Debbie parked in the parking garage, and they made their way to the eighth floor. Gini rode quietly in the chair. Debbie unlocked the door and held it for him to push Gini inside.
“Oh, wow, Deb, what a great place.”
“I know!”
She showed him the master and her room. The new furniture had arrived, and Debbie had unpacked all the boxes from her house.
“I think you’re going to be very comfortable here.”
While Debbie gave Gini a drink in the kitchen, Robert pulled open the drapes that covered the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room.
“And, wow again. The view’s out of this world.”
Gini faced into the kitchen drinking from her mug. “Boe… ta,” she said quietly.
The ride home she still sat straight, but the fear was gone. The trip had been a success.
Dr. Meyer started preparing all the papers for Gini’s release. Doctors Meyer and Young were at the kitchen table with Debbie working on the schedule for Gini’s outpatient appointments and the move. The date was set for Tuesday in two weeks.
“Okay, sounds good,” Dr. Meyer said. He got up and left.
Gini was sitting on the couch. She had the braille cards spread on the coffee table.
“Ock… tor… ong… moo… to… dee… bee?”
“No, baby, Dr. Young isn’t moving.”
“I have a nice place here just on the other side of the garage.”
Debbie chuckled. “I guess she thinks we go together as a team.”
“We used to make a pretty good one.”
“Yes, we did.” Debbie was going to miss working at the hospital. But she would still see everyone when Gini came back as an outpatient.
Robert sat down next to Gini. “A new game?”
“Shu… full.”
“Oh, okay.”
She started pushing at the cards with the sides of her hands. He watched her concentrating. Her left hand still worked much better than her right.
“Try using your fingers.” He put his right arm around her and slipped his fingers of both hands between hers to show her what he was talking about. As he pushed the cards, he felt her doing the same with her left hand, so he took his hand away. Her fingers slid across the cards; with each sweep, a few cards moved. She turned and looked at him with eyes open and a big smile. That smile got him every single time. He gave her a hug and quickly got up. As he walked out, Debbie said, “We do make a good team.”
That’s the last time I visit the unit, he thought. He had to get Gini out of his mind and out of his life. She was leaving.
On Monday, when Robert walked out of a room on the fourth floor of the rehab center, he walked to the nurses station. The nurses were both smiling, and he could hear muted laughter.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Debbie and Gini are making cookies.” Tracy lifted a sugar cookie for him to see. “They’re pretty good. You should go get one.”
He walked to the unit and went inside. Debbie and Gini were at the kitchen counter, and there was flour everywhere. Lisa had an oven mitt on and took a batch of cookies out of the small oven. She and Debbie were laughing. Debbie had a flour handprint on the side of her face—presumably put there by Gini.
Gini wrinkled her nose and giggled. The dimples went deep into her cheeks. “Foon… uff… kook… yee. Ock… tor… rob… ber… ong.”
“Oh, Robert,” Debbie said still laughing. “Have you ever seen such a mess?”
“Here, Dr. Young,” Lisa said. “Have one; they’re really good.”
The room was so full of happiness, he couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks. New therapy?”
“We’re making cookies for tonight. We want anyone who’s interested to come by and say goodbye before we leave tomorrow.”
“So it’s happening?” He took a bite of the cookie—it was tasty.
“Yep. Come by about seven. We decided to do it then so both nursing shifts could come if they wanted to.”
“I’ll make a point to be here. Good cookies.”
“Oh… yes…”
Robert had dreaded this day. He had made it a point not to visit, and since John had Gini’s case now, there was no need for him to be there. But he would miss Gini’s bright smile and carefree attitude. And Debbie, she was a good friend. She had been his sounding board so many times over the last eight years or so.
He wasn’t going to go, but he became aware of the time at seven o’clock, so made his way to the unit.
When he walked in the room, it was full of conversation. There were several nurses both from the rehab station and the ICU. Dr. Meyer and Maggie were also there. Gini stood next to Ric, and he had his arm wrapped around her. She had a cookie fisted in her left hand. She attempted several times to take a bite, but due to the many distractions, she never got it to her mouth.
“Ock… tor… ong.”
“Hello, sweetheart. Ric.”
“Sweets, give me that cookie.” Ric took it from her hand, broke off a piece, and put it in her mouth.
“Robert, your miracle girl is going home,” John said, patting him on the shoulder.
“Yes, she is. She proved me all wrong.” Robert put his hand under her chin and lifted her face. “I love it when my patients prove me wrong.”
Gini opened her eyes and smiled. Oh, that smile, it filled his heart with love. But he stayed composed.
“Gini, I want you to go home and live a wonderful life. Will you do that for me?”
“Oh… yes… Be… uff… happ. Be… uff… happ…ee.”
“Good. Ric, take good care of her.”
“I will. Thanks for fighting for
