“That’s twenty days that I have to pick something out. Don’t worry about it. Mom will have an appropriate gift from me. Come on, Susan. I need to get going here.” She pushed her sister’s arm out of the way of the doors.


“Just don’t forget to be at Mom’s next Friday for dinner. You promised.”



* * *

The Jeep wound its way up Madison Avenue just as a light snow began to fall. Veronica remembered her promise to bring a Trivial Pursuit game with her but the darkening clouds and the late hour made her decide to forgo a trip to the mall to pick one up in favor of getting to the hospital before it got too much later.


She walked through the open door to Rose’s room only to find the bed empty, an orderly changing the sheets. “Where’s Miss Grayson?”


“X-ray. They’ll be bringing her back in a few minutes,” the burly man replied, tucking the last corner in. She went to the chair in the nearby corner and sat down to wait for the young woman’s return.


Fifteen minutes went by before Rose was wheeled back into her room. The first thing Veronica noticed were the fresh tears that streamed down the sides of the injured woman’s face. The two orderlies were as careful as they could be with their patient but Rose still cried out in pain when they switched her from the gurney back to her bed.


“Hey, how’ya feeling?” the tall woman asked softly, pulling the stiff plastic chair closer to the bed.


Rose forced a smile to her face at the sight of the black-haired woman. After a long night of being in agony and an even more grueling morning of having doctors and residents coming in to poke and prod her, the sight of the woman who made her recovery possible was quite welcome.

“They took new X-rays of my legs to make sure everything is still lined up right.” Her face betrayed her pain as she shifted and she rubbed her hip. “They’re giving me Hepa-something to thin my blood. Doctor Barnes is worried about clotting.”


“Did he say anything about how you’re doing? I mean, he doesn’t foresee any long term problems, does he?” Veronica reached over and helped adjust one of the pillows behind the blonde woman’s head.


“She said we won’t know that for weeks,” Rose replied.


“She? Well, what did you think of her? Did she seem competent? If you don’t like her, Rose, you just let me know. I’ll get you another doctor.” The words came out in a rush and Veronica was just as surprised as the injured woman. “I mean, if you aren’t happy with the way she’s treating you, you have the right to ask for another doctor.” She hoped her explanation did not sound as lame to Rose as it did to her.


“No, she’s fine, really. I mean, she can’t help it if I’m in pain. She said I’m getting the most pain medicine she feels comfortable giving me.”


“If you need more…”


“No. I don’t think they make anything strong enough to touch the pain. It just hurts so much all the time. Even when I’m sleeping, I’ll move and the pain is just so strong it wakes me up.” She looked down dejectedly at her smashed legs and ankle. “It feels like the pain will never end,” she said sadly.


“Rose, it may not seem like it now, but you will get better. It’s just going to take time.” Veronica tried to keep her voice as reassuring as possible. “Tabitha is quite the character,” she said, hoping that the change in subject would help take Rose’s mind off her injuries.


“She’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” the young woman said honestly. “Whenever I need her, she’s right there. All she ever asks for is food and attention.”


“And I’m sure you give her plenty of both,” Veronica replied.


“Well, the love and attention I can always give her.” The green eyes took on a sad look. “Food isn’t always as easy.” She looked up at the sculptured features of her generous benefactor. “I’m sure she’s very happy with you.”


“Rose, I haven’t taken Tabitha away from you, believe me. I’m only watching her while you’re here. Once you’re back on your feet, I’ll bring her right back to you, I promise.”


“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she said softly, tears from both the constant pain and the fear of losing her beloved pet clouding her eyes and threatening to spill over. “I can’t even take care of myself anymore much less her. I don’t even have a place to live.”


“That place wasn’t fit for a rat to live in. When you get out of here…”


“When I get out of here I won’t be able to walk, I’ll have no money, and I won’t even have a place to live,” Rose snapped. “You should have left me there on the street.”


“NO!” Veronica stood up and leaned over until she was only inches from Rose’s face and looking into deep green eyes. “Listen to me. You will walk again and you don’t have to worry about finding a place to live. Rose, I’m not going to give up on you so don’t you go giving up on yourself. I know you are a survivor. Don’t let this take that away.”


“What am I supposed to do when they release me? It’s the fifth already. Cecil would certainly have changed the locks by now. He warned me to never be late with the rent.”


“That overgrown bully wouldn’t bother changing the locks.”


“He did kick me out, didn’t he?”


“Yes,” Veronica admitted. “But I wouldn’t have let you continue to live there anyway. It’s not fit for a human to live in and certainly not you. When they release you from here they’ll probably send you to a rehabilitation center until you can walk again. After that I’ll make sure you get a decent place to live.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Rose, we both know that you need help and that I want to help. I know you’ve been taking care of yourself for a long time but right now you need someone else to look out for you. Please let me be that someone.”


The room was quiet for a minute while Rose looked down at her lap, chewing her lower lip. “I haven’t had to rely on anyone to take care of me for a long time. I guess I don’t have much choice now.” Her face betrayed her feelings of failure and the hopelessness of her situation. “This is hard for me. I’d rather go without than take charity.”


Veronica found it hard to believe that it was so difficult for Rose to accept the help being offered when the alternatives were so clear, but when she paused to consider the story that the checkbook told, it made perfect sense. There was a depth to the young woman’s character that she would not have believed still existed in the modern age where so many people seemed more than ready to accept anything the state or government offered, whether they deserved it or not.

“Don’t think of it as charity, Rose. I don’t.”


“What do you think of it as?” she asked curiously. Before Veronica could answer, another blast of intense pain shot through the young woman, causing her face to screw up with agony. “Oh God, it hurts,” she hissed. “It hurts so much.” Tears began to stream down her face and she reached for the offending limbs. “Make it stop, please make it stop hurting,” she begged.


Unable to take the pain away, Veronica did the only thing she could think of. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Rose into a tight embrace, unmindful of the tears that soaked her silk blouse. It did not matter. Nothing mattered except trying to help the incredibly brave young woman get through this. “It’s okay, Rose. I’ve got you,” she murmured into the golden hair while her hand gently rubbed up and down the bare back exposed by the hospital gown.


“It hurts…it won’t stop hurting…oh God, please make it stop, make it stop hurting so much,” Rose sobbed, her grip around Veronica’s neck tightening. The strong arms wrapped around her offered comfort, something which had almost never been offered to the young woman before, and Rose accepted it gratefully.


“I’m sorry, Rose, I’m so sorry,” Veronica whispered over and over, feeling her own emotions threatening to come forth in empathy for the young woman’s pain, pain caused by her actions on that fateful night. “It’s gonna be all right. Shhh…okay now, it’s all right.” She continued to make shushing noises and hold Rose as the sobbing continued. Mercifully the nurse arrived a few minutes later and gave the injured woman a shot that brought on an uneasy sleep. Veronica remained for quite a while, watching Rose sleep and wishing that there was something, anything that she could do to remove the damage she had done to the courageous young woman.



* * *

Rose awoke several hours later to find herself alone. She pressed the call button for the nurse.


“What do you need, deary?” The dark skinned woman said as she entered.


“Nothing really, ” Rose replied, embarrassed about having pressed the button just to see another face. It had been four days since she was brought in and the only people she ever saw were hospital personnel and Ronnie.


“Well, I’m glad you’re awake,” the nurse replied. “It’s time to check your vitals.”


“Do you know what time Miss Cartwright left?” the blonde woman asked just before the thermometer found its way into her mouth.


“Would that be your friend that was here earlier?” Rose nodded. “She left shortly after I went on duty so I’d say about an hour or so ago. She left you a note.”


It was only then that Rose saw the cream colored paper folded in half sitting on her bed tray. She reached for it but her arms were not long enough. The nurse handed it to her before wrapping the black blood pressure cuff around her upper arm. Rose let the note lay on her chest until the nurse was done, preferring to read it in private. She grimaced as the cuff constricted more and more around her small arm. When she thought it could not possibly get any tighter she heard the hiss of the air being released. “Fine. Your pressure is good and your temperature is normal. At this rate you’ll be out of here in no time.” The nurse removed the Velcro fastened cuff and made a notation on the chart. “Your dinner will be here shortly and I’ll be back later to check on you.”


“Thank you.” Rose smiled, she had been put back on solid food the day before and her appetite had returned stronger than ever.


Once the nurse was gone Rose picked up the note and unfolded it. There on Cartwright letterhead was a note from Veronica.


Rose,


I had to return to the office to take care of a few things. I’ll be back in time for Jeopardy. Try to rest and don’t be afraid to ask for more painkillers if you need them. Leave some room after dinner. I hope you like Chinese food.


Ronnie


The young woman’s fingers slid over the textured paper. Where her own handwriting was small and neat, Veronica’s was full of flourish and style. She grinned at the comment about leaving room after dinner. When it came to food, Rose knew she could always eat everything in front of her and then some. She pressed the remote for the television, once again silently grateful to her benefactor, and noted that the local news was on. That meant less than an hour before Veronica would return. Rose took the plastic comb off of the table and ran it through her thick golden hair, trying to make herself look a little more presentable to her new friend.


“My friend,” she said aloud, smiling at the thought. She thought about the way she had cried so hard earlier and how good it felt to be held by Veronica. In her arms, she felt safe, cared for, comforted. Strangely, Rose found herself wishing for that feeling again, to be held in those strong arms, to smell the light scent of perfume on the tall woman’s tanned neck, to feel the compassion and tenderness within her touch and voice. Rose still did not understand why Veronica had chosen to befriend her but she was grateful that she had.






Wheel of Fortune was half over when Rose was treated to the sight of Veronica entering the room, a small bag full of delightfully smelling food in one hand, the ever present attache in the other. “Hi there.”


“Hi,” the young woman replied, happily sniffing the air as Veronica set the bag on the bed tray and, after tossing her leather bomber jacket across the back of the chair and setting the attache on the floor, took her usual seat next to the bed. “Smells wonderful.”