“You like this one?” I asked. “BOOM” by X Ambassadors.
Thea nodded to the beat. “I love it.”
She loves it. She’s happy. Delia can shove it up her—
“What is going on here?”
I flinched, and the earbud fell out of my ear. Delia Hughes stood by the table, her hard stare going between me and her sister.
“Delia!” Thea shot to her feet, then immediately froze, gripped by an absence seizure. I watched her to make sure she was okay until it released her, then turned to her sister.
“Hello, Ms. Hughes.”
Delia started to speak, and I was pretty sure it wasn’t to tell me what a great job I was doing. But Thea came around the table and threw her arms around her neck.
“You’re here. How long has it been? Where are Mom and Dad?”
Delia’s voice was a stone. “Two years, and they’re on their way.”
“I’m so glad you came.” Thea hugged Delia again, then stopped short when she saw me. A shy, soft smile came over her features. “Oh. Hi.”
“Hi.”
“I’m Thea Hughes.” She stuck out her hand, and I shook it, drowning in déjà vu.
“Jim Whelan.”
“So nice to meet you. This is my sister, Delia.” Thea laughed at her sister’s sour look. “Oh my God, Deel, you’re
such a crank.”
“You’re an orderly, yes?” Delia asked me. “Where is Nurse Soto?”
“We’re shorthanded today,” I said.
Delia pursed her lips. “I see. Well, I’m here now. You may go.”
I glanced at Thea who rolled her eyes and mouthed I’m sorry at me.
An hour later, I was pushing a mop down the hall outside the rec room and saw Rita, Alonzo, and Delia in a huddle. They looked up as I approached and Delia turned to me, arms crossed.
“We can ask him, himself. What were you doing with my sister?”
Shit. I’m going to lose my job. Thea will be alone in the silence.
“N-N-Nothing,” I said. “Just listening to music.”
“Is that in your job description?”
“N-N-No.”
“Are you nervous? Guilty? What’s wrong with you?”
Rita interjected. “Jim’s been taking Miss Hughes for her daily exercise on days when I—”
“When you can’t because you’re short-staffed,” Delia finished. “I don’t pay to have Thea cared for by an orderly.”
“Jim is a fine employee,” Alonzo said. “One of our best.”