7. "Nurse Chrissy"

Carey Stewart meets her future step-mother.

 Strong language warning!

Carey Stewart had just settled down on the sofa with a cup of tea and her ebook. She had been looking forward to relaxing all day. Her new job consisted of long hours and a lot of pressure. Her friends had invited her to go bar-hopping with them, but she declined. She had just downloaded the latest book from her favorite mystery writer and planned on enjoying a quiet, relaxing evening at home.

She was only halfway done with the first page when her phone rang. She rolled her eyes in disbelief. Seriously?! She looked at the display. It was her father. She was tempted to ignore it, but answered it instead. “Hello, Daddy Dear. What's up?”

But instead of her father, she heard a strange woman's voice on the other end. “My name is Chrissy,” said the woman somewhat abruptly, “I'm a friend of your father. He's... in the hospital.”

“Oh my God! What happened?” Carey asked with alarm.

“His appendix ruptured. He has peritonitis.” There was a pause, then she continued, “You might want to get over here. It's not good.”

“I'll take the next flight out! What hospital is he at?!”

“Cooper Memorial.”

“I'm on my way!”

~*~

Ian awoke from his surgery fairly soon after it was over, although 'awoke' might not have been the right term. Between the anesthesia, the antibiotics, the fever and weakness from his condition, he was groggy and incoherent. He slipped in and out of consciousness and was confused and delusional when awake. He seemed to be suffering from disturbing hallucinations at times. The nurses would have had to use restraints on him if Chrissy hadn't been there watching to make sure that he didn't pull his IV out or tear off his dressing. Luckily, he had very little memory of that particular part of his ordeal. Eventually, the massive doses of antibiotics that were pumped into his body through his IV took effect and his fever finally subsided. He fell into a deep sleep that lasted several hours.

He awoke relatively alert and clear, considering what he had just been through. He immediately realized he was lying in a hospital bed. He had an IV line in his arm and a nurse was changing the bag that was connected to it. There were numerous wires running from his body to various machines with digital readouts nearby. On his other side he saw Chrissy sitting in a chair next to his bed. “What happened?” he asked, “Was I in an accident?”

It was the nurse who answered him. “Your appendix ruptured and gave you peritonitis. You were in bad shape for a while there. We almost lost you.”

It all came back to him then, the sickness, the argument with Chrissy, the ambulance ride. He didn't remember much after that.

Chrissy stood up and looked at him. “Is he going to live?” she asked the nurse tersely.

“It would appear so,” she smiled as she checked the various readouts on the monitors.

Chrissy glared at Ian for several moments before she snapped at him, “You dumb-a*s! What the hell would make you think you had a simple case of indigestion?!” Ian had never seen Chrissy get mad before. She didn't raise her voice. Instead, it got soft and low with an icy edge to it that was razor sharp. “Didn't the fact that you were doubled over in pain tell you anything?” she continued. “Are you really that f*****g stupid? You should've gone to the doctor hours before I showed up! If I hadn't stopped by, you'd be dead now! Of all the brainless... ” Blue fire flashed from her eyes. “If you think I don't have anything better to do than to play nursemaid to a man who's too goddamn idiotic to take care of himself, well... you can just keep on thinking!” She turned and stormed out of the room.

Ian lay there in shock. He wondered what the hell that was all about! The nurse smiled and said, “Don't pay her any mind. She's just tired. She's been sitting in that chair for the past eight hours.”

“She... she has?” he asked in amazement.

The nurse nodded. “Yup. She's been here since they brought you in eleven hours ago.”

“Really? She's been here the whole time?”

~*~

Carey's taxi screeched to a halt in front of Cooper Memorial Hospital. She got out, paid the driver, grabbed her bag and practically ran through the front entrance. She couldn't believe how long it had taken her to get there! If anything could have gone wrong during her trip, it did. A flat tire on the way to the airport, a missed flight, a three hour lay-over along with various other delays. If she had known it was going to take her this long to fly there, she would've driven instead!

And throughout all of it she had no idea whether her father was dead or alive! She had tried his phone number several times, but each time it went directly to his voice-mail. Apparently, that mysterious 'Chrissy' woman had turned it off.

She hurried up to the front counter and asked the receptionist, “Do you have an 'Ian Stewart' as a patient?”

“Are you his daughter?” asked the woman.

“Yes! I'm his daughter!”

“Your sister told me to watch out for you. He's in room 111, down that hall over there.” She pointed.

Carey started in the direction the receptionist had pointed and then stopped and turned around. “My sister?!” she asked with a confused look.

The receptionist smiled and nodded. “She's with him now,” she said.

“But I don't have a... oh, forget it!” She hurried down the hall. She was too exhausted and frantic to deal with that now.

Ian lay in his bed and pondered Chrissy's behavior. Why had she been so angry with him? He almost died for Pete's sake! You'd think she would have been more sympathetic. Maybe the nurse was right. Maybe she was just tired. But that was another thing! He couldn't believe Chrissy had stayed there the whole time. Eleven hours?! Did she really care about him that much? She sure had a funny way of showing it!

She returned to his room a half hour after she had walked out in a huff. She walked over to his bed and stood there, looking at him. He wondered if he was going to witness another tirade. “I thought you left,” he said.

She shook her head. “I went to the cafeteria to get something to eat,” she replied, “It's been a while since my last meal!” She said it like it was his fault. After a short silence, she continued, “I spoke with your doctor. He said if your fever stays down you can go home tomorrow if there's someone there to take care of you. I told him I'd do it.”

Once again her behavior surprised him. He was going to make a remark about her not having time to 'play nursemaid to a man who's too goddamn idiotic to take care of himself ', but decided not to push his luck. Instead, he just smiled and said, “Thanks. That's nice of you.”

At that moment, Carey came rushing into the room. She dropped her bag and hurried over to his bedside to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Oh Dad! Are you alright?” she said, stepping back to get a good look at him.

“I guess so,” he answered, surprised to see her, “Although they tell me it was touch and go for a while. How did you find out about it, Sweetheart?!”

“I got a phone call,” she replied. She looked at Chrissy. “You must be my 'sister',” she smiled.

Ian furrowed his brow. “Sister?” he asked.

Chrissy looked a little sheepish. “They wouldn't let me in to see you unless I was family,” she explained.

“So you told them you were my daughter?!”

“Should I have said your mother?!” she retorted curtly.

“Are you Chrissy?” asked Carey.

“Yeah.”

“Thank you for calling me.” She stuck her hand out.

“Yeah,” Chrissy answered, shaking her hand. “Well, I'll let you two visit. I'm going home to get some sleep! I've been up all night.” She started to leave.

“Chrissy!” called Ian as she was headed out of the door. She turned to look at him. “Thanks,” he said, smiling. She nodded and left.

“Who's that?” asked Carey after Chrissy was gone.

“Just a friend,” replied Ian.

“She's obviously more than 'just a friend',” responded Carey. Ian just shrugged. She gave him a suspicious look. “How old is she?” she asked. He looked away and didn't answer. “Dad?” she pressed.

“She's twenty-five,” he muttered, still avoiding her eyes.

“Ian Stewart! She's only three years older than me?!”

“Look, it's nothing serious,” he said defensively, “We're just... you know... friends.”

She looked at him disapprovingly. “Yes! I think I do know!” Then her face softened and she smiled. “Oh, Dad, I'm sorry. I'm usually more opened minded about things like that. It's just kind of creepy when it's my own father.” She kissed him on the cheek. “As long as she makes you happy, I guess.”

“Thanks, Sweetheart.”

“Just don't go and make her my step-mother!” she laughed.

“ Good one!” he chuckled nervously.

~*~

Under the circumstances, Carey and Ian had a very pleasant visit in his hospital room for the next few hours. Because of her new job, though, she decided not to stay, but to head back home as soon as she could get a flight since Ian's condition was no longer serious. He protested that she was too exhausted for travel, but she assured him that she would sleep on the plane now that she knew that he was okay.

Chrissy showed up early the next day with Ian's car and waited as a hospital aid wheeled him out and helped him into it. Back at his apartment, she helped him out of the car, into his living room and onto the sofa. She then carefully studied all of the care instructions, warnings and other literature that the hospital had sent home with him. Noting the dietary restrictions his doctor had put him on for the next week, she checked his pantry to see what food was available. She made a shopping list and then announced that she was going to the store.

“Before you leave, I have to go to the bathroom,” he said.

“I have to help you with that?!” she asked, horrified.

“Just help me get there. I can manage the rest by myself!” he replied.

“Oh,” she said with a look of relief.

She went shopping, filled his prescriptions at the pharmacy, then came back to his apartment. After putting everything away she came in and sat down in the chair next to the sofa with a glass of ice water and set it down on the end table next to him. “Drink that!” she ordered, “You're supposed to stay hydrated.”

“No,” he answered, “It'll just make me have to pee.”

“So?”

“So getting up to go to the bathroom involves a lot of effort and pain right now! I'd rather not!”

“Too bad! You're supposed to get up and move around from time to time anyway. Now I know why they wanted someone here to take care of you. You won't follow doctor's orders!”

He took a sip of the water. “Happy?” he asked sourly.

“It's a start,” she replied, “Need anything else before I relax and read a little?”

“I could use a sponge bath,” he said with a sly smile. She gave him an acid look. “I'm just kidding,” he chuckled, “Actually, that's the last thing on my mind right now. But isn't it time for my pain pills?”

“Do you really need those?”

“I'm in some substantial pain right now, so, yes!” She got up, went to the kitchen and came back with the bottle. She opened it and handed him a pill. “Doesn't the bottle say to take two?” he asked.

“It says one or two as needed,” she answered.

“Well, I need two.” She handed him another one, but it was obvious she was upset about it. “What's wrong with you?” he asked.

“Nothing! I just don't believe in taking medicine unless you need it, that's all.”

“Neither do I. But I need it.”

“Fine! Is there anything else you need?” she asked angrily.

“Christ! You're definitely no Florence Nightingale! No, I'm good for now.” If she was going to be like this the whole time she was there, he'd rather be alone. “You know, you don't really have to be here. The hospital always says someone has to be at home before they release a patient just for liability reasons. I can take care of myself.”

“I've already seen how you take care of yourself! I'll stick around! Unless you want me to go.”

He gave her a sullen look for several moments, then said, “No, stay. I just don't want to put you out or anything.”

She opened her magazine and started reading it. After a while she said, “If I didn't want to be here, I'd leave.”

He sighed. “Thanks. I appreciate it. Mind if I watch TV?”

“Just keep the volume down.”

Author's Note

Criticisms, suggestions and opinions are welcome.

While I was recovering from hernia surgery five years ago, my wife and I had the very same argument about drinking fluids.

Reviews

[John Lauterbach]

You're handling the POV swapping between characters well, as well as the dialogue. After the last chapter, I do understand Chrissy's motives and thoughts more clearly, but it isn't taking away from the story like I had worried it would. The current setup reminds me of a friend who's in his 60s with a 30 year old wife and 2 35 year old boys. The idea of Carey calling Chrissy 'mom' like they do made me laugh.

[Craig2591]

It will happen, too. (sorry for the spoiler)

[CaptainBill]

Characters nicely drawn, the back and forth rings true.

Well done.

[Craig2591]

Thank you.

[Bella Luna]

This was a great chapter! I love the interaction between Chrissy and Carey. I really like how Carey was calm about and not resistant. Chrissy clearly cares about Ian a lot, but she doesn't know how to show it except through her anger at him for putting himself in that situation in the first place. I'm really enjoying seeing how these characters are developing together! :)

[Craig2591]

Thanks. I don't want to give anything away, but Carey comes for a visit in the future and Ian wonders how they will get along.

[Bella Luna]

Ooo I can't wait!

[E]

Chuckle fest even though it isn't necessarily a happy chapter, love the interaction between Ian and Chrissy, they're both very cute. Such a captivating book!

[Craig2591]

Thank you.

[Faith]

I like both of the characters. It's funny how life points out little things to you. That adds more to both of their character. good job again, on to the next!

[Tabitha t]

as I read this I totally forgot that I wasnt reading out of a published book so well done. I enjoyed the characters and the tension inside of this chapter. I would say that you have clearly accomplished the goal within this section.

[Tina Kline]

A very entertaining read. I enjoy reading about how they behave with each other. Just like a couple who has been together for a long while.

[Kaya]

This is a really cute chapter...I'm really liking these new edits... i feel like the characters have so much more depth to their relationship, plus i just love watching them together!!!