“What?”I faced her abruptly, my eyes wide and startled. “Yeah, sorry. I’m just, Idunno, distracted or something. What were you saying?”
Ellewent on about her night, telling me about her night of laying awake, with hersleeping husband and her vibrator. I offered my sympathies, just as the doorswung open and I heard a voice so distinctly familiar from a moment thatshouldn’t have been so profound.
“Hereya go.”
Iturned to see a tall man with dark eyes and dark hair peeking out from beneathhis white cap. I would have to be blind to not recognize he was attractive, butit wasn’t his looks that awakened my intuition. It was that I knew him once,albeit briefly. We had met just days ago, outside the Regina Miller show. Andin a city of millions of people, what were the chances that I’d find myselfface to face with him again?
“Damn,girl, you’re seriously on your own planet today, huh?”
“Yeah,”I answered absentmindedly. “I guess so.”
Jennaplated our slices, before handing them to us over a glass partition. “Here yougo, ladies. Enjoy.”
Wetook our food, but while Elle went to find a seat on the sidewalk, I stood nearthe counter, watching awkwardly as Vinnie went about his business. I wanted himto notice me, to recognize me, and to make me feel a little less like a freakand more like the feeling was mutual. But he never looked in my directionbefore disappearing back into the kitchen, leaving me wilted withdisappointment.
“Andrea,what the hell are you doing?” Elle laughed, as I headed outside and approachedthe table.
“Sorry,”I repeated, and readied myself to eating my lunch, while trying to escape thestatic.
***
Finally,it was the end of my workday. I had already given my patients’ report to thenight shift and my purse was already slung over my shoulder. But before I couldleave and find sanctuary at home, I turned to the old man.
Stillfollowing. Still watching.
“Okay,sir,” I said quietly with a weighted sigh. “Let’s do this.”
Heoffered a short nod before leading the way to Room 315. Mrs. Schreiber wasasleep, cuddled in her bed, with her arms around an old stuffed bear, and Iimagined her in the beginning of her life. A young girl, full of possibilityand hope, dreaming of what her life would be like. Wondering who she wouldmarry, who her children would be. And now, her story had been written. Herchildren were grown with families of their own and her husband was already gonefrom this Earth. It was time to close the book on her life here and now, sothat the next could begin.
Itwas time for her to let go.
“I’llcall her children before I go home,” I whispered into the room, almost darkfrom the setting sun.
Theold man nodded gratefully in reply.
“Areyou sure I shouldn’t send her home first and let her die in her own bed?”
Hischest puffed with a silent sigh, before he shook his head.
“Iguess, in the end, it doesn’t really matter, huh?”
Heshook his head again and placed a hand on my shoulder. I couldn’t feel thepressure of his hand against my skin, but somewhere in my soul, I sensed itthere. The warmth and care in his touch. I smiled, despite hating thisparticular gift of mine, if you could even call it a gift at all, and he smiledback, his eyes twinkling with excitement. Then, the old man sat at the edge ofher bed and silently watched as she slept. He leaned in, put his mouth close toher ear, and although I couldn’t hear what he said, I saw her smile and thatwas enough.
Sittingup straight, he turned to me and nudged his chin toward the door.
“Okay,Mr. Schreiber,” I whispered. “Take care of her, okay?”
Hecocked his head and eyed me sardonically, as if to say,duh.
Then,looking at the old woman laying in the bed, so fragile and weak, I said,“Goodbye, Mrs. Schreiber, and good luck.”
CHAPTERFOUR
VINNIE
AaronPaul's character, Jesse Pinkman, was high again and up to no good. I shifteduncomfortably on the couch and unsuccessfully ignored the itch beneath my skin.It whispered sweet nothings in my ears and into my brain, and I shook my headto try and chase that little devil away.
Popsgrunted a noise of disgust beside me. “I’ll never understand what makes someonedo this shit to themselves.”
