Page 33 of Bully's Second Chance
“Adelaide,” I said as I choked back tears, “how bad is it?”
She peeked at my phone. “He still there?”
I shook my head. “No, he’s booking a flight home as we speak, though.”
She walked over and placed her hands on my shoulders. “He’s stable for now, but he won’t be for long. Make sure Mr. Jackson knows it’s imperative that he get home immediately.”
“Trust me, he knows.”
Her hands slid down my arms. “Mr. Levy’s fading quickly. The pain is too much for him and his body—”
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in for a hug. “You’ve done everything you can, okay? You and I both know it.”
And as I stood there, hugging Mr. Levy’s nurse, she started sobbing against my chest.
Hearing her cry like that hurt my soul, but I stood there as long as she needed me. My cell phone beeped with a new email, so I held my phone up, allowing Adelaide to continue clinging to me as I opened the multiple documents Jax had sent me. Thank fuck, I had installed an application on my phone that could auto-sign documents with the touch of my finger because I got them sent back to Jax with my John Hancock on them within a few minutes.
Then, I held Adelaide as tightly as I could before an idea crossed my mind.
“Have you eaten yet?” I asked softly.
She shook her head and sniffled. “Nah. Just heard the commotion and rolled out of bed.”
I released her a bit and wiped her tears off her cheeks. “Then, why don’t we take breakfast together out back? It’s a nice, sunny day—”
She groaned. “I can’t. I have to be here just in case—”
I cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at me. “It’s just breakfast. Fifteen minutes of inhaling food while gazing at something that isn’t a dying man you’ve been taking care of for God-only-knows how long. Okay? That’s all it is.”
Her eyes danced between mine. “Make it ten, and you’ve got a deal.”
I nodded. “Deal. Let’s go. I’ll even stay in my pajamas so you don’t feel the need to change.”
“Thank you for that.”
As Adelaide and I made our way into the kitchen, the chef already had something prepared for us. One of the kitchen-hands took what I had come to know as Mr. Levy’s tray up to him while the chef ushered us out onto the back patio and sat us down with a carafe of coffee, a stack of toast, and all the jams and fruits we could ever want.
Then, without another word spoken, the chef went back inside and left the two of us to enjoy the peace and quiet.
“Four years,” she said softly.
I poured both of us a mug of coffee before I doctored mine up with a bit of cream. “What was that?”
Adelaide looked over at me. “You said ‘God-only-knows how long’ I’ve been treating Mr. Levy. It’s been four years.”
My heart broke for all of them. “I’m so sorry.”
She plucked a piece of toast off the pile sitting between us. “You know, when I went into in-home care, I never thought I’d be approached by someone like Mr. Jackson and asked to take care of someone until the end of their life. I saw myself bouncing from house to house, bitching out a few patients who didn’t take their meds and making it home in time for dinner andJeopardy.”
“What made you take this job, then? You know, when Jax approached you?”
She stared off into the distance. “I don’t know, really. I think it’s because when he asked, he looked almost desperate. I’d never seen that look on anyone’s face before, especially on the face of a man as powerful as Mr. Jackson. But—”
The patio door slid open quickly before one of the male nurses stepped outside. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Mr. Levy has soiled himself.”
Adelaide shoved the piece of toast into her mouth before drowning it in lukewarm coffee. “Duty calls.”
I stood to my feet. “I’ll come help.”
