alternatives were so clear, but when she paused to consider the story that the checkbook told, it made perfect sense. There was a depth to the young woman's character that she would not have believed still existed in the modern age where so many people seemed more than ready to accept anything the state or government offered, whether they deserved it or not.
"Don't think of it as charity, Rose. I don't."
"What do you think of it as?" she asked curiously. Before Veronica could answer, another blast of intense pain shot through the young woman, causing her face to screw up with agony. "Oh God, it hurts," she hissed. "It hurts so much." Tears began to stream down her face and she reached for the offending limbs. "Make it stop, please make it stop hurting," she begged.
Unable to take the pain away, Veronica did the only thing she could think of. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Rose into a tight embrace, unmindful of the tears that soaked her silk blouse. It did not matter. Nothing mattered except trying to help the incredibly brave young woman get through this. "It's okay, Rose. I've got you," she murmured into the golden hair while her hand gently rubbed up and down the bare back exposed by the hospital gown.
"It hurts…it won't stop hurting…oh God, please make it stop, make it stop hurting so much," Rose sobbed, her grip around Veronica's neck tightening. The strong arms wrapped around her offered comfort, something which had almost never been offered to the young woman before, and Rose accepted it gratefully.
"I'm sorry, Rose, I'm so sorry," Veronica whispered over and over, feeling her own emotions threatening to come forth in empathy for the young woman's pain, pain caused by her actions on that fateful night. "It's gonna be all right. Shhh…okay now, it's all right." She continued to make shushing noises and hold Rose as the sobbing continued. Mercifully the nurse arrived a few minutes later and gave the injured woman a shot that brought on an uneasy sleep. Veronica remained for quite a while, watching Rose sleep and wishing that there was something, anything that she could do to remove the damage she had done to the courageous young woman.
*****************
Rose awoke several hours later to find herself alone. She pressed the call button for the nurse.
"What do you need, deary?" The dark skinned woman said as she entered.
"Nothing really, " Rose replied, embarrassed about having pressed the button just to see another face. It had been four days since she was brought in and the only people she ever saw were hospital personnel and Ronnie.
"Well, I'm glad you're awake," the nurse replied. "It's time to check your vitals."
"Do you know what time Miss Cartwright left?" the blonde woman asked just before the thermometer found its way into her mouth.
"Would that be your friend that was here earlier?" Rose nodded. "She left shortly after I went on duty so I'd say about an hour or so ago. She left you a note."
It was only then that Rose saw the cream colored paper folded in half sitting on her bed tray. She reached for it but her arms were not long enough. The nurse handed it to her before wrapping the black blood pressure cuff around her upper arm. Rose let the note lay on her chest until the nurse was done, preferring to read it in private. She grimaced as the cuff constricted more and more around her small arm. When she thought it could not possibly get any tighter she heard the hiss of the air being released. "Fine. Your pressure is good and your temperature is normal. At this rate you'll be out of here in no time." The nurse removed the Velcro fastened cuff and made a notation on the chart. "Your dinner will be here shortly and I'll be back later to check on you."
"Thank you." Rose smiled, she had been put back on solid food the day before and her appetite had returned stronger than ever.
Once the nurse was gone Rose picked up the note and unfolded it. There on Cartwright letterhead
"Don't think of it as charity, Rose. I don't."
"What do you think of it as?" she asked curiously. Before Veronica could answer, another blast of intense pain shot through the young woman, causing her face to screw up with agony. "Oh God, it hurts," she hissed. "It hurts so much." Tears began to stream down her face and she reached for the offending limbs. "Make it stop, please make it stop hurting," she begged.
Unable to take the pain away, Veronica did the only thing she could think of. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Rose into a tight embrace, unmindful of the tears that soaked her silk blouse. It did not matter. Nothing mattered except trying to help the incredibly brave young woman get through this. "It's okay, Rose. I've got you," she murmured into the golden hair while her hand gently rubbed up and down the bare back exposed by the hospital gown.
"It hurts…it won't stop hurting…oh God, please make it stop, make it stop hurting so much," Rose sobbed, her grip around Veronica's neck tightening. The strong arms wrapped around her offered comfort, something which had almost never been offered to the young woman before, and Rose accepted it gratefully.
"I'm sorry, Rose, I'm so sorry," Veronica whispered over and over, feeling her own emotions threatening to come forth in empathy for the young woman's pain, pain caused by her actions on that fateful night. "It's gonna be all right. Shhh…okay now, it's all right." She continued to make shushing noises and hold Rose as the sobbing continued. Mercifully the nurse arrived a few minutes later and gave the injured woman a shot that brought on an uneasy sleep. Veronica remained for quite a while, watching Rose sleep and wishing that there was something, anything that she could do to remove the damage she had done to the courageous young woman.
*****************
Rose awoke several hours later to find herself alone. She pressed the call button for the nurse.
"What do you need, deary?" The dark skinned woman said as she entered.
"Nothing really, " Rose replied, embarrassed about having pressed the button just to see another face. It had been four days since she was brought in and the only people she ever saw were hospital personnel and Ronnie.
"Well, I'm glad you're awake," the nurse replied. "It's time to check your vitals."
"Do you know what time Miss Cartwright left?" the blonde woman asked just before the thermometer found its way into her mouth.
"Would that be your friend that was here earlier?" Rose nodded. "She left shortly after I went on duty so I'd say about an hour or so ago. She left you a note."
It was only then that Rose saw the cream colored paper folded in half sitting on her bed tray. She reached for it but her arms were not long enough. The nurse handed it to her before wrapping the black blood pressure cuff around her upper arm. Rose let the note lay on her chest until the nurse was done, preferring to read it in private. She grimaced as the cuff constricted more and more around her small arm. When she thought it could not possibly get any tighter she heard the hiss of the air being released. "Fine. Your pressure is good and your temperature is normal. At this rate you'll be out of here in no time." The nurse removed the Velcro fastened cuff and made a notation on the chart. "Your dinner will be here shortly and I'll be back later to check on you."
"Thank you." Rose smiled, she had been put back on solid food the day before and her appetite had returned stronger than ever.
Once the nurse was gone Rose picked up the note and unfolded it. There on Cartwright letterhead
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