Read Online Summer's Passing by Randy Mixter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Randy Mixter
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when the sturdy, middle-aged,big-boned nurse entered the room.
"Ah, this must be Rebecca, I am Evelyn. So pleased to meet you." She shook Beckie's hand. Later, Beckie told me it was the only time Evelyn smiled.
From my porch sanctuary, I heard the worst of it as the session progressed. I knew it wouldn't be much fun for Beckie but, from the sounds of it, Evelyn also suffered.
The commotion was such that I found it interfered with my concentration. Trying to write a book under these circumstances was nearly impossible.
When Evelyn called me, I assumed it was to referee, but it turned out the therapy session had ended. Beckie sat in a chair sulking and Evelyn worked on tying long strands of her loose hair back into the tight bun she had worn when she entered. I stood a good distance away from both of them.
"Well now," Evelyn said, once she was presentable. "Where shall I start?"
"The boot," Beckie said.
"Rebecca will need to revisit the hospital to have her cast removed and replaced with a medical fracture boot. We both agree, in this case, that the cast is not necessary. I will set up an appointment with Doctor Reynolds this week."
Evelyn paused to run her hands down her skirt. I noticed wrinkles there I'd not seen previously.
"As far as our exercise regime is concerned, I believe Rebecca did well enough to limit my visits to once a week. She assures me that you will see to it she receives the proper amount of exercise. Is this the case?" She looked at me with eyes that seemed to plea please say yes .
"I can do it," I said.
"Very well then." Evelyn walked over to the kitchen table and opened a satchel she brought with her. "I'll need you to sign a release form."
She laid a paper on the table. "Please read it carefully. If you agree to the terms, please sign at the bottom."
I signed before I'd read it carefully. The tension in the room threatened to boil over at any second; the fine print be damned.
"Rebecca tells me you are qualified to administer therapy. Is this correct?" Evelyn asked.
I glanced at Beckie and saw her staring at me, lips pursed. There was no moonlight in her eyes now; just a you'd better give the right answer look.
"Yep, I can do it," I said with as much confidence as I could muster.
Evelyn reached deep into her satchel and yanked out another paper. "Here's what she needs to do on the six days I'm not here." She handed me the instructions. "Please try to follow them exactly as written. I understand this seems extreme for a leg fracture, but these methods are tried and tested."
With that, she snatched up her satchel and made for the front door. "Same time next week Rebecca. Call me with any questions." she said when safely at the threshold. "Let's try for more compliance at our next session, shall we?"
I closed the door behind her, and turned to Beckie.
"I didn't like the woman," Beckie said softly.
"You didn't have to like her, just listen to her. Did you do that?"
"Most of the time," came her reply.
"Well, don't expect any leniency from me." I looked at the instruction sheet. "What's this about Jumping Jacks?"
For the first time all morning, Beckie smiled. "I'll do the jumping jacks if I need to. I just want you to take care of me."
The tightness in her face had vanished. In its place was the Beckie of the night before, the Beckie with the moonlight in her eyes.
"Do you want some lunch?" I asked her.
"After a bit. Right now, I just want to lie down for a few minutes. Care to join me?"
"I'll have to check the sheet, but I don't believe that was one of the therapy activities," I said afterwards.
"It's on my sheet. The instructions Evelyn would certainly disapprove of."
"She did agree to a boot in place of the cast," I added.
"I wouldn't give her too much credit for that. My gut tells me they had a large amount of broken leg cases at the same time and simply ran out of boots."
I wanted to tell her she probably wouldn't like the boot any more than the cast, but
"Ah, this must be Rebecca, I am Evelyn. So pleased to meet you." She shook Beckie's hand. Later, Beckie told me it was the only time Evelyn smiled.
From my porch sanctuary, I heard the worst of it as the session progressed. I knew it wouldn't be much fun for Beckie but, from the sounds of it, Evelyn also suffered.
The commotion was such that I found it interfered with my concentration. Trying to write a book under these circumstances was nearly impossible.
When Evelyn called me, I assumed it was to referee, but it turned out the therapy session had ended. Beckie sat in a chair sulking and Evelyn worked on tying long strands of her loose hair back into the tight bun she had worn when she entered. I stood a good distance away from both of them.
"Well now," Evelyn said, once she was presentable. "Where shall I start?"
"The boot," Beckie said.
"Rebecca will need to revisit the hospital to have her cast removed and replaced with a medical fracture boot. We both agree, in this case, that the cast is not necessary. I will set up an appointment with Doctor Reynolds this week."
Evelyn paused to run her hands down her skirt. I noticed wrinkles there I'd not seen previously.
"As far as our exercise regime is concerned, I believe Rebecca did well enough to limit my visits to once a week. She assures me that you will see to it she receives the proper amount of exercise. Is this the case?" She looked at me with eyes that seemed to plea please say yes .
"I can do it," I said.
"Very well then." Evelyn walked over to the kitchen table and opened a satchel she brought with her. "I'll need you to sign a release form."
She laid a paper on the table. "Please read it carefully. If you agree to the terms, please sign at the bottom."
I signed before I'd read it carefully. The tension in the room threatened to boil over at any second; the fine print be damned.
"Rebecca tells me you are qualified to administer therapy. Is this correct?" Evelyn asked.
I glanced at Beckie and saw her staring at me, lips pursed. There was no moonlight in her eyes now; just a you'd better give the right answer look.
"Yep, I can do it," I said with as much confidence as I could muster.
Evelyn reached deep into her satchel and yanked out another paper. "Here's what she needs to do on the six days I'm not here." She handed me the instructions. "Please try to follow them exactly as written. I understand this seems extreme for a leg fracture, but these methods are tried and tested."
With that, she snatched up her satchel and made for the front door. "Same time next week Rebecca. Call me with any questions." she said when safely at the threshold. "Let's try for more compliance at our next session, shall we?"
I closed the door behind her, and turned to Beckie.
"I didn't like the woman," Beckie said softly.
"You didn't have to like her, just listen to her. Did you do that?"
"Most of the time," came her reply.
"Well, don't expect any leniency from me." I looked at the instruction sheet. "What's this about Jumping Jacks?"
For the first time all morning, Beckie smiled. "I'll do the jumping jacks if I need to. I just want you to take care of me."
The tightness in her face had vanished. In its place was the Beckie of the night before, the Beckie with the moonlight in her eyes.
"Do you want some lunch?" I asked her.
"After a bit. Right now, I just want to lie down for a few minutes. Care to join me?"
"I'll have to check the sheet, but I don't believe that was one of the therapy activities," I said afterwards.
"It's on my sheet. The instructions Evelyn would certainly disapprove of."
"She did agree to a boot in place of the cast," I added.
"I wouldn't give her too much credit for that. My gut tells me they had a large amount of broken leg cases at the same time and simply ran out of boots."
I wanted to tell her she probably wouldn't like the boot any more than the cast, but
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