Page 39 of Breaking Storm

ALL I WANT IS TO rest at home, have the nurse do whatever she needs to do, and be left alone. The middle-aged nurse Kimberly has other plans. If she’s not waking me to take my medication, she’s waking me to use the washroom. Or she’s rotating my arms and leg to exercise them. She insists on wearing a nurse’s dress uniform, which is a size too tight. Not that Kimberly’s fat, it’s just time to adjust her wardrobe for the added pounds. And she talks non-stop about her life, ex-husband, and ungrateful children. I can understand why she’s divorced.

Fluttering around the room, Kimberly adjusts the blinds, opens the window, pulls the cover from me to air out the bed, and suggests a sponge bath. I’m home for two days. Two days. She hasn’t stopped rearranging my room, sleep patterns, and bathroom. Now she wants to give me a sponge bath. I can wash myself.

Her hands are on the drawstrings of my sweats, saying, “I’ll help you—”

She stops talking when I grab her wrists and say, “No, I’m good.”

“If you’re worried about being nude, I’ve already seen it, Joey.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose with my thumb and index finger. “I’m not worried, but I can handle cleaning myself.”

Kimberly takes a step back. “How? You can hardly move.”

“Enough!” This causes me to cough. “For Christ’s sake. Do you ever shut the fuck up?”

Teagan comes into the room, her hand still holding onto the door. “Is something wrong?”

Kimberly walks over to her bag, grabs her coat, and passes Teagan on the way out, who rushes after her, asking what happened. What can she do to change her mind? Their voices fade and then I hear the main door shut. Teagan comes back into the room with her hands on her hips.

“Joey. Kimberly left, and she isn’t coming back.”

I groan, “Good.”

Teagan is by the bed. The hardness in her eyes and grinding of teeth is an indication she’s trying to be calm while seething inside.

“No, it isn’t good. It’s far from good, Joey. There are so many things that need to get done.”

I’m exhausted and cold. I use my good foot to extricate the cover from the bedpost, but it slips further down. She notices what I want because she pulls the cover over me.

In a quieter tone, Teagan mentions, “I’ll call to see if they can send another nurse.”

My chapped lips stick together. I lick to moisten them, except there’s not much spit.

“Don’t bother, Tea.” I rest my head on the side, closing my eyes, and my last words are, “Everything will heal on its own,” before falling asleep.

The room is cloaked in darkness when I open my eyes. Since the swelling has gone down, I’m able to see out of both eyes. My body feels like a herd of Arabian horses trampled over it. I have to pee, so I slide my right leg off the bed and place my foot on the floor. That was the easy part. As I lift, leaning into my broken ribs, I move my cast leg with my hand, gritting my teeth to avoid crying out. Once it’s next to the other leg, I hold on to the bed, stand, and…

Thud!

That. Hurt. I’m kissing the floorboards. I press my forehead into the floor and breathe heavily through my nose to stop from screaming. Feet run up the stairs, and the door flings open. Teagan switches on the light, and Sean hauls me up from my armpits, but this time I hiss from the pain. He places me on the bed.

I point to the washroom. “In there.” He’s standing by the toilet. “I got it from here.”

He hesitates before closing the door, and they begin whispering. I’m listening to my wife and best friend argue. Teagan is worried they won’t be able to get a nurse back by tomorrow, and Sean tells her it’s fine. They can care for me. What a fucking shit show?

I hate seeing Teagan upset. The time we spent together in the hospital she went out of her way to touch me. Hold my hand. Wipe my face. Since childhood, I haven’t had anyone care for me. Offer a gentle hand. Unfortunately, the morphine kept me from appreciating her nearness. I ache for any kind of contact from her. The brush of her fingers. Since I’ve been home, the nurse has done everything other than the heavy lifting, which falls upon Sean.

He is loyal and accepted what I wanted even if he didn’t agree. The only person who has been by my side my entire life without judgment or wanting something in return. Sean’s important to me. I’d kill for the guy.

Finished, I stand, grip the doorknob while my other hand is against the doorjamb, steadying myself. Sean is right there when I step out, guiding me back to the bed. The littlest of activity wipes me out. They’re talking, but sleep takes over again.

The next morning, I slowly open my eyes, preparing for the bolt of lightning hitting from the sunlight. Then my head clears, and I hear the heaviness of rain thrash against the roof and balcony. Tea’s been sleeping on my side of the bed because her side is closest to the washroom, which she walks out of now. A waft of apple carries into the room. My dick twitches, and a smile creases my face. It’s the first time I’ve felt movement there. James made sure every inch of me would remember his punishment.

Tea hasn’t noticed me awake. She opens the curtains and a window, standing in front of it, wearing a pair of jean shorts and a T-shirt. A breeze rustles her hair, and she closes her eyes to take in a deep breath. From a young age, I’ve been attracted to Tea. Now, she’s a craving. A necessity. An epiphany for my future and I want her softness in every way.

Teagan turns to me staring at her. My eyes remain on hers as she moves to the pitcher of water, pours a cup, and I drink, watching her over the rim of the cup. Her smile is like an old song—nostalgic.

She breaks the moment when she says, “I called to get another nurse, but they don’t have anyone available. I even apologized to Kimberly for your rudeness. Your comments were triggers regarding something she experienced in her marriage.”

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