Chapter 7: It's not an easy job, but someone's got to do it.
'A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future and accepts you for the way you are.'
Rebecca came back into work the next morning, freshly showered and changed. If she was being honest, she never really left. She stayed in Joel's room the rest of the night, making sure he was alright. She knew Ellie would've done the same. If she couldn't be here, she would make sure someone Ellie trusted was looking out for him.
He slept most of the night, only coming out whenever Evelyn came in to check on him. They kept him heavily medicated, knowing it was the only way to get him to rest. He was stubborn and hard headed. A typical southern man, thinking they can take on the world with only a gun and a big pair of balls.
She clocked in and stopped in his room first. A smile formed on her face when she saw Ellie sitting by his bedside. She was surprised to find him awake. They were talking in hushed whispers and she waited a moment before announcing her presence, not wanting to encroach on their private conversation.
Once she felt comfortable enough, she walked into the room. Ellie looked up and smiled when she saw her,You just missed Tommy. Maria told me he woke up last night.'
Rebecca nodded and smiled. She was thankful Sharon was true to her word. She found it comforting, knowing she could trust people here. It's been such a long time since she could trust anyone.
'He sure did.' She walked over to him and picked up his chart, looking over his vitals from the evening. She didn't really need it I check them. She had been here almost the entire night, but she wanted to do her job.
She took her stethoscope from around her check, checking his vitals. He didn't say anything. He laid there silently as she looked him over. She knew he didn't want her as his nurse. She didn't know why. Maybe it was a pride thing. Or a Joel thing. She really didn't see a difference.
'How are you feeling, Mr. Miller?' She looked over his face,'Sharon said you're mending nicely. I don't know what you did or said to Evelyn, but you scared the shit out of her.'
Ellie rolled her eyes and sighed,'He scares the shit out of everyone. It's why he doesn't have any friends.'
Joel glared over at her and frowned,'I have friends.'
Ellie and Rebecca shared a knowing look. His brother didn't count as a friend, but they weren't going to tell him that.
Ellie sighed as she watched Rebecca check his bandages. She wasn't surprised she was his nurse. She was thankful he had Rebecca looking after him. She just wished he wouldn't be an asshole about it.
She understood why he didn't get close to people. He's lost everyone he's ever loved. Their shared loss is what bonded them.
After she lost Riley, she swore to herself she would never get close to anyone ever again. Then she met Joel. He showed her that you need friends in order to survive. Not just physically, but in every way there is to survive.
Rebecca finished checking over him and excused herself from the room to check on her other patients.
Ellie watched her leave with a huff. She turned to him and frowned,'Why are you such an asshole to her, Joel? Everything that we've been through the past month. Everything she fucking did for us and you're treating her like a piece of shit.'
He laid his head back against the pillow and closed his eyes, sighing softly,'I don't owe anything to her, baby girl.'
'No. You're right.' She nodded,'You don't, but you owe it to me. I like her…a lot. She's my friend and I intend for it to stay that way. If I'm gonna live with you, you're gonna have to deal with it.'
He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying what he wanted to. She may have been through so much, but she still didn't understand some things. She would have to learn on her own.
Ellie pursed her lips as she rested her elbows on her knees,'I know that you made sure she had food the entire week she was in her room. Maria told me you made sure she had her own place to live. Why would you do that if you didn't care?'
She stared at him, expecting an answer, but knowing she wasn't going to get it. She didn't understand him sometimes. Ge did nice things for people, but never owned up to it. It's almost like he's afraid to be a good person.
'I have to go to school.' She got up from the chair and sighed,'I'll come back after school.'
He nodded as she leaned down and kissed his forehead,'Please get some rest.'
She walked over to the door and stood in the doorway, looking over at him,'She stayed with you the past three nights. While you were in a coma, she slept here. Maria told me. She read you a book. So maybe you should think about that the next time you want to be an asshole to someone who only wants to be your friend.'
His eyes widened as she left the room, leaving him with her words to think about.
He looked over at the book of puns on his bedside table. He saw a sweater on the chair he knew wasn't Ellie's.
He closed his eyes and sighed to himself. Ellie was right. He was an asshole. He just didn't know any other way to be.
Rebecca finished her rounds of checking on her other patients. She had also been busy patching up some guys who got into a hunting accident. Boys will be boys. Even in a zombie apocalypse.
She walked down the hallway to his room, feeling sick to her stomach with anxiety. She was afraid to face him, knowing he didn't want anything to do with her. She didn't take it personally. He was a grumpy old man.
She took a deep breath and walked into his room. He was sitting up in bed, reading a book about the Civil War. She smiled to herself. Of course he would be a Civil War enthusiast, but she knew he loved to read books.
'I'm glad you're enjoying it. I found some books in the library here and…thought they might be of interest to you. Ellie said you liked to read.' She cleared her throat,'I'm finishing my shift and wanted to check up on you.' She shook her head and sighed,'Don't worry. It's my job.'
He placed the book down on his lap, letting her check him over. He took the opportunity to look at her. She looked like a completely different woman from the last time he saw her. Her bruises were healing and fading. The cuts on her face were headline nicely. Her skin was starting to get its luster back from getting back onto a proper diet. Her hair was shinier. He could see the red in it. She was a redhead. He was surprised by that. Her hair had been unwashed and dirty, making it look darker.
He was surprised by a lot of things when it came to her. She was stronger than she looked. She deserved a chance and would have a good life here. She was already working. Being friends with him would only hurt her. He wasn't a good friend to people.
He didn't know why he checked on her during that week. He told himself it was to make sure she didn't do anything reckless. He stood outside her door some nights, listening to her cries of anguish. He understood her pain. He knew it was something she needed to get through on her own, but he checked on her anyway. He told himself its what Ellie would've wanted him to do. He needed to stop using Ellie as a crutch for everything he does in his life.
She finished up and sighed, placing her stethoscope back around her neck,'Evelyn should be here to check up on you soon.'
He nodded as he looked over her face,'Thank you.' He cleared his throat,'For looking out for me.'
A small smile formed on her face and she nodded,'Did that hurt to say?' She grinned at the exasperated look on his face,'You're welcome. I was glad to do it. Dinner should be coming soon. It's macaroni and cheese.' She had a delighted smile on her face,'I ate some. A lot actually. You need to make sure you eat too.'
'Why did you stay in my room?' His question came out harsher than he intended, but he wanted to know.
His question took her by surprise, but she wasn't shocked. Ellie probably told him. She told him everything. They were two peas in a pod.
'I don't know.' She walked over to the chair and sat down,'I just felt…compelled to do it. I thought about when I had my concussion and you could've left me to die. You could've shot me and put me out of my misery. You could've left me to die at any time, but you didn't.' She met his gaze,'No one's ever done that for me. In the last twenty years, no one's cared about what I wanted and if I wanted to live or die. Everyone made choices for me. Even my husband. At the end…he became different too. ' she shook her head,'I loved him. I'll always love him, but he tried to change me. Control me and…when I think about it? I know he would've left me to die out there too. '
'You don't owe me anything, Rebecca.' He sighed,'Not a damn thing.'
'You're right. I don't, but I do owe it to myself.' She smiled softly,'Why didn't you leave me out there? Because Ellie wouldn't have forgiven you?'
He chewed on his bottom lip nervously. This would be the moment where he could put the final nail in the coffin of any friendship would have, but Ellie was right. Rebecca wasn't someone who was going to disappear. He couldn't run away from her.
'Maybe I wouldn't have forgiven myself.'
His words brought tears to her eyes. The quiet admission was something she didn't expect from him. For the first time since they met, he was honest and vulnerable. Maybe the heart attack scared him or he was tired of fighting.
She looked up at the clock on the wall. Her shift was over.
'My shift is over.' She sighed,'Evelyn should be here soon.'
He nodded as he looked over at her,'They treating you good here?'
She nodded and smiled,'Yeah, I've been eating all the time, clean clothes, a job, running water and electricity. I would've been happy with a bottle of water and a hut.'
He laughed slightly at that. He was glad they were taking care of her. He could see the haunted look in her eyes. She had bags under her eyes, indicating she wasn't sleeping well. She still had some time to heal, but she would get there eventually.
She got up from the chair and gently patted his arm,'I come in at six. Please be nice to Evelyn. You made her cry last night. Sharon had to convince her to stay.'
He rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh,'She fucking doesn't know what she's doing.'
'She's been a nurse for almost forty years. She damn sure knows what she's doing, Joel.' She frowned,'She came out of retirement to help out. Just…be cool for once in your life and calm the fuck down. It's why you had a heart attack in the first place.'
'So you tell me.' He watched as she walked over to the doorway. He took a deep breath and looked out the window,'You gonna be with Ellie?'
'I was going to have dinner with her and then she's going to come back here with you.'
He nodded as he looked over at her,'Are you bringing her?'
'I don't know.' She shrugged,'Do you want me to?'
He was silent and she thought he wasn't going to say anything else.
He licked his dry lips, looking as if he were contemplating something,'You can bring her.'
Her eyes widened. For a moment she thought she imagined it. He was asking her to come back. In his own way. Hope blossomed in her chest. Maybe he decided he could use a friend after all.
She nodded and smiled softly,'I'll bring her in a couple hours.'
He nodded silently, seeming to be satisfied with that.
'I'll see you in a little bit.' She huffed,'I meant what I said too. Be nice to Evelyn. Or Sharon said she's gonna give you an enema. Maybe that'll help pull out whatever you have up your ass.'
She walked out of the room and he smirked to himself.
'Well shit.' He muttered to himself.
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Rebecca was true to her word and came back with Ellie. She had been surprised when Joel allowed her to stay in the room with them. She didn't know if that was for Ellie's benefit or not. She didn't stay the night as she did before. It was different when he was in a coma. She didn't think he would appreciate it anyway.
For the next two weeks she did that. Every night her and Ellie would go visit him. She would make her rounds in the morning, checking up on him. Sometimes Tommy was with him or Maria. She was glad to see he had family around.
He also didn't make Evelyn cry again. Thank God for small miracles. Evelyn was the best nurse they had and with the most experience. She would be very angry if they lost her.
She would like to say things shifted between her and Joel and they were the best of friends, but he was still guarded. Sure, he would talk to her if prompted, but mostly his attention was reserved for Ellie, which was fine. She was happy just to be included. She didn't need to be his best friend, but if she wanted to be in Ellie's life he needed to at least tolerate her.
She walked into his room and saw Sharon by his bedside.
Sharon looked up at her and smiled,'Nurse Barrett. Good morning. You're right on time. I was just telling our patient here he'll be ready to go home tomorrow.'
Rebecca's eyes widened and she smiled brightly, 'Joel, that's great news. Tommy and Maria said you can stay with them while you recover.'
'The fuck I am. I just told him I don't need any help.' He narrowed his eyes,'Me and Ellie will be just fine.'
'You're not doing that to her.' Rebecca frowned,'She has school. She doesn't know how to take care of someone recovering from a heart attack. You can't put that burden on her. Let her live.'
'We all agree.' Sharon nodded,'Which is why I think it's best he has a nurse to look after him.'
Rebecca saw the knowing smile on her face,'I know for a fact he wouldn't agree to that either.
'I didn't.' He glared up at Sharon,'I've been through worse. I don't need help.'
Sharon ignored his words as she kept her attention on Rebecca,'I want you to go by his house. Two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening starting tomorrow. For two months.That's your orders.'
'Yes, maim.' Rebecca nodded and smiled, ever the dutiful nurse.
She looked over at Joel. He had an unreadable expression on his face. He didn't seem unhappy. Just…inconvenienced. She would do her job. She just hoped he would let her.
Sharon patted Joel's arm as she laughed softly,'I know it's a pain to have people caring and doting over you. I'm sure you'll learn to live with it.'
Sharon walked past Rebecca and smiled,'I'll leave you to it, Nurse Barrett.'
The doctor walked out of the room, leaving them in fragile silence.
Rebecca crossed her arms over her chest and sighed,'I know you're pissed. It doesn't take much.'
He rolled his eyes and shook his head,'I'm just tired of people thinking they know what's best for me.' He nodded curtly,'At least it's you.'
At least it's you.
She didn't know what he meant by those words. Maybe he was glad to have someone who wouldn't be overbearing. She was just glad to be needed.