Chapter Four

Valen could see something was off with Evette. He had now been working with her for three weeks, three whole weeks, and only one other time had he seen her so off her game, and that was the first time they had met when he had to take her to the hospital. She didn't look like she needed to faint, but she had made it to the store at the same time as him and seemed very tired and slow. She wasn’t as well kept as usual, and he could smell something very faint like she was ill.

He was about to turn to her as she stocked the shelves and ask her if everything was alright, but suddenly a customer came in, a woman in a panic with a little boy by her side who looked to be maybe seven or eight. She came up to the counter and practically stuck her son's arm in Valen’s face. Evette looked over her shoulder, probably seeing if she would be needed for this case, but as she did, one of her glass bottles fell from her hands, smashing on the floor with a loud shattering. That was not like her at all. He knew something was up. She would never be so careless, and from far off, he could see her hands were shaking. But he needed to handle this customer first. He nodded to her, hoping she could trust him and just take care of herself.

The customer looked annoyed at the momentary interruption, but then she turned her eyes back to Valen. “This started showing up on my son's skin about a year ago, but it was gone with lotion and baths. But now, it is spreading, and he is scratching it. I need to know what it is and how to fix it,” she demanded.

Valen leaned over the counter to take a look at the rash to see if he recognized it. He reached under the counter pulling out a binder with rashes and bites and what each one looked like and meant. He was almost certain of what it was, but he wanted to compare it to the picture to be certain. He was dealing with a child's life. “Let me just consult this to be sure,” he told her, knowing she would have no patience, so being polite wouldn’t even matter. He found what he was looking for and held it up next to the boy's arm. “It’s a skin ailment that is known as eczema. It is related to allergies, in particular, but can be severe in some. Can you tell me what allergies your son has?” Valen asked as Evette was kneeling on the floor, cleaning up the mess. His thoughts kept going to her, wondering if he would have to shut the store down and take her to get help.

“Umm, he is allergic to a lot of trees, pollen, and peanuts. So, what do I do about it? Is it serious?”

Valen shook his head at the worried mother, seeing that was just what she was; not mean or overbearing. She was just worried about her child. “I know it can be scary to find out your son has a new illness that you do not understand, but eczema is totally manageable and not dangerous. Watch his exposure to allergens for sure, and then I can give you a cream to put on places like on his arm when it flares up. And for itching, putting carnation petals in his bath can soothe.” Valen could not help but be proud of himself as he led the woman to those two spots in the store, getting her the right topical and then the petals. “Would you like to make this a regular order to pick up every month?” Valen asked her.

The woman nodded. “If he will always have this, then yes, that might be a good idea.” After the transaction was done, she thanked him with sincerity, having calmed down. Even the little boy was smiling. It made Valen feel like he had definitely improved.

But as soon as she left, he locked the door and went over to Evette, even as she looked angry at him for it. “What are you doing?” she seethed, but then he could see how pale she looked. He didn't like it at all.

“I am making sure you are alright. You never drop any of these bottles, and you looked beyond tired when you came in. Do you need to go to the hospital again? I can call your sister.” She shook her head.

“No, we are not closing the store. I will sit for a bit and then be fine.” But her voice was shaking and so was her body. “Okay, fine,” she said after he was looking her over. “I am not doing well, but I can’t ask her to keep saving me. I will just go home, and you can handle things until I can get one of y other employees in here. You did a good job with that mother. You’re learning.” Valen accepted the importance of the compliment even though she was not doing well.

“I don't think I can let you drive home. I’m going to call someone in. Is there anyone with a key so I can go ahead and take you somewhere?” Valen asked, hoping there would be no more fight in her as she went downhill.

She nodded and gave a name. Her apprentice, she had a key. Maybe she could come in long enough to open the place up for someone else even if she had classes. Valen scooped her up into his arms like he did the last time and managed to get her out and locked the door behind them agilely. It looked like they were getting into a habit here.

*****

Evette blinked her eyes open, looking around to find herself surrounded by bright fluorescents and instantly knew where she was. She was in the hospital once again. She wanted to scream and curse and cry, but she knew she felt too jittery for any of that. Looking above her she could see there were a couple of drips going through her veins. One saline, but the other she was unsure of. She did know she felt swollen, and then she felt a hand touch hers to her other side. There was Valen, her savior yet again. He smiled at her. “We have got to stop making this a habit,” he teased. Evette was glad he was trying to make light of it and make her laugh. She hated the idea that people would begin to feel sorry for her. It was pathetic.

“What happened exactly?” she asked him, coming out of that fog still. Valen nodded towards the doctor who was coming into the room; a woman this time. It was one she didn't recognize, but then maybe that was a good thing. The usual doctor was kind of a jerk and didn't get the way she wanted to be treated at all.

“I will let her break it down for you.” Wow did that sentence coming from his mouth make her feel old.

“Hi, Mrs. Summers. I have been looking at your chart, and I am glad to see you are awake and doing better. I think we should be talking about what happened and how your condition is progressing. I understand that you want to try natural treatments. I assure you I am all for that, but a couple of things to supplement that because your case is so complicated would be a good idea. Is it okay to talk with him in here, or would you like privacy?” the doctor asked.

Valen looked ready to bow out, but she thought she couldn't take this alone, and her sister wasn't there. Even if he was just an employee, it was better than nothing. Besides, she had never seen someone she felt so trustworthy about at the store or otherwise. “He can stay.” Valen looked surprised, but Evette ignored it for the moment and focused on what the doctor had to say.

“Right now, you are on a magnesium drip. This is to try and prevent seizures. You had a small one just after you got here. To me, it looks like your MS is a very progressive version. What this means, in plain terms, is that you could easily get worse rather quickly. I don't have to tell you what complications you may suffer. I would hate to see this at your age when I knew there is a way to at least improve your quality and length of life. I think you should consider something mild and low dose in conjunction with your natural remedies.”

“If you have read my file, I am certain you must already know how I feel about that. I am sure that the regular doctor I see has put in an entry of frustrated notes about me. If you want to do diet and physical therapy I am all for it. As far as for seizures, I have access to CBD oil. Would that do it?” Evette asked, knowing she was exhausted and did not feel like fighting with a doctor all night.

“I think that would work just fine, actually. Not all of us are total against the natural way, Ms. Summers. I just want you to be able to live out your life happily. I will get the two referrals set up for you, but I really want you to consider the medication we can give you to stop the progression of this, or at least slow it. I don't see this case just going away and getting all better, even as good of a healer that I hear that you are,” the doctor said kindly. Evette at least appreciated her lack of judgment.

“I will consider it down the road if none of this does any good.” The doctor nodded, satisfied with that response. Then, the woman looked to Valen.

“I don't know what your relationship is, but since you brought her in here I want to ask that you make sure for the night she is not alone. She needs to be watched by someone, even if she gets a dose of the oil tonight because she could have another seizure at any time.” Evette looked to Valen, not liking that this was being made his responsibility. Could she trust this stranger to take care of her? But then again, he had now saved her twice and had been able to help a customer all on his own she was sure he couldn't handle. On top of that, her sister needed a break from the burden she put on her. What other choice did she have but allow him to take her home and watch her for a few hours?

“Okay, I will get you going here in a moment so you can leave. You can change back into your clothes.” The doctor left the room, and Evette could hear her giving instructions to the nurse that was out in the hall before Evette turned to Valen.

“If you don’t want to do this, you can just call my sister to come over to my house after you take me there. But first, could we stop by the store and grab the CBD oil? I probably should be taking it as soon as possible.”

“I don’t mind helping you out. Tomorrow is my day off anyway, right?” he asked with a sly smile on his face. He was trying to make her laugh, and she appreciated it. Maybe he wasn't such bad company to have for the night.

“Yes, I guess you are right about that but don't think that means you can hang out all day and eat off my food and stuff,” she scolded him in a teasing way. “Really, though, thank you for this. In all honesty, my sister needs a break from all of this. I feel so guilty the way I always rely on her, but I don't want to become a burden on an employee either,” Evette admitted to him.

“It is no problem. Besides, it will give me time to convince you that I should be your apprentice,” he told her with a wink. Evette felt swoony as she watched him like that. The words of her sister Kathy came back to her for a minute as she noticed his good looks in her weakened state. He was hot, he was a hero, and he was nice. He had to have some kind of flaw, that, or he wasn't human at all. This guy could not be for real, and Evette got a strange feeling in her stomach as she stood up to get changed back into her clothes, Valen turning around to give her some privacy. Was it a bad idea to let him into her house and her life? She was not looking to make a mess with any more men, especially if she could become dependent on them with her illness. But he was just offering himself up like some Goth knight in shining black armor. She had to know more if nothing else. Where did he come from, and why did he want to help her?

The nurse came in with the discharge paperwork, and then Valen walked her back out to his car, or tank, as she liked to think of it. It was really too big for her taste and didn't fit him at all. It had to be just an A to B car or something. She tried not to laugh, watching him get behind the enormous wheel.

“So, to the store and then your house?” he asked, suddenly looking and sounding nervous. Now, Evette was laughing.

“We are both adults here you don’t have to be so nervous. We will have some herbal tea, probably pop in a movie, and then I will go to bed. That is that. Don’t get all weird about this, or I will have to call my sister and then fire you. Can’t face you at work if you make this a big deal.” Evette made sure there was some amusement in her voice. She knew sometimes she could sound bitter and harsh even if she was joking, and that was not a vibe she wanted to give off to someone who was trying to help her the best he could.

“Right,” he nodded with a silly smile. “Just tell me where I am going.”