Begrudgingly, he loosens his hold on me. I pad into the guest room and get ready for the day. I opt for scrubs with Marvel characters on them. The kids love the fun scrubs. It’s a great conversation starter too if they don’t feel like talking.

  We’re enjoying a cup of coffee when Gladys arrives. “Morning. How was her evening?”

  I give Gladys a rundown of our evening activities. “Good for Carol. Have a great day, kids.”

  We laugh and make our way into the attached garage. Zack escorts me to my car and kisses me goodbye. “I’ll see you tonight. I forgot to ask yesterday. Will you be able to come early to meet Nadine and the kids tomorrow?”

  “Sure. We’ll figure out a time tonight.”

  He steals another quick kiss and closes the car door. Before I know it, I’m parking at the hospital. Willa parks in the spot right next to me.

  “Morning, Willa.”

  “Hi, Scarlett. How is your patient?”

  “She had a great day yesterday. It was nice to meet the real her, despite it being brief. It was nice to see her son relax around her a bit as well.”

  Willa’s face lights up. “Zack is a great guy. Caring for a parent with her disease is difficult, especially without training.”

  Not only is Kelsey talking Zack up, but Willa too. The confirmation is nice, but I don’t need it. “It’s a horrid disease that robs all parties of meaningful connection. Thankfully, Zack got a reprieve last night. I should head in. Have a good day, Willa.”

  “You too, Scarlett.”

  Her words keep rolling around in my head. I report to Judith in pediatrics and greet my first patient. Julianna has been here for quite some time. Her cancer isn’t responding to treatment. She was the patient lucky, or unlucky, to be here for the last three visits with the athletes. Her chart indicates her cancer has spread, and she and her family have declined further treatment. My heart constricts. I can’t imagine making such a choice for my child. Yet three years of treatment is a long time. I check her vitals as gently as possible, hoping to avoid waking her. Once I successfully complete my check-in, I slip out of her room and move through my next three patients. Two are here for routine tonsillectomies, and the third was in a car accident yesterday but will be discharged after lunch.

  I grab my phone and wander down to the cafeteria for food. The moment I sit in my seat, I hear codes for my patient. I chuck my food and rush upstairs. I know it makes no difference, but I rapidly push the elevator button, hoping to make it in time.

  I rush to her room and take her hand in mine. The others on staff are already deep into the code. Wails from her parents echo behind me. Within a few minutes, Julianna is gone. After the team clears out, I give her parents some time alone.

  I step into the lounge and exhale sharply. I didn’t meet her until last month. I’ve been her nurse a few times since then. Despite the short time I knew her, it hurts to lose a patient, especially a child. After a few deep breaths to compose myself, I continue through the rest of my day. After my shift, I check my texts before I pull out of the hospital lot.

  Lia: Hey girl! Will I see you tomorrow before my shift?

  Me: I should be there bright and early.

  Lia: Perfect! My shift is at one. Miss you, bestie!

  Me: Miss you too!

  The next text is from Zack.

  Zack: Have a great lunch break, gorgeous. See you at home.

  Home. It’s the perfect way to describe him. He feels like home for me. It doesn’t matter if we’re at his townhouse or my condo. I’m happy and content wherever he is. During the drive, I attempt to shake off my crappy day.

  Little do I know, it’s going to get worse. As I park and enter the house, Carol is screaming about Saul and him missing some event with Zack and Kate. I jettison my bag and jacket and attempt to assist Gladys.

  Who’s Kate? “How long?”

  “It’s been over an hour,” Gladys replies.

  Poor Carol. Her brain is betraying her more rapidly each day.

  “Who are you?” Carol interjects into her wails.

  “I’m Scarlett. I’m your caregiver overnight.”

  “He’s cheating on Kate with you!” Kate must be Zack’s ex.

  “No, Zack and I are a couple.”

  I don’t miss the joy on Gladys’s face at my last statement, regardless of the circumstances. A bit of relief floods my body when I realize Zack isn’t home yet. Ideally, we can calm Carol before he gets here. He can’t hide the pain washing over him when Carol calls him Saul. It breaks my heart a little more each time. Choosing to honor his mother’s wishes of in-home care is taking a toll on Zack too.

  “Wait, you got married at the beach.” Carol pauses.

  I know better than to interrupt or correct. We never corrected her incorrect recollections of our relationship. Zack and I simply go along with her. Her breathing is regulating, and her movements are slowing.

  “You wore a bright white dress to match your complexion. Off-white on olive skin is no good.”

  I nod, hoping she’ll continue. Gladys discreetly checks her pulse, and I count her breaths to calculate the decrease. Close to normal.

  “Why does your badge say Clemons and not Smithson?”

  Crap! Think quick. “I haven’t gotten my new one yet. The hospital is slow.”

  “Okay. Zack’s wife should have his name.”

  “Don’t worry, I do.” Maybe, hopefully, someday in the future.

  Her vitals have slowed to normal range.

  “Do you want to change or turn in, Carol?” Gladys inquires in a soft tone.

  “I’m tired. Sleep is a good idea.”

  “Would you like anything first?” I ask.

  “No, thank you. Good night, Gladys. Scarlett,” Carol states and snuggles under the covers of her bed.

  I click the rails in place and slip out of her room.

  Gladys is tugging on her coat.

  “Thank you for staying. Was that her only lapse today?”

  Gladys hangs her head. “No, the others were not remotely as severe though. None of them took more than a few minutes to get her unconfused.”

  “Have a good night, Gladys.”

  “There’s a good chance she will wake during the night.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  Gladys exits the front door. I peek in on Carol again and then head to the kitchen. I search the fridge for something to cook. I’m starving since I skipped lunch. After filling the sink with water and submerging the chicken to assist in thawing, I tug off my scrub top, twist my hair into a messy topknot, and start my personalized music station on my phone. I note a smiley face text from Lia but nothing else. After locating the rest of the ingredients, I get to work.

  As I near the end of preparing dinner, Zack crosses the threshold. Normally, he heads straight upstairs. Tonight he doesn’t. His face is withdrawn and sad. I step into his embrace. A kiss to my forehead and then an apologetic one to my lips.

  “I’m sorry for being so late. A coworker’s little sister died around lunch. He was in no position to go home alone. I intended to text you, but things went from chill to worse and then calmed a bit. I left him at his parents’, nursing a beer on the couch.”

  “I don’t mean to add to the crappiness of today, but I lost a patient, and your mom had a moderately long episode. Gladys was handling it when I got here.”

  The timer sounds, so I kiss him softly and pull away.

  “How long?” he asks.

  “Why don’t you go change, and we can talk over dinner?”

  He acquiesces and leaves the kitchen. I set the table, plate the food, and pour drinks in the time it takes him to store his weapon and change into shorts and a tee.

  Zack pulls out my chair and waits for me to sit before speaking again. “You don’t have to cook for me.”

  “I know. I want too. I didn’t get to eat my lunch. My code was during… oh no! Was her name Julianna?”

  His lips pull into a thin, firm line. “Yes.”

  I cover his free hand with mine. “She was my patient.”

  “I’m sorry, Scarlett.”

  “Me too. Before you ask again, your mom’s episode lasted nearly two hours.”

  “What was the trigger this time?”

  I scrunch my face, preferring not to bring up this topic now. “Us—sort of. Who is Kate?”

  His fork pauses midair. He catches my gaze again before setting it down. “She’s my ex. We were together for about five years near the end of high school and the first two years of college. Mom believes we grew apart and broke up. The reality is Kate elected to spend a semester abroad. We decided the time apart would be good for us to see if we were meant to be together long-term. She met someone during her first week in London and broke up with me. What did Mom say about Kate?”

  I relay the information Gladys provided and let him filter through it before speaking again. “You know as well as I do, the timeline in her head is skewed. She doesn’t recall the gap between then and now.”

  The anguish, guilt, and blame on his face is agonizing to watch.

  “Don’t worry about me. I can handle waiting for answers. I’m not naïve. I know you dated before we met, like I did.” Not a lot and certainly not smartly, at least for me.

  He takes both of my hands in his. “It would take herculean effort for me to not worry about you. I care about you. Our current situation is twisted given we’re dating and married in here.” He motions around his home. “It doesn’t diminish how I feel about you.”

  I press a kiss to our joined hands. “I care about you too.”

  “I’m sorry if she made you feel uncomfortable.”

  “Stop. None of this is your fault. Your mom, as well as you and your sister, received a crappy hand. We met at a time when Carol is at her most vulnerable. All I can promise is to talk to you when she says something about you or your life that, as your wife, I should already know, but don’t yet.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Of course.”

  We finish our meal in silence and curl up on the couch to watch an episode or two. At some point, we both fall asleep. Who knows when? The only indication is the notification mocking us on the screen—“Would you like to continue watching?”—near three in the morning when Carol wakes and calls for Saul. Leaving the blissful warmth of Zack’s body is torture.

  I make my way to Carol’s room. “Who are you?” After a long pause, “You’re the floozy Zack is cheating with.”

  Unfortunately, Zack hears her words as he approaches her room.

  I bite the inside of my cheek to keep my emotions in check. I care about him, and the pain her words cause is gut-twisting. While we both know she doesn’t mean them, nor does she know what she’s saying, it’s still disrespectful to Zack—and me.

  Despite knowing better, he addresses Carol’s statement, “Mom, this is Scarlett, my wife. Kate and I are no longer together. We haven’t been for years. Kate is married to a man she met in England during college. Aside from those facts, I would never disrespect my marriage by cheating.”

  “No, no, no. That can’t be right. Her badge doesn’t have your name!” Carol exclaims. She looks for my badge, but I already put it in my purse.

  As calmly as I can muster, I remind her, “Carol, we talked about this earlier. My new badge isn’t ready yet.”

  She ponders my words and then asks for Nadine. “Where is my daughter? She’ll tell me the truth.”

  Zack scrubs his hand down his face. “Mom, this is our home. Nadine doesn’t live here. She’s coming to visit tomorrow though.”

  Undiluted facts should provide calm for Carol, at least they have in the past. I set my fingers on her wrist to take her pulse. She doesn’t pull her hand away. That’s a good sign.

  “Is that no-good Trevor coming too?” Carol asks. Perhaps she’s more perceptive than Zack and Nadine give her credit for.

  “I don’t think so,” Zack replies.

  “Good.” Her response is emphatic and clear. She turns her face toward me. “I’m fine now, Scarlett. Still prettier than the movie actress.”

  “You’re right. Your heart rate seems to have normalized. Thank you, Carol. Do you need anything?”

  “Another blanket would be nice,” she requests.

  “I’ll get it,” Zack offers.

  “Such a good son,” Carol murmurs.

  He’s a good son and so many other things. I would pay a significant amount of money to soothe the pain he feels each day dealing with Carol’s disease. We haven’t known each other long, but experience has taught me the toll is heavy and unyielding.

  Zack returns with a fluffy blanket and spreads it over Carol. “Good night, Mom.”

  “Night, son.”

  I check her pulse again and find it has regulated. I verify the rails are up and ask, “Do you need anything else, Carol?”

  “No, I’m better now,” she assures me.

  I’m not convinced.

  “Good night,” she adds.

  I make my way to the kitchen. Tension envelopes the muscles of his shoulders, each sculpted rope of sinew clearly defined. His hands grip the lip of the sink as his head hangs heavy. I slide my hands around his toned abs and set my head against his back. With each passing breath, his body relaxes a fraction. When his shoulders sag to their normal position, he turns and ensconces me in his arms.

  “It isn’t your job to take care of me too,” he mumbles against my hair.

  I add only enough space between us to see his reaction when I reply, “I want to. Plus, I would be a crappy wife if I didn’t.”

  If I wasn’t watching him, I would’ve missed the half smile curve at the corners of his mouth and almost as quickly disappear.

  “You should try to get some sleep,” he suggests.

  “What about you?”

  “I’m too fraught with tension and anger to sleep now. It’s too early for me to go running, though no one would bother me. I’m going to punch the heavy bag downstairs for a bit.”

  “Do you want company?” I offer.

  “No, but thank you.” He leads me upstairs and tucks me into his bed… alone. With sneakers and socks in hand, he slips out the door. As much as I know he shouldn’t be alone, I know better than to push. He’ll share when he’s ready. I allow the crisp scent of Zack to surround me and let sleep claim me for a little while.

  Chapter Eleven

  Zachary

  I lace up my shoes and tug on the gloves.

  Punch.

  How did Nadine handle this for so long on her own?

  Punch, cross, jab.

  It has only been a few months, and I’m drained.

  Punch, cross, kick.

  Is Mom the reason Trevor left? Truthfully, I don’t want to know if it was something between Nadine and Trevor. Nope, my younger-brother brain can’t handle such information. It’s a topic Nadine and I don’t discuss in detail. Never have, never will.

  Punch, punch, cross, cross.

  No, Scarlett is not Trevor. She’s everything I ever wanted for myself: smart, kind, loving, patient, and sexy as fuck.

  Kick, roundhouse, punch, cross.

  Frustrated the boxing isn’t working, I take a seat on the weight bench. Maybe me taking over for Nadine was a fool’s choice. No, you both promised to keep her home as long as possible. Should I call her and cancel her visit? No, can’t do that. You told Mom she was coming tomorrow—today. A pointed conversation with Nadine and Mom’s doctors may be necessary. So far her episodes are manageable. What happens when they aren’t? Sleep is necessary to function, especially in our lines of work. Perhaps I should let Scarlett out of her contract. The lack of sleep can’t be easy for her with classes and her boards this summer. Although this is the second time we’ve been up for a prolonged period because of Mom instead of choosing to watch the next round of hijinks Josh Lyman and Sam Seaborn concoct.

  What about you? I ask myself. Truthfully, I haven’t been studying as much as I should be, but that isn’t Mom’s fault. It’s my choice to spend my extra time with Scarlett instead of focusing on my exam. It needs to be addressed, although mine is after Scarlett’s.

  I glance at the clock and realize I’ve been stewing in my thoughts for too long. I guzzle some water and trudge upstairs. I peek in on Mom to verify she’s still resting before climbing the next staircase. When I cross the threshold, I note my bed is empty and made. I never make my bed. This woman. I shake my head and find Scarlett in the guest room.

  “Better?” she asks.

  “Not really, but less stressed for now.”

  She steps closer to me and almost sets her hand on my chest but refrains given my sweat-stained shirt. Her fingers recoil because she’s freshly showered and dressed. “Progress is good. What are your plans for today?”

  “Don’t have any other than ordering groceries and studying.”

  “Okay. Want some coffee?”

  “I’ll make it when I come down.” I lean forward and skim a sweet kiss on her lips.

  “Okay, I’ll come back early, say three?”

  “Scarlett, why is the conversation strained?”

  She exhales. Clearly, she was thinking the same thing. “Will you come over when you can before your sister is set to arrive?”

  “Yes. I want as much time with you as I can have. However, we need to set some ground rules going forward so we can study appropriately and date.”

  She wrinkles her nose, a quirk I love about her. After a moment, her face lights up, and she kisses me again. “Deal.”

  I shower, dress, and head downstairs as Gladys is arriving. She’s an astute woman. She takes one look at me and says, “You need to leave and relax somewhere before your sister arrives.”

  She’s absolutely right. “Yes, ma’am.”

  We step into the kitchen, and Scarlett hands me a hot cup of coffee. I don’t miss the knowing smile on Gladys’s face. She seems to be a true matchmaker at heart.

  “How many times was she up last night?”

  “Once after two. Same trigger as earlier in the day. Zack provided factual information to straighten out some of her disconnections,” Scarlett answers.

  “Did she balk at you?” Gladys turns back to me.

 

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