Mr. Big

by Colleen Lewis

  Today was no exception, but it was a job Jennifer cherished. She felt so happy to be able to take care of the nieces she loved so much.

  Susan was getting the girls’ shoes on, while Jennifer was finishing up the last of the morning dishes.

  Finally, everything was in order and they were headed downstairs with the two smallest children in their strollers and the oldest walking alongside. As they crossed the parking lot, Jennifer noticed the odd man again. He appeared to be just quietly watching, but she made nothing of it. There were plenty of strange folks hanging around here in the heat of the summer.

  They continued up the street and toward the medical clinic when Susan made a realization.

  “Oh my God, Jennifer, how could I be so stupid? I’ve forgotten everything,” she said. “I need their medications and some information the specialist in St. John’s gave me. There’s a big yellow envelope sitting on the table, along with a paper bag with their pills.”

  “Don’t worry,” said Jennifer. “I’ll catch up in a minute.”

  Jennifer broke into a near-jog to make sure her sister had everything she needed for the appointment, and there wasn’t much time.

  She burst through the front door and up the steps. In a moment she was bouncing back down the stairwell with the items in her hand. She sprinted back outside, only to come to a complete and sudden stop that nearly took her breath away.

  Standing in her path was the man she and her sister had noticed hanging about. He wasn’t tall, and he had dark hair and dark eyes. His shoulders were broad and there was nowhere for Jennifer to run. When she tried to run to the left, he swiftly shifted his large body to block her path. And then he smiled.

  She tried to go around him to the right. Again he blocked her. This time he laughed.

  Frustrated, and a little scared, Jennifer pushed through to her left once more and finally made it past the intimidating man. Glancing over her shoulder, she realized he was laughing.

  What was that? she thought. What a weird fellow.

  Farther up the road, she turned around to look.

  He was still watching, and grinning, like a child who had gotten the attention he was after.

  “Nelson Hart,” said Nicole. “Dean is actually helping him move today. He’s moving upstairs from building number three. They’ve been at it for the past couple of hours.

  “To be honest, Jennifer, I’m not sure what his story is. I believe there are some sort of health issues with him,” explained Nicole. “I know he does have a home care worker over there. I think he gets a lot of help from his mother as well. He pops over from time to time for a chat.”

  “Well, he’s awfully strange,” said Jennifer. “He’s blocked my path at least half a dozen times now. He doesn’t say anything, just stands there and laughs. What’s even stranger is that he doesn’t do anything when there’s someone with me.

  “Susan and I have passed by him a number of times now. He doesn’t speak or anything. Just watches us,” said Jennifer. “But when I’m alone, he blocks my way and laughs. To be honest, I’m a little scared of him.”

  “Oh, don’t worry,” said Nicole. “He’s a little strange, but once you get to know him, he’s no different than the rest of us, I suppose.”

  Nicole was pouring up another cup of coffee when her boyfriend burst through the door.

  “He’s dying,” screamed Dean, who could barely catch his breath.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” shrieked Nicole. She could see the panic in his eyes.

  “It’s Nelson,” he gasped. “Upstairs. He’s dying on the floor.”

  With that, Jennifer and Nicole ran up the stairs and into Nelson’s apartment. He was on the floor, his entire body shaking intensely, and his mouth was foaming.

  “Out of the way,” said Jennifer as she made her way over to him.

  This wasn’t the first time Jennifer had seen this type of seizure. She had seen it many times with her own sister. She quickly put a pillow under his head and called the ambulance.

  After a few minutes, he came around, but was slightly confused. She could see he was also exhausted from the seizure. They helped him up onto the couch. Jennifer looked around at the stunned faces of her neighbours, and she was glad she was there to help.

  6

  The next time she saw Nelson Hart, they were both at Nicole’s apartment, and there was no mention of either his seizure or their awkward encounters in the parking lot.

  But the more they chatted, the more she saw him as a decent guy. He spoke confidently, but he was also humble. Even a bit shy, she observed.

  Slowly she began to relax in his company as they continued to drink coffee and share the local gossip. Finally, it was time to go home.

  “He seemed kind of normal,” laughed Susan as they made their way down the path. “After the stories you told me about him, I was expecting a monster. To be honest, Jennifer, he was looking at you like he was interested in more than just playing tag in the parking lot.”

  “Well, he’s not as odd as I first thought, but I’m still not sure I’d want to go out with him,” said Jennifer.

  But Nelson Hart was starting to grow on Jennifer. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something oddly attractive about him.

  The next time Jennifer dropped by for a visit with her neighbours, an eager Nelson showed up within minutes. With no job, there was plenty of time for Nelson to kill during a day.

  This time he sat next to Jennifer.

  “Are you working today?” he asked her.

  “No, it’s my day off. I just finished eight days straight,” she said. “I need to ask you something, Nelson. Why have you been blocking my path every time we see each other in the parking lot? I don’t understand.”

  Nelson lowered his head and suddenly took on a very boyish demeanour.

  “That’s the only way I knew how to let you know I liked you,” he mumbled.

  After a considerable silence, he spoke once more. This time it was to ask her if she wanted to go out on a date.

  Jennifer wasn’t sure what to think. Should she go out with this guy? He was odd. But he was nice. And there was something about him that made her feel like he could take care of her, protect her.

  “Sure,” she said.

  They agreed that he would come by her apartment at seven. Shortly after their conversation, he left Nicole’s apartment, and Jennifer went to her building to get ready.

  She wondered what he had in mind for a date as she got ready.

  She started with a long shower. Thoroughly washing her hair. As always, getting ready for Jennifer would take some time. But by six thirty she was ready and impeccably groomed.

  Of course, neither Jennifer nor Nelson owned a car, so they were limited in their options as to how they would spend the evening. But they really weren’t concerned with what they would do.

  They left the apartment and just started to walk.

  They walked through downtown, talking about their backgrounds. Nelson explained how he had grown up on the northeast coast as well. He was raised in the small town of Horwood and had moved to Gander.

  He told her more about his seizures.

  Some were minor, but the grand mal seizures could leave him feeling exhausted for days. The seizures were serious enough that he had lost his driver’s licence.

  After an hour or so, he took Jennifer’s hand, and they instantly became a pair. It certainly wasn’t a typical date. There were no flowers and he didn’t buy her dinner. They strolled from store to store, eyeing luxuries that neither of them could afford. And at the moment, neither of them cared for anything but each other’s company.

  That night they went back to their respective apartments, knowing there would be a second date.

  It was a couple of days before Je
nnifer could get an evening off work. But she was excited about the prospects of another evening with Nelson.

  “You’re seeing him again tonight?” Susan asked.

  When date night finally arrived, Jennifer was really looking forward to being with him again. There was something in his personality that continued to draw her toward him, though she could still not quite pinpoint what it was.

  “Yup. I’m really excited about seeing him again, too. He’s just a good fellow,” said Jennifer.

  Finally, Nelson knocked on the door, and he and Jennifer headed out for the evening.

  “See you later,” Jennifer said to her sister.

  From that day forward, the two were rarely seen apart.

  7

  It was October.

  Jennifer followed Nelson up the long flight of stairs to his apartment. It was her first time visiting his place, but in her heart she already knew that at some point she would probably be calling this apartment home.

  Depending on how things went today, of course.

  Jennifer was anxious to see how he lived. She had firm values when it came to cleanliness. Not just over her personal hygiene, but she also believed a person’s living environment should be equally pristine.

  “Come on in,” said Nelson.

  Jennifer slowly proceeded through the doorway, fearing the worst. Instead, she found an apartment that was absolutely spotless. Nothing was out of place, the floors were clean, the countertops were tidy, and the furniture was modest but in good condition.

  “I’m impressed,” said Jennifer. “You like to keep things clean.”

  “Well,” he said. “It’s not entirely my doing. I have a personal care worker who comes by a few times a week. Government pays me $300 a month to hire her, because of the seizures. When she doesn’t come, Mom usually helps out.

  “You should move in here,” suggested Nelson.

  It wasn’t a request she had expected to hear so soon. Jennifer was taken aback, but at the same time, the idea excited her. Living with Nelson would mean she could finally have a place to call her own. Also, Nelson had become her best friend. It would be nice to have him near her each night. And as much as she loved her sister, the apartment was getting more and more crowded as her nieces grew older.

  Plus, there was part of her that felt like Nelson could use her help, no matter how self-sufficient he appeared to be.

  “All right, it’s a done deal,” she blurted out.

  Within two days they had packed all her belongings and moved them across the street to building number three.

  To her new home and partner.

  8

  Jennifer rolls over and looks at the numbers on the alarm clock. Finally, a place to call her own.

  Jennifer had never felt better in her life than at this moment. Her job was perfect, and the tips were great. Nelson had welcomed her into his home, and it felt like her place.

  It was somewhat challenging as she rounded up her belongings and figured out what space would be hers. But that morning she felt comfortable there. Lying in his bed, she watched him sleep. She hoped this was the man she would spend the rest of her life with. Even though he seemed to need a lot of help, there was something about Nelson that made Jennifer feel safe and wanted.

  As a couple, they didn’t go to fancy places or even to the bar much. But it was a good relationship.

  This would be a great Christmas, she was sure.

  “Nelson,” shouted a voice from the living room. “Are you up?”

  Jennifer was startled. Who would be in his apartment while they were still in bed?”

  “That’s Mom,” said Nelson. “What the hell does she think she’s at?”

  Jennifer scrambled to get dressed. Nelson was already in his clothes and out in the living room. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she could tell by the sound of their voices that they weren’t getting along. Nelson hadn’t really talked a lot about his mother, but Jennifer already knew their relationship was strained.

  “Hello,” said Jennifer as she made her way into the room.

  “Hi. I see you have all your things moved in. Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah. We had a bit of a late night, though.”

  9

  It was March. Not the best time of year for travelling on the Trans-Canada Highway in Newfoundland, but Nelson and Jennifer decided to help out a friend.

  Stacy needed to take a four-hour trip into St. John’s to visit her son in the hospital, and she was going to take a taxi. But she didn’t want to go alone, so Jennifer and Nelson decided to tag along for company. They were up and ready to go before sunrise.

  “Are you sure you can drive around the city?” Jennifer asked the cabbie as they got into the car.

  But they were barely in St. John’s before they realized the taxi driver wasn’t exactly used to city driving, and they encountered several problems trying to get to the hospital. In fact, it took two hours of driving around the city before they finally reached their destination.

  Amazingly, they managed to get there on time. But after managing the traffic, they were then tasked with navigating their way around a massive hospital to find Stacy’s son.

  For part of the day they gave Stacy some privacy, but they also spent some time visiting as well.

  Jennifer was glad, though, when they finally left St. John’s that evening. The weather had taken a turn for the worse and a spring storm was moving in.

  “Are you sure we should drive back in this weather?” Jennifer asked the driver. He didn’t say anything, and the three of them piled into the car anyway. Out on the highway, Jennifer was getting nervous.

  “Slow down,” she yelled. She was watching the speedometer and could hardly believe the driver was reaching speeds of 110 kph in the snow and slush. “You’re going to get us all killed.”

  “Listen here,” he said. “I’ve got to have this car back in Gander in a couple of hours, so there’s no time to spare.”

  It was 2:00 p.m. and they were just approaching Clarenville. Jennifer knew there was no way the driver would make it back in time, and she was afraid for her life.

  From time to time she could feel the car swaying when he’d pull out to pass. Several times she caught herself gritting her teeth in fear.

  She had taken her eyes away from the window for only a moment when she looked up to see the trees flying past the car and scraping the windows. They hit several hard bumps before the car eventually came to a halt in the ditch.

  The driver opened his door and got out, as did her friend Stacy, who was in the back seat with Jennifer.

  At first Jennifer was afraid to move, unsure of whether or not she was injured. But she quickly came to her senses.

  Nelson was crying. Shrieking, more like it, in the front seat. His head was slumped down between the two seats in an unnatural position. Jennifer quickly and gently grabbed his head and repositioned it up against the back of the seat. The cab driver waved down help, and it wasn’t long before all four of them were on their way to the hospital in Clarenville. The paramedics had placed a collar on Nelson’s neck, but he continued to scream in pain.

  At the hospital, everyone was examined and released, even Nelson. Of course, Jennifer stayed by his side through a variety of tests. Finally, the doctor simply explained that he would need follow-up treatment at the hospital in Gander.

  Jennifer and Nelson made it back to their apartment late that evening. Jennifer went to bed, but Nelson decided to sleep on the couch. As Jennifer was getting dressed, she decided to check in on Nelson once more before getting some much-needed sleep.

  To her surprise, he was trying to reach the phone.

  “Who are you calling at this hour?” she asked.

  “I have to go the hospital now,” he replied. “Something’s
not right.”

  At four o’clock in the morning, Jennifer and Nelson were on their way back to St. John’s, this time on board an air ambulance.

  Doctors and nurses were rushing around and explaining things that Jennifer didn’t understand. In the end she learned that Nelson had broken his C2 vertebrae and was lucky to be alive. But there was a long road of recovery ahead.

  For the next twenty-six days, Jennifer slept sitting in a chair by Nelson’s bedside in the hospital. She returned to the hostel only to shower and change, but Nelson always hated for her to leave.

  When he was finally able to return home, there was only temporary relief for Jennifer. Infection set into his wounds.

  They ended up back in the hospital, where, again, Jennifer would spend weeks sitting by Nelson’s bedside as he recovered.

  10

  With the winter, and Nelson’s injuries, behind them, that June was especially welcomed. Life was finally returning to normal.

  Nelson had been up late the night before, and this morning he was still asleep. Jennifer expected he wouldn’t be getting up for at least a couple of hours.

  She kept the volume of the radio on low, trying not to wake him. Nelson hated to wake up before he was ready. She started getting ready for the day ahead as quietly as she could. Even though breakfast wasn’t started, she was contemplating what to take out of the freezer for tonight’s supper.

  But surprisingly, her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when she heard Nelson slowly waking up and shuffling around the room. She stuck her head out around the corner to have a look in the bedroom, and sure enough, he was sitting on the edge of the bed.

  “You should go back to sleep,” she said. “You had a late night.” The truth was Nelson slept a lot, but she found it a lot easier to get her chores done when he was out of the way.

  No answer.

  Jennifer switched her tasks and started in on making Nelson’s breakfast. Toast, eggs, fried potato, and bologna. Jennifer quickly got to work. She dragged out the old frying pan and started heating the oil.