Page 62 of Captivated

“Piper, be patient with him. He’s not one to believe in love, but I knew from the first moment he spoke about you, there was something there. My boy has guarded his heart his entire life and I knew it would just take the right woman to open him up to the idea of everything the right person can bring you. He’s going to make mistakes here—stupid choices that will make you want to smack him upside the head. And you know what? Do it! I do all the time,” she teases, making me chuckle slightly. “But don’t give up on him. I know he cares about you and I can see the hurt in your eyes right now, so I know you feel the same way.”

My jaw is clenched tight, afraid to say anything that will make me burst into tears. I know Birdie knows Cash better than anyone, so if she can see that maybe he’s struggling with his feelings, then I need to be mindful of that too. When he told me he didn’t know what to do in a relationship, I kind of waved it off. But maybe Birdie is right. Maybe he’s fighting an internal war about his feelings and I just need to be patient. I know my feelings have come on strong, but after the other night at Cooper and Clara’s, I thought we were on the same page.

Finally swallowing down my emotions, I speak. “Thank you, Birdie. I’ll keep that in mind. Let’s paint, shall we?” I flash my polite and proper smile, the one I perfected in my other life when you had to put on the face of someone who was perfect on the outside no matter what you were feeling on the inside, and guide the members of Sagewood Retirement Center through the steps to create the perfect Christmas decoration to display in their apartments.

When the class is finished, a few patrons stay back to help clean up. While bent over in the cupboard storing the supplies away, Baron comes running into the room as fast as his age and legs allow him.

“Piper! Piper!”

I pop up instantly, reading the panic in his voice.

“Baron? What’s wrong?”

“Birdie. She slipped and fell on some ice outside. The sidewalks are wet and she didn’t see it. Come quickly! I know you’re a nurse… you need to help!”

Instantly the items in my hands fall to the floor as I rush out the door of the craft room and run through the hall leading to the outdoor pavilion part of the complex. A circle of people to my left pulls my attention as I notice Birdie on the ground and Samuel crouched down next to her.

“Samuel, what happened? Is she hurt?”

“Her head… she… she hit her head when she fell.”

“I’m fine, you knuckle heads,” Birdie declares softly from Samuels lap, but the blood gushing from her forehead indicates the opposite.

“Has someone called 9-1-1 yet?” I ask, dropping to my knees by her head and examining her using the flashlight on my cell phone. Laceration to the forehead, her pupils are dilated, possible concussion for sure. Her hip also looks like she landed pretty hard on it, already bruising from the fall.

“Yes, someone called. What do we do?” Samuel peers up at me with fear in his eyes, pleading with me to fix her, but the first order of business is to stop the bleeding.

“Baron, can you get a few clean washcloths or rags for me?” I look up at him, knowing I need to wipe some of this blood away and apply pressure to the wound. Baron scurries away to the rack that holds the pool towels outside and returns rather quickly, handing me a few towels. These will have to do. I swipe blood away to assess the cut and then press the towel to her head to add pressure. Just as I get the majority of the blood cleaned, the paramedics arrive behind me. I fill them in on her stats—her pulse I calculated, her age, approximate weight, etc. as they move to assess her and load her on the stretcher.

“Can you call Cash, Piper? Tell him not to freak out, but at least let him know I’m going to the hospital,” Birdie asks through slurred words as they load her on the stretcher and make their way to the ambulance.

“I already called him, Birdie,” Samuel chimes in.

“I’ll drive right behind the ambulance, Birdie. Samuel, go inside there with her.” I direct him to climb into the ambulance, his tall frame taking a seat beside her and reaching for her hand on instinct. “You’re gonna be alright, Birdie.” I give them a small smile, then run for my car, taking off for the hospital behind the emergency vehicle, my heart racing with every mile—fearful that her injuries are worse than I presumed and what Cash’s reaction may be.

Once we arrive, I’m grateful Alice in on shift.

“Piper, what are you doing here on your day off?” She chastises me, knowing it’s a cardinal rule for us to get as far away from the hospital as possible when we’re not on the clock.

“A friend of mine was just brought in from Sagewood.”

“Oh yes, the woman with the concussion? I didn’t know you ran with the older crowd,” she winks. “I think they just took her back for a CT scan. I’ll keep you updated, okay?”

“Thanks, Alice. Is Jess on tonight?”

She shakes her head. “No. She said something about a family friend stopping by in town that she wasn’t thrilled about seeing. Can’t wait to hear that story when she returns.” Turning on her heels, she walks away to tend to a patient in one of the bays.

“Thank you, Piper, for taking care of her,” Samuel comes up behind me, wrapping his large palm around my shoulder, reaching for comfort that I’m fighting to offer myself right now, knowing that Cash will be here any minute and I don’t know what reaction from him to anticipate.

“I didn’t do much, but stopping the bleeding was number one.”

“You did more than I knew to do. I love that woman, Piper. She made me smile again after I lost my wife five years ago. We were right on the verge of retirement, ready to travel and spend the time together we always planned to have. And then one routine mammogram turned into stage four breast cancer, and she was gone in six months.”

“Oh God, Samuel. I’m so sorry.” I pull him in for a hug now, soothing him as best as I can.

“It’s alright. I had twenty-five beautiful years with my Marlis, but then I met Birdie, and I found someone else that made the darkness fade away. I can’t lose her too, at least not yet. I know we’re not getting any younger, but she’s my entire world now.” Samuel’s eyes begin to blur behind his tears, bringing moisture to my own.

“She’ll be alright. It looked like just a concussion and probably a bruised hip, which is still serious, but she should bounce back from it with no problem. As soon as I know something, I’ll let you know.”

---