*******
Marybeth is studying Thelma closely,
“I am not Damien Thelma, it’s me, Marybeth Stowe, your new nurse, I was with you yesterday..you remember me?” Marybeth holds her hands and rubs it, causing her to turn and focus her gaze on her. It usually works, once they stare at you and you keep reminding them of the present, they bolt out from that delirious state they sometimes go into
“Nonsense Damien, when did you get here, where is your Gerald and Adam? I heard excited voices” Thelma says playing with her hands
“Thelma …look at me, its Marybeth. Who is Damien?’’
“You know Adam was here the other day, telling me how scared you were about not making it into the hospital as a Resident doctor and he told you, you are amazing and they had to see it, was he right, did you make it, is that why you are home..tell me Damien you are keeping me in suspense, what’s that smile for?”
Marybeth grabs her hands and continues to rub and talk to her
“Thelma, Thelma what’s your name, ?”
“oh my sweet boy” Thelma removes her hands and touches Marybeth’s face “ I knew it!! I knew it…I knew you were going to make it. Adam believed in you. I did, I am proud of you. Oh Gerald would be so happy”
“Thelma, tell me who is Gerald and Adams, what’s your name, look at me..tell me” Marybeth removes her hands from her face and holds it between hers
But Thelma takes her hands away “Don’t ask me those questions Damien, don’t. I- I cant answer you. I wish I could but I can’t.. one day Gerald and Adam..it would all stop and go away. Don’t ask me to tell you, it was so long ago. Please Damien, I can’t. promise me..promise me you would make them realize that they are family, promise me Damien…” she holds Marybeth’s hands
“Promise me”
Marybeth swallows “ Yes..i promise”
Thelma smiles, nodding her head,
“Good good.. don’t stay out late, Adam should bring you home before midnight, you know how Gerald is when you stay out late. Congrats my boy, you make an old woman pride..”
She touches Marybeth’s face and pulled her head down, placing a kiss to her forehead “ see you tomorrow” and when she lets go, she drifted to sleep
Marybeth is staring at her .
What in God’s name just happened and who is Damien. And where is Damien? But he must be someone close and dear to her heart for her to hallucinate about him. A resident doctor?
Oh wait, that room she entered yesterday, was that his room. So there is a third man in this house, why haven’t she seen him or was he out of town
Thelma snoozes peacefully but Marybeth could notice the way her pupils moved while her eyes where closed. She was restless
She was right, before long Thelma is crying in her sleep.
“Oh why did you leave me ..why???’’ she cried, most parts of her body was affected by the paralysis, but she could move her head and hands and upper body, however the rest were numb and she had been like that for years.
“Sssssshhhh!!!! Thelma, I am here , don’t cry” Thelma holds her hands
“Please don’t !!’ she begged
It takes a while before Thelma goes back to sleep and it is midday already.
Curious and hungry she found her way to the Kitchen where she finds Meredith taking out something from the oven, Chicken pie, it smelt delicious, Marybeth’s tummy growled.
“Oh, you must be very hungry, how come you didn’t come down for breakfast?’’
“Yes I am. Well I had an interestingly disturbed morning with Mrs Thelma and I couldn’t leave her side.”
“Oh!!!?’’ Meredith mutters
“Can I ask you something Meredith?”’ Marybeth leans towards her
“Er okay, go ahead”
Marybeth pinches the bridge of her nose, “Who is Damien?”
The door leading to the kitchen suddenly shut startling them,
“Sir Gerald, you are here? I was bringing your food upstairs..” Meredith trails off, Marybeth slowly drops her fork.
“The big bad wolf is behind me isn’t he?’’ she asks Meredith who looks at her with fear on her face and wondering if she was mad,
Right!! My mouth again,
Marybeth manages a small smile and turns around to meet daggers for eyes “Goodmorning Mr Ger—”
“Did I not tell you I don’t want you in my house?’’ he thunders taking a step closer ignoring Meredith
Marybeth swallows, the food had to be eaten wasn’t it.
“Indeed Sir, and I believe you and your so- erm I mean Mr Adam ..” She had to correct herself seeing the way the red flashed in his eyes, “Came to a consentual mutual ground. I am not staying in your house, I only go up to Mrs Thelma’s room, and then the kitchen to get her food and mine of course because I can’t very well starve, I need food to work. Don’t you need food as well, I am sure Meredith prepared something delicious for—”
His hands hits the table hard , “your wellbeing is of no concern to me Miss Stowe. I don’t want you in my house means I don’t. so I would advice you to leave now. “
“But Mrs Thelma needs —”
“She is my wife and I would take care of her needs, I have already called the hospital for replacement and she is on her way”
Marybeth’s mouth dropped open
“But Mr Gerald I know I over stepped my boundaries when I walked into a room which you obviously valued more than the life of your wife who is as sick as can be, but you had no right to call the hospital to ask for a replacement without talking to me first, and I give my consent or if I had erred in my duties as a nurse towards your wife, which I haven’t because I have sent my report to them this morning. So please pray tell me what did you tell them was my offens ?’’ she stands up folding her hands
“Marybeth..dont. “ Meredith cautions her, Marybeth isn’t listening, she is pissed.
Who the hell did he think he was to play with her life that way. Does he know jack about her life, know how hard she had worked to get to where she was, how long that road was and painful, and if he complained to the management about her it causes a dent to her records and a red tape line to her working permit which means it would be difficult to get another job as a nurse and she might go back to shelving papers in the hospital,10 departments under.
Did he know how hard it was to climb, to go through school after her parents died, perching at a friend’s, working different jobs 2 times a week to get by and thankful to God she passed her exams and got into the hospital as a nurse and for freaking 5 years she had been amazing at it and getting good recommendations to other homes to work. she had told herself this would be the last in-home nursing job she was going to do because the pay was higher, she was going to do it for a couple of months or a year and when her job is done or her patient is well, with the money saved up, she was going to move outer state, for greener pastures and maybe do her masters in business admin or something or maybe join up her doctor friends in their own hospital and maybe she might be a step higher than a nurse by studying more, and who knows. She might be a resident doctor in a great hospital and have her name at the door “DR MARYBETH STOWE’’ and a paid house and a car, and maybe a cute guy to go home to.
Does he know that he just threatened all of that by that call, did he know he might have ruined her career by this singular egocentric act just because what..she walked into a room. Does he know that the management at the hospital takes complains seriously, and if the clients complain about a nurse, and the client says things that insinuates that the nurse stole, misbehaved with the client, is a danger to the client and his family or knows jack of what her job is supposed to mean, it would literally be over for her. They won’t send her anywhere else to work, she would be delegated to the background or worse, given a severance package and sent away.
“Pray tell me Sir what was my offence, what did you tell them I did wrong?” she is angry
“You would not talk to me that way young woman, get your things and get out of my house, Adam can’t save you, and you may not have a job to go back to by the end of the day. I am Gerald Pope and people fear me”
She scoffs “People who obviously don’t know their right because you flash money in their faces. But I do know mine and you are sacking me from my job inappropriately and going over my head to what? instigate I did something wrong to have a replacement. Do you have any idea what your actions would cost me MR GERALD!!!!’’
Meredith looks at Gerald’s face and knows he would explode soon, she quickly leaves, only one person can help this matter before Marybeth finds herself on the floor. It wouldn’t be the first time Gerald had unleashed his anger, .
It had cost him a few changes to settle out of the court with the nurse when she sued him, but that was a few years ago.
If Marybeth doesn’t shut her mouth, she might find it kissing the floor too and she may not be too lucky to get a settlement, Gerald would make sure of it.
As she left she heard Gerald thundering..
“I don’t care if it costs you a night or many nights on the streets, just Get out!! GET OUT!!!’’ he bellowed,
Grabbing her by her arms and drags her out, he buzzes something on the wall as securities are seen crossing the lawn and coming towards the house
“Let go of me Mr Gerald’’ she struggles away
“I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THE MEN OF THIS HOUSE BEING AGRRESSIVE TOWARDS ME. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!!’’ she screams
He pushes her to the floor, she stumbles towards the door as the securities enter into the house, Richard, the butler hearing the commotion runs out.
“Take her and throw her out! There is a new nurse coming in from the hospital let her in when she does and show her to Richard, he would know what to do”
He turns to Richard “I would give you sets of rules and regulations to handle the nurses since you don’t know your job in putting them in their place, else you would be the next one out of my house, I don’t care if you have been here for years”
Richard nods
“And Meredith, where is Meredith!!! Since you all like to leave your jobs and fraternize with others ..MEREDITH!!!’’ he bellows
“WHAT ARE YOU FOOLS WAITING FOR, TAKE THAT PIECE OF TRASH AND THROW HER OUT OF MY HOUSE. NOW!!!!!”’
The two security guards, the ones she had met when she came, each holds her by her hands and pulls her up nodding at Gerald,
“yes sir!!!’’
“LET GO OFF ME!!!!’’ anger flashed in her eyes “ I swear I know teakwando!!.. I would take you down, “ she struggles
The guys laugh shaking their heads , “Stop it miss, its better you go nicely, I don’t want to have to use force on a pretty lady” one of them whispers into her ears
“I said let go off me!!!’’
“LET GO OFF HER!!!’’
The house suddenly grows silent.
“I SAID, LET GO OFF HER!!’’ Adam says coming down the stairs, he had been with his mother when Meredith had come in to call him about what’s happening.
He wasn’t surprised, it won’t be the first time his father was throwing out a nurse who stands up to him, but this would be the first time for him not to get what he wanted.
He didn’t care shit for the nurse. But if she could rile up his father so much that he had to go over her head to call the hospital to get a replacement then she was getting under his skin, and Gerald hates people getting under his skin. Since he couldn’t weed Adam out, whoever comes into the crossfire gets the booth in a very unpleasant way.
But..Marybeth was more than a weed, she was like a flower with thorns, wooden spikes and maybe a frank krueger to his father’s nightmare on elm’s street.
She was a good asset to make his father burst into flames.
Okay he was being too dramatic but, she makes his father’s face turn red and he’ll boil up like a fat cow in anger. And he was the only other person to make his father feel that way and to find someone do that in less than 3 days with no effort was too good an opportunity to let slip away.
So..why should he let his father have his way.
