A Five-Minute Life

“Jim saved her life,” Rita said quietly.

“Jim put her life in jeopardy in the first place,” Delia snapped. “Thea was perfectly happy drawing her drawings. But he took it upon himself to alter her treatment plan, without her unavailable doctor’s consent or consultation, and this is the result.”

She was right, but something still itched the back of my thoughts. Thea had been happy for days before, creating her masterpiece. It’d only been recently that she’d spiraled down.

Still trying to play doctor? Doris sneered. You big dummy.

Anna folded her hands in front of her. “Ms. Hughes, I can assure you—”

“You can assure me of nothing,” Delia said. “Dr. Stevens has vanished. Unqualified staff members are deciding what’s best for Thea. And there was a poisonous snake inside the recreation room.”

She fixed us each with a cold stare, then gave an irritated sigh and checked her watch again.

“I have to go. I actually have a life of my own that needs attention. I’ll be back on Monday for a meeting with Dr. Poole and Dr. Stevens.” She gave Anna a hard look. “Make it happen. Meanwhile, I don’t want this man”—she jabbed her finger at me—“anywhere near my sister. I want him gone. Now.”

“Ms. Hughes,” Anna said. “We do not have all the facts. Dr. Stevens needs to hear the entire story and examine Thea himself before we begin arbitrarily releasing staff members.”

Delia’s eyes flared. “Arbitrarily?”

“However, given the severity of the situation and the fact Mr. Whelan and Nurse Soto both acted without authority or permission…” She gave first me, then Rita a hard look. “I feel a three-day suspension for Mr. Whelan is appropriate. Unfortunately, I simply can’t afford to have Nurse Soto absent.”

“Of course not,” Delia said. “This place is barely functioning as it is.” She shouldered her purse. “I’ll be back on Monday for that conference. If either of the doctors fail to show up, I will remove my sister—and her money—and find another facility that cares about its patients.”

When she was gone, Anna turned her hard look on all three of us. “There is a temporary fix to the outer wall, Mr. Waters?”

Alonzo nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“And Miss Hughes is stable?”

“She is,” Rita said.

“We’ll keep her on twenty-four hour watch,” Anna said. “If there’s no improvement in her condition tomorrow morning, we’ll extend it to forty-eight. Hopefully, no further measures will need to be taken.”

She turned to me. “Your three-day suspension begins now, Mr. Whelan. Be ready to attend the meeting with the director and Dr. Stevens on Monday. I suspect they’ll want to hear from you.”

I nodded. In the past, the idea of talking in front of people would have made my blood run cold. Now my thoughts were for Thea. She’d been so happy painting and then it all went to shit.

“Jim?” Alonzo said, weighing my name heavily with disappointment.

“I’m going,” I said.

On the way to the break room to change out of my uniform, Rita caught up with me.

“I’m sorry, Jim,” she said. “This isn’t right.”

“You’re working tomorrow?”

“Yes. They can’t spare a single nurse or else I’d be going home, too.”

“Will you text me that she’s okay? Please?”

“Of course.”

I walked out of Blue Ridge feeling like I was betraying Thea. Breaking a promise. I was supposed to fight for her, but what could I do? If I refused to leave, they’d think I was a psycho and have me arrested.

You didn’t protect her. Doris sneered. You fucked her up more. Go home, you big dummy, and leave your broken-down girl to the professionals.

That was likely the truth—I’d hurt her when I was trying to help, but the gnawing in my stomach grew stronger and stronger the further my motorcycle took me away from Blue Ridge.