by Marilyn Turk
“He is? Why, I didn’t know he was going.” Lexie heard her muffled speech as she covered the phone to tell Marian.
“It was rather sudden.”
“Well, we want to hear all about it.”
“I’d love to tell you more, but I’m sorry, I need to get over to the hospital now.”
Lexie heard muffled words again before Peg came back to the phone.
“Lexie, do you have to work this weekend? Because if you don’t, we want you to come here and spend Saturday and Sunday with us.”
“Actually, I don’t think I’m scheduled. I’ll double-check today.” A picture of the sisters’ comfortable cottage sitting next to the ocean filled her mind with longing for the serenity she always found there. “I’d love to come. I’ll let you know for sure, but as far as I know, you can expect me Saturday morning.”
“Wonderful! We can’t wait to see you! Bye now.” Peg hung up before Lexie could reply.
What a welcome invitation. With Russell gone, being with the sisters, her “adopted” family, would be so nice and relaxing. Even though her own mother had died last year, she felt like she’d acquired two more with the way the spinster sisters Peg and Marian treated her. And their cottage felt more like a home than any her family had lived in since she was a young child.
The last time she saw the schedule, she was working tonight, then the day shift tomorrow, and was off Saturday and Sunday. It was hard working a day shift back to back with a night shift, but she’d catch up on her sleep at the cottage. For a moment, she considered inviting Penny. Penny was from a town in New Jersey where her father ran a shoe repair shop. She’d never been to the Hamptons, and Lexie wanted to show her around someday. But not this time. Lexie needed peace and escape from the city and the hospital, as well as private time to talk with the sisters. She’d ask them if they were open to her bringing a guest sometime. Knowing how hospitable the women were, Lexie doubted they’d refuse.
She crossed back over to the psychiatric hospital and reported for duty.
“How’s John Doe today?” she asked Nurse Addams, who was seated at the nurses’ station.
“Calm. It takes a while for the medicine we gave him yesterday to wear off. Maybe you can work your magic with him today.”
“My what?” Lexie’s face heated.
“You seem to have a way with him. You understand him. Maybe he’ll be able to open up to you.”
The compliment flooded Lexie with satisfaction. If only she could have been there to prevent his outburst. Now, it would take some time for him to regain everyone’s trust, that is if he had no more episodes.
“I’ll do what I can.”
“I know you will.” The nurse picked up a stack of files and handed them to Lexie. “But first, please take these to Medical Records.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Lexie forced a smile, hiding her irritation of being delayed to see John Doe.
Lexie took the stairs to the third floor and crossed over into the administrative wing of the hospital rather than waiting for the notoriously slow elevator. After she dropped off the files, she considered going up to the next floor where the library was. She wanted to explore the shelves to see if there were any books on the effects of head injuries. But that might take too long. As she was standing in the hall considering her options, she heard muted laughter coming from a closet nearby.
A voice with a foreign accent made her listen more intently. She decided to return to her floor instead of going to the library, but she would have to pass the room where the noise was coming from. Curiosity to discover who was in the closet got the better of her, and she eased past the door that was open only a few inches. As she passed, she cast a quick glimpse inside and hitched a breath when she saw the Greek doctor Penny so admired with his arms around one of the nurses in an intimate embrace. She quickly turned away and hurried back downstairs.
Apparently, Dr. Kappas was pursuing other interests while he was at Bellevue, and Lexie wanted to make sure Penny wasn’t one of them. She’d heard that some doctors took advantage of their titles to trifle with the staff, but even so, she was disappointed to learn that the young doctor was one of them. Some men just couldn’t be trusted, but thankfully, they weren’t all womanizers like the doctor. Thank God Russell wasn’t like that.
The time on the wall clock read 4:00. Russell was probably in the middle of a performance now. She hoped he was enjoying his time with the band. What other stars were performing in the show? Would Russell hang out together afterward? She sure wished she could talk with him on the phone, but the chances of that happening were very slim.
“You’re back. Good. Go ahead and make your rounds in the ward. I’ll be here another hour doing paperwork.”
Lexie’s entrance into the ward brought the usual greetings. Waves from smiling patients hailed her across the room. Even those who didn’t smile acknowledged her with a nod. It felt good to be welcomed, but unfortunate that these patients had stayed long enough to become acquainted with her, as well as each other. Surely, some would be leaving soon. To be honest, she’d miss them, but she worried about how they would be treated by the outside world, knowing how difficult it was for them to function normally.
“Good job, Joe,” she said to the tall man who held a broom, sweeping the same area over and over. “Thank you for keeping the room clean.” Joe had grown physically but never gotten past the age of a child mentally. As a result, he couldn’t live on his own and provide for himself, but his parents were now elderly and couldn’t take care of him either. Lexie was thankful the hospital provided for people like Joe. Where else would he go otherwise?
At one of the tables, a new patient drew pictures with crayons. Lexie patted him on the back. “What a lovely picture!” The man didn’t look up at her but continued to draw. She’d check the charts for his name when she returned to the nurses’ station. The game of checkers was still going on, as the men studied the board. Everyone was awake doing something, whether sitting on their beds reading, walking around, or engaging in an activity. Everyone except John Doe. As she approached his bed, he looked at her expectantly.
“Are you feeling better today?”
“Yes, but tired. The medicine they gave me made me tired.”
“Yes, but it will help you rest.” Lexie smiled to hide the sadness she felt seeing him restrained.
He glanced at the straps that held him. “Can you get these off?”
“I’d like to, and I’m sure you’d like them removed, but I must have permission to do so first.”
“I promise I won’t hurt anybody.”
His imploring eyes twisted her heart. She believed him and didn’t think his outburst was meant to harm anyone, but she didn’t have the authority to remove the restraints.
“I don’t think you would. However, it’s not my decision. I’m sorry.”
He blew out a breath and turned his head away as if he wanted her to go away. She didn’t blame him. What good was she to him if she couldn’t provide what he needed?
“Tell you what, I’ll ask Nurse Addams before she leaves if the restraints can come off.”
He turned back to face her. “Will you please? Tell her I promise I’ll behave.”
“Yes, I will. In fact, I’ll go ask her right now. Let’s pray she will agree. Okay?”
John tilted his head. “Pray? About that? I don’t think God cares about something so small.”
Lexie wasn’t sure He did either, but what could it hurt? She patted his arm for reassurance. “Be back soon.”
Lexie hurried out of the ward, hoping Nurse Addams would allow her to remove the restraints. She approached the counter at the nurses’ station and waited for the supervisor’s attention.
Looking up, Nurse Addams said, “Yes?”
“It’s about John Doe. Can we remove the restraints now?”
The nurse looked at her watch. “Well, it’s been 24 hours since we put them on. Do you think he’s calm enough?”
“Yes, ma’am, I do. In fact, I thi
nk the restraints only add to his frustration.”
“Hmm. Perhaps.” The nurse snapped her fingers. “Wait. I think the cast is supposed to come off today. Let me see about that.” She found the doctor’s notes for John Doe and read over them. “Yes, I’m right. Go ahead and get the plaster shears.”
Lexie turned to leave for the utility room just as the elevator door opened as the Greek intern stepped out. She stared at the handsome young doctor, a vivid memory of him with the nurse in the closet.
“Good afternoon, ladies. My name is Dr. Kappas. Dr. Schroeder sent me to remove a cast from one of your patients.”
Lexie looked back to Nurse Addams, whose face registered the same surprise Lexie felt.
“Dr. Kappas. I wasn’t expecting you.” She nodded her head toward Lexie. “However, Nurse Smithfield and I were on our way to remove the cast ourselves.”
The doctor’s eyes twinkled as he flashed a bright smile. “Then, good. I can save you the job.” He aimed a gaze at Lexie. “Nurse Smithfield, would you please assist me?”
Lexie faced Nurse Addams for an answer. “That’s fine with me,” the head nurse said. “I was ending my shift anyway. Nurse Smithfield was on her way to get the supplies.”
“Excellent,” the doctor said, clasping his hands. He looked up and down the hallway. “Where might I find the patient?”
“This way,” said Lexie. “In that door. Wait here, and I’ll get the supplies and meet you.”
When Lexie returned with a tray bearing the plaster shears, a towel, and some alcohol, the doctor flashed her a charming smile. Lexie balanced the tray on one hand while retrieving the ward keys from her apron pocket. She unlocked the door and motioned for the doctor to go in before her.
Lexie led the doctor to John Doe’s bed, and as they approached, the patient’s brows knit with concern. Wanting to keep him calm, Lexie stepped to his bedside with the doctor following close beside her.
“John, this is Dr. Kappas. He’s here to remove your cast.”
John looked from her to the doctor, then back to her with questioning eyes.
“Why is this man in restraints?” Dr. Kappas asked. “Is he violent?” To his credit, the questions were asked in a low voice under his breath.
“There was a misunderstanding yesterday,” Lexie said. “In fact, we were getting ready to remove them.”
The doctor raised his eyebrow. “Before or after the cast comes off?”
Lexie focused on the patient. “John, if we take off your restraints now, you’ll lie perfectly still while we remove the cast, won’t you?”
Understanding crossed his face, and John nodded. “Yes.”
Dr. Kappas didn’t seem convinced. “Are you certain?” he asked Lexie.
“Yes, I promise John will behave,” she said, steadying her gaze at John. She hoped she could trust him. What if she couldn’t? The consequences were too undesirable—for both her and for John.
“All right, then. Let’s proceed.” The doctor motioned to the strap nearest her.
Together, Lexie and the doctor unclasped and removed the restraints across the patient, John watching their every movement. Once they were off, the tenseness in his body subsided, and he relaxed. He wiggled his fingers and moved his feet slightly to restore the circulation.
“Now, we need you to stay perfectly still while we cut the cast off,” Lexie said to John.
Dr. Kappas took the plaster shears and, starting at John’s wrist, began snipping away at the cast, stopping every five cuts for her to wipe off the blades. Lexie stood ready with a piece of gauze and the alcohol, watching the doctor work. As he leaned across the patient to get at the cast, she noticed a red mark on his collar and presumed it was lipstick from the nurse she’d seen him with before. Would anyone else notice, or would they know what it was?
John fixed his eyes on the process, watching as the cut was made all the way up to the elbow, following as the doctor moved to the section of the cast on the upper arm and began cutting down. Once Dr. Kappas reached the elbow, he opened up the cast sections, then cut the remaining portion apart. The doctor removed the cast and handed it to Lexie to place on the tray. The skin of John’s newly released arm was pale compared to the rest of his body.
“Extend your arm. Slowly,” the doctor ordered. John complied and straightened out his arm. “Feel any pain or discomfort?”
John shook his head. “No.”
The doctor poked and prodded with his fingertips on John’s arm. “Tell me if this hurts.”
John remained still, showing no sign of pain.
“We’ll X-ray the arm to make sure it healed.” Dr. Kappas turned to Lexie. “Will you order it, please?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Fine. Then we’re finished here.” He motioned to Lexie. “Nurse, would you please come with me?”
Lexie nodded, then touched John on the shoulder. “I’ll be back to check on you later.”
Once they were outside the door, the doctor changed his demeanor from professional to personal. “Nurse Smithfield, you are good with the patients.”
“Thank you, sir. I try to be.”
He peered at her face. “You know this man, this John Doe personally?”
Lexie frowned. “No, not at all. I don’t even know his real name.”
“Oh? John Doe is not his real name? Why do you call him that?”
Lexie realized the American custom of naming someone John Doe was unfamiliar to the doctor who hailed from another country, so she explained why they referred to the patient by the name.
“I see. Well, he appeared to be fond of you.”
Lexie leaned back to look at the doctor. “Fond of me? Why would you say that?”
“The way he looked at you. I saw … how do you say … admiration in his eyes.”
Her face heated with the oncoming blush. “I’m sorry, Doctor, but I think you are mistaken. The patient may appreciate my concern—nothing more.”
The doctor offered her a charming smile and shrugged. “You don’t see it? You should not underestimate your attraction, Nurse Smithfield. I can understand why any man would be captivated by you.” He tugged her elbow. “Do you have a few moments to join me for some refreshment?”
Lexie pulled her elbow away. “No, Doctor. I do not. My time is devoted to my patients.”
He drew back as if surprised by her reaction. “I see. Well, then, I will not interfere with your devotion. You should know I’m good friends with Dr. Henson, the Chief of Staff. I might be able to help you along with your degree.”
Lexie’s fingers withdrew the cross necklace she always wore tucked into her collar and fiddled with it while she listened to his suggestion that sounded like a threat and a bribe rolled into one. Dr. Kappas needed to be put in his place.
“Is that right?” Lexie said. “My grandfather was on the Board of Directors for the hospital when they hired Dr. Henson.” She didn’t like to flaunt her family’s background, but now seemed like a good time to do so.
The doctor paled, then crimson raced up his neck, turning his face red. He cleared his throat. “Well, perhaps we’ll run into each other in the hospital again.”
“Perhaps.” But not if she could help it.
The doctor headed toward the elevator and pushed the button, staring at the floor while he waited.
“Oh, Doctor?” Lexie called out.
“Yes?” He turned to her with a look of expectation.
“You have something red on your collar. You might want to wash that off before you run into anybody else.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Who was that man?” John Doe pushed himself up in the bed. “I haven’t seen him before.”
“Dr. Kappas, the doctor who removed your cast? He’s a new intern from Greece.”
John frowned. “I don’t like him.”
Lexie bit back her agreement. “Oh? Why not? Did he hurt you when he removed the cast?”
John shook his head. “No. I know his type, and I don�
�t like them.”
“His type?”
“Cocky. Thinks he’s a hotshot.”
Lexie stifled her laughter at John’s accurate assessment of the doctor, but she couldn’t help but smile. She’d never heard him talk so much. Maybe he was getting his memory back.
“He made a pass at you, didn’t he?” John searched her face, which was feeling hotter by the minute.
“Now, John, don’t get all worked up about the doctor. I doubt you’ll see him again.” At least not while she was on duty.
“Yeah? I hope you’re right.”
“So how does the arm feel?”
He raised and lowered the arm that had been in the cast. “It’s kind of weak but doesn’t hurt.”
“That’s good.” She extended her hand to his. “Here. Squeeze my hand, but not too hard.”
John responded with a firm but comfortable grip, and Lexie sensed warmth in his grasp as if he wanted to convey something more, and she gently slid her hand out.
“I’m very pleased with your progress, John Doe.”
His eyes sparked. “No.”
“No? No, what?”
“No, that’s not my name. I’m not John Doe.”
Lexie’s pulse quickened. “Do you remember your name?”
He nodded. “John Michael Walker. I knew John Doe wasn’t right, and I remembered. It’s John Michael Walker.”
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Mr. John Michael Walker. So your name really is John.”
“Yes, but nobody calls me John. People called me Mike.”
“Mike. Do you know what this means? We can find your family and notify them of your whereabouts. I bet they are worried sick.”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember them.”
“It’s okay. It’ll come to you.”
“Will you do me a favor?”
“Certainly. What would you like?”
“Would you sing that song again?”
“‘Amazing Grace.’”
“Yes, ‘Amazing Grace’. I think when I hear it, it reminds me of something, but I’m not sure what yet.”
“I’ll be happy to.”
Lexie went about her duties while singing the hymn, bubbling with excitement over Mike Walker’s realization of his name. She could just picture the happy reunion he would have with his family when they saw each other again. Or maybe with his girlfriend. Would he remember the rest of his history? Lord, please help him remember. Maybe hearing the hymn she sang would help. He said it reminded him of something, and that had to be a good sign.
