3. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Licia
Dr. Shepherd has got to be kidding me!
Pin drop silence enveloped the office as I stared at his face blankly after his announcement. Did he just say I have been entrusted with Kevin’s care? I pinched myself one more time to ascertain I wasn’t in some bizarre nightmare.
“But Sir,” I protested blatantly. There was no way I was taking up this assignment. I would rather cover different shifts and work overtime than assent to this arrangement. “Couldn’t another nurse go in my stead?”
“Why so? Why can’t you do it?” Disappointment was already creeping into his voice. Though he seemed more annoyed than disappointed.
I hadn’t seen this coming. I would have prepared a tangible excuse ahead of time, but now I needed to cook up something reasonable and fast, or I was trapped.
“I just started at the theater, and I am supposed to assist Dr. Xavi with some surgeries all through the week.” That was a lame excuse, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment. I needed to exaggerate my busy schedule.
“That shouldn’t be a problem. I can get him to pick another nurse to assist him while you are away. As of now, you are being reassigned.” He proffered, but that wasn't the response I was hoping for.
“Dr. Shepherd...” I tried wriggling my way out of the situation again. There was no harm in trying, right?
“Licia, I don’t think you understand what's going on here,” he said tersely.
I didn’t mean to test his patience, but I was desperate to get out of this sick arrangement.
“I am not negotiating with you on this subject. I am only telling you what you are to do,” he posited sternly, with a note of finality in his tone.
My fate was sealed.
My countenance fell as I replied, “Okay, Chief,” like I had just received a sentence with no room to plead for mercy.
He turned to Dr. Henshaw, who had been standing quietly beside me the whole time. “Any objections on your end?” It was more of a dare than a question.
“Not at all, Chief,” Corbin Henshaw responded with a sickening smile that made me queasy. I felt like slapping the excitement off his face, but I understood Corbin's excitement.
Many nurses would jump at the offer to be that close to Kevin, but certainly not me. So why would Dr. Shepherd choose me? I wanted to be at arm’s length from Kevin… no, scratch that… I didn’t even want to be in the same space as him.
Heaven knows if I had my way, I would hightail it out of this town entirely until he was gone. He’d definitely leave after his recovery… back to his precious football and celebrity life.
“That’s more like it,” Dr. Shepherd smiled. “We need extra funds if we are going to avert some budget cuts this quarter… and Mr. Kevin Brown is already making some donations to the hospital. So, be on your best behavior, please. Mr. Brown needs the care, and we need the fat check that comes with it. Is that clear?” he stressed.
“Yes, Sir,” Corbin and I chorused. The two of us were operating at different tangents. He kept smiling sheepishly, but I was brewing inside. There was nothing amusing about this whole arrangement.
Before Corbin and I could step out of his office, Dr. Shepherd halted me with his words. “Licia, I'm counting on you. See yourself as the face of this hospital, and make me proud.”
I turned in his direction and nodded, “I will, Sir.” I don’t know if the vote of confidence was supposed to make me geared up and happy, but I only felt more pressure.
I considered turning back to tell Dr. Shepherd that Kevin and I had something in the past and that my personal feelings would not let me offer the best possible care, but how would that make me look?
I ambled towards Melony, who was eagerly waiting for me at the cafeteria after parting ways with Corbin.
She waved me over to where she was seated, munching away at her Turkey Waldorf salad. I took the seat opposite hers.
“Spill, Licia. Why did the Chief summon you and Dr. Henshaw?” Before I could answer, she interrupted, “Please don’t tell me you have been fired.” She held onto my hands across the table. “This place would be such a bore without you.”
“Take a chill pill, Mel. It's not that serious.” Should I have rather said it was the worst news I had ever received? She wouldn’t understand why being Kevin’s nurse was bad news, so I didn’t bother. “Besides, how did you know I was in there with Dr. Henshaw?”
She acted shocked at my question. “Have you forgotten that I have my eyes and ears to the ground? I keep abreast of the happenings in the hospital. How else would I know that Dr. Fred and Nurse Alicia from the pediatric department went on their second date last week?”
“Why am I not surprised?” I chuckled.
She brightened up, “So what’s up?” she pressed, pushing a cup of chocolate milkshake to me.
“Thanks.” I appreciated her thoughtfulness. “I have been assigned to embark on home care with Dr. Henshaw.”
I wanted to make her dig for further information. Telling Melony everything without any form of suspense wasn’t fun.
“Who’s the client? Is it a VIP?” she asked eagerly. “Is it someone I know?”
I nodded, sipping some of the milkshake with a loud slurp. “Yeah.”
“Out with it already. The suspense is killing me,” she pleaded, making puppy dog eyes.
“Fine… it’s Kevin Brown.” I dropped the bomb and waited for her reaction, which I knew would be epic.
She hit the table with a loud bang but quieted down when she saw that her show had attracted the curious stares of the other workers.
“You don’t mean it.” She said in a hushed tone, pulling her seat closer to the table, visibly brimming with unbridled excitement.
“I wish I was making things up,” I replied coldly.
“But you don't look happy about it.” She cast me a riveting look, barely taking her eyes off mine.
“Just indifferent.” I shrugged, leaning back. “It’s just another job. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “If I didn’t know any better, I would have written you off as a killjoy. What do you mean by, you're indifferent about it? I would literally be over the moon if I could trade places with you right now.”
“I actually did try passing it on to another nurse, but the chief wouldn’t even hear of it.”
“I think we need to send you up to the psych team. You need to be checked out.”
I smiled drily, “Mel, you wouldn’t understand, so let's just drop the topic.”
“You don’t always have to be so prim and professional. Just loosen up and enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity.”
“I will keep that in mind. For now, I am so hungry.”
I successfully ended the argument as Melony walked over to the counter to pick my lunch. According to her, as Kevin’s nurse, she needed to treat me like a celebrity as well.
***
I barely slept a wink the previous night. My mind kept mulling over my present reality and replaying different scenarios. I needed to find a way to separate my emotions from my job. It was imperative that I did so. I couldn’t afford to trudge around like a bear with a sore head. So, I needed to see Kevin as a patient and not as the guy who hurt me… deeply.
Corbin offered to drive us to the Brown Estate. We first reported at the hospital together and got the final briefings from the Chief before we left.
“Michaels, you have been clenching your fist so hard since we left the hospital that it's almost white,” Corbin pointed out, taking his eyes off the road for a second.
I didn’t even realize I was doing that.
“Oh… didn’t notice.” I said with a weak smile.
He studied me briefly. “I don’t mean to pry, but what’s up with you? First you almost backed down from a golden opportunity yesterday under the guise of assisting with surgeries, and now this?”
“I’m good, Corbin. Just a little down. That's all.” I replied brusquely but convincingly, turning to the other side.
He didn’t push further, and I appreciated that. Someone like Melony would have worn me out with interrogations.
“It’s all good, if you say so. Want some music?” He smiled charmingly.
“Sure.” I nodded absentmindedly, peering out of the window while resting my jaw on my right hand.
“Any particular song request?”
He was really trying so hard to cheer me up.
“Uhm, something soft and soulful would be perfect.” I added without looking his way.
He selected a song, and soon the melody filled the car, making us hum along to the relaxing rhythm.
Corbin was a jolly fellow. Good looking and with the right physique, but I had never seen him as anything other than a colleague.
Since I worked closely with doctors from his department, we had met on several occasions, but that was just it. Every time he started off a conversation that wasn’t based on work, I was quick to change the subject.
“Here we are,” he finally announced, wheeling into the estate.
Everything spelt class, from the scenery to the building itself. Corbin was also
awestruck. There was a lot to feed one's eyes on. A wave of nostalgia hit me as memories of running around this estate flooded my mind.
“Good morning. You must be the nurse and doctor from the hospital… Mr. Brown has been expecting you. Come with me, please.” A young man who I assumed to be the housekeeper said, ushering us in.
“Thank you.”
We followed him in silence; Corbin, still taking in the beauty of the Brown home, while I on the other hand was already marking my time until I could leave.
Kevin and his sister were already waiting for us in the living room. Once we were before Kevin, the housekeeper excused himself and got about his other engagements.
“Good morning, I'm Kevin’s sister, Lexie.” She introduced herself to me and Corbin with a handshake, giggling like a three-year-old girl that was given her favorite toy.
She needed no introduction; I still remembered her face.
“Hi, Licia Michaels.” I responded, forcing a smile. I hadn’t as much as met Kevin’s gaze, and I wasn’t planning on saying anything to him, except when necessary or at least when spoken to.
“Corbin Henshaw, your physiotherapist.” He delightedly introduced himself to Kevin, who wore a cute smile. “I am a huge fan.”
I tried not to roll my eyes at that statement.
“Licia, Dr. Henshaw, thanks for coming. You guys are welcome. Please make yourselves comfortable.”
I wanted to tell him not to act like we were buddies. He addressed Corbin properly but was less formal with me. But I swallowed my words. It was too soon for drama.
Dr. Shepherd had brought us up to speed on his condition and treatment so far, but we had to go over a few details with Kevin. Not just for formality, but so we could all be on the same page.
“Mr. Brown, we are expected to report by 9 o’clock every morning and take our leave in the evening, say 4 pm, unless the need suggests otherwise.”
I could see the hurt in his eyes by my formality, but I was hurting as well, so who cared?
“Okay.”
“Sir, I would also like to check out the equipment in your gym, so I can decide on the ones to make arrangements for.”
“That wouldn’t be a problem at all. This way, please.”
Kevin led Corbin through a door just behind the stairs. I wondered what new machines were in the gym. It was one of Kevin's favorite places to be twelve years ago. He liked to show off his muscles and how many pull-ups he could do. And I liked to ogle at how his sweaty muscles moved as he exercised.
Lexie then shuffled close to where I sat, startling me.
“Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.” She apologized. I could see the sincerity in her eyes.
I smiled reassuringly, “It’s fine.” It was a good thing she distracted me from my thoughts. I had no business dwelling on those memories.
I could sense her struggle in trying to break the awkward silence. My guts told me she might try to bring up my relationship with her brother, so I quickly found an escape.
“Why don’t you give me a tour of the house?” I requested, hoping the plan would work.
She responded elatedly, “Sure. I would love to.”
“Right after you, then.”
Certainly!