Wheels of Steel, Book 2 (6 page)

“It’s Robin. How are you feeling?”

“Robin?” The woman croaked. It was as if she hadn’t used her voice in days.

Robin reached out and took her hand. “Yes ma’ame. It’s me. I told you I’d come and visit you.” Miss Lucille tried to sit up in bed and Robin quickly found the controls and lifted the bed slightly. She plumped the pillows. She seemed so weak and frail. Robin didn’t even think that she could have made it out to the living room in the condition that she was currently in.

Robin quickly brought a chair over to the bed and reached for the elderly lady’s hand again. This time Miss Lucille was smiling.

“Robin. You came to visit.”

“I brought you muffins. We can eat them after dinner if you like.”

She stared off into the distance for a moment. “Robin came by, you know. She brought me the most wonderful muffins. We sat in played cards…” The woman wheezed and coughed a wet sounding, nasty thing, but nothing came up, it just rattled in her chest. Robin felt hot and cold as she realized that Miss Lucille was already creating a fantasy about her visit today. She felt sad that she hadn’t come earlier.

The door opened then and the nurse returned holding a small covered tray. She placed it on a rolling table and positioned it in front of Miss Lucille.

“Would it be okay if I feed her?” Robin asked. “I’d like to spend some time with her.” What she didn’t add was that she wanted time ALONE with her.

“Certainly. Just ring this buzzer if you need anything.” She turned to Miss Lucille and talked in a loud voice. “I’m going to leave you with your friend now, Miss Babb. I’ll be back later.” Miss Lucille did not even acknowledge the woman who disappeared right after.

Robin lifted the lid from the tray and saw that Miss Lucille was on a liquid diet. There was broth and jello, as well as a cup of lukewarm tea with sweetener. Robin carefully offered her a spoon of broth which Miss Lucille accepted absently. Between bites of food, the elderly woman talked about her visitors which included her son, grandkids, Robin and the lady from her mysterious bridge club.

After dinner Robin asked Miss Lucille if she needed to use the bathroom. She seemed to think for a while.

“I don’t remember…” Robin pulled the sheets down from the bed and was immediately hit with a bad odor. Miss Lucille was wearing an adult diaper which was in need of changing.

“Miss Lucille…when was the last time you had a bath?”

She seemed confused. “I don’t know.” Robin covered her and checked the I.V. that was set in the back of her other hand. They were giving her some type of pain medicine along with the fluids; it was the only explanation for why she was suddenly so out of it.

Robin went about the room locating a fresh gown, another adult diaper and a basin that she promptly filled with warm water from the adjourning bathroom. This, too, seemed to have never been used. Robin found a wash cloth, towels and a bar of soap and then set up the things on the table that had held the food.

“Miss Lucille, I’m going to wash you, okay? You’ll feel better after that.”

“Yes.”

Robin gently stroked the older woman’s white hair. There was one braid that had apparently been in place for days if not longer. Robin gently undid the tangled braid and finger combed her hair before placing a towel beneath her head. She didn’t know how one was supposed to wash a person’s hair from bed but figured it had to go into the basin so this is what she did. She used the wash cloth to gently stroke Miss Lucille’s wet hair and used the bar of soap instead of shampoo. Miss Lucille closed her eyes and seemed to enjoy the feel of Robin’s gentle hands in her hair.

Once she felt her hair was clean, Robin gently dried it with the towel and located her own comb from her purse and combed her hair working out any knots. Then she placed a neat braid in the woman’s hair and dumped the basin of water, replacing it with fresh water.

She used the controls to sit the bed straight up and she lowered the top of the woman’s gown and thoroughly washed her limbs and upper body. She was alarmed at how much weight Miss Lucille had lost. She had already been very thin, but now she was emaciated. Robin put on a fresh gown and then lowered the bed. She found a fresh, clean sheet and covered her upper body with it and then removed the covering from her lower body.

The odor coming from her body was unpleasant.

“How is your son, doing?” Robin asked even though they had spent much of their visit talking about him.

“He’s so busy-” and she explained about all of his demanding patients while Robin got rid of the diaper. She cleaned her. Miss Lucille’s legs were bent slightly at the knees and when Robin tried to part them the older woman winced.

“Did I hurt you?” She asked apologetically.

“Sore.” Was the response she received.

Robin gently tried to straighten her limbs and part her legs and when they were finally spread Robin looked up and met the elderly woman’s eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Miss Lucille whispered. “I tried to take a bath but I was too tired...It’s pretty bad I know.”

Robin smiled. “Nothing that a good washing won’t fix.” She lied. In the creases where her thighs met her pelvis were sores that were bloody and raw. The smell was worse than Mr. Baker’s and she felt suddenly ashamed that she had treated that man as disdainfully as someone had apparently treated Miss Lucille. She washed the elderly woman three times before the smell faded. She changed the basin with each washing. When she turned the older woman onto her side to get her backside she saw more sores, even worse. Each time Robin went into the bathroom to change out the water she cried. And then she straightened her face, plastered on a smile and went back out to wash her more.

By the time Miss Lucille was fresh and clean, Robin was exhausted. She changed the sheets, being careful to roll the woman gently to her side so that she could get the fresh ones beneath her. And then she lowered her gown, smoothing it into place. Miss Lucille was dozing and Robin looked around the small, neat room. There was no television in the bedroom. She went to the living room and unplugged the small appliance and placed it on the dresser. There was no cable line so Robin turned it to a local channel where the news was currently broadcasting. She found the remote control and placed it beneath the sleeping woman’s hand.

“I’ll come back.” She said, not sure if Miss Lucille had heard her. She smoothed her hair, reluctant to leave. But it was getting late and she needed to get to Jason. Before her visit with the Miss Lucille she had gone home and bathed, changed and packed a small bag which she would leave in her trunk. Now she was happy that she had done that. Robin picked up the uneaten sack of muffins and placed them back on the table so that Miss Lucille wouldn’t miss them. Maybe they would let her eat one.

After a long time of just standing there doing nothing Robin finally left. She went down the elevator and walked to the front desk.

“I need to see that nurse.” He rang for the woman that had led Robin to Miss Lucille’s room. She was coming from outside where Robin saw her squashing out a cigarette before entering the lobby.

“Are you finished with your visit?” She asked pleasantly.

“For now.” Robin said shortly. “I had to give her a bath.” The nurse’s mouth opened and closed. Her eyes wouldn’t meet Robin’s. “And I had to change her diaper….and her sheets. She was filthy! Her hair hasn’t been washed in weeks-”

The nurse’s nice mask finally slid free and she gave Robin a cold look. “With all due respect, you’re not family-”

“You don’t know what I am.” Robin said calmly. “What you need to concern yourself with is the bed sores that’s between her legs and on her backside.”

“We’re aware of those and have been treating her-”

“Not when she is laying in her own filth!” Several people turned to look at them and the man from the front desk came over to them.

“Is there a problem?” Robin just watched the nurse who finally just lowered her eyes.

“I’ll take care of that.” The woman said discreetly.

“Please do, before my next visit.” Robin turned and walked away without another word. She was seething, shaking. Pinnacle might be assholes, but the aids had taken care of Miss Lucille, much better than this place had!

Chapter 4

When Robin arrived at Jason’s, even the idea of seeing him couldn’t elevate her spirits. She was tired and wanted to crawl into her bed, cover her head with her pillow and fall into a deep, empty sleep. She wanted to cry and she wanted to fight someone. But then Jason opened the door wearing a big smile on his face and standing on his crutches. Even in her funk she couldn’t help but to return his smile.

“We really have to get you a key, Sweetheart.” She closed the door behind her and gave him a kiss, lingering into it. He hugged her and she sighed, leaning her head against his chest.

“I’m tired and hungry. Let’s think about dinner so that I can sit down and rest.”

He pulled back and looked at her. “What have you been up to?”

“Oh…I’m too tired to explain right now. I’ll tell you in a minute.” She was really mentally and physically exhausted. He gestured with his head to the reclining chair. “Sit down, Sweetheart. We can just order something for dinner.”

“Are you sure?” She sank into the comfortable chair and felt the tension ease out of her body.

“Yep.” He walked to the kitchen for several menus. “Hmmm, pizza…we got pizza, and guess what; pizza!”

She smiled. “How about…pizza?”

“Good choice.” He named several pizza restaurants and she chose one that she knew served chef salads. Jason quickly placed the order and then he went to his wheelchair and sat in it. He wheeled to her and gently lifted her feet.

“What’s wrong, baby?” He removed her shoes and rubbed her feet.

“Mmmm….” She hummed. “That feels good. I should be rubbing your feet. I get paid to take care of you-”

“Stop changing the subject. What’s wrong?”

She sighed. “Remember my first client?”

“The old lady?”

“Yeah.”

“She okay?”

Robin explained about her visit and the condition that she had found the woman in. Jason’s expression had taken on a sad cast.

“Unfortunately things like that happen all of the time, and not just to the elderly. People with handicaps like mine are just…left…unattended all of the time.”

Robin watched him. “Did…that ever happen to you?” Of all of the things that they had discussed, Jason had never broached the subject of his childhood neglect. There were very few fond memories that he had of his childhood and to him, no reason to dredge up unpleasant memories.

“Yes,” he said neutrally. Robin sat up straight.

“What happened to you?”

“I had some aids that didn’t do their jobs half as well as you do.” He smiled slightly at her. “And the past is the past. Now the question is what are you going to do with the information that you have?”

“I’m pretty sure that she knows I have her number and she’s going to be more careful. I just need to make sure to visit on a regular basis. I’d tell her son, but…it’s not like he really cares.” She wasn’t saying that she thought Bentley didn’t love his mother. She just thought that his love was that distant thing that people had for those that were too much effort or trouble. Sometimes that type of love was easy to put on the back shelf. Robin definitely thought that Bentley had placed his mother on the back shelf.

The food arrived and Jason paid for it. Robin offered to pay half but he dismissed her offer with a wave of his hand. They sat down with pizza and salad and had a comfortable conversation that did not include neglect or abuse. There were no dishes to do so Robin wiped everything down while Jason worked at his studio. She sat on the couch and listened to him digging for breaks, every once in a while he would explain the origins of a beat or she would ask him to play something again, but soon his deep concentration lent to her nodding off on the couch.

She was awakened when he cut off the lights and she sat up quickly and looked around the darkened room. Her eyes latched on to the hands of the clock; eleven pm!

“Oh god, Jason! I’m so sorry!” She leaped to her feet and began to wring her hands.

“What are you sorry about?” He asked giving her a curious look. He was now in his wheelchair and was just turning off the computer equipment.

“I swore that I would never fall asleep on you again.”

He smiled. “That’s a promise you’ll have to break; because I really enjoy when you sleep on me.”