eyes.
In came some cute little Nurse Nancy to the rescue.
“Ms. Austen, what is it? I saw you crying on the monitor. Are you in pain? Do you need some medication?”
“No, I’m fine. I just had a bad memory. I guess I was sort of remembering the accident.”
“Oh, well, that’s actually a good thing, I think. Do you need for me to call someone for you to talk to?”
“No, actually, I think I’d rather be alone, thank you.”
Her eyes turned to Jacob as she said those words. He understood and he disappeared.
In a mixture of complete bewilderment and shame, Maggie cried herself to sleep.
Chapter 18,
in which Maggie pines for Jacob,
tries to dismiss real affection, and a
trek is once again commenced
The rest of the day limped along with the usual interruptions for medical assessments and Maggie found herself missing her bosom companion terribly.
That night, she tried calling him softly without moving her lips, but he must not have heard her, because he did not come.
She did not rest well, and when the morning sunlight peeked in through the blinds on the window, she glared back at it as if to chase it away.
“You didn’t sleep well, did you?”
It was a man’s voice, but it was not Jacob’s.
“Oh, Dr. Franklin, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I haven’t been here long. I was just waiting for you to stir. How are you today? The nurses tell me you had an episode of talking to yourself and a little bout of painful memory. Would you like to talk about either of them?”
“No.”
“You know, you are putting me in an awkward position. All the tests have come back negative and I think it may be appropriate to discharge you earlier than I had anticipated. That being said, I have some doubts about your competency. The trauma from the accident might have done you more psychological damage than physical.”
“I assure you that I am of sound mind. It’s just too many years of living with cats. I’m sure that’s all it is. I would love to get on the road again and get to my children. I do have treatments to start and I don’t have to tell you that they should be started sooner than later.
“No, you don’t. I’m going to go ahead and release you, but I will give you my cell number and a note to any future doctors you may have to see on your trip, just in case. Agreed?”
“Thank you, yes! May I get dressed now?”
“There’s time for all that. Have some breakfast. Shower. Then dress. I have copious paperwork to do. I’ll be back in about an hour.”
“Great. I am a little peckish. I could eat a bear.”
“I think it’s French toast this morning. We don’t do much bear here in Ohio.”
Maggie showered, dressed herself, and took her time eating breakfast. Just as she was expecting the doctor to come in, she heard a man clear his throat. It wasn’t the doctor.
“Oh, Jacob, I’m so glad you came . . . “
“Jacob?”
She turned to see David with the most enormous basket of the most perfect pink grapefruit she had ever seen.
“Oh, it’s you. I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Going somewhere?”
“Yes, actually, I’m being released. I thought you might be the doctor bringing me my release paperwork.”
“No, I’m just the schmuck that hit you and is bringing you another peace offering. So where are you headed? Will you be checking into a hotel?”
“No, I’m afraid not. There are things you don’t know, David. Let me cut to the chase. I have cancer—lung cancer, to be specific. I am on a trip to see my children and their families before I start treatment.”
“But, what about the trial?”
“Thank you for the grapefruit, the other gifts, and the company, but I need to be on my way. You can deal with your own trial. I won’t be testifying.”
“I kind of thought we might see one another.”
“I’m so sorry if I gave you that impression. I haven’t had the attention of a man in a very long time. I have sort of a man repellent that I have
In came some cute little Nurse Nancy to the rescue.
“Ms. Austen, what is it? I saw you crying on the monitor. Are you in pain? Do you need some medication?”
“No, I’m fine. I just had a bad memory. I guess I was sort of remembering the accident.”
“Oh, well, that’s actually a good thing, I think. Do you need for me to call someone for you to talk to?”
“No, actually, I think I’d rather be alone, thank you.”
Her eyes turned to Jacob as she said those words. He understood and he disappeared.
In a mixture of complete bewilderment and shame, Maggie cried herself to sleep.
Chapter 18,
in which Maggie pines for Jacob,
tries to dismiss real affection, and a
trek is once again commenced
The rest of the day limped along with the usual interruptions for medical assessments and Maggie found herself missing her bosom companion terribly.
That night, she tried calling him softly without moving her lips, but he must not have heard her, because he did not come.
She did not rest well, and when the morning sunlight peeked in through the blinds on the window, she glared back at it as if to chase it away.
“You didn’t sleep well, did you?”
It was a man’s voice, but it was not Jacob’s.
“Oh, Dr. Franklin, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I haven’t been here long. I was just waiting for you to stir. How are you today? The nurses tell me you had an episode of talking to yourself and a little bout of painful memory. Would you like to talk about either of them?”
“No.”
“You know, you are putting me in an awkward position. All the tests have come back negative and I think it may be appropriate to discharge you earlier than I had anticipated. That being said, I have some doubts about your competency. The trauma from the accident might have done you more psychological damage than physical.”
“I assure you that I am of sound mind. It’s just too many years of living with cats. I’m sure that’s all it is. I would love to get on the road again and get to my children. I do have treatments to start and I don’t have to tell you that they should be started sooner than later.
“No, you don’t. I’m going to go ahead and release you, but I will give you my cell number and a note to any future doctors you may have to see on your trip, just in case. Agreed?”
“Thank you, yes! May I get dressed now?”
“There’s time for all that. Have some breakfast. Shower. Then dress. I have copious paperwork to do. I’ll be back in about an hour.”
“Great. I am a little peckish. I could eat a bear.”
“I think it’s French toast this morning. We don’t do much bear here in Ohio.”
Maggie showered, dressed herself, and took her time eating breakfast. Just as she was expecting the doctor to come in, she heard a man clear his throat. It wasn’t the doctor.
“Oh, Jacob, I’m so glad you came . . . “
“Jacob?”
She turned to see David with the most enormous basket of the most perfect pink grapefruit she had ever seen.
“Oh, it’s you. I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Going somewhere?”
“Yes, actually, I’m being released. I thought you might be the doctor bringing me my release paperwork.”
“No, I’m just the schmuck that hit you and is bringing you another peace offering. So where are you headed? Will you be checking into a hotel?”
“No, I’m afraid not. There are things you don’t know, David. Let me cut to the chase. I have cancer—lung cancer, to be specific. I am on a trip to see my children and their families before I start treatment.”
“But, what about the trial?”
“Thank you for the grapefruit, the other gifts, and the company, but I need to be on my way. You can deal with your own trial. I won’t be testifying.”
“I kind of thought we might see one another.”
“I’m so sorry if I gave you that impression. I haven’t had the attention of a man in a very long time. I have sort of a man repellent that I have
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