The Wells Brothers: Blue

by Angela Verdenius

  “That I’m dangerously close to being a female.”

  Charley laughed, little lines fanning out from the corners of her eyes, a testament to the fact that she laughed often. “No one could think of you as even a teeny-tiny bit female.”

  “I’m eating junk food, telling sad stories. Men guzzle beer with their mates and tough it out. What does that tell you?”

  “That you’re human. But right now you don’t have any mates around, there’s only me. I won’t tell if you don’t.”

  The waitress arrived again, this time bearing two round trays containing pizza which she placed in the middle of the table. Pulling two sets of knives and forks from her pockets, she set them beside the pizzas and left.

  Blue and Charley regarded each other across the trays.

  “Are you going to chicken out on me?” she demanded.

  “Nope.” He jerked a thumb in the direction the waitress had taken. “Just waiting for the rest of the food so we can talk in peace.”

  “Ah. Good plan.”

  The waitress returned with two plates and two baskets of garlic bread. Placing them on the table, she left again. They heaped up their plates with food.

  Taking a bite of garlic bread, Blue chewed and swallowed before beginning. “So, Shona is an air hostess, flies all over Australia. Her eventual plan is to fly overseas as well.”

  Eating the cheese and garlic pizza, Charley nodded interestedly.

  “I met her on my last trip home, we hit it off, started going out. She Skyped me a few times, emailed. Tonight was our first date in quite a few months.” Blue sighed.

  “You made plans.”

  “Yeah. Fancy restaurant, flowers, night out then a night in getting reacquainted.”

  “Nice plan.” She nodded approvingly.

  “Only Shona told me she wanted to stay home, and I thought…” Frowning, he picked up a slice of pizza, silently cursing as a hot slick of cheese burned his thumb. Readjusting his hold, he watched the steam coil up from the delicious topping. “I thought she wanted to get all cosy. Turns out she didn’t.”

  Taking a bite of the cheese and garlic pizza, Charley nodded encouragingly.

  Remembering how it felt, that sense of déjà vu, Blue grimaced. “She obviously didn’t want to break the news in a restaurant that she was breaking up with me. Probably thought I’d make a scene.”

  “You don’t make scenes.”

  Not even wondering how she could possibly know, Blue took a careful bite of pizza. The cheese, bacon, chicken and barbecue sauce spilled warmly onto his tongue, and he spent a couple of seconds enjoying the taste before resuming the story. “Maybe she thought I’d cry and beg, embarrass her.”

  “Not your style.”

  “Nah, it’s not. I leave that kind of thing for when we’re alone.”

  In the process of taking another bite of pizza, Charley paused.

  “I didn’t,” he assured her. “Cry and beg, that is.”

  “Okay. Not that that would be a bad thing,” she added quickly. “When you love someone-”

  “Whoa, whoa.” He held up a hand. “We are - were - close. Love? Not sure about that, to be honest. We hadn’t spent a whole lot of time together.”

  “Oh. Okay. Sorry. That was presumptuous of me.”

  “Nah, it’s all good. Still hurt, though, I won’t lie. Being told it’s all over, it won’t work, she doesn’t want to be waiting around for me, only seeing me now and again.” Blue shook his head, grabbed a chunk of garlic bread. “Story of my life.”

  “It’s happened before?”

  “I’d recount the number of times but then I’d be crying into my Coke.”

  “Duly noted.” She nodded. “Back to Shona, what about her job? She’s flying from place to place, so she’s not always home either.” Charley waved her pizza around a little as she made this point.

  “She’s home more than me.”

  “But she knew what you did for a living before deciding to go out with you.”

  “Yeah. Well, after she hadn’t seen me for months and realised that this might be part of her life for good, she obviously decide she wasn’t prepared to accept that.” Blue dispiritedly took a mouthful of Coke.

  Man, was this always going to be the way for him? Why did some of his mates have happy marriages, wives and partners waiting for them back home? How did they make it work? Maybe it was him. Maybe he expected too much. Maybe there wasn’t a Ying to his Yang or whatever the hell it was. Maybe he didn’t have a missing piece to his puzzle. Maybe he didn’t have a lifeboat in this ocean of life and was doomed to sail alone.

  Maybe he should get his head out of his arse and try to look on the bright side.

  Refocussing his attention on his companion, he opened his mouth to crack a joke, only to ask instead, “Why don’t you sheilas want to wait?”

  Oh shit! He immediately cringed inside. Oh shit, did I really just ask her that? Instantly he stammered, “I didn’t…I shouldn’t have…It’s just that it’s happened to me several times and…Charley, I’m sorry…Bugger it!” Lowering the chunk of garlic bread, he braced himself for a mouthful of well-deserved abuse.

  Charley calmly swallowed a mouthful of Diet Coke, wiped her lips with a napkin and contemplated him.

  You just stuffed up a perfectly good evening. Mentally steeling himself, Blue met her gaze squarely. Take it on the chin, mate.

  Waiting for the verbal blasting, he watched in astonishment as she gave a genteel little burp behind her fist.

  “Sorry,” she said. “It’s the gas in the drink.”

  That wasn’t what he was astonished about. “Yeah, no worries.”

  “Okay.” Thoughtfully, she swirled the glass, the soft drink fizzing inside at the movement. “So, here’s the thing, Blue.”

  Oh yeah, it was coming. He braced.

  “It’s not all sheilas who don’t want to wait. If that was the case, then there wouldn’t be a married man left in the forces, would there?”

  “Well, no, but-”

  “And there are men who don’t want to wait for their women in the forces either, right?”

  “Well…I hadn’t thought about it, to be honest.”

  “What you’re really asking, is why won’t the sheilas wait for you?”

  “Did I offend you with the ‘sheila’ part?”

  “Honey, if you’d offended me, you’d be picking pizza out of your ears by now.” Charley gestured to him with the glass. “Have you ever thought that maybe you just haven’t met the right woman willing to wait for you?”

  Well, that was pretty bloody obvious.

  She was unbothered by his frown. “You had a lucky escape.”

  He snorted. “You think?”

  “You split up with someone you don’t love. How much harder would it have been if you were head-over-heels for her?”

  “Yeah.” All right, he had to agree with that, so he nodded. “But-”

  “And what if you’d had kids? Or were married to her? She owned half your house?” Charley shook her head. “What if you’d been overseas serving in some dangerous country, almost getting your head shot off, and you came back to camp and she dumped you over Skype?”

  “I think I get the picture-”

  “A ‘Dear John’ letter.”

  “Okay, I do get the picture.”

  “I hope you do.” She shook a finger at him. “Blue Wells, you are a good man. One day your soul mate will walk right up to you and you won’t know what hit you.”

  “Hopefully not her fist.”

  “I’m serious. A man like you has a perfect match out there.”

  He was surprised at her confidence. “You really believe that?”

  “Hell, yeah.” She grinned widely at him. “Plus, you know, you’re drop-dead gorgeous.”

  His jaw dropped.

  “And you’re cute when you’re stunned.”

  He couldn’t help it. Mischief danced in her eyes, those apple cheeks tinted pink, lush lips curving teasingly. Blu
e laughed.

  Hell yeah, he suddenly felt a whole lot better.

  Appetite returning with a vengeance, he grabbed another slice of pizza. “Gary’s a dick to let you go. His loss, some other man’s gain.”

  “Pfft.” She flicked her fingers. “Maybe I’ll just keep my single status.”

  “Be a loss to mankind.”

  “And my legs crossed.”

  Blue choked.

  “My feminine delights will no more delight any male of the species.”

  He had to cough into a napkin, tears filling his eyes as he reached for his Coke, found his glass empty and snagged hers instead, draining it in two long gulps.

  When he finally got his breath back, Charley said earnestly, “I think the waitress is eyeing you off. How do you feel about taking on a cougar?”

  Jesus. He followed her mischievous glance to find the middle-aged waitress looking at him from across the room, shaking her head disapprovingly. Turning back to Charley, he saw the silent laughter dancing in her eyes.

  “You,” he said sternly, “are going to be the death of me.”

  “Awww.” She cooed, then pretended to seriously contemplate the issue. “Nah, I can’t do that. Where will I live if you die?”

  He pointed at the pizza. “Just eat your food, imp.”

  She winked and resumed eating.

  Relaxing, he grinned back at her.

  As they ate in companionable silence, he slowly realised that his tension had eased. Funnily enough, he felt a whole hell of a lot better. To be truthful, he had a lot of blessings. A job he liked, a family he loved, friends back at base, and now - yep, a woman he now considered a friend. He had a lot to be thankful for.

  His pity party was over.

  Pushing aside the unpleasant experience with Shona, he focussed on enjoying his holidays and time with family.

  “Oh yeah,” Charley commented casually. “I forgot number seven.”

  Blue stopped eating. Shit, what else had Gary done to her?

  Correctly interpreting his expression, she added quickly, “Not him. I locked myself out of the house.”

  “You what? When?”

  “Last night.”

  “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “I left my mobile in the house.”

  “So how did you get in?” A thought occurred to him. “You did get in, didn’t you?”

  “Oh yeah. This security guard came around.”

  “Aaron’s monitoring camera. They saw you.” Blue relaxed.

  “Man named Ryan.”

  “Oh boy.”

  “Scary bloke.”

  “Know what you mean.”

  ~*~

  “Percy, you need to take this tablet.”

  The elderly man screwed up his face.

  “It’s for your heart.”

  “Nothing wrong with it.”

  “Oh, but there is. It beats really fast.” Charley held up the tablet and glass of water. “This helps slow it down.”

  “Slow it down and it’ll stop.”

  “No, it’ll just work better.”

  “Pshaw!” He turned his head the other way.

  Charley exchanged a wry glance with Rita, the Nursing Assistant.

  Rita had a try, bending down to coax him. “Come on, Percy. You told me this morning that you were trying to impress the nurses.”

  “Not this one,” he sniffed.

  Charley grinned.

  “But she’s our only RN right now,” Rita said.

  “Then the people should hire more.”

  “The other RN is sick. Poor old Charley has to do it on her own.”

  Percy cast Charley a suspicious glance. “I don’t know this nurse.”

  He’d known her since she’d started working in the nursing home three years ago, but his lack of recognition wasn’t surprising considering his advancing Dementia.

  Didn’t phase her one bit. She held out her hand. “I’m Charley. I’m working here today.”

  Percy looked from her face to her hand before gingerly closing his fingers around hers, giving an extra squeeze just to let her know he wasn’t to be fooled with. “I’m Percy.”

  “Hi, Percy. I’m really trying to make a good impression on the manager so I can keep my job and buy food. Can you help me?”

  “By doing what?”

  “Taking your medicine?” She smiled winningly. “Please?”

  He eyed it suspiciously.

  “Doctor Willows will be coming to see you tomorrow. I’ve got to be able to tell him that everyone is having their medicine as he prescribed.”

  “He’s a quack.”

  “Yes, he is,” she agreed solemnly, then winked and nudged him with her elbow. “But we won’t say that to his face, will we?”

  It was just the right thing to say. Percy leaned forward conspiratorially while she obligingly lowered her head close to his.

  “He’s a wanker,” Percy informed her.

  “Absolutely.”

  Rita choked back a laugh.

  “Says I can’t have chocolate.”

  The doctor had never said any such thing, but she wasn’t going to argue. Instead, she saw a way to encourage Percy to take his medicine. “Tell you what, you swallow that tablet and I’ll buy you some chocolate.”

  “You will?”

  “Cross my heart.” She did the gesture.

  “Okay then.” He popped the tablet in his mouth, swallowing it with several sips of water.

  “Thank you so much, Percy.”

  Turning away, she completed doing the medication round in the dining room, well aware that by the time she finished he wouldn’t remember her or the chocolate episode, but regardless, she’d still bring him some chocolate.

  Finally finished, she left the house, using the coded lock to go out into the corridor, ensuring the door had locked behind her so that none of the wandering residents could get out.

  Many people would consider a locked premises abhorrent for keeping residents safe, but those working with people with Dementia knew full well the dangers of wanderers who had no realisation of dangers. Getting the balance between dignity, freedom and safety was taken seriously by the nursing home. The gardens were fenced in, but there were paths to wander, blooming plants, seats to sit on, just as the big Dementia wing was built in a huge square shape with the rooms coming off the corridors either side, enabling the residents to walk freely around the whole inside square.

  Crossing into the main corridor, Charley turned into the office and sat down to update the handover sheets for the next shift. She’d only just finished when Bev arrived.

  “Anything new?” Bev dropped down in the chair opposite.

  “And hi to you, too.” Charley slid the updated handover sheets to her. “You want me to handover twice?”

  “Huh?”

  “Once to you, then again when the other nurses come on?”

  “Don’t be a bitch.”

  “Because you’re so special and everything?”

  Bev flipped her the bird.

  “So glad you understand,” Charley said.

  Bev grinned. “So, anything exciting happen?”

  “I want to keep you in suspense.”

  “Ooh, I can’t wait.”

  The sound of voices heralded the arrival of the other nurses, and within minutes four nurses aids and three ENs also stood at the table.

  Bev flourished the handover sheets. “Now you can put me out of my misery.”

  “That’s a loaded suggestion,” Hal said. “Can I volunteer to do it?”

  “How about I volunteer you for a double shift?” Bev shot back.

  “How about I just keep my mouth shut?”

  “Like he could.” Jackie grinned.

  “I hear you, sister,” Bev agreed.

  “Is this sexual discrimination?” Hal asked. “I think it might be. I think I’m being discriminated against because I’m a bloke.”

  “No, you’re a moron, and there’s no discriminating that,” Ja
ckie replied. “In my opinion everyone’s a moron, so don’t feel left out or important.”

  “Wow,” said Bev. “There’re a lot of insults flying around this afternoon.”

  At Jackie’s inquiring gaze, Charley waved languidly. “Bev thinks she’s special enough to get handover first, then I can repeat myself to everyone else.”

  “That’s Bev all right,” Hal said.

  “I hear you,” Jackie agreed.

  Bev rolled her eyes.

  “Righto.” Pushing aside amusement, Charley picked up the handover sheet. “Let’s get going so the others can knock-off.”

  Flicking the cap neatly off the pen with more enthusiasm than skill, Bev switched to serious mode as did everyone else.

  “In Belvis House, Mavis got a skin tear but I’ve realigned the skin and dressed it as per the wound care plan. David in Harrington House has a UTI. I’ve done a UA, obtained an MSU, and Dr Harper has already started him on OABs even though the results won’t be back straight away, but we’re treating it anyway as that UA had lots of nasties in it. Vonnie in Lakeside House has that rash back, so make sure we get that cream applied before she goes to bed. Apart from that, there’s nothing new for any of the residents in the High Care section.”

  “Okay, everyone, hit the houses,” Bev instructed. “Page me if you need me. Hal, I’ll be around to check on Vonnie’s rash, get a visual so I know if it starts to spread.”

  “Gotcha.” Hal saluted.

  As the nurses filed out, Charley took a sip of the lukewarm tea by her elbow.

  “Who’s on in Karlos House, the Dementia wing?” Bev queried.

  “Farrah was heading it this morning,” Charley replied. “Neville was in charge at Court House, the Low Care unit.” She proceeded to give handover for both other sections, knowing Neville and Farrah would hand over to the on-coming nurses.

  When she’d finished, Bev tapped the pen against her bottom lip as she studied the handover sheets closely. “Staffing all good for this afternoon and tonight?”

  “No one has reported in sick, everyone is here. Hopefully you’ll have a good shift.”

  “One lives in constant hope.” Bev stretched and yawned before standing. “Okay, I better get stuck into things. Man, everyone thinks being the RN is easy.”

  “One RN to the whole nursing home is tough at times,” Charley agreed. “But at least we have good ENs and nursing aides.”