“Micky, what are you doing here? How did you know to come?”
Micky walked to the other side of the bed from Lisa. She leaned down and grabbed Debbie into her arms. “Bunny, you scared me to death. Don’t go getting sick ever again.”
Debbie felt the comfort in her arms. “Really, how did you know I was sick?”
“It took a bit of a hunt. I called and called you with no return calls. After a day I started to worry. I knew you were probably with Gini, so I came to the hospital. I asked for Dr. Young. Had to leave a message, so gave him my phone number to call me. I guess somewhere in the conversation with reception I mentioned your name. That’s when I heard about the terrible virus running through our community. I’ve been so deep into my studies, I’d missed the whole story. Of course, they wouldn’t let me up here to see you until Dr. Young told them it was okay because I’m a nurse. I got the shot and have been coming for a couple of days.”
“Wow,” Debbie said. “I must have been really out of it.”
“You were,” both Lisa and Micky said at the same time.
“What shot?” Debbie asked.
“It’s an anti-Coch serum. Both Micky and I got one,” Lisa answered. “You, too, through your IV yesterday. It seems to be helping people infected, as well as being a preventative.”
Lisa held Debbie’s hand through the whole conversation. Micky had her hand on Debbie’s shoulder.
“Leesy, will you help me to the toilet, please?”
Lisa raised the head of the bed, and Micky uncoupled the IV tube from the shunt in Debbie’s hand. Debbie slowly slid her feet to the floor and stood on wobbly legs. Lisa put her arm around Debbie’s waist, and with Debbie heavily relying on Lisa’s strength, they made their way to the bathroom. Micky was surprised Debbie had asked Lisa for help rather than her since Lisa was the smaller of the two women. While they were gone, Debbie’s lunch was delivered.
Robert had to stop at the sanitize station and put on the clothing protection. Anxiety was pushing his blood pressure up, he could feel it. He stormed down the hall and into Gini’s room.
There were several people around the bed. Linda was unhooking the equipment from the wires leading to Gini. Gini lay as if lifeless on the bed. The monitors were all dark.
“Linda, what are you doing?”
She looked at him with sad eyes. His heart sank.
“She tested positive for Coch. We’re transferring her to the eighth floor.”
Gini turned her head. “Rob… ber…” she said slowly.
Oh, thank God, he thought. She knows who I am.
“I’m here, sweetheart.” He rushed to the bed. “I’m here and going to take care of you.”
“Rob…ber, no, be… uff, seek. No, want, be… uff, seek.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. You need to concentrate on getting well.” He was trembling, not sure if it was from the scare or lack of food, but he felt weak.
“Robert, sure you’re okay?” Linda asked.
The two interns started moving the bed and Robert stepped back.
“I need food.”
“Then go get some before you pass out. We’ll get her upstairs and settled. She’s on a heavy concentration of antibiotics.”
“She needs the anti-viral serum. You should see how well it worked on Debbie. She’s up and alert after only one day. Please, give her the serum.”
“We’ll have to consult with John on that. He’s meeting us on the eighth floor. Robert, please go eat.” He was visibly shaking.
He nodded his head quickly several times. “Yes, you’re right, I need food. Where’s Jessica?”
“In the nursery. She’s fine. Go!” She gently pushed on him.
Lisa got Debbie settled back in bed, then pulled the food over on the rolling table, opened the small cup of applesauce, and poured some ice water into Debbie’s glass, sticking a straw in it. Then she took a spoon, dipped out some of the sauce, and carried it toward Debbie’s mouth.
“Leesy, I can feed myself.”
“You’re weak; here, eat.”
Debbie opened her mouth and put her hand on the spoon. Lisa released it to Debbie. Then she broke the sandwich in half and went into the bathroom to retrieve a wet cloth. “There you go,” she said, laying it on the table.
She sat down and looked up at Micky, who was smiling. Lisa tapped her fingers on her lip, then opened the barrette on the top of her head and pulled the loose strands together and clipped the barrette closed. “Since Micky’s here, I guess I’ll go see if I can find some food myself. Can I bring you anything?” She looked at Micky.
“No, I’ve eaten.”
Lisa got up, gave Debbie a quick kiss on the cheek, and left.
“Quite the nurse there,” Micky said. “She’s very attentive and sweet.”
“Leesy’s the best. Everyone loves her. And you’re right, she’s very sweet.”
“You two have a very close friendship, I can see that.”
“Yes, we…” Debbie stopped for a second. “We were together.”
“A couple?”
“Yes.”
“Like lovers?”
“Yes, for a while.” There was another pause. “For a long time. We lived together for a long time.”
Debbie’s hand shook when she picked up the glass of water. Micky helped her lift it to her mouth.
“Isn’t she married to a man?”
“Yes.”
“So, she’s bi!”
“No, she’s very heterosexual—”
“But—”
“It’s a long story, Micky. I’ll tell you sometime. Lisa was treated very badly by a man. I just helped her find herself again.”
Micky rubbed down Debbie’s arm. “I think you still love her.”
“I do. But it’s a sisterly love, not romantic.”
“Okay, bunny.” She continued soothing Debbie’s arm. Now Micky understood the hostility Lisa had toward her. She still loved Debbie. Micky guessed it was more than a “sisterly love” for Lisa and
