Page 19 of Sundowners
“That family has great genes is all I’m saying.”
“Yeah? You asked out Officer Cabral yet? You know you want to.” My coworker was attracted to the cop. I didn’t blame her. Reynaldo was definitely a handsome guy—and I was pretty sure he was bi—but something about Roman called to me…
She wrinkled her nose at me. “I do.”
“You should.”And I shouldn’t take my own advice, nope I shouldn’t.“Anything going on?”
“Nothing much. Oh, Mr. Fletcher wanted you to come by before you went on rounds. I think he needs help with his email again.”
Relief flowed through me.The solution to my current need. “No problem. I’ll be back in a bit and after my rounds, I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Thanks, Creed.”
I gave her a salute and made my way to Mr. Fletcher’s room. I danced a little jig down the hall from the nurses’ station and then to the left and to the room at the end of the hall. I knocked twice and opened the door.
“Good evening, Mr. Fletcher.” I took a quick look through Mr. Fletcher’s chart and thankfully saw what I was looking for.
Bloodwork was normal.Perfect.
The elderly Black man sat at his desk frowning at the computer screen. He was a little more tech savvy than some of the other residents, but they all needed help now and again.
“Creed, you remember my password for my email? I need to send a letter to the VA about my hearing aids.”
“Sure.” I leaned over past the man and typed in the password from memory. “But next time, if I’m not here, remember it’s written down in your little black book in the drawer.”
I pulled out Mr. Fletcher’s top drawer of his desk and patted the book. Sometimes it helped to remind my patients. Not always, but sometimes.
“Oh, fine, thank you. I sent them a message a week ago and I haven’t heard back. I need to get these damn things fixed.” Staff Sergeant Robert Fletcher had served in the Marines during Vietnam and was awarded a Medal of Honor for his actions in the battle of Hue City. He received an honorable discharge, came home, opened a garage and worked for the next fifty years until his sons took over and moved him to Puesta Del Sol. The transition to senior living had been difficult, but we’d bonded over music and then developed a deeper relationship, one of reciprocation.
“If you need me to call for you, I’m happy to.” It wasn’t outside my purview necessarily, but typically the social worker took care of calls like that.
“Maybe,” Mr. Fletcher said, and then he turned the chair to face me. His words were imploring, but proud. He didn’t like to ask. “I need to feel better tonight,” he said softly.
“You got it. What ails you?”
I took his hand and led him over to the loveseat. Mr. Fletcher did seem to be in pain tonight. His gait was slow and cautious, as though he worried his bad hip would go out on the five steps or so across the room. We sat together and I continued to hold his hand.
“Hey, Creed? You remember what you promised me, don’t you?”
When I allowed select patients to learn what I was, what I could do, they often had this same request. It broke my heart, but I believed in a person’s right to choose how they wanted to end their life when their condition was terminal.
“I do. But that’s a long way off, don’t you think?”
I concentrated on the pressure point I used to relax my patient and released the pheromone. Mr. Fletcher leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes.
“I’m just tired tonight. Scotty called today.”
Ah. He missed his sons and his grandkids. The shop was in Salinas and it just wasn’t feasible for the family to pop on over during the week, and then the beach traffic on the weekend didn’t help either.
“I hope everyone is doing well.”
Mr. Fletcher sighed and his head lolled on his neck. “Yeah, they are. Said my granddaughter got accepted to college up at UC. Isn’t that something?”
I smiled and rubbed the inside of Mr. Fletcher’s wrist. “It sure is. I’m going to take care of you, okay?”
Mr. Fletcher nodded and his bottom lip hung open. He was so relaxed he couldn’t keep his head up. His strong heart, made that way by my healing energy over the past few months, pumped forcefully, the rhythm like an irresistible drug.
Give unto them what they require.
