Jeremy's Home
The shuttle drive back to town could not have been quieter for Jeremy. Embarrassed for having Clint step into an argument at the clinic silenced the younger man. Though to his credit, he did not just leave the van without words of remorse.
"Clint, Audrey? Before I step out of the van I need to apologize for my actions today."
"No Jeremy, you don't have anything to..." Clint tried to let Jeremy off the hook but the mason would have none of that.
"Yes...I do Clint. You and Audrey have been great to me and to Gwen. Volunteering is very important to you and I don't want my stupidity to spoil the joy you find in helping others like me." Jeremy sighed. "I know there is no excuse for having an argument at the clinic with Gwen over nothing."
"Well thanks, Jeremy." Clint made his way to the sliding door smiling at his wife as he passed her window.
Jeremy stepped out of the shuttle. "Thanks again, Clint, and sorry about..."
This time Clint stopped Jeremy from finishing his sentence. He spoke softly to the younger man. "What you are going through right now is likely the single most challenging thing you will ever have to face. No one has this all figured out yet so I am not going to judge you for that thing earlier today."
Clint gave Jeremy a pat on his shoulder. "Now say goodbye to Audrey and forget all about it, okay?"
Jeremy grabbed his bag as he softly shook his head then stopped at the open window and smiled before speaking. "Thanks for taking the day to make sure we made it to the city and back. I appreciate your supportive words, Audrey."
Audrey smiled at the apologetic man. "You know, I think Gwen is wrong about you." She left Jeremy with that simple message before giving a small wave as Clint backed out of his driveway.
Jeremy walked into his home, tossed his bag on the sofa, and continued to the kitchen. He didn't eat all day and pulled the door of his fridge. "Leftover spaghetti or leftover bbq chicken? Don't be bashful, both! Why not?"
Just then Pete showed up at the back door. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I live here, Pumpkin." Jeremy set the chicken down and replied with the same question. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I bumped into Clint and Audrey and they said you were already home!" Pete seemed angry. "What the hell? So you have just given up?"
"No, I haven't just given up! I am about to eat, you moron." Jeremy shoved the bowl of spaghetti into the microwave. "Would a man who had given up be eating dinner?"
Pete looked at the chicken on the table. "If you are eating this, then yeah. We had this chicken over a week ago!"
"Really?" He looked at Pete. "That long? Huh," Jeremy shrugged. "Time flies when...blah blah blah." He walked into the living room.
"Hey, hey! Boss?" Pete followed quickly only to see him staring at his parent's photo.
"They didn't get to enjoy their golden years." Jeremy glanced at his friend. "Doesn't look like I will get that chance either."
"Hey, Bud. They had a great life. Together, what? Forty years!"
"Forty years married, right out of high school. Man, they loved each other." Jeremy pulled the photo down off the wall.
"Oh hey hey, Boss. Are you okay?" Pete guided his friend to the comfy chair. "Sit down." He watched him stare at the photo.
"I have never seen you so devastated in my entire life!" Pete pulled a memory from the past. "Even the time you hit the post on that breakaway ~ they came back down and scored before you picked your ass off the ice." Pete sat on the coffee table and looked at his friend. "We lost the championship and your girlfriend broke up with you after the game."
"I was selfish," Jeremy admitted. "Could have skated back and stopped them from scoring but I laid there like a spoiled brat."
"Bullshit!" Pete called him on his version. "You were exhausted. We were into the second overtime and you held the team together winning every faceoff. You skated your ass off for us and we let you down!"
Jeremy began to laugh and Pete frowned. "Remember Reggie and Chris?"
"Smoking weed in the shower?" Pete stood. "Those idiots got us all in trouble! We locked the coaches out until we could clear the skunk weed fumes!"
"Bullshit Pumpkin! You were in the shower helping them finish the dube." Jeremy pointed at his friend. "Scared? Your uncle was the chief of police."
"I was scared for the guys!" Pete took the photo from Jeremy and hung it back on the wall.
A woman's voice called out. "Pumpkin?"
The two heard the screen door open and close and Jeremy turned to Pete. "The Thompson twins? Really? You brought them here?"
"Yeah yeah, well my place is a mess! Charlie ripped it apart!" Pete went with that.
Jeremy shook his head. "In here, Trina!"
"Oh hi, Jeremy. Actually, it's Tricia." She hugged Jeremy.
"Tricia, what are you doing?" Jeremy looked at his friend.
"I might have told the twins." Pete cringed. "You're dying."
"Pumpkin!"
"Jeremy, it's okay. It's better to put it out into the world. The whole town knows you and Gwen are...well, dying." Tricia stepped back from Jeremy. "I'm gonna wait in the truck, Petey."
"Okay, Trish. Be there in a minute." Pete smiled.
"Or not." Jeremy stared at his friend as one-half of the Thompson twins left through the kitchen.
Jeremy heard the screen door close. "What the fuck! You told the Thompson twins! Now the whole fucking town knows I am dying!" He pushed Pete to the side and walked back into the kitchen.
"What can I say?" Pete walked into the kitchen, watched his friend stir the leftover spaghetti, and take a bite.
Jeremy stared straight ahead. "See ya!" That was his way of saying get out.
After all the years, Pete knew better than to stick around. "Yeah, see ya." He pushed the screen door open and left Jeremy's home with the twins.
He stuffed another forkful of spaghetti into his mouth and slurped the last few inches of pasta like a kid. Jeremy looked up to see Charlie standing on the other side of the screen door. "Get in here. I'm not mad at you!"
Charlie pulled the rope and the door flew open. She rushed to Jeremy licking his face until he began to laugh then returned the love petting the border collie. When she had enough the dog sauntered to her bed near the fridge and laid there content.
He looked to his companion. "What are we gonna do, Girl?" Charlie twitched her ear. "Wanna go for a ride?"
Those were words Charlie knew and sprang from her bed wagging her tail waiting for Jeremy to stand. "What are you waiting for?" He laughed and she pushed the wooden framed screen door open.
The Clinic
Dr. Webster walked with Gwen to the room where she would be sleeping. First days were brutal at the clinic for patients and staff with a battery of tests and emotions.
The nameplate on the wall next to the door already had Gwen's first name slid into place. "I guess this is me?"
The Director chuckled. "We had Gwendolyn made up but found out that you preferred Gwen."
"I hope it wasn't any trouble?" Gwen enquired. "I am just not that little girl anymore."
"I understand completely, Gwen. Henry was more than happy to make a new one." Carolynne ran her fingers over the handmade nameplate.
"Someone here, made this? Are you serious? It looks so...so beautiful." Gwen smiled. "Thank Henry for me, okay?"
"You can thank Henry tomorrow. He'll be the one with Henry over his pocket." The Director laughed as she checked her watch. "Supper is at six. There is a bathroom over here and breakfast is at eight."
Gwen shrugged. "Surprisingly the room has a relaxing feel to it."
The Director checked her watch again "If you will excuse me, I need to finish up some paperwork in my office. See you at breakfast!"
"Wait! You eat breakfast here?"
Dr. Webster laughed. "We all do, Honey. We need to eat too!"
Gwen freshened up and stepped out of her room. Patricia greeted her with a smile. "All settled in?"
"Seems, well ~ more than I expected, really." The patient continued. "I haven't had a night without my kids in years. I wonder how they are?"
"Call them after we eat! I am sure they are missing you just as much." Patricia pointed down the hall. "Shall we go to supper?"
"I am starving." Gwen walked with the head nurse. "So, everyone eats together?"
"Well, breakfast and supper. The daytime can get crazy around here so we will grab something and get back to whatever we were working on."
"I don't see everyone here." Gwen pointed out.
"Well, the staff that has the night off leave before dinner, but you'll see them at breakfast," Patricia assured the new patient.
"Does this mean you are staying the night?" Gwen picked up a tray and started to collect her supper from under the glass.
"You catch on quickly!" The nurse laughed. "Hang on, let me introduce you to everyone."
Patricia went around the room introducing Gwen to everyone from the servers to the researchers.
"It takes so many to keep this place going. I am humbled." Gwen felt something within. "Thank you for your commitment!"
Patricia guided her to a table where they ate and spoke of their children. "My boys are a handful and I couldn't do this job without a husband. I have seen marriages crumble here when people dedicate their lives to helping others and their partners don't get it." Patricia smiled, "I am a lucky woman."
"I wish I could find a man like that! Not one has stuck around more than five minutes." Gwen looked down at her leafy green salad with sliced chicken breast.
"Let's leave the men talk for later." Patricia asked about her kids. "Tell me about your children. What are they like?"
"Hmmmm." Gwen smiled. "I was twenty-three and naive when Chastity was born. I thought life couldn't get any better. But she is a pistol. Sometimes requires a bucket of ice water to cool her off. Basically, a younger version of me which scares the hell out of me!" The two women laughed to the delight of the people eating in the room.
"Oh, I have to know more about this Chastity. So she's sixteen?" Patricia forgot about eating when Gwen handed her phone to the head nurse.
"She will be in August." Gwen sighed. "She used to always come to the shop with me until it wasn't cool anymore. High school has changed her and not for the best."
"My boys aren't that age yet, thankfully." Patricia sighed.
"Well, Austin just graduated grade eight and is hell-bent on spending every night looking at the stars instead of the girls." Gwen rolled her eyes. "But he is my little man of the house."
Patricia's smile seemed permanently affixed as the two continued to chat long after the others had finished eating. "And what about your youngest? What's her name?"
"My baby? Harmony. She is still in that happily ever after, princesses with beautiful dresses, and I want a pony stage of her life." Gwen rolled her eyes and Patricia questioned the look she just gave.
The head nurse shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that stage of any girl's life. Even a little girl's dream is important. It makes us want someone who will be there for us when we need it."
"Those men are only in fairytales. In the real world, the men run and hide from responsibilities. I don't need a man. I have sworn them off!" This time Gwen shook her head. "Men!"
"What about Jeremy? He seems nice." Patricia raised an eyebrow. "Dr. Corber and I believe he is ruggedly handsome." She followed her description with a laugh.
"I thought you were happily married, Patricia!" Gwen laughed at her nurse.
"I am happily married but know a good-looking man when I see one." She smiled and added. "And I had the chance to see him with his shirt off!"
"Patricia, you are bad!" Gwen's eyes grew wide. "What is your husband's number? I'm gonna call him!"
"Too late! I already texted Ben and told him about Mr. Ruggedly Handsome!" Patricia laughed.
"You didn't!"
"Did so!" Patricia opened the text message and it appeared just as she said it.
"Now that is the kind of relationship I have wanted all my life!" Gwen cracked. "If I told any one of the guys that line, they would have laughed at me!"
"I don't believe that Gwen. There had to be at least one good man!" Patricia searched Gwen's eyes.
A half-smile and a shake of her head told the woman across the table there were none. "I thought we were leaving men out of this conversation." Gwen snapped back.
"I said we would leave it for later." Patricia laughed. "We are women, when are we not talking men?"
Gwen held a finger up. "I believe the saying is 'I am woman, hear me roar'."
Patricia waved her hand in front of Gwen. "Whatever!" The two laughed loudly.
Just then Patricia had a text come in. "Eight-thirty? That can't be right!"
"Oh my God, I have to call the kids!" Gwen stood then looked at the wilted plate of lettuce. "What do I do with this, Patricia?"
"Leave it for me." She waved Gwen away. "I will check in on you about ten tonight."
"Okay, as long as you're sure!" Gwen made doubly sure Patricia was okay with the dishes.
"Go!" The head nurse pointed as she laughed. "See you at ten!" With that Gwen rushed back to her room with her phone in front of her. "Hey Bobby, is Harmony still awake?"