by Sarah Markel
*****
A few hours later, Jack knocked on her office door. “Dr. Taylor, Ms. Walker would like to see you in her office, please. There’s a situation with one of the RA’s and she doesn’t seem too happy about it.” he said, poking his head in the door. Nodding, Kelly closed the file she had been updating and headed across the lobby. “You wanted to see me, Ms. Walker?” Kelly said as she stepped through the open door. Nodding curtly, Alex pointed to one of the visitor chairs. In the chair next to her was a level three RA who looked as if she were being interrogated by the police. While Kelly was unable to remember the woman’s name, she did remember that the woman worked on the Comfort Care floor with residents who were recovering from falls or illness. “Dr. Taylor, thank you for joining us. It was brought to my attention that Ms. Roberts gave narcotic pain medication to Mr. Beronski, under your orders, against his family’s wishes.” Alex stated, folding her hands over the resident’s file and glaring at both women. Looking confused, Kelly said “When did that happen? I never gave anyone instructions to give him pain medication.” Offering Kelly the patient file, Alex addressed the woman in the other chair. “Ms. Roberts, would you like to explain what happened again for Dr. Taylor to hear?” Glaring at Kelly, the woman fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. Huffing loudly at Alex’s continued scrutiny, the woman began. “On Friday evening, I texted Dr. Taylor at about six o’clock and asked what I was supposed to do. Mr. Beronski was in a lot of pain and was begging for something to make it better. At about eight o’clock, she texted me back and said to give him a pain pill, but not to tell anyone. I documented it in the log like we’re supposed to, but I didn’t tell anyone else.”
Confusion evident on her face, Kelly handed the file back to Alex. “I said nothing of the sort! Going against his family is something I would never tell anyone to do.” she said, looking at her accuser. Pulling out her phone, the woman showed Alex the conversation with Kelly.
FB in pain. c/o pain x10. Res req pain med. What do I do?
Give one hydro q4h until he feels better. Don’t tell anyone though k?
R u sure? Won’t I get in trble?
No lol, it’s all good. I will change his chart in the am.
Surging to her feet, Kelly stormed out of the office. When she returned a few moments later, she handed Alex her phone. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but this is the conversation I had with her.” she said, taking her seat and crossing her arms over her chest. Taking a moment to confirm her suspicions, Alex read the conversation to herself.
FB in pain. c/o pain x10. Res req pain med. What do I do?
Alternate heat and ice. No meds per family req, so do what you can to comfort him without meds.
R u sure? Won’t I get in trble?
No. his family holds his medical proxy and they have said no pain medications.
Keeping her eyes on Kelly’s phone, Alex cleared her throat. “Ms. Roberts, can I ask you a question?” she said calmly. With a satisfied smirk, the woman nodded. “Something here is bothering me. Would you be willing to let me send Dr. Taylor a text from your phone?” Kelly watched with amusement when the woman suddenly became nervous. “I, um. I don’t think I’m okay with that.” the woman muttered. Shrugging, Alex turned to Kelly. “Dr. Taylor, could you please send Ms. Roberts a text?” she asked, handing Kelly back her phone. Nodding, Kelly sent a message to the woman’s phone. When the text arrived, Alex opened it and scrolled through the past conversations. “Hmm, that’s strange. The text that Dr. Taylor sent came through under the name Doctor Bitch. But the text you showed me was from someone listed as Dr. Taylor.” Alex said, pinning the woman with an angry stare. Crossing her arms over her chest, the woman tilted her chin in defiance. “It’s illegal for you to be going through my phone. I think I need to contact my lawyer.” the woman said arrogantly. Nodding, Alex pressed the button on her desk phone. “Tina, please send Mr. Jacoby in.” A moment later, a tall, middle-aged man in a three piece suit entered the room.
“Harold, I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Kelly Taylor, and Ms. Evelyn Roberts.” Alex said, pointing to each woman respectively. “Ladies, this is our company lawyer, Harold Jacoby. I would like you both to know that under company policy, any allegation of unlawful activity is addressed immediately and the entire conversation is recorded on closed circuit cameras. Ms. Roberts, since you have accused Dr. Taylor of illegally ordering a controlled substance to a patient against the wishes of his family, please tell me again what happened.” Swallowing hard, the woman repeated the story to the man. This time, however, she appeared to be more nervous than smug. Once she had finished, Kelly did the same. Handing Evelyn back her cell phone, Alex said “I asked Dr. Taylor to text Ms. Roberts because I had a hunch. When the text came through, instead of the sender being listed as Dr. Taylor, it said Doctor Bitch. Am I mistaken, Harold, in assuming that the so called conversation that Ms. Roberts is referring to is a fake, set up to look like Dr. Taylor was the person responsible for breaking the law?” Shaking his head, the man crossed his arms over his chest. “No ma’am, you would not be mistaken in that assumption.” he replied, staring at Evelyn Roberts. Thanking the man, Alex turned to the young woman and asked calmly “Ms. Roberts, you have been with us for almost three years. Why on earth would you want to frame someone, especially Dr. Taylor who is nothing but kind to all of the staff, for a crime that could have serious consequences?” Temper flaring, the woman turned and pointed at Kelly. “Because that woman is nothing like she seems. All Mr. Beronski wanted was something to ease his pain. What kind of person would let a poor old man suffer like that?” she demanded. Before Alex could answer, Kelly’s own temper got the best of her.
“Because it’s the law! Mr. Beronski is a dementia patient, and he is not in charge of his own care. His family is, and his family has asked that he not be given any pain medication because of their religious beliefs. Regardless of whether or not I agree with their decision, I am obligated to respect their wishes. I told you to alternate heat and ice, not give him medications. If you had listened to me instead of taking it upon yourself to overstep your boundaries, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now!” she said, her voice shaking with anger. Giving Kelly a spiteful glare, the woman replied “Just because you are fucking my boss, doesn’t mean you can tell me what to do. Doctor or not, you are just another employee.” Slamming her hands on her desk hard enough to make the group jump, Alex leaned across the surface and hissed through her teeth. “Do not speak to my fiancée that way. Our personal life has nothing to do with our professional one, and as the only person in this facility with a higher level of authority than Dr. Taylor, I have had enough.” Looking to Harold Jacoby, Alex took a calming breath before she spoke again. “Ms. Roberts, based on your reckless behavior and blatant disregard for both company policy and federal law, I am placing you on unpaid suspension. Harold, please give this recording to the prosecutor.” she added, removing a small audio tape from the recorder on her desk. Nodding, Harold took the tape. “If you need anything, give me a call.” he said as he opened the door to the office. Thanking him, Alex walked the man out, leaving Kelly to go back to her office.
A short time later, Alex knocked on Kelly’s door. “May I come in?” she asked. When Kelly nodded without looking up, Alex took a seat in the woman’s visitor chair. “The kids have been asking about you.” she said, suddenly nervous. Putting the papers she was working on into her desk, Kelly finally looked up. “Please tell them I am sorry for not visiting them. I have been busy with work and looking for an apartment, and I haven’t had time to get over there before they go to bed.” she said, hoping that her sadness didn’t show. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Alex finally spoke up. “Will you come to dinner with me tonight? Please?” she added when she saw the hesitation in Kelly’s eyes. Slowly, Kelly nodded. “Great. I’ll pick you up at six. Where do you want to go?” Alex asked with a big smile. “How about I meet you at your place? Then we can eat together with the kids.” Kelly suggested,
much to Alex’s delight.
*****
“Mom!” Zane and Dej yelled in unison when Kelly walked through the door later that evening. Chuckling when both kids launched themselves at her, Kelly had to will away the tears of happiness that seeing the kids brought. She had missed the children dearly, and she hadn’t expected to feel so much relief at seeing them again. Hugging the kids tightly, Kelly closed her eyes and stayed as she was. God I missed that sight! Alex thought to herself as she leaned against the kitchen door frame and watched. Smiling, Alex sent the kids to get washed up. She hated to break up the reunion, but didn’t want dinner to get cold. “You look nice, Babe.” she said when Kelly stood and removed her coat. With a slight blush, Kelly murmured a thank you and asked if there was anything she could help with. Nodding, Alex met the woman’s eyes and said softly “You can help me fix us. Stay after dinner and talk with me. The kids and I miss you so much, and we want you to come back home.” Looking away with a sigh, Kelly agreed. “We can talk. As for the rest, we’ll have to see what happens.” she said. Happy to be making some kind of progress, Alex reached tentatively for the woman’s hand. When Kelly didn’t pull away, Alex pulled her into the kitchen as relief washed over her.
*****
“You've outdone yourself, Alex. Dinner was wonderful.” Kelly said a short time later. The group had taken their time with their meal because the kids were too excited to eat. Both of the kids had taken turns filling Kelly in on every detail of what she had missed over the last couple of weeks. When they had finally finished regaling her of their adventures, Kelly gave each child a hug and apologized for walking out. When neither child had asked about her reason for leaving, she assumed Alex had explained it to them. Beaming at the woman, Alex stood and began clearing the dishes. When Kelly offered to help, Alex shook her head and told her to stay put. “Mommy are you coming back home yet?” Dej asked solemnly. Not wanting to give the child false hope, Kelly felt it best to be honest. “Well Sweetheart, I’m not sure yet. Mom and I need to talk about some things first.” Looking at the woman curiously, the little girl got down from her seat and headed out of the room. When she reached the door, Dej turned and said “Well you two need to put your big girl panties on and make up. Good moms don’t leave their kids just because of a fight. And good wives don’t let someone leave just because they think they are right.” the girl added, looking Alex in the eye before she turned and went upstairs. Staring after the child, both women felt themselves flush with embarrassment. Shaking his head, Zane chuckled. “She sure has a way with words, doesn’t she?” the boy asked, following his sister upstairs.
“Alright Alex, let’s talk.” Kelly said after the two women had put the children to bed. Sitting on the sofa, Alex patted the cushion next to her. “I want to start by apologizing. I never should have brought the kids into the conversation, or said that they were mine instead of ours. They’re our kids and this is our house.” She said, taking Kelly’s hand when she sat. “I don’t want you to think that I was trying to get you to choose between your mom and us, but I do think that moving her in here should have been something we talked about together. I honestly don’t see a problem with her being here, I just didn’t like that you made the decision for me instead of with me.” she added, choosing her words carefully. Taking a deep breath and squeezing Alex’s hand, Kelly replied “You have nothing to apologize for, Alex. This whole situation is my fault. I’m sorry for not including you in my decision. I should have talked to you about it first and gotten your opinion. I never felt that you were asking me to choose between you and my mother, so there is nothing to worry about there.” Taking another deep breath, Kelly continued “What upset me was that it felt like you thought I should just call it good once the transplant was done. I know what my mother has done in her life, and I know how she has made me feel. But regardless of the kind of woman she is, she is my mother. I may not like the woman, and believe me when I say that I don’t like her because I think she is two-faced, but I am both her daughter and a doctor. When I took the Hippocratic Oath, I swore to help all people who need care, not just those that I like.” Hoping that the woman understood what she was saying, Kelly met Alex’s eyes. Unsure of what else to say, Alex leaned in and pressed her lips to Kelly’s. When the woman didn’t resist or pull away, Alex pulled her close and deepened the kiss. As their lips parted, Alex whispered “I love you, Kelly. I don’t want to fight with you and if you want to bring your mom here to take care of her, then I’m fine with that. Next time something comes up that we should both be involved in, just talk to me.” Smiling, Kelly nodded and bit her bottom lip. Wiggling her eyebrows at Alex, Kelly angled her head toward the stairs. Laughing, Alex stood and took Kelly’s hand, dragging her quickly up the stairs.
*****
When the pair reached the bedroom, Alex stepped close and pinned Kelly against the wall. Pressing their bodies together, she whispered in the other woman’s ear “Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you?” Purring deep in her throat, Kelly tilted her head to give Alex access to the sensitive skin of her neck. Taking the hint, Alex placed several feather soft kisses on her flesh, starting at her chin and trailing down to her shoulder. When she heard Kelly’s breath hitch, Alex slid her hands up the woman’s stomach and cupped her breasts under her shirt. “Oh, Alex” Kelly moaned, arching her back. “We need to get rid of this.” Alex panted, her voice deep and husky, as she quickly removed her lover’s shirt and threw it over her shoulder. Taking a moment to admire Kelly’s bra-clad breasts as if she had never seen them before, Alex felt her libido hasten. Despite the urge to satisfy her needs right then and there, Alex pulled away from the woman and took her hand. Leading Kelly over to the bed, she knelt down on the floor and looked up into blue eyes that radiated both love and need. “Baby, I want you so badly that it hurts. But I’m scared. I’m scared that I might hurt you, and that is something I never want to do.” Alex said, uncertainty shadowing her eyes. “Alex, you won’t hurt me.” Kelly said, sitting down and cupping the woman’s face. “I trust that you won’t let yourself get carried away. I promise, if you are being too rough, I will say so. All you have to do is promise that you will stop if it comes to that.” Leaning forward, Alex pressed her lips gently to Kelly’s and whispered “I promise.” Smiling, Kelly stood and slowly unbuttoned her pants, her eyes locked on Alex. As she let them drop to the floor, she heard Alex bite back a groan. Smirking to herself, Kelly took her sweet time undressing.
When she saw Alex struggle not to rush things, inspiration struck. “Honey, would you mind if we tried something different?” Kelly asked. Nodding, Alex wondered what Kelly had in mind. Walking over to the dresser that still held most of her clothing, Kelly pulled two lightweight silk scarves out of the top drawer. Turning back toward Alex, she handed them over without a word. After a moment of confusion, Alex realized what Kelly wanted. Hesitantly, she stood and stared deeply into the other woman’s eyes. “Baby, are you sure?” she asked cautiously. Biting her lip, Kelly nodded. “Alright, but if we do this, it’s going to be slow and drawn out. We might not get any sleep tonight.” Alex quipped. Giggling, Kelly leaned in for a kiss, but instead caught Alex’s bottom lip between her teeth. Growling as she slowly pulled her head away, Kelly winked and reached for Alex’s pants. Feeling herself throb with desire, Alex grabbed Kelly’s hands and lifted them above the woman’s head. “Uh-uh, Baby. Those will stay where they are for right now.” she said, wrapping one of the scarves around the woman’s wrists. Looking into Alex’s eyes, Kelly stuck out her lip in a playful and seductive pout. “Why don’t you scoot up to the head of the bed, Beautiful?” Alex suggested. Doing as she was told, Kelly crawled up against the pillows and placed her hands above her head against the headboard. Willing herself to take her time, Alex took care to be gentle as she fastened the scarf around the frame of the headboard. Once the woman was loosely secure, Alex placed the other scarf over Kelly’s eyes and tied it in place.