by Sarah Markel
For several moments, the pair enjoyed their meal in silence. Once she had finished her food, Alex set the paper plate on the table and repositioned herself with her back to the arm of the couch and one leg bent under her. “What about Serenity Home?” she asked. Momentarily confused, Kelly looked at the woman blankly. “I’m serious. Why shell out the money for an apartment and a nurse, when she could have the same privacy and care at the facility for the same price?” Alex continued. Taking a moment to think it over, Kelly nodded slowly. “Well, if she would agree to it, I don’t see why not. Do we have any empty units on the AL floor?” she asked, referring to the main floor of the building that housed the Assisted Living residents, who required the least amount of personal care. Nodding Alex set down her empty wine glass. “We have three that are open and ready to rent. She would get all the help she needs and still be able to retain her independence. Plus we have the PT rooms where she can work on her strength and endurance with Techs who know what they’re doing, instead of having a bunch of people traipsing through her home.” Taking some time to think while she finished her meal, Kelly sat back on the couch. After a few moments spent weighing the pros and cons of Alex’s offer, Kelly finally replied. “If you can talk my mother into living at Serenity Home while she finishes her recovery, I think it would be good for her. The only thing that might be an issue is her medical care. We would have to find an outside physician to care for her, since I can’t do it.” Nodding, Alex tried to think of a physician in the area who would be able to take Karen on such short notice. “Just a second.” Alex said, grabbing her phone and punching in a number.
“Hey Jessie, how’s it going?” she asked when the other woman answered. After a couple minutes of small talk, Alex got down to business. “So I was wondering, are you still practicing medicine?” she asked. With a smile, she continued “Great! I wanted to offer you a temporary job, if you want it that is. My future mother-in-law might be moving into the facility for a few months, and she will need a PCP to see to her medications and such. You know how the Ethics Committee is when it comes to treating family members, so we need to find someone else to do it.” Pulling the phone away from her ear when the woman shrieked in excitement, Alex laughed and shook her head. “Alright, I will let you know for sure in the next few days if she is moving in or not. If she does, I will have you come in and we will get the paperwork out of the way. Hey, what are you up to this evening?” she asked. “Well then, why don’t you come over to my house and visit with me and Kelly?” she offered when the woman said she had no plans. When Jessie accepted the offer, Alex hung up and called the guard shack to give permission for the woman to enter. Setting her phone on the table, Alex straightened her bent leg and patted the couch for Kelly to cuddle with her. Obligingly, Kelly scooted between her partner’s legs and got comfortable. “That was awful nice of you, inviting her over for a visit.” She said, laying her head back against Alex’s shoulder and pulling the woman’s hand to rest over her belly. Too bad you didn’t bother to ask me if I wanted her treating my mother. She thought, making a concentrated effort not to let her irritation show.
Muttering her agreement, Alex sighed contentedly as she gently rubbed her hand up and down Kelly’s abdomen. Man, I would love to see her pregnant. She told herself, smiling into Kelly’s hair. Not wanting to ruin the quiet moment, Alex let her mind wander. She imagined how radiant Kelly would look as her body went through the changes that pregnancy brought. The way her face would light up the first time they saw the baby on the ultrasound. Going shopping for all the things an infant would need to get a good start on life. She felt her heart beat faster when she thought of watching her fiancée as her belly swelled with a new life. Unintentionally, her train of thought shifted to the not-quite-as-cheery side of pregnancy. She imagined the mood swings and strange 2 a.m. cravings, the indecisiveness about whether she was too warm or too cold, and the morning sickness. Ugh! God, how I hated morning sickness! She thought, groaning out loud. When Kelly turned to look up at her, Alex shrugged. “Sorry Babe. Just thinking about how your mom will react when we offer to put her in a home.” she lied with a chuckle. With a snort, Kelly laid her head back down and nestled close while they waited for their guest.
*****
“Thank you both for inviting me over.” Jessie said when Alex let her in half an hour later. “It’s been lonely as hell at home lately, and I was gearing myself up for another T.V. crime drama marathon.” Hanging her coat on the rack, Jessie set a six pack of beer down on the coffee table and took a seat on the love seat. “Not a problem, Jess. We didn’t really have anything planned for the evening. Dej is at Angie’s, and Zane is out on a date. He texted me a while ago and said that Will was taking them to the indoor carnival in Salem, so we aren’t expecting him home until late.” Alex said, taking her seat next to Kelly and offering her a beer. “Oh wow, little guy is dating already? Sheesh, Alex, why did you let him grow up so fast?” Jessie replied, taking a swig of her beer. Shrugging, Alex just shook her head. The three women talked for a while, about what they were up to and how they had spent their holiday. “So what happened with Rachel?” Kelly asked after a while. Noticing Jessie’s face harden, she regretted asking the question. “Well, the judge gave her sixty days in jail and mandatory anger management classes, contingent on her staying away from me.” the woman replied. At Alex’s inquisitive look, Jessie stood and lifted her shirt. “Holy fuck, Jessie! Did you report that?” Alex asked, standing and going over to the woman.
Kneeling down to get a better look, Alex noted that Jessie’s entire torso was covered in deep purple and blue bruising. Motioning for her to remove her shirt completely, Alex guided her to stand in front of the couch between Kelly and herself. Kelly gasped when she noticed the still-raw welts spreading from the woman’s sides around to her back. After turning Jessie around to look at all of the bruising, Alex demanded once more to know if she had reported the injuries. “Yes. I called Officer Betancourt after Rachel left. She came over and I filed the report. She took me to the hospital to get photos and have me checked out, and by the time she took me home, another cop had arrested Rachel. Since she violated the terms of her release, she is back in jail without bail until she goes to court.” Jessie explained, putting her shirt back on and taking her seat. “When did this happen?” Alex asked, anger radiating off of her in waves. “On Wednesday.” the woman replied, sipping her beer. Too angry to stay still, Alex stood and paced the room. "Why didn't you call me? I would have come over and helped you get out of the house." Alex said, her voice strained with emotion. Setting down her beer, Jessie looked from Alex to Kelly. "Alex, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself, and I can't just pretend you are my knight in shining armor. You have a family to look after, you don't need to be putting your life on hold because I can't pick the right woman." Jessie said, confused by the sudden protectiveness that Alex was showing. "Dammit Jessie, you are my friend! We've known each other for years, and you have always been able to come to me with anything." Alex said, returning to her seat next to Kelly and plopping down. "I need another beer." She muttered, taking another from the pack.
Watching as Alex and Jessie conversed, Kelly felt a surge of anger. Without really listening to what was going on, she sat quietly on the couch and tried to calm herself. After all that shit about me wanting to bring Mother here, she goes and makes a decision about my mother without me! This woman can’t even keep herself safe from abuse, how can I trust her judgement when it comes to my mother’s health? She thought to herself. Angry that Alex had broken her word, Kelly excused herself and went upstairs. "Is she alright?" Jessie asked when Kelly left the room. Shrugging her shoulders, Alex followed the woman upstairs and into their bedroom.
"Babe, is everything alright?" She asked, standing in the doorway. Without a word, Kelly climbed onto the bed and curled up into the fetal position. Concerned, Alex went over and sat on the bed. Rubbing Kelly's back gently, she asked again "Baby, what's wrong?" Willing herself to keep her
voice even, Kelly replied "Nothing, I just have a really bad headache. Please come get me when Zane gets home. I want to hear all about his date." When Kelly made no other effort to communicate, or even look at her, Alex sighed and stood. "Okay, babe. If you need anything, just yell." she said, taking two Ibuprofen from the bottle she kept on her nightstand and setting them on the bed near Kelly's hand. Watching her fiancée for a moment, Alex wondered if she should send Jessie home and take care of Kelly. She's a doctor, dumbass, she knows what she's doing! Alex chastised herself. Letting out another sigh, she turned and went back down to join Jessie and wait for their son.
*****
"Is she okay?" Jessie asked when Alex came back down. Shrugging her shoulders, she nodded. "I think so, she said it's just a headache." Alex replied, picking up her beer as she sat down. "What?" she asked when Jessie just chuckled and shook her head. "She doesn't have a headache, Alex, she's jealous." Alex laughed, choking on her beer. "Kelly's not jealous! She has no reason to be." she said once she could breathe again. "Have you even really looked at her since I got here?" Jessie asked, shaking her head again. When Alex didn't answer, Jessie went on. "Alex, the only time you looked at Kelly tonight was when you were showing her my bruises. Hell, she barely made conversation. As soon as I walked in here, she went on guard. Her posture stiffened and she curled up into a ball on the couch. You may not have noticed, but I did. She did the same thing at the Halloween party, but I just thought it was my imagination. Not to mention the fact that you had me take off my shirt. You need to have a talk with her, reassure her, because that woman upstairs is being swallowed whole by the green eyed monster." she finished, pointing up the stairs. Oh shit! I have got to be the stupidest person on the planet, Alex thought to herself, Jessie's right I barely even acknowledged Kelly once she got here. Kicking herself for not seeing it, Alex was unsure of what to do. Before she could say anything, Jessie stood and grabbed her coat. "I'm going to go home. You go upstairs and talk to your woman. I don't want to make her uncomfortable in her own house. I'll see you later, Alex." Waving goodbye, Jessie let herself out and headed to her car.
Just as the woman was pulling away from the curb, Will Coleman pulled up behind her. Alex stood at the window and watched as her son got out of the back seat and went around to open the door for Willow. She watched as Zane stood facing his date and nervously fidgeted with his fingers. When he quickly looked to see if Will was watching them, Alex laughed and silently cheered the boy on as he leaned in and placed a quick kiss on Willow's lips. Flushing scarlet, Zane turned and quickly strode toward the house. Not wanting to be seen, Alex hurried back to the couch. When she heard him shout goodnight to Willow, she grabbed Kelly's book and pretended to be reading. "Mom, the book is upside down." The boy said when he walked in and spotted his mother's ruse. Saying nothing else, he hung up his coat and headed up to his room with a smile on his bright red face.
CHAPTER 23
"Kelly Shane, I am neither an invalid nor an old person. I do not belong in a home." Karen said sternly. Both Alex and Kelly had been arguing with the woman for the past hour about where she would go after she was released the following week. "Mother, that's enough. There is nothing wrong with Serenity Home. You would get the same help there as you would in an apartment with a nurse." Kelly said, frustration making her voice harsh. "Karen, don't assume that all of our residents are either old or feeble. We have had many residents, who were younger than you are, who needed a place to stay after some sort of procedure." Alex said from her position at the foot of Karen's hospital bed. "Mother, it is not worth it to rent an apartment and hire a nurse that you are just going to fire the first chance you get. Doctor Peck is already on board with you going to Serenity Home, and he is not going to release you to go anywhere else." Kelly explained for the third time. Looking at her daughter with exasperation, Karen asked "And what about my medical needs? You can't provide that, not legally anyways." Turning herself slightly so she could watch her fiancée's face, Alex answered that question. "I have a friend who used to be the staff physician at the facility before Kelly came to us. I talked to her and she agreed to take you on as a private patient." As she spoke, Alex saw that Kelly's posture had stiffened when she mentioned Jessie. The previous night, after Zane had filled them in on the details of his "epic” date, Kelly had gone to bed early. When Alex had joined her, the other woman had made no attempt at conversation and when Alex had tried to cuddle with her, Kelly had pulled away, claiming that she still had a headache. This morning when Alex had tried to get Kelly to talk to her, she just waved her off and told her not to worry about it. Now that she had seen the reaction first hand, she was kicking herself for not noticing it before. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, she told herself, she has no reason to be jealous! “Alright, you two, if it will appease you both, I will agree. But I want to make something very clear first.” Karen said, pulling Alex from her thoughts. Turning to face Karen, Alex braced herself.
“I will not tolerate an invasion of my privacy. I don’t want a bunch of strangers walking through my living space or going through my things.” Karen said flatly. “Mother, no one is going to go through your room. The only time the aides go into the rooms on the first floor is when they are asked to. You aren’t going to be treated any differently than any other resident. The floor you will be on is for those who need the least amount of help.” Kelly said, irritation making her voice harsh. The headache she had used as an excuse the night before had chosen to actually appear. “Now stop acting like a child. I’m going to go talk to Doctor Peck and let him know that a decision has been made.” she finished. Leaving the room without another word, Kelly reminded herself to go down to the pharmacy and see if they had any Ibuprofen. Once Kelly had left the room, Karen turned to her future daughter-in-law. “What’s wrong with my daughter, Alex?” she asked. Huffing out a breath, Alex sat back and shrugged. “She’s had a headache since yesterday.” she lied, unsure if Kelly would want her mother to know what was going on with her. Karen eyed the woman suspiciously but didn't ask any more questions.
*****
"We managed to talk her into going to Serenity Home." Kelly told Dr. Peck when he invited her into his office. Nodding his approval, the man pulled some forms from his desk drawer. "Do you want her admitted voluntarily, or do you want to have to sign her out?" he asked. In the weeks that Karen had been in the hospital, Dr. Peck had received numerous complaints that the woman was uncooperative, belligerent, and downright rude to the staff. He sincerely hoped that Kelly knew what she was getting herself into. While the woman seemed to be a fully competent physician, she was still young and he feared she was in over her head. "Let's go with voluntary. If she has the freedom to come and go as she pleases, she will be more likely to comply with her regimen." Kelly replied. Raising his eyebrow, the man nodded and made some notations on one of the forms. After what seemed like hours of paperwork, Kelly finally signed the last document. "Doctor Taylor," the man began, "I hope you understand the burden you are putting on yourself and your partner. I have the utmost respect for what you are trying to do, but your mother is quite the handful. I understand that Dr. McGowan is going to be providing her primary care, but if Karen gets out of hand, just give me a call and I will see what I can do." he offered. With a chuckle, Kelly thanked the man and headed back to her mother's room.
*****
“Babe, can we talk?” Alex asked once the pair was back in the car. Without waiting for a response, she continued. “Why are you still jealous of Jessie?” she asked, putting the car in gear and backing out of the space. Turning her head slowly, Kelly stared at her fiancée. With a look of absolute confusion on her face, she replied “What on earth makes you think I am still jealous of her?” Sighing, Alex pulled the car over to the curb and turned to face Kelly. “Yesterday when she came over, you got real quiet and pulled into yourself. Then, when she and I were talking about Rachel you went upstairs and pretended to have a headache. And today when I was telling your mom about
her, you got all stiff and quiet again. If you aren’t jealous of her, then what’s up?” she finished. Kelly stared at Alex for a moment before tipping her head back and laughing loudly. “You think I’m jealous?” she asked with a chuckle of disbelief. “I am far from jealous of that woman, Honey. No, What I am is pissed. You caused a huge scene because I didn’t discuss moving my mother in with us, or letting Tabitha rent my house, with you before I offered. Then you go and decide, without any kind of discussion, that your friend Jessie is going to provide care to my mother. You didn’t ask if I was okay with it, you didn’t ask my opinion on it, you just got the idea and called her.” She finished, a hard edge to her words. Realizing the truth in Kelly’s words, Alex hung her head and said nothing. For several moments, neither woman said anything. When the quiet became unbearable, Alex spoke up. “Babe, I’m sorry. You’re right, I didn’t bother to talk it over with you, which is exactly what I got mad at you for. It won’t happen again, I swear. And if there is another PCP you want to care for your mother, then that’s your choice. I never should have made a decision like that, she’s your mother, not mine.”
A feeling of shame washed over Kelly. Now that she had voiced her anger, she didn’t feel right. Turning her head to look out the window, she silently berated herself. She was just trying to help. Yeah she should have talked to you about it first, but come on! She actually made an effort to help without being asked, and you get all pissed off! What is wrong with you? She was torn from her self-admonition when Alex tentatively reached over and laid her hand on Kelly’s thigh. Turning to look at her, Kelly apologized. “It’s me who should be sorry, honey. I should have spoken up while you were on the phone. I let myself get angry over something that could have been easily talked out.” Alex reached over and brushed her thumb over Kelly’s cheek. Leaning in, she placed her lips lightly over Kelly’s and whispered, “Apology accepted.”