After settling his father into the recliner beside the bed, Cal asked, “Do you need anything else?”
“You look worse than I do,” his father said. “Go to bed.”
“Heidi’s bringing over dinner soon.”
“I’ll be fine.” His father waved him out of the room. “See you in the morning.”
“Okay.” Cal backed out the door. “Call me if you need anything.” He held up his cell phone.
His father touched the cell phone on the table beside his recliner. “I’m fine, Cal. Go to bed.”
Trudging up the stairs, Cal pulled a slip of paper out of his pants pocket. Nurse Rachel had slipped her phone number to him after she wheeled his father out to the car. Cal keyed it into his cell phone with her name, laid the phone on the table beside his bed, and undressed.
He slid between the sheets, hoping for a quick nod off, but his mind raced. He picked up the phone and made a call, which was answered right away.
“Hi,” he said.
“I’m glad you called,” Bryony said.
Her voice was sweeter than anticipated, almost seductive.
“You are?” Cal’s mind calmed as he focused on her voice. He thought about the kindness in her eyes, how it soothed him.
“How’s your father doing?” she asked.
Cal sighed. “We made it home. He’s comfortable. My sister’s bringing dinner for him. I’m exhausted. I wanted to thank you for helping. You’ve made this all so much easier for me.”
“Not a problem. How long do you think you’ll be staying with your father?”
“I have no idea.” Cal yawned. “We’ll follow through with the discharge plan. Hire somebody to stay with him until we’re sure he’s stable, or longer. I think I’ll be up here more often.”
“Let’s get together when you get back,” Bryony said.
Cal’s heart swelled. He needed this, something to look forward to. “I’d like that.” He was so exhausted, so appreciative of her presence on the phone, he teared up.
“Sleep well, Cal.”
“You too, Bryony.”
Cal put his cell on the bedside table.
“Who was that on the phone?” Heidi leaned against the inside of the open door, her arms crossed.
“A friend.”
“A friend who makes you happy.”
Cal punched a cradle in the pillow for his head and said, “Yeah, she does.”
“Someone local?” Heidi asked.
“She lives in Ohio.”
Heidi waited a moment before saying, “Nurse Rachel was nice.”
“Yeah, she was.”
“She said she’d help us find help for Dad.”
“Yeah, she told me that, too,” Cal said. “She has a little home health gig on the side.” Nurse Rachel was nice, maybe a little nicer than she needed to be. Yeah, she had gone out of her way to be nice. “Did you pick up the turkey?”
“I did.”
“I’m so tired I can barely think.” A vice of muscle tension pressed on both sides of his forehead. He hoped he hadn’t picked up a virus in the hospital.
“I’m sorry,” Heidi said. “You rest. I’ll make sure Dad’s comfortable before I leave. We’ll eat at two tomorrow.”
“Will you call Rudy and invite him?” Cal asked. “He ate alone last year.”
“I can do that. Thanks for coming home, Cal.”
“See you tomorrow, Heidi.” He tugged the blanket around his shoulders as he turned to the wall.
“Goodnight, Cal,” Heidi said. “Sounds like Rachel will be able to help us out with Dad.” The door shut softly.
He and Rachel had a chance to talk while his father slept. Turned out she and Cal were the same age. She said she had worked at the hospital for over thirty years. She had grown children. Her husband had died of a heart attack a few years ago.
She seemed solid and kind. If he were looking to date someone in Cleveland, he might choose her.
