Chapter 3
Steve had been on the receiving end of his dad's fury many times so it wasn't new to him. With promises to do better and to listen to his doctor's orders they always got past it. It appeared to him though that Jesse and his dad seemed more upset this time. Some of his dad's threats had him a little worried but he decided to just do as he was told and in few days it would all blow over and he could talk them into letting him go home again.
As Steve lay quietly waiting for the nurses to finish with getting him settled the door suddenly opened and his father and Jesse came into the room. Steve noticed that both of them seemed to have calmed down a bit. Maybe they would rethink the need for him to stay in the hospital and give him a second chance at home. This however, was soon dashed as right behind the two doctors Steve recognized the all too familiar face of the one person who could make his blood run cold faster than anything on earth. The one person he had hoped to never see again unless it was while someone else was being tortured by her constant administrations.
This was too much. Suddenly the quiet passive patient turned into an explosive, frantic prisoner as he tried in vain to get out of bed. He might have succeeded if the pain that enveloped him hadn't suddenly stopped him in mid flight.
"No, Dad. No damn way am I going to stay in here with her taking care of me." Steve gasped in pain as Mark and Jesse were soon at his side pulling him back up into the bed and securing the bed rails in the up position to make any further escapes more difficult.
"Watch your mouth young man before I wash it out with soap." Came the reply from the hard looking nurse as she walked up to Steve's side.
"It's nice to see you again too, Steven. I believe you are familiar with the rules, now settle down and relax. I plan to see to it that you behave and do everything that your father and Dr. Travis tell you." Turning to the two doctors she added with a smile, "I think I have everything under control here, doctors. Don't worry I promise he will be a model patient. He's going to stay right here and behave because if I have any trouble I WILL restrain him."
Turning back to Steve she reached for the bed covers which sent him into a panic. "I have already had a bath thank you very much, so don't start on me with that!" he quickly informed her the whole time clutching the sheet with all of his might.
"I know, I was just straightening up your blanket and trying to make you more comfortable. Now will you please relax and get some rest. I'm not planning on stripping you naked. Not yet anyway." She added with a smile as she turned to Mark and Jesse and gave them a wink.
Seeing that Mrs. Grant had Steve well in hand, he turned to his son and with his best smile said, "I have rounds, Jesse is going off duty and you, my friend, are in good hands. I will come by later and check on you so try and get some rest and please be nice." The last part was said in a warning tone that Steve recognized as 'or else'.
Steve knew for sure that he had messed up this time. The thought of spending the next few days with Mrs. Grant sent him into a depression. He couldn't help but think about the last time she had taken care of him and the bossy way in which she had insured his full cooperation.
Maybe if he was really good and did everything his dad and Jesse wanted he could prove to them that he was able to take care of himself and follow directions. After all how hard could this be? All he had to do was bite his tongue for a few days and be as cooperative as possible, but even Steve doubted his ability to pull that off. Mrs. Grant approached him and started lowering the head of his bed tucking him in tight.
"What are you doing?" Steve asked as she continued to hover over him.
"It's time for you to take a nap and I am tucking you in so that you will feel snug and comfortable." She answered him never pausing as she spoke.
"But I thought maybe I would just watch a little TV for now. I'm not even sleepy. Look it's not like I would be up moving around or anything." Steve was anxious to cooperate but not anxious to take a nap. He had been napping for days and now he was wide awake.
Pulling at the blanket she was still tucking around his shoulders he forgot he was supposed to be cooperating and snapped. "Will you stop that? I don't want to take a nap."
"Nonsense. You need to rest so that your body can heal properly and that means plenty of naps. Now there will be no more discussion. Close your eyes and go to sleep." She slapped his hand as he tried to reach for the bed controls.
Steve sighed to himself as he turned his head away from his nurse and towards the wall. This wasn't going to be easy and he knew it. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to hold it together much longer.
Steve had been on the receiving end of his dad's fury many times so it wasn't new to him. With promises to do better and to listen to his doctor's orders they always got past it. It appeared to him though that Jesse and his dad seemed more upset this time. Some of his dad's threats had him a little worried but he decided to just do as he was told and in few days it would all blow over and he could talk them into letting him go home again.
As Steve lay quietly waiting for the nurses to finish with getting him settled the door suddenly opened and his father and Jesse came into the room. Steve noticed that both of them seemed to have calmed down a bit. Maybe they would rethink the need for him to stay in the hospital and give him a second chance at home. This however, was soon dashed as right behind the two doctors Steve recognized the all too familiar face of the one person who could make his blood run cold faster than anything on earth. The one person he had hoped to never see again unless it was while someone else was being tortured by her constant administrations.
This was too much. Suddenly the quiet passive patient turned into an explosive, frantic prisoner as he tried in vain to get out of bed. He might have succeeded if the pain that enveloped him hadn't suddenly stopped him in mid flight.
"No, Dad. No damn way am I going to stay in here with her taking care of me." Steve gasped in pain as Mark and Jesse were soon at his side pulling him back up into the bed and securing the bed rails in the up position to make any further escapes more difficult.
"Watch your mouth young man before I wash it out with soap." Came the reply from the hard looking nurse as she walked up to Steve's side.
"It's nice to see you again too, Steven. I believe you are familiar with the rules, now settle down and relax. I plan to see to it that you behave and do everything that your father and Dr. Travis tell you." Turning to the two doctors she added with a smile, "I think I have everything under control here, doctors. Don't worry I promise he will be a model patient. He's going to stay right here and behave because if I have any trouble I WILL restrain him."
Turning back to Steve she reached for the bed covers which sent him into a panic. "I have already had a bath thank you very much, so don't start on me with that!" he quickly informed her the whole time clutching the sheet with all of his might.
"I know, I was just straightening up your blanket and trying to make you more comfortable. Now will you please relax and get some rest. I'm not planning on stripping you naked. Not yet anyway." She added with a smile as she turned to Mark and Jesse and gave them a wink.
Seeing that Mrs. Grant had Steve well in hand, he turned to his son and with his best smile said, "I have rounds, Jesse is going off duty and you, my friend, are in good hands. I will come by later and check on you so try and get some rest and please be nice." The last part was said in a warning tone that Steve recognized as 'or else'.
Steve knew for sure that he had messed up this time. The thought of spending the next few days with Mrs. Grant sent him into a depression. He couldn't help but think about the last time she had taken care of him and the bossy way in which she had insured his full cooperation.
Maybe if he was really good and did everything his dad and Jesse wanted he could prove to them that he was able to take care of himself and follow directions. After all how hard could this be? All he had to do was bite his tongue for a few days and be as cooperative as possible, but even Steve doubted his ability to pull that off. Mrs. Grant approached him and started lowering the head of his bed tucking him in tight.
"What are you doing?" Steve asked as she continued to hover over him.
"It's time for you to take a nap and I am tucking you in so that you will feel snug and comfortable." She answered him never pausing as she spoke.
"But I thought maybe I would just watch a little TV for now. I'm not even sleepy. Look it's not like I would be up moving around or anything." Steve was anxious to cooperate but not anxious to take a nap. He had been napping for days and now he was wide awake.
Pulling at the blanket she was still tucking around his shoulders he forgot he was supposed to be cooperating and snapped. "Will you stop that? I don't want to take a nap."
"Nonsense. You need to rest so that your body can heal properly and that means plenty of naps. Now there will be no more discussion. Close your eyes and go to sleep." She slapped his hand as he tried to reach for the bed controls.
Steve sighed to himself as he turned his head away from his nurse and towards the wall. This wasn't going to be easy and he knew it. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to hold it together much longer.