“Frank, this is my new nurse, Zoey. Zoey, this is Frank.”
“Nice to meet you, Zoey.” He smiled as he lightly shook my hand.
“Nice to meet you too.”
I helped Nora into the car while Frank folded up her wheelchair and put it in the trunk. Once we arrived at the location Nora requested, I wheeled her to the Conservatory Gardens.
“There’s a bench over there under the archway.” She pointed.
Once I wheeled her over and helped her from her chair and onto the bench, I took a seat beside her.
“This place gives me so much peace,” she spoke.
“It’s beautiful here.” I smiled.
“I’m sorry if my brother was an ass to you.”
“Don’t worry about it. He certainly is a grumpy man.” I laughed.
“He’s not like that all the time.” She looked over at me. “Hell, who am I kidding, he is like that all the time. I just don’t want him to scare you off or something.”
Placing my hand on hers, I spoke, “He won’t. I’m here to take care of and help you, not him.”
“I don’t have much time left on this earth and he’s having a hard time dealing with it. I’m going to need you to help him get through it. Can you do that, Zoey?” she asked.
Her concern for her brother touched me. She was putting him first before herself.
“Of course I’ll try to help him get through it. But I can only do that if he allows it.”
“He won’t, but you’ll have to try. Please promise me you’ll try.” She squeezed my hand.
“Yes, of course I will.”
“Thank you.”
We talked for a bit more and then I wheeled her around so she could touch and smell the beautiful flowers that surrounded the area. This garden was a sacred place and I knew why she felt so peaceful here. We spent a couple hours in Central Park and then she asked to go home for she was exhausted.
When we got home, I helped her into bed, gave her the medications she needed to take and waited until she fell asleep.
Chapter Five
Carter
After I left the office and arrived home, I found Zoey sitting at the island eating the dinner Sadie prepared.
“Where’s Nora?” I asked as I set my briefcase down.
“Hello there.” Zoey smiled. “How was your day?”
“It doesn’t matter how my day was. How is Nora doing today?” I snapped at her.
“She’s sleeping.”
“Did she eat?”
“She ate a little bit. We went to Central Park earlier for a couple of hours.”
“Why did you do that?” I asked as I poured myself a scotch.
“Because she wanted to go.”
“And do you really think it’s a good idea that she leaves the house? What if she catches something? Her immune system is weak and you of all people should know that,” I spoke with irritation.
“The risk is high, but she knows that. It’s good for her to spend some time outside this house.”
“Even if it kills her?”
“She’s dying, Mr. Grayson. What part of that do you not understand?”
I glared at her. How dare she.
“Your job is to take care of Nora, not make me understand what the fuck is going on. I’m fully aware she’s dying.”
“My job is to not only take care of the patient, but to also help the family get through it.”
I downed the last drop of my scotch and slammed the glass on the counter.
“I don’t need your help, Miss Benson. Not now, not ever.” I pointed at her.
“You need more help than you realize,” she spewed.
“What’s going on in here?” Nora asked as she wheeled herself into the kitchen. “Carter, I could hear you yelling from my room. Why are you yelling at her?”
I walked over and kissed her forehead.
“I’m not yelling. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go get changed. I’m going out tonight.”
“I don’t want you to go out. I want you home with me,” she spoke and I froze in place.
“I’ve already made plans, Nora,” I softly spoke.
“You always have plans, Carter.”
“I have a life too. I’ll stay in tomorrow night. I promise,” I spoke as I walked out of the kitchen and headed up to my room.
After changing my clothes, I went downstairs and asked Zoey to come to my office.
“I want to make sure you stored my phone number in case of an emergency, and I want you to clear it with me before you leave this house with Nora.”
“Yes, Mr. Grayson. I have your number stored and I will clear it with you before leaving the house with your sister.”
“That’ll be all, Miss Benson.”
She gave me a light nod, and as she began to leave my office, she turned to me.
“It’s Zoey, Mr. Grayson. Just Zoey.”
I swallowed hard as she walked out. Looking at her number in my phone, I sent her a text message.
“For emergencies only.”
“Of course,” she replied.
There was something about that girl that irritated me, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. She irritated me in Starbucks and now she irritated me in my own home. I needed to get a grip. She was here for Nora. Staying away from her would be in both our best interest.
****
Zoey
Nora confided in me about her brother’s excessive going out and how much it bothered her. She accused him of running away from reality and hiding in the depths of sex and booze.
“Who’s Angelique?” I asked her.
She looked at me with wide eyes. “Did Carter mention her name to you?”
“No.” I shook my head.
“Then how do you know that name?”
“She told me.”
“Angelique told you?” Her eye narrowed at me.
“Yes.”
“That’s impossible. Angelique is dead.”
“I know she is.”
“Zoey, you’re kind of freaking me out right now. Angelique was Carter’s fiancée before she died five years ago.”
“They were going to have a son,” I spoke.
“Yes, she was pregnant.” A look of shock splayed across her face.
I gently smiled. “He looks just like Mr. Grayson.”
“How do you know all this? It isn’t possible.”
“I have a gift, Nora. Is that the reason your brother is the way he is?”
“Yeah, pretty much. When I was eighteen and he was twenty, our mother passed away from cancer. It was really hard on our dad and he couldn’t recover. A year after her death, he committed suicide to end his pain and suffering. Then, Carter met Angelique and she was the love of his life. A couple years later, she got pregnant and he proposed. They were going to wait until after the baby was born to get married. She was at a crosswalk waiting to cross the street, and when the signal turned for her, she started walking and a drunk driver came flying around the corner and hit her. The paramedics said that she only lived a few minutes after she was hit. They rushed her to the hospital to try and save the baby, but by time they got there, it was too late. Please, don’t ever tell him I told you this. He doesn’t talk about it at all. In fact, he went to great lengths to keep it out of the press when it happened. After that, he changed. He just wasn’t the same. Now I’m dying and he can’t handle it. In his thirty years of life, he has experienced way too much death with the people who meant the most to him.” Tears formed in her eyes.
“He’s in a dark place, Nora. His energy is very dark.”
“I know, and I’ve tried to help him, but I can’t. I can’t die until I know he’s going to be okay.”
I reached over and grabbed hold of her hand.
“Everything will be okay. He will be okay. I promise.”
Who was I to make a promise like that? Sure, everything would be okay for her in the afterlife, but for Carter, he would forever be imprisoned in his own personal
hell. A hell he chose to stay buried in without any attempt to break free. A place where he felt safe from the turbulence and unfairness of his life. After tucking Nora into bed and making sure she was comfortable, I went into my room and attempted to turn on the TV, but it didn’t seem to work. So, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat down on the couch in the living room. At about midnight, I heard the elevator doors open, so I quickly turned off the TV and went into my room.
I could hear his footsteps down the hallway and then they stopped at Nora’s room. A few moments later, the footsteps started again down the hallway, then stopped. Climbing into bed, I settled myself into a comfortable position. It wasn’t too long after that, I heard the faint sound of music playing. I lay there and tried to listen, but I couldn’t make out what song it was. Why was he playing music at this time of night?
I climbed out of bed and quietly walked out of my room and down the hallway where the music was coming from. Stopping at his office door, which was slightly ajar, I carefully peeked inside. Carter sat there in his chair with a drink in one hand and a picture in the other while the song Unchained Melody played quietly in the room. I couldn’t stop staring at him as he stared at that picture in complete despair and agony.
Chapter Six
Zoey
A week had passed and his attitude toward me was still the same. Bitterness, anger, and hate consumed him. He was broken. So broken that merely existing was what he'd become accustomed to. The one thing he didn't understand was that we were all broken in one way or another. Yet through all the jagged edges of the pieces that made him up, he was still strangely beautiful.
Nora had Sadie prepare a special dinner for the three of us. Carter had agreed to stay in and she wanted me to join them. I felt unsure because I knew he wouldn’t approve of it. It was six o’clock when he stepped off the elevator and made his way into the kitchen. He mumbled a hello to me and then walked over to Nora and kissed her head.
“How are you today?” he asked her.
“I’m fine. I had Sadie prepare dinner for us.”
“Good. I’m starving.”
“Zoey will be joining us,” she spoke to him.
“I see.” He glanced over at me.
“It’s okay, Nora. I’ll go to my room so you and your brother can have some time alone.”
“Don’t be silly. We want you to join us. Don’t we, Carter?” she spoke through gritted teeth.
“If she feels more comfortable in her room—”
“Carter!” Nora loudly voiced.
“Please, join us, Zoey. It would be ridiculous for you to eat in your room,” he spoke.
“It’s okay, really. I don’t mind.”
“Enough with the arguing. Nora wants you to sit with us and so you shall. Understood?” His brow arched.
“Sure. Fine.” I lightly smiled. “If you insist.”
I helped Nora from her wheelchair into a seat at the table and then took my seat next to her while Carter sat across from me.
“Tell us about your family, Zoey,” Nora spoke. “So far since you’ve been here, I never really asked you about them.”
“I have two dads who have raised me since I was a baby.”
“Your parents are gay?” Carter asked as he picked up his fork.
“Yes. I was left on the stairs of the church they attended,” I lied.
“Oh my god, you poor thing. So you never had a mother?” Nora pouted.
“No.” I gave a small smile. “But, John and Scott, are the best parents anyone could ever ask for. They gave me a good life.”
“Do you still live with them?” Carter asked.
“I do. Right now it doesn’t make sense to get my own place since I’m not home much, with my job and everything.”
“I guess that makes sense,” he spoke.
“What do your parents do?” Carter asked.
“John is a doctor who works in the ER and Scott is a firefighter.”
“Nice.” Nora slowly nodded. “I’d love to meet them.”
“They come to the city a lot. Maybe we can have lunch with them one day.”
“I’d like that.” She smiled. “Or maybe we can have them over for dinner.”
“No. I don’t think so,” Carter spoke.
“Why?” Nora asked him.
“Because Zoey is the hired help. We don’t need to have her family over to the house.”
“Wow, Carter.” Nora looked at him in disgust.
Was I surprised he said that? No. It fit his demeanor. I brushed it off and took my plate to the kitchen. When I returned to the dining room, Nora asked if I could help her with a bath. After getting her settled into bed, I walked back out to the dining room to finish cleaning up. As I was loading the dishwasher, I became startled when I turned around and saw Carter standing there staring at me.
“Shit, you scared me!”
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Cleaning up from dinner.” I gave him an odd look.
“Why? That’s what I have a housekeeper for.”
“You can’t let these dishes sit out all night,” I spoke.
“Whatever, but don’t expect a bonus or anything in your check because you chose to clean up.” He began to walk away.
“Wait!” I yelled.
He stopped and turned to look at me.
“I don’t expect anything extra, especially from you. I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do. But someone like you wouldn’t know anything about that.” I pointed my finger at him.
He had finally broken me. His attitude towards me and his verbal abuse finally sent me over the edge.
“Are you finished?” His brow arched.
“I have more to say, but for the fear of losing my job, I’ll just keep my mouth shut.”
He cocked his head and folded his arms. God, how I wished he wasn’t so handsome.
“No. Go ahead. Tell me more.”
“Just leave me alone, Mr. Grayson. Please let me finish cleaning up and then I’ll head to my room.” I turned and put the last dish in the dishwasher.
“Fine.” He stormed out of the kitchen.
After wiping down the counters, I retreated to my room, where I called my dad, John.
“Hey, sweetheart, how’s the job going?”
“That man is unbearable!”
A light laugh came from the other end.
“You mean Carter Grayson?”
“Yes. He’s so rude and mean. I try to be nice, but with him, it’s becoming impossible.”
“Just remember why you’re there, Zoey. Don’t let someone like him distract you from what’s really important.”
“I know, Dad.” I sighed.
“What’s going on with you? You never let anyone get to you like this.”
He was right. I always saw the good in everyone and never reacted like this. I knew Carter was hurting and I saw the pain in his eyes every single day, but I still struggled with his behavior.
“Nothing is going on with me. He’s just annoying.”
There was a brief moment of silence on the other end.
“Are you sure you’re not developing some sort of feelings for him?” he asked.
“Dad, he’s a mean and miserable person. How could anyone develop feelings for someone like him?”
“Okay, sweetheart, just checking.”
Just as I ended the call, I heard Carter scream my name from Nora’s room. Throwing down my phone, I ran in there to see what was wrong.
“Shit, she’s having a seizure!” I pushed Carter out of the way so I could help her. “Has she had a seizure before?” I asked.
“No!”
“Call 911.”
As soon as her seizure calmed, I rolled her on her side to keep her airways open.
“You’re going to be okay, Nora. Just try to relax and breathe normal.”
“I’m so tired,” she softly spoke.
“I know. Just relax. An ambulance is on the way to take you to the ho
spital.”
“No.” She shook her head. “No hospital.”
I reached over and grabbed her hand.
“This is your first seizure. You need to go. It’s not a choice and I’ll be there with you.” I turned and looked at Carter to make sure he was okay. He was as pale as a ghost. “Are you okay?” I asked him.
“I’m fine,” he spoke with a shaky voice.
Not too long after Carter called, the paramedics arrived, put Nora on the stretcher, and transported her to the hospital. I rode with her in the back while Carter had Juan drive him separately. Once we arrived at the ER, they rushed Nora back and told me and Carter to sit in the waiting room. He took a seat in a chair with his elbows rested on his knees and his hands covering his face. I had a feeling we were going to be there for a while, so I grabbed two cups of coffee from the machine in the waiting room and handed one to him.
“Here, I thought you could use this.”
He looked up at the coffee and then at me.
“Thanks.” He took it from my hand.
“I didn’t know how you took it, so I just got black,” I spoke.
“Black is fine.”
Chapter Seven
Carter
Seeing Nora like that scared the living shit out of me and I never wanted to see it again.
“Thank you, Zoey,” I spoke.
“For what?”
“For taking care of Nora.”
“It’s my job, Mr. Grayson.”
She was right, it was her job. But I still felt the need to thank her. She sat across from me, and as I stared at her, she wouldn’t even make eye contact. I needed to talk to her because I just couldn’t sit and let my mind overthink the worst. It drove me insane.
“How do you do it?” I asked. “How do you surround yourself with so much pain and death all the time?”
She brought her cup up to her lips and took a sip from it.
“This is what I was born to do,” she simply said with a small smile.
Just as I was about to ask her what she meant, a doctor walked into the waiting room.
“For Nora Grayson?”
We both stood up as the doctor walked over to us.
“Nora is resting now. We did a brain scan and saw a shadow in another area. Seizures are common with this stage of cancer. It was to be expected, to be honest. We’ve started her on fluids and some medication. I want to keep her here for a couple of days just to monitor her and get an MRI. You may go see her but not for too long. She needs her rest.”