tonight. It’s me or no one.”
“I need to go to the bathroom. Is it okay if I go by myself?”
“I’d better help you the first time out of the bed. You can go in by yourself. I’ll just make sure you’re keeping your balance.”
“Okay, thank you.” He pushed back the cover as Alex pushed away the bed table that held his food. Then he swung his feet to the floor. The nurse moved to his side and he started walking to the bathroom.
“You better use your good hand to hold your gown closed in the back,” the nurse mentioned casually, and David almost lost his balance to take care of that little problem.
Once he was inside the bathroom, the nurse said, “He’s a modest fellow, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he is,” Alex agreed.
“Most guys don’t worry much about their wives seeing—”
“She’s not my wife!” David exclaimed as he opened the door.
“Sorry, I just assumed. I mean, both these women seem so dedicated, staying with you ever since you came in, I just assumed… She’s not your wife, either?” she asked Pete.
“No, ma’am, I’m not that lucky.”
“Well, as soon as I get him in bed,” the nurse said, “you want a turn?”
“Yes, please.”
Once Pete was also back in bed, Alex made sure David got his pain medicine, checked to see if water was close by for both men, and finally said good-night. David looked so desolate she moved to the head of his bed and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be here in the morningabout the time you wake up. Go right to sleep so you can wake up early.”
She turned to go, but David grabbed her hand. “I don’t think I said thanks.”
Her smile warmed. “Not necessary. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Susan told Pete goodbye, and both women walked out together.
“Oh! I forgot,” said Susan. “I don’t have my car here.”
“I’ll take you back to the company office so you can get your car. But I thought I’d make a run to the store before it closes and pick up some pajamas for David to preserve his modesty.”
“What a good idea. I’ll get Pete some, too. Um, is that acceptable?”
“I think so. And maybe we can find something to entertain them with tomorrow.”
Chapter Nine
Alex stayed up late to wash and dry the things she’d bought for David. She’d offered to take care of Pete’s things, too, but Susan immediately said she’d wash his.
“All right. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Now, at six-fifteen the next morning, she wished she hadn’t promised to be there so early. The stressful events of yesterday had taken a lot out of her.
Finally Alex pushed off the covers and headed for the shower. Then she dressed for work and grabbed a quick breakfast. After gathering up David’s new pajamas, she drove to the hospital.
The halls of the hospital were quiet, which made her nervous. She hurried to the room assigned to the two men and rapped on the door. She thought she heard someone say come in, and she opened the door. David was still sleeping, but Pete waved to her.
“Hi, Pete. How are you this morning?” she calledsoftly. She reached his bedside and took his hand. “Did you have a good night?”
“I must have, because I don’t remember anything.” His grin made her feel good.
“How about David? How did he do?”
“Okay, as far as I know.”
“Good. Any sign of breakfast trays?”
“The nurse told me seven-thirty.”
Just as Alex was about to speak, Susan came into the room.
She came to an immediate stop, staring at Pete and Alex. “Am I interrupting something?” she demanded.
Pete turned bright red, but Alex just grinned at her cousin. “Don’t be silly, Suse. Pete and I were just talking. After all, David is still asleep and we’ve got a few minutes before the breakfast trays arrive.”
“Well, I wanted to…to give these things to Pete.”
Sometimes, it seemed to Alex that Susan was much younger than she was. Then she remembered that Susan had had to deal with her mother, June, and the
“I need to go to the bathroom. Is it okay if I go by myself?”
“I’d better help you the first time out of the bed. You can go in by yourself. I’ll just make sure you’re keeping your balance.”
“Okay, thank you.” He pushed back the cover as Alex pushed away the bed table that held his food. Then he swung his feet to the floor. The nurse moved to his side and he started walking to the bathroom.
“You better use your good hand to hold your gown closed in the back,” the nurse mentioned casually, and David almost lost his balance to take care of that little problem.
Once he was inside the bathroom, the nurse said, “He’s a modest fellow, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he is,” Alex agreed.
“Most guys don’t worry much about their wives seeing—”
“She’s not my wife!” David exclaimed as he opened the door.
“Sorry, I just assumed. I mean, both these women seem so dedicated, staying with you ever since you came in, I just assumed… She’s not your wife, either?” she asked Pete.
“No, ma’am, I’m not that lucky.”
“Well, as soon as I get him in bed,” the nurse said, “you want a turn?”
“Yes, please.”
Once Pete was also back in bed, Alex made sure David got his pain medicine, checked to see if water was close by for both men, and finally said good-night. David looked so desolate she moved to the head of his bed and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be here in the morningabout the time you wake up. Go right to sleep so you can wake up early.”
She turned to go, but David grabbed her hand. “I don’t think I said thanks.”
Her smile warmed. “Not necessary. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Susan told Pete goodbye, and both women walked out together.
“Oh! I forgot,” said Susan. “I don’t have my car here.”
“I’ll take you back to the company office so you can get your car. But I thought I’d make a run to the store before it closes and pick up some pajamas for David to preserve his modesty.”
“What a good idea. I’ll get Pete some, too. Um, is that acceptable?”
“I think so. And maybe we can find something to entertain them with tomorrow.”
Chapter Nine
Alex stayed up late to wash and dry the things she’d bought for David. She’d offered to take care of Pete’s things, too, but Susan immediately said she’d wash his.
“All right. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Now, at six-fifteen the next morning, she wished she hadn’t promised to be there so early. The stressful events of yesterday had taken a lot out of her.
Finally Alex pushed off the covers and headed for the shower. Then she dressed for work and grabbed a quick breakfast. After gathering up David’s new pajamas, she drove to the hospital.
The halls of the hospital were quiet, which made her nervous. She hurried to the room assigned to the two men and rapped on the door. She thought she heard someone say come in, and she opened the door. David was still sleeping, but Pete waved to her.
“Hi, Pete. How are you this morning?” she calledsoftly. She reached his bedside and took his hand. “Did you have a good night?”
“I must have, because I don’t remember anything.” His grin made her feel good.
“How about David? How did he do?”
“Okay, as far as I know.”
“Good. Any sign of breakfast trays?”
“The nurse told me seven-thirty.”
Just as Alex was about to speak, Susan came into the room.
She came to an immediate stop, staring at Pete and Alex. “Am I interrupting something?” she demanded.
Pete turned bright red, but Alex just grinned at her cousin. “Don’t be silly, Suse. Pete and I were just talking. After all, David is still asleep and we’ve got a few minutes before the breakfast trays arrive.”
“Well, I wanted to…to give these things to Pete.”
Sometimes, it seemed to Alex that Susan was much younger than she was. Then she remembered that Susan had had to deal with her mother, June, and the
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