Chapter 29
Bennett
“WELL, MR. HANSON, it looks like this will be an easy discharge.”
“Easy, you say?” Nothing about this was easy, as I sat staring out the picture window that faced five or so other medical buildings. The sun had set, then risen again, and my condition was stable. But the new day did not bring new hope. Because I was still me and she was still her. And she would always deserve more than I could give her.
“Yes, sir. Everything has been taken care of so just sign here, and here, then we’ll get you out and back home… just in time for Christmas, too!” And with that, another hundred pound weight fell on my shoulders. Christmas. I told Rosie and Doc I’d come home. I’m sure they’ve been expecting me and are worried sick. I was just so tired of disappointing everyone.
“Wait, what do you mean taken care of ?” I asked, as I waited, impatiently, in the wheelchair they insisted I ride down in. The same chatty nurse from the day before said she’d call a cab and I assumed it was on its way. I was perfectly fine to walk, though. I never again wanted to be viewed as fragile, but she wasn’t having it. She made it clear that it was against hospital policy to let me walk out on my own and if I wanted to leave, there was only one way out. And I wanted to leave, that was for sure.
“Oh, the bill dear. Someone settled your bill.” She used the table by the bed to neaten her stack of paperwork I was to sign, but I shook my head and made no attempt to take it from her.
“I think there’s been a mistake.”
She flipped through the paperwork, a line forming between her brows. A slight frown settled on her face as she skimmed the half-ream of paper in her hands.
“Nope, no mistake.” The voice came from the hallway, but soon she was standing right next to me. The nurse and she exchanged looks and Nurse Chatty smiled, clipping the papers back onto the board. I closed my eyes and breathed through my nose.
Jillian.
Why was she here? She refused to look at me. “Thanks for getting him ready, Barbara, but I’ll take the patient from here.”
I shook my head. “I’m not going home with you.” I looked toward the nurse for support and repeated my statement. “I’m not going with her.”
Chatty’s knowing smirk grated on my nerves, like this was all some big game to her. Clearly, Jillian had an ally in the older woman. “Well, I don’t rightly care where ya go. Alls I know is, ya can’t stay here.”
The woman bounced out of the room and down the hall, the squeaks of her shoes becoming faint before disappearing all together. When she was good and gone, Jillian wheeled me out into an unfamiliar corridor. I must have come in this way, but I certainly had no recollection of it.
Jillian pushed the down arrow and we waited in silence, but once we were in and the doors were closed, I looked back at her. “I am not your hostage.” My teeth were clenched, and a whole new level of headache radiated between my ears.
“Oh, yeah? Well, I have paperwork in my bag that sings a different song. You’ve been released into my care and in my care you will remain.”
As if on cue, the doors to the elevator opened, and she pushed me out into the freezing cold air. “Damn it!” Oh, I was mad, and since she’d cut my shirt off I was still in a paper-thin scrub top and pants made of coffee filters. I had half a mind to jump out of the chair, but really, where would I go? And how would I get there?
Finally, we stopped beside her car. “Why are you doing this?” My roar seemed to have zero effect on this girl. A year ago, I could make a private pee his pants. I was losing my touch.
“What does it matter?” She opened the passenger door and held it open expectantly. ”Why can’t you just let me help you? Why are you making everything so difficult, fighting at every turn?” Then she started muttering about me being a prick and needing to get my head out of my ass. It would have been hilarious if the wind hadn’t been whipping through my clothes and I wasn’t so pissed off about my kidnapping. I stood on shaky legs.
“You need to back off, woman. This is not what I need.” I was not even two inches from her, yelling, in her face. Nothing, not even a flinch. She was about as scared of me as she would be a butterfly. I couldn’t decide if I loved her or hated her for that.
“Oh yeah, jackass? Well, I think this is exactly what you need. Now, get in the damn car.” I may have actually jumped at her roar. The girl could be scary when she didn’t get her way. But, getting in her car and out of the cold made good sense, given my condition. It by no means meant I was conceding.
Jillian rolled the wheelchair back to the lobby and returned seconds later, started the car, and drove out of the hospital parking lot without so much as a glance my way.
I assumed she was taking me home. I’d been waiting for her to ask for my address, having no idea what I would say. The library? I wasn’t even sure it was open, being this close to Christmas. If not, I was screwed. I had nothing but the shirt from my back when Jillian found me and now that was cut to shreds.
“Where are you taking me?” My head was back against the headrest and my eyes were closed.
She looked at me, right in the eyes. “Home Bennett. I’m taking you home.”