Snowmelt Chapter 6 Part 2

House arrived at the hospital around 9:00 am and was happy to find a rather interesting patient who had huge welts all over his body. House and the team brainstormed and then the team ran off to run tests. Wilson popped over to his office, took one look at House and knew something was up.

"You look like hell. Bad weekend?" Wilson took the chair across from House's desk.

"I'm not sure. I discovered that a woman had been intentionally infected with bacteria that had been injected into pears. The pears were sent by someone who hates her guts, but they didn't really send them. I stopped her from committing suicide when she found out that the person hadn't really been nice enough to send the pears. I stayed to make sure she didn't hurt herself further. Her friend showed up and began fondling me. My charge caught us having sex on her couch. She got an eviction notice, so she offered me sex for the rent money. I turned her down so she went pounding the pavement. I stopped her from consummating the deal with Bruce Willis. I almost consummated it myself and then went home to figure out why I couldn't do the deed." He paused and then added, "Oh and did I tell you I've been having phone sex with her but she doesn't know that?"

Wilson started blinking and shaking his head, "You lost me at pears. Are you saying you couldn't have real sex with a woman you had phone sex with? And she doesn't know she had phone sex?"

"She doesn't know it's me she had phone sex with…and, yeah, Mt. Gregory had a landslide last night before his volcano could blow." House gave Wilson a silly grin.

"You pay hookers for sex all the time, but you couldn't go through with this? Sounds like you care about this person. Don't tell me you're developing something close to a conscience?"

House shook his head, "No. But when I do, I'll make sure I pay you back what I owe."

Wilson shrugged his shoulders. House picked up the phone and started to dial his voice mail. He listened, but there wasn't a single message from her. He looked up at Wilson in frustration.

"Doesn't anyone respond to blackmail anymore?" House jumped up, grabbed his keys and left in a hurry.

When he got to the apartment building he put up his handicap placard and scurried up the steps. He saw the Three Day Notice to Pay or Quit attached to the door. He took out the key and walked inside. The furniture was there, but it was obvious she was gone. Her personal things were all missing. He looked around, trying to figure out where she could have gone. She said she didn't have friends or family here, or at least any that still cared about her. So where did she go? Umbatu

House climbed the stairs to the Umbatu apartment, knocking on the door with his cane. Mrs. Umbatu answered. Immediately upon recognition, she looked away.

"Where is she?"

She refused to make eye contact, "I don't know."

House snickered, "Yes you do. If you don't tell me, I'll have to take your husband back in for some observations."

She looked at him, "Please Dr. House, we promised. She's been very good to us, we can't betray her. She told us how you threatened her too. You're not a nice man."

House snapped his head back, "Threatened her?"

"To beat her with your cane."

"I'm not going to beat anyone. I'm just going to make her life miserable."

"Go away Dr. House, I'm not going to tell you anything."

He stuck his cane in the door as it began to shut. "Come on…I really want to help her."

"By making threats?"

"She tried to kill herself."

"I don't believe you Dr. House. Now please leave."

He could see she wasn't going to budge. He snarled and pulled his cane from the door so that she could close it. She looked at him with disappointment and closed the door.

House went back to the hospital to work on his patient. No matter how much he tried to concentrate on the symptoms, he thought about her.

She can't afford an apartment, so she's obviously renting a room. How many places in Princeton rent rooms? Not many… He pulled out the yellow pages and looked for residential hotels. He dialed the Red Roof Inn.

"Red Roof Inn."

"This is Princeton Plainsboro Hospital, we need to contact Maia Connelly."

"Maia Connelly? Just a moment." House was put on hold. He came back on the line, "She's not answering. Would you like to leave a message?"

House smiled smugly to himself. "What room did you say she was in?"

"I can't give out that information. You can call back later."

He hung up the phone knowing he could concentrate on his patient now.

Maia had figured it out, at a weekly rate of $49 a night, she was four nights away from a homeless shelter. She had her business calls forwarded to her cell phone and was happy to know that a couple of her regulars were still interested. But it would be weeks before the checks would be processed through her escrow agency. She needed money now.

She knew she wasn't going to be able to sell her body. Greg House had made it clear that she was a disaster at being a hooker. If she couldn't even get him to screw her, what was her problem?

Maia crawled up in a ball on the bed, her head throbbing. She had so much pain inside that she couldn't stop the horrible feelings reeling through her. She sat up and grabbed some motel stationary and started to write down the events of the last four years. She felt her heart lift as the pain poured onto the sheets of paper. In less than ten minutes she had gone through all the stationary in the room. She jumped up and grabbed her purse, running out the door and down the street to Staples. She bought some lined paper, a couple of pens and practically ran back to the hotel. On the way she saw a sign for the local blood bank. Putting her supplies down in the room, she then took the bus down to the blood bank. After lying on the form, she gave a pint of blood, grabbed her check and barely made it outside to the bus bench before she passed out. She was only out for a few seconds, but the man sitting next to her was extremely worried.

"Lady? Are you okay?"

Maia nodded. She was shaking, her blood pressure still low. When the bus pulled up the man asked if she needed help. Maia managed to pull herself up onto the bus, take a seat and go to sleep again asking the bus driver to make sure she got off near the motel.

She woke up two blocks from her stop and got off, passing a grocery store on her way to the motel. She bought some fruit and bread, some Naked Juice and a York Mint patty. When she got back to the motel the manager gave her the key.

"You had a call from PPTH today."

"You didn't tell them I was here did you?"

The guy could tell that he had made a mistake telling them she was at the motel. The woman in front of him didn't want anyone to know she was staying here. "Nope, didn't tell them a thing."

Maia relaxed, she had enough to stay six days at the hotel. Hopefully, she could figure things out by that. She had her fruit, bread and mint dinner as she watched a Hallmark movie downstairs in the lobby. The happy ending just made her sadder. She went back to her room, grabbed her pen and paper and began to write.

The following day, Maia took the bus downtown to the shopping area and started looking for a job. After filling out applications and being told she was overqualified, she stopped putting down that she had been an attorney. Instead she put down she worked in a law office assisting the clients.

She was striking out until she stopped into the Coffee Mate, a bakery, bistro café with eight tables and a long bar at the window with six stools. The store owner was running the cash register when she went up to order something.

She said in hushed tones, "Do you have any day old stuff for sale?"

He looked at her. She was clean, thin, tired. She looked like she had lost her best friend. He knew how she felt, his best waitress had quit the day before, leaving him short handed.

He locked the register, grabbed a curried turkey sandwich on croissant, an orange juice and motioned for her to join him in the back. He took her back to the office where there was a security feed showing the café from several angles. He put the plate down in front of her and pointed, "Come on, you need to eat. Sit down and tell me about it."

She took a look at the gruff man with the big heart and burst into tears. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, I can wait." He looked up and saw a customer come in on the screen. "I'll be right back."

He went to the front and Maia took the opportunity to collect herself and stop crying. She started eating the sandwich, realizing half way through that she had been extremely hungry. He walked back after the customer left.

"Now, my name is Terrance Baher, but most people call me Bear."

"Maia Connelly."

"Why is that name familiar?"

She held her breath. People frequently had heard of her, but couldn't place the name.

He motioned for her to continue, "Well, don't stop, tell me why you're so skinny and tired?"

Maia chuckled, "I'm broke and homeless. I'm living hand to mouth and I need a job. No one will hire me."

"Why?"

"I'm an addict, a former attorney, a phone sex operator and a lousy hooker."

He started laughing. "That's enough of a resume for me!"

She started laughing too, "I'm not really a hooker, I didn't make it that far."

He shrugged and winked, "I'm sure you have other talents. I need a waitress."

Maia waited for him to say something more, but he didn't. "Are you offering me a job?" She said tentatively.

"You have a better solution?"

She shook her head. "Wow, when can I start?"

"You get a good night's rest and be here at 5:00 am."

Maia wasn't excited about being anywhere at 5:00 am, but she was grateful. "Thank you." She looked at him with her eyes still moist, "It's so strange to have someone be nice to me."

"Well then, wear comfortable shoes and I'll see you at 5:00 am." He stood up and they went to the front. He grabbed another sandwich out of the refrigerated shelves, bagged it and handed it to her. "You have another sandwich, you need strength."As Maia started out the door, Bear cleared his throat and yelled, "I liked your speech from the rooftop."

Maia nodded, closed her eyes and sighed as she pushed the door to the café open. She went home feeling good for the first time in months. She had forgotten to ask how much he was going to pay her. It didn't matter, she was just grateful that someone didn't kick her in the teeth.

The next morning Maia was standing outside in the 30 degree weather at 4:45 am. Bear arrived a few minutes later, grinning at the freezing Maia. "You're early."

"Believe it or not, I am a hard worker."

He chuckled as he opened the back door. "Look, you were one of the top attorneys in New Jersey, I know what that takes. My ex-wife was a trial lawyer. It ended our marriage, whatever was left of it. I never saw her. She did, however, see her associate every day. They're happily married now."

Maia gave his a sweet, understanding smile. "I rest my case."

Maia was grateful where her shift was over. Her feet and legs ached and she needed a shower. The mornings were ungodly busy. Bear handled the cash register and counter, unless it got too busy; the cook/baker and his assistant stayed in the kitchen and Maia handled the floor, including cleanup.

Maia ran like a demon, until Bear slowed her down and gave her some hints on how to handle all the customers. It helped, but she was still running in circles, trying hard not to let the customers wait for anything. Around 9:30 am things slowed down and Maia was able to do a proper clean up job.

She got off at 2:30 pm, waiting until she got home to count her tips. She was excited to find that she had made $52.00 in tips. I can stay in the motel. Between my phone clients, my waitress paycheck and the tips, I can start to get back a life. She looked around and the only things she had left to her name was one box of documents and photos, her clothes and some odds and ends. When she left the apartment she told the Umbatus that they could have everything she had left behind, which included several kitchen appliances, pots and pans and half her linens along with the furniture for what it was worth. She did ask them to store two boxes of documents for her, which they did.

Maia sat down and started writing, remembering the first time someone offered her some snow.

I was exhausted. The Meyer case was just about to go for trial and I wasn't sleeping. Mickey Meyer was back in the hospital with complications from pneumonia and I wasn't sure he was going to be able to testify. Without his testimony, the Meyer's case was good, but not great. I needed him to give a face to their pain. Mickey had been a senior in high school when the propane tank, leased from Jersey Propane Company, exploded due to poor maintenance by the company of the tank. It had turned cold, so Mickey's mom told him to go out and relight the heater when the flame went out. Mickey turned the valve and struck the match, causing a backflash. Mickey had third and second degree burns over 50 of his body.

Despite my fatigue and concern over the case, I had to go to a Trial Lawyer's meet and greet at the Hyatt to give an award to one of the local judges for her support of the trial lawyer's free clinic. In reality, I just wanted to go home and collapse. I was in the bathroom at the Hyatt leaning up against the wall, barely holding myself up when Danielle Parks walked in looking perky and cute.

"Maia, what's wrong?"

"Nothing a month in bed wouldn't cure."

"I know what you mean. This is hard work. We don't get enough credit for how hard we work."

I nodded. Most trial attorneys work 50-70 hours a week, more just before and during trial. "I feel like I'm going to collapse. I don't know how I am going to get though tonight without dropping."

She looked under the stalls in the bathroom and then up at me, "I have something to perk you up." She pulled out a little silver pill box. Inside was an eighth of an inch of white powder. Danielle showed it to me and raised an eyebrow as if to ask if I wanted some.

"Coke?" I asked.

"Good coke. You'll perk up, feel on top of your game."

"I don't do drugs."

"Look, it's not like you're selling your body or soul. It's only for tonight."

Famous last words. I felt so good on coke, I knew I had to have it to get through the trial…just the trial. After the trial I wasn't going to buy anymore. But just as I was finishing one trial, another one started and another. I had three back to back trials and by the end of them, I couldn't live without my $300 a day coke fix.

My friends knew. I was dabbing my dry mouth with breath freshener every other minute and sniffing. Plus, I could say complex sentences in less than two seconds. I was on the freeway to my own demise.

Maia put her journal away and watched some television, falling asleep within minutes, sleeping the sleep of those who have worked an honest day's work.

At lunch the next day, Bear saw Maia pull out her tablet and start scribbling. "What's that?"

"The memoirs of my meltdown."

"You should sell it."

I shook my head. "No one wants to hear about this."

Bear shrugged, "I'd read it. I'd like to know what caused you to end up in your underwear on a roof giving a speech about the court system. You could use my computer in the back to write if you want."

"Thanks Bear.'

"Oh, and I need for you to fill out this paperwork."

Maia looked at it. "An application?"

He snickered, "You don't need to fill out your education or experience. I just need the basics and your W-4."

Maia filled it out and put it on his desk at the end of her break. He came out a few minutes and motioned for her to come over.

"You're address is a motel?"

She nodded. "Just a temporary thing until I can save some money."

He put a hand on her shoulder, "I want you to come with me."

Maia looked around, there were two customers in the restaurant. Both were busy eating and working on their laptops. Maia followed Bear to the back where there was a set of stairs leading up to a room full of boxes, a futon, table, dresser, little refrigerator and bathroom.

"I use it as storage now, but when I first purchased the restaurant, I lived here. You can stay up here if you clean it out. I won't charge you anything. You'll be able to save some money to put down a deposit on a place to live. All yours."

Maia grinned and nodded, "Oh God Bear! Thank you! Thank You!" She started hugging him and jumping up and down.

"Okay, okay!" he said as he tried to pry her arms from around his neck.

Maia spent two days cleaning and purging things upstairs. She moved in on the third day, realizing that living above a restaurant had some pluses and downsides. The cook always left her the leftovers which meant she paid very little for food. But, she could hear the dishes clink as they were being cleaned all day until the restaurant closed at 10 pm. The cook stopped cooking at 9:30 pm, meaning the smell of food and bakery goods being baked at night and early morning permeated the room for most of the day. It wasn't a bad smell, in fact, it was great, but it always made her hungry!

Maia liked her little world, it made her feel safe for the first time in years.