Resident Billionaire

by Cheryl Phipps

  “I worked hard, but it wouldn’t have been possible without your family.”

  Caris slipped off the bed and came to stand in front of him, but he walked around her to the connecting door. “Let’s go get dinner. Dolores’s pie needs to be removed from my system and my mind ASAP. I’m thinking a steak would do the trick.”

  Chapter Eight

  The plane touched down into the June heat of ninety-two degrees. A haze hung over the airport and as soon as the door of the private jet opened, Caris’s breath was sucked from her lungs.

  “I’m so overdressed.” She pulled at the collar of her shirt, then undid the cuffs and rolled them as far as she could.

  Andy looked her up and down. “Yeah, jeans weren’t a good call.”

  “You’re wearing jeans,” she pointed out.

  He shrugged. “Basically, it’s my uniform.”

  A damn fine uniform it was too. The jeans hugged his thighs and backside. His shirt was sticking slightly to his broad chest and the rolled-up sleeves were bursting with his upper arms. Her heart skipped a beat.

  “You must be hot, too?” The words came out in a slight croak, but Andy was oblivious.

  “Not really. I think I’m acclimatized.”

  She snorted. “How’s that possible? We’ve only this minute arrived.”

  “Haven’t you heard? I’m a Texas boy.”

  “Really? I would have said you were a city boy these days.”

  He took the bags and headed to the terminal. “I work in and around San Francisco, because of your family, but I’m still a Texan.”

  “So, you’d rather live back in Texas?” She was almost jogging to keep up with his long, purposeful strides, and now worried about his answer.

  “I’m not sure. I’ve thought about it a lot since I grew up. Roots and all that. But, it would be hard not to be a few miles from the Knights.”

  Caris felt her heart pick up another notch. Did he mean all the Knights, in the same way? “I feel the same.”

  He stopped on the tarmac, dropped the bags, and turned to her so fast she smacked into his chest. He took hold of her arms. Perhaps it was simply to steady her, but she shivered at his firm touch.

  “You’re thinking of moving away?”

  “I might have to if I want the sort of residency that will fast track my learning. I need to be in the best place for that, and I’m not sure San Francisco General is it.”

  “Where then?”

  “I’ve applied for spots at John Hopkins in Baltimore, Massachusetts General, and San Francisco Medical Centre, as well as several others.”

  He let her go and picked up the bags, marching ahead to the doors of the small airport. But not before she’d seen the hurt on his face. It wasn’t right for him to feel hurt when he pushed her away every chance he got. Like last night, when becoming lovers would have been so easy. Instead, they had returned to their separate rooms to ‘work’.

  How could she work when she knew he was on the other side of the door? If it was friendship he wanted, then it was best that they be long-distance friends.

  They picked up the car keys from the rental company and this time they drove a sporty 4X4. It was quite new but not showy, so at least they’d blend in. Andy keyed the address into the GPS for his mother’s last known address from a piece of paper he’d pulled from his pocket then stowed it in the glove compartment.

  “When do you leave?” he asked, his voice cool.

  “I don’t know exactly. It depends on where I go. If I move states, then I’ll need to set up another flat or buy a small house. That’ll take time, so I’d go earlier.”

  “You must have start dates.”

  “First of the month.” It had sounded a long way off before this trip.

  There was a very long pause.

  “Next month?” he asked. His hands gripped the wheel tight enough for his knuckles to turn white.

  “Yes.”

  “I see. Thanks for finally telling me. It would have been nice to know this before.”

  “Andy, you can be as annoyed as you like, but this is my career and we haven’t exactly been close enough to have the conversation. Anyway, what is the point of staying nearby when you clearly don’t want me.”

  They’d only been driving for a few minutes when he swerved to the side of the road. He smacked the steering wheel before turning to her. “Look, as much as we need to get this out in the open, I can’t do it right now. I can’t talk about us until I know about me. But, never think I don’t want you.”

  They stared at each other, and Caris could feel herself moving towards him. Their eyes locked for a moment then he put the car into gear and pulled back onto the road.

  She was in limbo, as she turned to look out her window. All these words, so uncharacteristic of him, didn’t say enough. But that look had. She would have to be patient, even if it meant choosing at the last minute the hospital she’d work in. If she could have Andy, she’d work anywhere he was.

  Twenty minutes later they arrived at the address on the edge of town. ‘Happy Valley Retirement village’ the sign read. It looked anything but happy. It was badly run down if the outside in any way reflected the inside. From the weed-infested driveway and the cloudy windows to the sagging portico, the place just looked sad.

  Andy parked in the potholed parking lot and by the way he yanked on the brake she knew he wasn’t happy. This was not a good start.

  The hallways were dim and the place needed paint and carpet. They waited for an age at the unmanned reception desk, even after they rang the bell a few times. Finally, Andy nodded down a corridor and they followed the sound of plaintive voices, walking slowly so that Andy could check each room.

  Caris screwed her nose up at the smell of urine and feces. As part of her training, she’d spent time in nursing homes and couldn’t say they were all perfect, but this was something else. This place needed a bulldozer. The thought did not change as they got further and further into the building.

  Through open doors, they could see residents in bed or sitting on chairs. Some had televisions to watch, others simply stared at blank screens. A couple looked hopeful and then disappointed when they passed on by.

  Eventually, they reached a room which seemed to burst with old people. There was a hum of voices, interspersed with a few yells. All the chairs were taken, with wheelchairs and walkers filling the spaces.

  They were listening to a young woman in a faded uniform, who had been showing them a few exercises, which a few were attempting. As soon as they realized they had visitors, every face turned their way.

  The young woman carefully squeezed past her audience to greet them with a sunny smile. “Good morning. Can I help you?”

  “Do you run this place?” Andy asked.

  “Gosh, no. I’m only an aide.”

  “Where is the owner or manager?”

  The smile faded. “The manager is in the staffroom. She’s having a meeting.”

  “So, you’re the only one looking after the patients at the moment?” he pressed.

  “Yes.”

  Andy shook his head in disbelief and took a walk around the room. He looked more upset with each person he passed.

  The woman was younger up close than Caris had imagined. She’d looked worried about her admission and didn’t seem inclined to locate the manager for them.

  At that moment, Andy’s patience ran out. “Okay. I need to speak to someone in charge. Can you at least point me in the right direction?”

  She nodded down another corridor and whispered. “The staff room is at the end.”

  “Thank you.”

  Andy handed Caris a picture of his mom. “You stay here and look for her. I’m going to talk to the manager.”

  “Take it easy, Andy, you’ll get more help if you don’t yell at anyone.”

  He hesitated. “I can’t promise, but I’ll try.”

  She smiled in encouragement, while her fingers crossed automatically, remembering from her childhood that An
dy in a temper was not particularly pleasant.

  Caris turned back to the young woman who was fidgeting, and looking at the residents as if they might revolt at any moment. Most of them were fascinated by the goings-on. Perhaps it was a novelty to have visitors?

  “What’s your name?”

  “Rebecca Daniels.”

  “Rebecca, do you know this woman?” Caris handed her the photo.

  “I think this must be a very old photo, ma’am?” she nodded at the sea of wrinkled faces behind them.

  Point taken. Andy was over thirty now, so his mother would have to be over sixty since a late in life baby had been an unwanted surprise to her and Andy’s dad, or so the drunk had been heard to say whenever he got the chance. Not that Andy had told her this, but adults as well as children talk about things like that.

  Sixty-something still wasn’t old, but she’d had a rough life by all accounts, and would almost certainly look different.

  “My name’s Caris Knight, and that man is Andrew Carlile. This is a picture of his mother, Patsy.”

  “Patsy Carlile? Why yes, she’s still here.”

  Caris would have called after Andy, but he’d disappeared into a room at the end of the corridor. Perhaps she should take a better look at their audience, who were watching the proceedings with varying degrees of interest.

  “No, she’s not in the room. She’s bedridden.”

  “Is she hurt?”

  “Not really. She stopped eating a few days ago.”

  The girl sounded apologetic and sad. Caris was pretty sure that Rebecca wasn’t to blame for any of this. By the looks of things, she was doing the best she could in a bad situation.

  Loud voices were heard from Andy’s direction, and several heads popped out of doorways along the corridor. She hoped he’d managed to keep his temper in check, but by the sound of it, her hopes were in vain.

  Chapter Nine

  As he got closer, Andy could hear raucous laughter coming from behind the half-closed door. He stood for a moment, listening to some outrageous comments about the residents.

  “Abigail was walking around with her diaper in her hand stark naked, for I don’t know how long. Mr. Kimble was beside himself. He kept running behind her with a blanket trying to cover her up, but she would have none of it.”

  More laughter ensued along with some unpleasant suggestions regarding the couple. He’d heard enough. Knocking once to mitigate his poor manners, he threw open the door, which heralded the screeching of chairs as eight guilty staff members stood in a panicked half-circle.

  A middle-aged woman peeled off from the group and took a step forward. Just the one. She had a slight sheen to her upper lip. Nervous, then. Good. She had every reason to be.

  “Good morning. I’m Gladys Nixon, the manager. I’m afraid visitors or contractors aren’t allowed in the staff lunchroom. You need to sign in at the front desk, which you would have passed on your way here.”

  He took a step closer. “I did pass the reception area, which had no one on duty to help or give me information.”

  Gladys crossed her arms, full of her own importance. “They must be on a break.”

  “Which means anyone can walk in here, and that the residents aren’t safe.”

  A young man laughed. “Why would anyone bother to come in here?”

  “Shut up, Harold,” Gladys sent a glare the man’s way.

  The man slipped back into the group looking fearful, and Gladys seemed sadistically satisfied with her achievement.

  “Who is it you wish to see, and what relation are you to them?”

  “I’m here to see my mother. Patsy Carlile.”

  She frowned. “No one’s ever been to see her. I’ll need some ID.”

  Andy pulled out his driver’s license, and a business card when what he really wanted to do was frog-march this witch around the complex until he found his mom.

  The woman took them, blanching at the card which stated he was a private investigator. “I don’t understand. Is there an issue with your mother’s care? Since you haven’t visited before, it does seem unlikely,” she blustered.

  “I’ll tell you after I see her.” He didn’t feel the slightest need to justify his reasons for not visiting. It was none of this woman’s business.

  Since he’d mentioned his mother, Gladys had looked very uncomfortable. This made Andy more worried than he’d been before he’d walked through the front doors.

  “Very well. If you’ll give us a few minutes to make sure she’s dressed, one of my staff will bring you to her.” She tried to get past him, but he stood his ground.

  “No.”

  She jumped back with fright. “Excuse me?”

  “I said, ‘no’. You’ll take me to her now.”

  “You can’t come in here and talk to me like this.” Red-faced with anger, she spat the words at him.

  “I’ll talk to you any way I see fit after what I just heard from you and your staff.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she bluffed, her face red.

  He took another few steps towards her and she cowered behind her nearest staff member. His voice boomed in the small room. “I’m talking about your total disregard for the residents, who are packed together in a room out there like animals. I’m talking about your lack of empathy and respect. Now take me to my mother.”

  He stood sideways and held the door for her. She shuffled past and almost ran ahead down yet another corridor. Near the end, they turned into a dark room. A body lay curled in the fetal position on a small bed, wearing a grubby nightie. She didn’t move when they entered, not even when he threw open the curtains. He crouched down to check her pulse as he focused on her face. Was it her?

  Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow, and her wrist was thin enough to be able to feel each bone. Her cheekbones were too prominent, and the rest of her body which was visible had skin hanging from her frame.

  Andy pulled up the only chair in the room, still unsure. This poor woman looked so old. He took a steadying breath. “Mom?”

  Her eyes flickered, opened, closed, and opened once more. She licked cracked lips and her voice rasped softly. “Andrew? Am I dreaming again? You look so big. So real.”

  He’d recognize those eyes anywhere. They’d been electric blue and were a little faded now, yet still a memorable color. Especially for someone who didn’t have much to hold on to when it came to good memories.

  “I’m real, Mom. I’m here, and I’m going to take you away from this dump.”

  The manager huffed in the corner. “Excuse me! We do the best we can with our resources. You don’t know what it’s like to deal with old people all day.”

  “It’s your job, lady,” he snarled at her and she headed for the door. “I suggest you get another one if you can’t handle it because your best is nowhere near good enough. Then again, I don’t think you’ll be working here much longer if I have anything to do with it. Now get out of this room.”

  She glared for a second or two, but she was a classic bully—full of bravado and not used to being challenged. Another second and she turned for the door as fast as her legs would take her.

  His mother’s eyes were wide as they looked their fill, and he took her hand. So small, it lay shaking in his large paw. He heard someone enter, and knew by her scent and footsteps that it was Caris. His emotions were a mess, and he didn’t trust himself to look at either of them.

  “You’re all grown up, and I missed it. I looked for you, Andrew, I promise I did. I hired people, using every dime I earned, but the lawyer said they couldn’t find you.” His mother began to cry softly.

  “Don’t, Mom, I know everything. I’ll tell you all about it later. Right now, I want you to see a doctor.”

  She sniffed, “I don’t think it’s his week to come, dear.”

  The thought sickened him—that a person should have to wait so long. Then Caris touched his shoulder, and he covered her hand with his spare one and the tight feeling in
his chest eased a little.

  “The doctor’s right here. This is Caris Knight, and she’s going to give you a check-up. If she says we can move you, then you’re coming home with me.”

  “Home? I like the sound of that. My sister passed on a couple of years back and I had to move in here. Until then, I’d never given up hope I would see you one day before I died.”

  Tears coursed down her haggard cheeks, and the lump in his throat threatened to choke him. He stood and nodded to Caris, not trusting his voice. She took the vacant seat and his mother’s hand.

  “I’m so pleased to meet you, Mrs. Carlile. I’m a friend of Andy’s and I’m a doctor. May I take a look at you?”

  “Any friend of Andrew’s is a friend of mine, dear. You’re so young and pretty, not like any doctor they bring in here. You do what you must, and please call me Patsy.”

  “I’ll try not to hurt you.”

  Andy turned away while Caris did the examination, waiting impatiently for the prognosis, but glad Caris was the one to do it. She had a great bedside manner, as she explained everything she did or was about to do in a soft voice. It felt a lot longer than it was until Caris called to him.

  “Andy, your mom is seriously dehydrated and weak because she’s undernourished. I’ll need to organize some tests to make sure that’s all it is.”

  He turned to see Caris holding his mom’s head to allow her to sip from a cup which wasn’t as clean as he’d like.

  “Nothing’s broken, and her heart rate seems reasonable. We should get her out of this place, but she can’t walk in her current state.”

  Relief flooded through him. “That’s okay.” He picked his mother up as gently as he could, shocked at how little she weighed. Her arms clasped around his neck and she snuggled her head under his chin with a sigh. Caris wrapped a shawl around her for decency then he carried her back the way they’d come.

  There was no doubt most of the other residents had heard the ruckus because they lined the corridors. A few called out to his mom, wishing her well, while others looked wistful, and still others cried softly.

  The depressing sight could bring a grown man to his knees, and he could hear Caris sniffing beside him. When they got to the reception desk, Rebecca, the young woman from earlier was waiting for them.