Chapter 7
"May I help you?"
"Yes, my name is Nicholas Newman and I am here for my wife, Phyllis Newman." Nick gave the nurse behind the counter his most charming smile.
"I'm sorry but visiting hours are 1 PM to 3 PM on Saturdays only…" The nurse began to turn away briskly, but Nick stopped her.
"Oh, I'm not a visitor. I am here to take my wife home." If she had known him the nurse would have recognized the dangerous twinkle in his green eyes.
"That's not possible. I don't have any discharges scheduled for today…" The grump frowned and looked down at her computer, "Who did you say you were again?"
Nick took a deep breath and prayed for patience, "My name is Nicholas Newman. Perhaps you could have her doctor paged…"
The grump shot him a condescending look, "Doctors don't come in until 1 PM for consult or unless there is an emergency, of course we do have one doctor staying in the facility at all times, but Ms. Newman is not his patient… and it says here that Ms. Newman is a widow, so unless you can explain that I am going to have to ask you to leave sir."
"Mrs. Newman is NOT a widow… there was an accident and some confusion, but I am standing alive and well right before you… and I'd appreciate it if you would have that doctor paged… please."
Rolling her eyes the nurse, picked up a phone and requested the presence of a Dr. Lott and the building security.
Nick looked back to where Daniel and Michael were standing out of the nurse's view and gave them a quick nod to let them know that trouble was on the way.
"Uh, Mr. Newman? I'm Dr. Lott, I'm sure you understand that I have to see some kind of Identification before I discuss anything in to do with Ms. Newman."
"It's MRS. Newman and I am afraid I don't have any identification because it is at the bottom of Lake Michigan." Nick tensed when he noticed too beefy security guards walking up.
"Well, I am afraid I am unable to speak with you unless you are a family member with identification…" The scrawny, pale and shady looking doctor replied.
"Excuse me, doctor? I am sure you remember me, my name is Daniel Romalotti and I am Mrs. Newman's son. I can assure you that this is my mother's husband." Daniel strolled up right on cue.
"I'm afraid I can't take your word for it young man… Ms. Newman…"the good doctor was showing signs of getting nervous and had already begun to fidget.
"Well, doctor, my name is Michael Baldwin and I am the attorney representing Mr. Newman, Mr. Romalotti… and MRS. Newman. I think you are covered in the event that someone wants to hold you liable… Mr. Newman, go ahead." Michael smirked as the doctor eyed the three serious men and had backed up a step or two.
"Right, Dr. Lott, I am going to ask you one time and one time only to take me to my wife. While I am getting her, her son, who has already been recognized by this facility as her legal guardian, will fill out the necessary discharge paperwork. If you attempt to delay us in any way, my attorney here will happily file a lawsuit against you within the next two to three hours… and that is just one of the things that will happen. Are we in agreement here?"
The doctor gulped, the people that were paying him weren't worth this sort of headache and he had feeling that this guy was much more dangerous. His only reassuring thought was that Ms. Walpole, the night nurse, had already gone home.
"I'll show you to her room. Ms. Jennings, please page the nurse's office and have Ms. Newman's nurse meet us at Ms… Mrs. Newman's room." Dr. Lott turned and waddled down the darkened corridor.
Nick shot Daniel and Michael a grateful glance… so far, so good.
The silence in the hallway was really creepy Nick thought as he looked around. The thought of his vibrant wife being kept here made him ache.
They must have reached Phyllis' room because the doctor took out a ring of keys and Nick's anger grew as he made note of the fact that his wife was locked in a room like and animal in a cage.
But what he found in side blinded him with a rage unlike any he had ever known.
Phyllis was strapped down to a thin cot-like bed, her arms and legs held down in tight restraints. The room itself was no bigger than a janitor's closet and didn't even have a window.
The doctor must have sensed the violence in the air because he quickly began to utter meaningless reassurances.
"I can assure you that her normal room is much nicer, we only had to move her here about a day ago when she became violent. That is why the restraints are necessary now… to keep her from harming herself or one of the staff."
"Dr. Lott, I recommend that you leave this room… I don't want to see you again…" Nick shot the trembling man a deadly glare which effectively stopped any arguments that the idiot might have. It was comical how fast the man ran out of the room.
"Oh, baby… what have they done to you?" He whispered as he leaned over his wife, who had obviously been sedated heavily, and started to undo her restraints. He noticed the bandages and bruises on her arms and silently cursed himself for not being able to protect her.
Slowly, her blue eyes fluttered open and a small smile came to her lips, "There you are… I've been waiting for you…" She mumbled groggily.
"Yes, angel, it's me… I'm here and I'm going to take you home ok…" Nick turned in irritation as a sound came from the door.
"Who the hell are you?" He growled.
"I'm Miss Laurence, Mrs. Newman's day nurse. Please tell me that you are here to take this poor lady away…" The nurse rushed over and began unfastening the leg restraints.
"Why do you say that?" Nick asked warily.
"I don't care if they fire me… I spoke with a nice young lady a few days ago, told her that I thought something strange was going on… never had a problem with poor Philly, that's what I call her, nope, I never had a problem until after that day. Then all of the sudden she starts getting violent, mostly at nights mind you… I just got back in shift this morning…" The heavyset elderly woman, smiled hesitatingly at the gorgeous young man beside her.
"Miss Laurence, I want to hear everything you know… But, for now I just want to get my wife home." Nick brushed Phyllis' lank her away from her face.
She tried again to smile and open her eyes, "You're a dream aren't you?"
"No Phyllis' it's me… It's Nick and I am taking you home…"
"I can't go home… not without Nick and my baby… I don't have a home…" Her eyes teared up and Phyllis looked so lost and wounded for a moment that it nearly broke Nick's heart.
"Sir, if I might suggest something. I have been keeping a close eye on her, and I am pretty sure away from this place and without all of those drugs… she might just get better."
Nick turned an eyed the nurse, "You were suspicious this whole time and never did anything…"
The nurse shifted from foot to foot and looked behind them towards the hallway, "Let's just say your wife had two nurses before me… one got fired right off and another up and quit mysteriously. I thought I could do more good if I kept quiet and tried to help the best I could." She was obviously frightened, Nick thought to himself.
Nick took the nurses' trembling hand, "Miss Laurence, no one is going to hurt you or fire you, in fact, I think I might require your assistance for awhile… of course, you would work more, but I would offer you twice what they are paying you here… so you'd probably get paid more as well… you think you would mind moving to Genoa City for a while?"
The nurse beamed, "Well, it's just me and Coco, my cat, so I guess as long as I can bring her I'd be more than happy to take you up on your offer.
Nick turned back to the limp body in the bed and tenderly picked Phyllis up. Her body was light and he could feel just how much weight she had lost. But, he could still feel that electricity between them, the spark that never faded… God, it was good to hold her again.
Kissing her softly on her lips, Nick cradled his precious burden and turning, walked quietly out the door. It was time to get Phyllis out of this god forsaken place.