DanaThe last thing I wanted to do was go over to Mrs. Delmaz's house to find this Larry character, but there was no way I was showing up at the hospital empty handed. Her throwing a fit wasn't necessarily my worry, but her not trusting me would mess up everything. She needed someone at the hospital that she was comfortable with while she was slowly losing her memories. I wanted to be that person for her.I walked up to her home and knocked on the front door. Nothing. I waited a few more minutes and knocked again. The hospital wouldn't approve of me coming to a patient’s house, and they had her keys locked up with the other things they'd gathered from her when she was admitted by one of her neighbors. The poor woman had been walking around in her nightgown in her front yard at three in the afternoon, lost as to where she was or who she was."Really?" I groaned and lifted to my toes to see if maybe there was a key above the front door. I yelped and moved back as something sharp stung m
DanaI finished up my shift feeling like a million bucks. Working as a nurse wasn't just about helping to heal the human body, but offering occasional balm to the human spirit. Watching Thelma come alive for the hour that I let her sit in the courtyard with Larry was worth all the trouble of having to go get the damn bird, including the tetanus shot that Dr. Lewis made me get.He wasn't excited about me stepping outside the boundaries of the hospital to risk going to someone’s private residence, but when I fully explained my reasoning behind it, he softened a little.I should have gone home after my shift, but I wanted to see Kendal. I could make the trip about checking in with Nurse Barry on my new schedule and accidently being in the business building around his classroom if needed, but either way, I wanted to check in on him.After circling the parking lot for what felt like forever, I finally squeezed into a compact car spot and made my way toward the center of campus. I smiled at
KendalI had far too much work piled on my desk the night before to chase after Dana like I wanted to. Her coming to my office was a little too risky, and yet there was no way I was going to get onto her about it. The woman was willing to turn her world upside down to try and have me beside her as soon as humanly possible. It meant the world to me.The only thing that could fuck things up for sure was Heather.After shoving a piece of toast down my throat the next morning, I drove to the school in silence. I had to talk to Mark. He was the only one who could pull Heather off my back. I could do it myself, but it would be ugly as fuck, and I'd be cleaning up the remnants of that conversation for days.I pressed the button to call Damon as I turned onto the freeway."Sup, buddy? You headed to the office?" He sounded far too chipper for six o'clock in the morning. Being with Bethany changed everything for him."Yeah. I'm going in to talk with Mark this morning. Heather is all up in my fa
Kendal"So... who was she?" Heather walked down the hall toward me, catching me off guard by her question."Sorry?" I muttered before walking to the elevator.She got in beside him and pressed the button for the top floor before turning and moving to stand right in front of me.Reaching out and wrapping my fingers around her perfectly pale throat sounded like the best choice at the moment, but it wasn't me anymore. My days of playing asshole alpha male were over. I hated that prick and promised myself I would never subjugate another woman to who I could be. No one. Not even Heather, though the bitch was begging for it."Who is she?" Heather extended her phone toward me.It took a second for me to realize what I was looking at. Dana."Why the fuck?" I snatched Heather's phone and pushed at her chest as she moved in to snatch it back. "Why do you have a picture of her?""Because she's the girl you're dating... isn't she?" She muscled her way closer to me, and I snapped."It's none of yo
Dana"Yes, Mom. I'll be there. I might be bringing a friend if that's all right?" I pressed the phone to my ear and leaned against the glass window at the end of the hall in the hospital."A girl friend or a boyfriend?" My mom's probing was never subtle."A boyfriend. I'm dating this guy on and off and I think you'll really like him.""Oh nice! I'm so excited for you. Why didn't you mention this earlier?""Because I know you like to get up in my business, and I wasn't sure I was ready for that.""And now you are?" I'd hurt her feelings."I think so. Is it just you tonight?" I turned as someone tapped me on the back. Jackie stood behind me, bouncing on the balls of her feet like she was about to burst at the seams with great news."No. Your sister and brother will be here, and your Uncle Pino.""All right Mom. I'll be there around six tonight, okay?""See you then, Mija."I pulled the phone from my ear as Jackie let out a long squeal. I smiled in spite of myself. "What?""He called! He
DanaAfter finishing up my shift, I finally got over to the pound and picked up the bird in the nick of time. They'd lined up a buyer for the next day, and my luck couldn't have been better. I dropped him off at my apartment, not knowing where else to put him and I headed out to my mother’s.Kendal hadn't returned the text I sent right after I got off of work asking him to come to dinner with me. I knew he was busy. I didn't expect him to join us, but damn if I didn't want him to. There was an old run-down hotel just a mile from my mother's place that we could stay at for the night if he was up for it. I just needed to feel him against me something desperate.I pressed the button with his number on it and held my breath, half expecting him not to pick up. When he did, it took me a few seconds to find my voice."Dana?""Oh... Yeah. Hey. Sorry." I rolled my eyes and took a quick breath. "I wanted to see if you might be willing to come out to my mom's tonight for dinner. Nothing formal,
KendalI kissed her a few more times, not really considering how inappropriate it might have been to make out with her in front of her family.She pulled back and smiled up at me. "I've missed you.""Me more." I leaned down and stole one more kiss. "I got flowers, dessert and a bottle of wine.""Well, my mother made sweet tea, so even if you don't drink it, do yourself a favor and have a small glass." I turned and opened the door. "It's like a party in your mouth."He chuckled softly behind me. "I'm from Dallas, remember? I love sweet tea.""Good." She moved to my side and took the bag from me as her mother turned around and paused. Something about her was so incredibly familiar. Had we met before?"Mom... this is Kendal. Kendal, this is my mother." Dana wrapped her arm around the back of my waist and moved me toward the small portly woman. I could see where Dana got her looks from. The woman was stunning though she'd let herself go. Life had a way of doing that when loss showed up at
KendalI took a deep breath and reached up to knock on the door, my heart aching at the thought of having to spend the night in the presence of my friends. They would all know that I was faking the calm I wore. It was more like being numb than calm. A facade I'd been practicing for a while. It served me many times over my long life.Two weeks of dragging my ass through life, wondering what cosmic genie I'd pissed off and how I'd done it. Not only was the last member of my family gone, but any hope for a torrid love affair with Dana was over."Dude. Good to see you!" Matthew Bryant, my best friend's little brother smiled like a tom-cat and reached for me, pulling me into a warm hug.I wrapped my arms around him and patted his back. "Hey, man. Good to see you. Seattle treating you okay?""Better than you." He moved back and gripped my shoulders. "Damon said that out of all of the women in Dallas you ended up with Ana's sister? That's just so far beyond fucked up. I'm mind-blown.""Matt!