“I’m going to be your day nurse,” she replies, shrugging.
“Wait, hold the fuck up, you are going to be my what?” I say, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
“I told your sister yesterday that since I will be at your house for the next ten days working with you and Grace . . .”
“There’s no need,” I cut her off before she can finish her thought.
“Well, since you do need help and since I’m the only one that can help you with both your leg and with Gracie, you might as well do what you are told,” she tells me nonchalantly, walking away.
I toss my head back into my chair as Grace comes up and licks my hand.
“I know, girl. I can’t get anyone to leave me alone.” Her whimper in agreement makes me laugh.
“So, today we will be working on simple commands. She has been taught the basics, but we will be working to expand those.” She walks back into the room.
“Well, you must not have taught her well because she refused to sleep on the floor. The only place she would sleep was in my bed,” I tell her and the look she gives me is a surprising one.
“Sorry, I thought I broke her of that,” she says, sitting back on the couch.
“What do you mean you thought you broke her of that?” My curiosity has piqued.
“Well, Gracie was my personal dog. I was planning on training her to keep her, but when I read your application, I knew you needed her more than I did. It just so happened we were in the process of breaking the habit of sleeping on my bed when your application came across my desk. I knew you were in need of a special dog and Gracie holds a special place for me,” she tells me, and I am stunned.
“You gave up your personal dog, just so I could have one?” I question, because who in their right mind would do that.
“Well, her end goal was to go with me to the hospital every day and be a therapy dog for patients, but any dog can be trained to do that. I think you and Gracie need each other,” she tells me.
“What exactly do you do at the hospital?” This woman is an enigma and for some reason I want to find out all I can about her.
“I am a PRN nurse for the pediatric oncology ward at the hospital. Dogs Inc. is the company I started after my sister’s first deployment. I was working with therapy dogs for a while, but it was mainly for my patients not for our veterans,” she tells me, and I am blown away.
“So, that’s why you checked me out after my fall yesterday.” I pat Gracie’s head running my fingers through her fur.
“Yes, but more so because I can tell you are stubborn, and you thought I was going to pity you,” she informs me.
I am taken aback by her accusations; I just don’t want people feeling sorry for me. I am doing just fine. I lie to myself hoping even I believe me.
Clearing her throat. “Let me take a look at your leg,” she says.
Before I could protest, her fingers lightly graze my skin as she removes my bandage causing me to suck in a breath. Her skin feels like velvet against mine. When she is this close her heady mixture of vanilla and cherry blossoms fills my senses.
“I need to clean it. Then we can work on some commands if you want.” She grabs the wipes and antiseptic cleaner.
Still stunned by her touch and aroma, I say nothing and just let her tend to me.
“So, Jackson, tell me about yourself,” she says, applying a fresh bandage.
“What do you want to know?” I dread questions. People always ask the same three questions.
“What do you do now, since you were discharged?” she asks.
“Jobs here and there. I haven’t really found my calling since I got back. I was in the hospital for almost a year and since then I have just done odd jobs,” I say. Something about her tells me there is no condemnation or pity about her questions.
“Stand for me please.” She lifts my shirt over my head and reveals the blue and purple bruises running along my rib cage, disappearing into my shorts from slamming into the ground.
Her fingers run across my skin. “Tell me if this hurts at all,” she says as she gingerly presses against my ribs.
“No, it feels fine,” I tell her until her fingers grip my hip. “Ahhh, that is tender,” I tell her. The moment her hands leave my skin I feel her absence.
“Sorry, Sorry.” She pulls her hands away.
“No, really it’s okay. I just didn’t realize I would be this sore after a fall,” I say, wanting desperately to have her hands back on me.
Chapter Four
Evelyn
Taking care of Jackson, getting to know him, I realize what an amazing man he is. His deep blue eyes tell me that he still is haunted by his past. War has left an imprint on his life that will never be eased.
When I came in, he was asleep on the couch, I knew he was in the middle of a dream. How often does he have nightmares, I wonder?
“What are you doing here?” he asks.
“I’m going to be your day nurse,” I reply, hoping he doesn’t kick me out.
“I told your sister yesterday that since I will be at your house for the next ten days working with you and Grace . . .”
“There is no need.” He cuts me off and irritation surges through me.
“Well, since you do need help and since I am the only one that can help you with both your leg and with Gracie, you might as well do what you are told,” I say nonchalantly, walking away.
“So, today we will be working on simple commands. She has been taught the basics, but we will be
