT MORNING, many of the residents ambled in pairs to the dining room. Amanda could tell that word had gotten round about Jane. When the ambulance arrived the commotion woke Myrtle who hovered at the door watching everything. Of course she’d been upset. She and Jane might be adversaries at Scrabble but they were good friends.

  Linda was locking the meds cabinet beside the desk when the call button to room eleven lit up. Amanda sighed, ‘What now?’

  Muttering to Linda as she edged by her, “Room eleven called. I’ll see what she wants.”

  “Breakfast in bed would be my guess.”

  “That’s not going to happen. Trust me.”

  “Don’t let your sympathies get the best of you, dear.” Linda said. Pointing a finger at Amanda, “This isn’t the ER, Amanda; you’re going to be around these clients all the time, not sending them to the morgue or home.” She gestured down the hallway. “And that woman, Carmel reall
y rubs me the wrong way. Watch yourself around her; she’s manipulative, and you don’t have that level of experience in this.”

  Amanda only replied with a nod. ‘Again with that ‘dear’!’ she thought to herself, rolling her eyes after turning away. She continued down the hall nodding to the residents going by. A couple of them tried to ask what had happened, but she brushed them off. “I’ll tell you later,” she said, first to one, then another as she made her way.

  When she entered the room, she did a double take. Carmel was dressed for the day, ensconced in the chair next to the window on Jane’s side of the room. The old lady turned her head and a smile curled her lips looking at Amanda. “I’m glad it’s you who came, not that other one. She’s not a nice person.”

  “What is it you need? You should be on your way to breakfast. The kitchen closes at ten, you know.” After the night she’d spent—Jane falling out of bed and now in Mount Sinai Hospital—Amanda was in no mood to humor Carmel. Plus, she wasn’t entirely sure that Linda was wrong about the old lady.

  “I’m a light eater. I’ll just have some tea and a piece of toast. There’s plenty of time for me to get there for that.” She leaned forward her face now lined with concern. “You look tired, Amanda. These twelve hour shifts are difficult, aren’t they? Not to mention how hard it must be to be away from your family, working long hours.”

  Amanda usually never talked to patients—no, clients about her family. They were clients, or residents...not friends. They had their own concerns, their own families who visited sometimes. Plus, who needed the inevitable hurt when these people eventually died? It was healthier to maintain a professional distance.

  Even so…maybe it was fatigue coupled with frustration at her daughter and her husband’s illness, Amanda broke her own rule. “Yeah, that part is hard. My daughter just turned thirteen. That’s a tricky age.”