Page 13 of Firefighter Midlife Wolf

Well, at least she could beat her to the punch. She called the office on speaker and set the phone on the console. “Hey, Rebecca. It’s Jessica. I had a bit of a problem on my last visit.”

“What happened?”

Jessica recounted the conversation she’d had with Darcy in the kitchen. “She actually asked me to convince Ms. Muldoon to sign over power of attorney. I told her I wouldn’t do that, and she wasn’t very happy with me. You’ll probably be getting a call from her. She said she wanted a different nurse to come out from now on.”

Rebecca snorted. “Just as you told her, that’s Ms. Muldoon’s choice. Even if this Darcy gives me a call, she doesn’t have any say in the matter unless I hear from the patient herself.”

A bit of relief washed over Jessica’s shoulders. She knew she was good at her job but was still new. She hadn’t known how her boss would’ve handled the situation. “That’s good to know. I stayed calm, but she really got my hackles up when she started speaking about the patient as though she wasn’t really a person.”

“You did the right thing,” Rebecca replied, and the sound of a clacking keyboard came through the line. She was putting notes in on Verna’s account. “Unfortunately, we see this a lot. People get greedy when they think their loved ones are about to pass. Sometimes, they want to hurry the situation along and take control of assets ahead of time, and other times, we see family members literally fighting with each other over money or assets right in front of the patient. It’s ridiculous, but it’s not uncommon.”

Jessica glanced in the rearview mirror. She could no longer see the senior living complex, and it wouldn’t be long before she was home. Everything should be okay now, but she knew Darcy was still back there with Verna. “What should I do? I’m concerned about having left the two of them together. They don’t seem to get along very well.”

“There’s not much you can do,” Rebecca said. “Take care of your patient. Pay attention. Do your job. Beyond that, stick to your guns. This woman might not like it, but that’s her problem.”

“All right. Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jessica hung up. Everything was going to be okay. Her boss understood, and she had no concerns about this incident affecting her job. Theoretically, she could leave her workday behind and enjoy a nice, calm evening at home. Paige was at Brandon’s house, and though that was tough for her, Jessica was learning to take advantage of those times. That was when she could thoroughly clean the house or balance her checkbook without any guilt about taking time away from Paige. If she were caught up, she could head out for a night with friends. No matter what she decided to do, though, Jessica knew she’d still be worried about Verna.

7

“What’s your schedule like this week?” Hayden sat on the edge of the couch while talking to Maura on the phone, too tense to lean back into the cushions. His mental burden had only been getting worse, even though Jack was getting better. He glanced up at his son.

Jack was playing a video game with his headset on, coordinating with other players. Sometimes, Hayden heard nothing but the clicking of controller buttons; other times, he’d heard Jack calling out a location or celebrating a good shot. “Yes! Right over there on that hilltop. I’m across from you.”

“I’ll send you a screenshot,” Maura replied, sounding distracted. Her job as an IT supervisor had always taken up a lot of her time and focus. “I’d already used up a lot of my vacation time earlier in the year, so I’m starting to run low. How about you?”

“It’s tough right now. I took off that initial week, but our fire calls have really been up. I’m tempted to take off work completely, but it will leave the department short.” Hayden had been struggling to find the right balance ever since Jack came home from the hospital and settled in. His obligations were tugging him in too many different directions. He needed to take care of Jack. He had to work, both for money and because people depended on him in times of trouble. Everyone else was always telling him to rest. Even when he tried, he didn’t do a very good job of it. “My dad and Pierce have adjusted their schedules a bit so they can be with him when I’m not.”

“Yeah, Jack mentioned that. I can call my sister and see if she’s available, but you know how she is. She might be a bit much for him.”

Hayden rubbed his forehead, grateful that he didn’t have to deal with Shannon anymore now that he and Maura were divorced. His former sister-in-law had been a theater major at a community college, and her goal in life seemed to be finding the drama in everything. Her over-the-top personality had embarrassed Jack more than once when she’d come to school events. “Yeah, but it’s better than not having anyone here.”

“No, you missed!” Jack grumbled into his headset. “We’re screwed, guys.”

“What about his visiting nurse?” Maura asked.

Jessica. She hadn’t been far from his mind, even when she wasn’t there. Pierce could tease him all he wanted, but he had no idea how hard it was to have his mate so close yet off-limits. More than once, Hayden’s wolf had urged him to just go for it. Jack wouldn’t be in this condition forever, and he knew they were supposed to be together. The last time she’d come over, Hayden had excused himself and headed upstairs to vacuum just so he wouldn’t be tempted to study her curves or the gentle tone in her voice.

“She might have some good resources,” Maura continued. “I think there are services where people come and sit with patients like Jack. It might cost a bit, but it’s probably worth it for peace of mind. You know I’ll be there every chance I get.”

“I know. Um, the nurse is supposed to be here later today, I think.” No, he didn’t think. Hayden knew. At this point, he was more aware of Jessica’s appointment times with Jack than anything else. “I can ask her.”

“All right. Let me know. I’ve got to go. Talk to you later.” Maura hung up.

Hayden set his cell on the couch and ran his hands through his hair. He and Maura weren’t exactly friends, but they had a decent enough relationship to be civil co-parents. That was more than what a lot of people had, and he was grateful for it. That made all of this with Jack easier than it’d be otherwise, but it still wasn’t easy.

“Dad.”

“Yeah, buddy?” Hayden was on his feet and jogging across the living room to Jack’s hospital bed, a necessity that his son had resented ever since he’d come home. “What’s up? Are you ready for lunch or anything?”

Jack had removed his headset and laid it on the bed beside him. The controller was with it, and the TV showed the console’s home screen. “No, I’m not hungry. I just wanted to tell you not to worry so much.”

“How can I not worry?” Hayden asked. “I’m your dad. It’s my job to worry.”

“But you don’t have to be here all the time,” Jack replied. “Hovering over me isn’t going to make me get better any faster.”

“I know. I’m sure you’re getting sick of me.” Hayden forced a smile, even though it was a long shot from how he felt. “I was just talking to your mom about that, actually. I can’t take off much more time than I have since work has been busy, but we’re going to find some other people to help fill in. Then you don’t have to look at this ugly old mug all the time.”

Jack twisted his lips. “You’re not listening, Dad. I’m telling you I don’t need a babysitter, whether it’s you or anyone else. I’ll be fine on my own. It’s not like you haven’t left me home alone plenty of times.”

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