Chapter 7 Cast Off
If Vanessa Calder believed it was HG who thought Gloria Brown was on loan to the doctor, she was about to see that the feeling was more than mutual. When she came the next morning to check in on the Warehouse patient, Gloria stopped her at the door.
"I know this could be inconvenient for you Dr. Calder but I must return to Univille with Helena," Gloria explained in a low but urgent voice.
"While I agree that Agent Wells will need some medical attention when she is released today, I doubt that it will constitute twenty-four hour care," Vanessa replied sharing her professional opinion.
"Then, with all due respect Vanessa, you do not know Agent Wells," Gloria said without a hint of disrespect in spite of the fact that she had just called her boss by her first name. "I have to be with her," Gloria said and Vanessa could hear the imperative tone.
"I'm sure we can manage a couple of days….," the doctor said trying to be agreeable.
"For as long as it takes," Gloria responded and again, she wasn't looking at the doctor when she said it but back at the dark haired patient who lay perfectly still at the moment.
An hour later, Helena started to move and Gloria could tell by her eye movement and increased heart beat that she was dreaming. Helena's subconscious was replaying what happened as a way to expel the feelings but it was fresh and causing her great distress. Her eyes shot open and she sat up straight in bed but Gloria was right there and grabbed her shoulders to hold her.
"Myka!" Helena yelled and Myka was up and out of the recliner in a heartbeat.
Gloria was gently pushing the patient back down but she fought her until Myka was right there and HG could see her. Then she surrendered to the pressure of the nurse's hands and laid back.
"It's ok Helena. I'm here," Myka said in a raspy voice and Gloria handed her a glass of water.
"Did you sleep at all?" Myka asked the nurse.
"Oh, sure I did. Grabbed some sleep right here. I'm fine," Gloria said to Myka. "Now, she's gonna wake up soon and I'm sure they'll discharge her this morning. So why don't you go get freshened up. I asked the nurse at the desk and she said you could use the showers," Gloria said because she had planned everything last night when she was supposedly sleeping.
"You'll tell her I will be right back if she wakes up?" Myka said hesitating to leave HG.
"It will be the first thing I tell her," the RN assured Myka.
But as if sensing her absence, Myka was no sooner down the hall when Helena awoke. She took in her surroundings as if making sure it was not all a dream. She saw Gloria and smiled without any surprise that the woman would be there.
"Myka will be right back. I sent her to go get freshened up," Gloria said and saw the content smile come across HG's face.
"How is Michael?" HG asked in a soft voice. Gloria got her a cup of iced water and put her arm behind her back and lifted her up to sip from it.
"He's just fine and will be going home today. They finally got an antibiotic to kick in and he's much, much better," Gloria said.
"And so you just decided to leave him?" HG asked lying back on the pillow.
"Yes," Gloria answered smiling that the woman had the strength to start this banter so early.
"I am ready to go home, " Helena said and wasn't kidding. She sat up slowly but faster than Gloria could turn back to her and HG cried out in pain from the burns and fell back on the bed.
"Helena, you have to go slowly. The burns are going to be painful," Gloria said gently rubbing HG's shoulder but her eyes flew open and in those dark orbs, Gloria could see the anger mounting.
HG was about to ask the questions she had when she realized the weight on her right arm. It was tight and uncomfortable.
"Take this off," she commanded the nurse.
"Take what off, Helena?" Gloria asked.
"This!" HG said impatiently holding up her right arm.
"Helena, that's a cast – I can't remove it," Gloria said patiently having already predicted that the Brit would not be happy with the immobilization.
"Good Lord, woman! I know it's a cast. I want it removed. Do you have any medical training or am I to be subjected to total strangers in this facility that may or may not know how to use the instruments properly to extract me from it?" HG said slowly but all in one breathe.
"Mm, mmm, mmm you sure do hit the ground running when you don't like something," Gloria remarked.
Doctor Calder came back in and greeted Helena warmly. She went over Helena's injuries and told her that she would be going home this morning. Gloria stood behind the doctor so that she could be in HG's line of sight. More than once, Gloria gave HG a sharp look suggesting she hold her tongue rather than announce to the doctor that she already knew she was going home and she already knew her injuries.
"Thank you, doctor," Helena said politely and cast her eyes toward the nurse as if to say 'are you happy?' "I can return to work on Monday with this thing?" Helena asked certain that the cast would not impede her.
"Oh, Agent Wells, it's not the cast I am most concerned about. You have second degree burns and that will take a little time before it is comfortable for you to move. We cannot risk infection," Vanessa said smiling, trying to comfort the patient.
Gloria already knew what HG's response to that would be and stepped in and pushed the cup of water to her mouth as soon as she opened it to share with the doctor her real feelings.
"OK Helena, there we go," Gloria said. "We've got to keep you hydrated," and what Gloria meant was 'out of trouble as best we can'. Arguing with the doctor would prove pointless.
Myka returned to the room in time for the doctor to review with her what HG needed to do. Gloria was grateful that the doctor stepped outside while she removed the heart monitor and oxygen clamp from Helena.
"I am going to work on Monday," HG declared as she grimaced when Gloria helped her sit up in bed.
"I know sweetheart," Gloria said knowing fully well that there was plenty of time for this fight. If she had learned one thing about the Brit, it was that you had to conserve your energy if you were going to take her on. Once this woman got her back up against the wall, she could argue for hours and was relentless. Gloria knew she had to take this a little at a time, especially on so little sleep. Helena could drain the best of them and quickly.
Pete and Artie had gone back late last night and told Claudia she could return this morning with a change of clothes for her friends. She grabbed Myka in the hallway and held onto her for longer than she ever had.
"Is HG ok, Myka?" she asked as if unsure of everything they had told her. She needed to hear it from Myka.
"She's going to be fine, thank God. She's got a cast ….," Myka started to say.
"Oh no way is she going to like that!" Claudia assessed correctly.
"Gloria is in there now," Myka said and just the mention of that woman's name made Claudia feel better.
They brought HG her clothes and when Claudia hugged her, she fought back tears unsuccessfully. Embarrassed by her lack of control, she quickly turned to Gloria who held onto her long enough to whisper, 'she's okay'.
"I'm going to work on Monday," HG announced to Myka who quickly looked at Gloria. The nurse winked back and smiled and put up one finger. Myka knew immediately what she meant. 'You take one battle at a time with Helena,' Gloria once told Myka when even she became exasperated with HG's stubbornness.
"Well good, now let's get you home," Myka said. Gloria went outside with Claudia because she knew that HG wanted, no needed, Myka to help her. She had to assist Helena with everything and was grateful that Claudia had chosen loose fitting clothes, especially the pants that didn't grab at her side.
"This has got to come off," HG said more than once about the cast.
"Sweetie, you have a broken bone. It's necessary to make sure it heals correctly," Myka said forgetting that mere explanations rarely won the argument with HG.
"Myka, I know what it is and what its purpose is. I know that it has been used for centuries and that it is made of calcined gypsum or the more familiar term, plaster of paris, so named because of the abundant gypsum found in Paris. I know it can be easily molded to fit the injured hand and less irritating than the more modern fiber glass cast. What I do not know is how quickly they will be removing from my arm!" Helena said in her Wellsipedia voice, as Pete called it.
"But … your …. bone is broken….." Myka started to say.
"I'm sure I could do with something less cumbersome than this. Gloria is the nurse, she will have to come up with something," HG said and Myka was already worried for the woman.
The ambulance was waiting downstairs to transport Helena back to the B&B. She had initially protested vehemently that Myka could drive her but bending at the waist was still very painful and she gave in to lying down for the trip. She glared at the attendant when he said for safety purposes she had to be strapped to the stretcher and he hesitated when he locked eyes with her. He stuttered his plea to Myka to get her friend to comply. HG gave in because she was anxious to get back home. The young assistant pulled the straps and made sure twice that they were secure - more concerned about HG getting out than her being dislodged if they stopped short.
Within an hour's time, HG was reclining on the couch after Leena had gingerly hugged her. She too was relieved to see Gloria there. Claudia had stopped at Gloria's apartment with the nurse and she quickly packed enough clothes for the week. "Don't forget your battle armor," the young agent quipped thinking of the job the nurse had ahead of her.
When she was sure that HG was settled on the couch and comfortable, Gloria went upstairs to get her own much needed rest. It felt good to be back in the familiar guest room where she had been so many times before. Within minutes, the worn out nurse feel into a deep slumber.
Downstairs, everyone had been banned from the living room so HG could rest. Everyone except Myka who put pillows behind her and under her arm.
"Are you comfortable?" Myka asked worried about the pain from the wound.
"As long as you are here," HG said smiling up at her attendant. "You rescued me again, Myka," Helena finally got around to saying what she had been thinking since Myka came through the door.
"Actually, it was Michael. He alerted Gloria that something was going on. She called me and we put everything into place," Myka said.
"But you came through the door, Myka. Just like last time. Just when I thought something terrible was going to happen, you appeared," HG said with adoring and grateful eyes.
"I am so sorry," Myka whispered, looking down at HG. She wasn't sure which part of this whole thing she was apologizing for and she didn't want to upset her but she was filled with regret and it took very little to pry it out.
"I love you, Helena," Myka said putting her lips very gently on the Brit's forehead.
"As I do you, very much. Very much indeed," Helena smiled as she closed her eyes, exhausted all over again.
In spite of having slept most of the night, Helena went to sleep on the couch. Myka refused to give in to the pain in her neck from sleeping in the awkward position in the hospital chair, and sat on the floor next to the couch with her head leaning back on it. More than once, HG moved her hand out to feel Myka's head and then returned to sleep.
Leena was busy in the kitchen preparing her feast. When all of this was happening and she was stuck at the B&B, she needed something to keep her calm. She scoured recipes and early Saturday morning, she was at the story buying everything she needed for the meal. She exhausted herself carrying the six bags of groceries because she refused to wake up Pete to help. Returning with Artie in the wee hours of the morning, she knew he would be in a dead sleep.
She made HG's favorite scones, she baked a cake, and she prepared the salad and marinated the fillet mignon. Then she worried it would be too heavy a meal for Helena so she rubbed a whole chicken with spices and would later cook that as well. She baked potatoes and then removed them from the skin, whipped them up with butter and milk until they were fluffy and put them back into the potato skins to bake again later. The green beans were fresh and she cut off the ends and left them in a bowl in the refrigerator. She knew that there would be not set schedule of time for meals, but she was prepared for anything from light snack to full course banquet. Everything was prepared and ready to go whenever anyone, but especially the patient, said they were hungry.
Mrs. Frederic was meeting with Dr. Calder and Artie. The doctor had received the report on Karen Carson when she was at the hospital.
"It's amazing she survived that gunshot wound. A couple of centimeters the other way, and the bullet would have taken out gray matter. Ironically, she's a very lucky woman," the doctor said giving her clinical assessment.
"I think it's time we consider our long term options," Artie said slowly and looking directly at Mrs. Frederic. The Sage knew this was not the time to allow emotions, especially her own guilt, to interfere.
"I think you're right, Arthur. I'll speak to the Regents and make the arrangements." With that, Mrs. Frederic took her leave - as there was no time to waste. She just knew that something had to be done about Karen Carson so that she would never get to Agent Wells again. But there were legal and moral issues that needed to be discussed and addressed before any decision was made. Irene knew she had her work cut out for if she were to convince the Regents that this situation called for an intervention -perhaps in the form of an artifact.
Mrs. Frederic's task would still not be as daunting as what lie ahead for the seasoned nurse who was waking up from her nap in time to hear the commotion going on downstairs.
I hope you will stay tuned for at least one more chapter as this story concludes. Want Gloria to have her time with HG.
Many thanks for the posts.