“Sure Jack, what can I do for you?”
“I was looking for your friend, Aidan. Have you seen her?”
“I saw her in the hall, a while ago. Do you need her for something?”
“Nothing urgent, just needed her to take a photo, for a report I’m sending to corporate.”
“Well, check with Marketing, they probably know where she’s at.”
Bill watched as Jack nodded his head, and walked away. Rubbing his hand across his brow, he returned his attention to Vicky. “You know, they say too much coffee is bad for you, ma’am.”
Vicky jerked around, startled, the ma’am sounded just like..., “Oh uh, Bill. Yes, thank you Bill, but I’m in perfect health.” Except for my mental stability, apparently.
He tweaked his mustache, “You certainly are, ma’am.”
Irritated by the assumption, Vicky pulled him to the side, away from the listening ears of the visitors. “Let’s get this straight, Bill, I swing the other way, got it?”
She has no idea that it’s me. Aidan grinned at that thought, as she adjusted the voice changer strapped around her throat. How often do you get a chance to see your lover, as others see her? “You play baseball, ma’am?”
She thought he obviously didn’t understand, should I explain it to this imbecile, or let it go?
“Bill, go wait over there, out of my way, please.”
“Yes ma’am,” Aidan, incognito as Bill, smiled to herself, this could be fun. Aidan had told Bradshah that her ruse, while giving her a legitimate reason to be in the hospital, looking for suspicious activities, would also allow her to monitor anyone trying to get close to Vicky. But, she hadn’t expected that she would be seeing her lover through a strangers eyes.
Just as Vicky reached for her coffee, she was interrupted again. “Good morning, Vicky.”
Good morning, Julie, how are you today?”
“Just fine, thank you. I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk.”
“Of course, let’s go outside. I need some fresh air,” Vicky looked irritably at Bill.
Julie Waters, the young business office Director of Finance, rarely sought Vicky out for casual reasons, so Vicky knew something was bothering her. She had high hopes for Julie’s advancement in the company.
They walked down by the Center for Health Education building, followed close behind by Bill.
As they walked, Julie elaborated, “Since the shooting, our patient count has been down, and if it continues, we’ll be in the red again, very soon.”
“I was afraid that might happen. Why didn’t Jack bring this to me?”
“I’m not sure, ma’am. He is aware of it.”
“Never mind, that’s not your concern, Julie. Was there something else you wanted to tell me?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Vicky pointed to the bench by the water fountain, and they both sat down. Bill stood discreetly behind them, able to see and hear everything, even the dirty look that Vicky gave him, which actually made Aidan’s heart flutter.
Julie handed Vicky an envelope, “It’s my resignation, ma’am. I know I’m going over my superior’s head‒‒”
“But why Julie, aren’t you happy here?”
“Oh yes, ma’am, very happy, it’s…,” she looked down at her hands, and Vicky put her hand on the woman’s shoulder, sensing her trepidation.
Aidan could feel Vicky’s empathy for Julie, and marveled at what a huge heart she had.
“Is it me, Julie? Have I done something?”
“Oh, gosh no, ma’am. You’ve been wonderful, that’s why I wanted to tell you, first. It’s just that I want to go back to college, and‒‒”
“Well, of course you can go back to college, Julie. We encourage that, in fact. You don’t have to quit your job to go to college, you know?”
“But, there’s this rumor, that the tuition reimbursement is going to be done away with, and we’ll no longer have the flexible hours, to be able to attend college.”
“Who did you hear that from?”
“Oh, um, I’d rather not say, it could cause problems for the others.”
Aidan watched as Vicky’s cheeks flushed red. Ut‒oh, someone’s going to have their balls handed to them.
“Julie, I can assure you, that is just a rumor. I have not okayed any restrictions on our education program. And as they say, the buck stops here.” She tore up Julie’s resignation and handed it back to her, “Julie, you bring so many wonderful qualities to the table, already. Getting a degree will benefit St. Frances, as much as it will benefit you, so ignore those rumors. They will stop, as soon as I meet with my Leadership team.”
“Thank you so much, ma’am.”
Julie and Vicky stood up, and Julie hugged her, then walked away.
“I’m impressed.” Vicky turned to see Bill walk up beside her.
“There’s nothing to be impressed about, Bill. I trust my employees to do the right thing.”
“And if they don’t, ma’am?”
“Then I council with them. After that, they usually catch on.”
“You mean, you give them another chance? This yahoo should be thrown out on his ass… uh, ma’am.” Aidan was serious. She didn’t see the benefit of keeping a loser on the payroll, if all they’re going to do is start rumors.
Vicky smiled, “Well, you’re certainly not afraid to say what you think, are you, Bill? If an employee has potential and can be saved, then it’s up to me to do everything I can, to help them. The person who started this rumor might just be misinformed, and I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Every person working at this hospital, plays a vital part in what makes St. Frances good.”
“Even me, ma’am?”
She laughed, “Yes Bill, even you. Don’t make me have to council with you anytime soon, okay?”
If you only knew how bad I want you to council with me, right now. “Roger that, ma’am.”
As they were about to go back inside, Yvonne came over to them. Vicky introduced her to Bill, then asked him to give them some privacy. He obliged by walking up the slight incline, to the main entrance of the hospital, but not so far, that she couldn’t see them. They had sat down on the bench, and it looked like Vicky was crying. Aidan immediately walked back towards them, but when she could hear what they were saying, she stopped.
“I miss her so much, Yvonne,” Vicky dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
“I’m so sorry, Vicky, but give her some time. You two can work it out, I know you can.”
“She’s with another woman, now. She’s moved on, all ready.”
“That Barbara is a tease. Aidan will see through her traps, in no time.”
You tell her, Yvonne! Aidan saw Vicky in pain, and immediately forgot about everything else. Then she remembered, Vicky was acting, at least she hoped it was an act. Not being sure of anything, anymore, she decided it was time to stop playing around, and let Vicky know who Bill really was.
Later that evening, as she was preparing to leave the office for the day, the burn phone vibrated. She frantically fumbled with her pocket, and pulled out the phone. “S.E.X. Irish pub” was all that the text read, but Vicky knew what that meant. She smiled, excited that she would be seeing her lover soon. She hurriedly finished stuffing papers into her briefcase, and ran out the door, colliding into Bill, who, it seemed to Vicky, was holding on to her longer than necessary.
“Everything all right, Ms. Montgomery?”
“Yes Bill, everything’s fine. You can let go of me now.”
Aidan was so transfixed by Vicky’s eyes that she hadn’t realized she was holding on so tight. “Oh, uh, sorry ma’am.”
“Have a good night, Bill.”
Aidan watched as Vicky hurried down the hallway, and grinned, “It’s going to be a very good night, indeed.”
It was nearly eight in the evening, and the dinner crowd had long since finished. Vicky looked around, disappointed that she didn’t see Aidan. She took a booth in the back, close to the stage that,
at the moment, had no band performing. Before she was even settled in, a waitress brought her a mixed drink.
“This is from the guy at the bar,” the waitress nodded her head towards the bar, as she set down the drink.
“Oh, no, tell him I said no thanks.”
But as the waitress stepped to the side, Bill walked up, “I’m disappointed. I was hoping to get to know you better.”
Vicky was shocked, and becoming alarmed, “Thank you, but I prefer to be alone tonight, Bill.”
Bill didn’t let that deter him, and he sat down across from her, “Are you sure? I’ve been told I’m really good in bed.”
Her mouth dropped open, as she looked at him in shock, “Are you drunk?”
He grinned, and asked, “Does being drunk on love count?”
“Are you trying to get yourself fired, Bill? Because that’s what will happen, if you keep acting this way.”
“No ma’am, just want some of that special counseling, you talked about earlier.”
Vicky was beyond angry now, and quite a bit worried, “You need to leave now, before I call the waitress over, and have you thrown out!”
Bill removed something from around his neck, and talked in a familiar voice, “Hey kid, calm down, it’s okay.”
“What did you call me?”
Looking around to make sure no one was close by, Aidan repeated, “I called you kid, Vick.”
She took a long, puzzled look at Bill, “Am I going crazy? It sounds like Aidan, but…”
“It’s me, baby, it’s Aidan,” she held up the object she had worn around her neck, “This devise masks my voice, makes me sound like a man.”
Vicky put her hand to her mouth to keep from gasping out loud, “Aidan?” she whispered.
“Yeah, it’s the new me, kid. What do you think?” Aidan grinned, and took Vicky’s hand from her mouth, holding it tenderly on the table.
“Oh my God, is it really you?” She reached up and felt the beard, tickled the mustache, and looked into Bill’s eyes.
Aidan grinned again, and leaned in, kissing her on the lips.
“Ew!” Rubbing her lips, Vicky scrunched up her nose, and frowned. Aidan kiss her again, more hungrily this time.
“Oh yeah, it is you!”
“Shh baby, don’t blow my cover, okay?”
“Aidan, what is going on?”
Aidan put the device back around her neck, “First, can we order something to eat? I’m starved?”
“Sure,” Vicky raised her hand and motioned the waitress over, “We’d like to order. I’ll have a tuna fish sandwich, and some tea, please.”
“Very good ma’am, and for you sir?”
“I’d like a hamburger, and a beer please, toots.”
Vicky chuckled, and Aidan winked at her, as the waitress left to fill their orders.
Aidan leaned in again and whispered, “Vicky, I can’t stand what this is doing to you, or to me, for that matter. So I’ve come up with an idea that should speed things along.”
“Oh, tell me.”
“I’m not sure you’re going to like it, but we’re going to kill me off, and bring in Bill. Killing two birds with one stone, as it were.”
“I’m not liking the ‘kill me off’ part. Care to explain further?”
“By getting me out of the picture, I’m free to be Bill. And by being Bill, not only do I get off their radar, but I get to be near you. Homeland will take care of everything, so it will all look completely real. As Bill, we can be seen together in public, and sleep together at night. And Homeland will pull off their agent,” Aidan nodded to the guy sitting at the bar, not drinking a beer, “so it will just be me, lurking around you.” She liked that part best. “What do you think?” Aiden barely finished before Vicky jumped up, and kissed her hard on the mouth.
“I think I love it!”
“But there’s a catch, Vick.”
“There always is, Aidan,” she pouted, as she sat back down.
“That’s what I’m talking about. You have to call me Bill, and you have to see me as a man, okay? Even when we’re making love. And people will talk about you being with a man, so soon after I died. Think you can handle that?”
Just as Vicky was about to answer, the waitress came back with their food. She handed Aidan the tuna platter, and Vicky stopped her, “That’s my sandwich. Bill ordered the hamburger.” She winked at Aidan.
“Of course, here you are, sir,” The waitress set down their plates and left.
“Okay, what’s the plan.”
“Well, this is the part you’re not going to like. At least I hope you don’t,” Aidan wink again, and continued, “But I know you’re strong enough to handle it.”
“Handle what?”
“Homeland Security says I have to die, in a very public way, to throw the bad guys off my trail. It’s going to be hard for you to see me lying there, dead.”
Vicky thought about it for a minute, shivering at the vision, “You’re right, it will be hard. But I can get through it, as long as I know it’s just make believe.”
“Just hang in there, baby, just a little while longer. We’ll get through this together, I promise,” she took Vicky’s hand and kissed it again.
“I’ll try, Bill, but I’m not going to like it.”
“That’s my girl,” They both took a bite of their meal, then Aidan changed the subject, “I was really impressed with you, and that girl today. You see potential with everyone, don’t you?”
“I try to. I’ll admit, it’s not always easy.”
Aidan cocked her lip, “You mean, like with Bill? So, do you know who started the rumor?
“Yes, it was Jack Owens, the Hospital Administrator. I knew it, the minute she handed me her resignation. She should have given it to him, since he’s her immediate boss. But I set him straight. He won’t be mouthing off like that, again.”
“I would have fired his ass.”
“He’s only been with us a short time. I have to give him a chance to understand what I expect of him. It’s only fair.”
Aidan looked into Vicky’s eyes, and whispered, “God, I am so completely and totally captivated by you.”
The waitress came to the table to collect the empty plates, and asked, “Are you ready for dessert?”
“Yes,” Vicky answered, “but not here,” looking over at Aidan, with anticipation.
“Oh yeah, sweetie, I can totally provide dessert for you.”
Vicky blushed, as the waitress made a hasty retreat. “Bill, do you have to be so crude?”
“Oh, sorry, Vick, I’ll try to reel in my manliness..., So, wanna go to your place and fuck?”
Vicky rolled her eyes, “So help me, if you grab your make-believe dick next, the deal is off.” Aidan gave her a sad‒sack look, but Vicky was adamant, “The only one I’ll let into my bed is…,” she leaned closer and whispered, “my girlfriend, Aidan, without a dick. Understand?”
Using her deepest voice, Aidan replied, “Yes ma’am, understood, ma’am, I’ll go dickless tonight.”
Vicky threw her napkin at Aidan and laughed, finally able to release some of the pent up tension, she’d been carrying around for days. “I’m staying at the hotel, want to join me?”
“Hotel? Why are you staying there?”
“Because you said my house was bugged. The thought of them walking through my house, touching my things, it bothered me…, you know?”
“Aw, baby, I’m sorry. Would you feel better if I went over there tomorrow, and checked things out?”
“Actually, I would, thank you, honey.”
Aidan threw money on the table, and took Vicky’s hand, “Don’t worry kid, we’ll get through this together.”
***
Just as the sun peeked over the horizon, an ambulance, lights flashing, siren piercing the quiet, pulled up to the St. Frances ER bay. An EMT jumped out of the back, and the ER doctor, with several RN’s, moved in to help unload the patient.
The EMT presented to the attending, �
�Female, approximately twenty‒nine years old, no apparent injuries, was in a head‒on collision with a telephone pole, and the pole won. Dead on arrival, from an apparent heart attack.”
The ER doctor pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the patient’s heart, her carotid artery and femur pulse, and looked up at the wall clock, “Time of death, 0645.”
The nurse wrote the time on the patient’s chart.
“Do we know who she was?” he asked.
The nurse read from the chart, “Aidan Cassidy. Oh dear. Didn’t she work here?”
*
Vicky was in her office watching the morning news, but she was thinking about Aidan. When she woke up this morning, Aidan had already left. That had upset her, more than she wanted to admit. They didn’t do much talking last night. They were both too eager to make a solid connection, that would last them for a while. But waking up in bed alone, had made Vicky feel terribly lonely, and a little bit jumpy. Trying to distract herself, she looked up, just as the news showed video of a horrific car accident. One fatality. Vicky jumped at the sound of someone knocking at her door.
“Vicky.”
“Good morning, Yvonne.” She smiled warmly at her assistant.
Seeing Vicky oblivious to what had happened, nearly drove Yvonne to tears, "Vicky, there's been an…, Aidan has…,”
Vicky thought, this must be it, remember it’s just make believe, “What is it, Yvonne, what’s wrong?”
Yvonne had to fight her tears back, before she could continue, “Aidan was in a car accident, this morning,” Vicky thought, could that have been the accident she just saw on the news? “She’s…, she’s dead, Vicky. They’ve taken her down to the morgue,” it’s just make believe… “and they need to know what funeral home to send her to.”
She reminded herself, again and again, This is all part of the plan, don’t panic. “No, you’re wrong, Yvonne, you have to be wrong.” Vicky made a quick exit, heading downstairs to the morgue, followed close behind by Yvonne.
St. Frances Hospital morgue, a small, windowless room with four cooler drawers, and a sitting area for family visitation, was tucked away on the basement floor of the hospital. The only sign on the door was a hazardous material sign, warning people not to enter. Inside were a couple of pictures of beautiful landscapes, hanging on the drab, gray walls, but they only served to make the room more depressing. That, and the smell. The room smelled of antiseptics and sterilizers, that was so thick it was almost suffocating. St. Frances didn’t do autopsies, so bodies requiring that procedure were sent to the state morgue. This morgue was only used for storage, until arrangements could be made by the family, to transport their loved one to the funeral home. Sometimes, for one reason or another, a body would be left there for weeks on end. Today, there was only one body in the morgue…, Aidan’s.
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