Nursing the Soldier's Heart

Brady didn’t want to make any promises he couldn’t keep. Staying here to help his grandmother was something he should do, but the thought of living in Georgia again didn’t appeal to him. Finding a job was the only way he could stay, but he didn’t have to make any decisions now. “I don’t know, Gram.”

“I wish you’d settle here. You’re the only close family I have left.”

“I’m going to have to figure that out.” More guilt. He’d been gone for nearly twelve years, only visiting Cora twice during that time. He should’ve made more of an effort to be part of his grandmother’s life.

After leaving on bad terms, he hadn’t known how to make it right. The visits had always seemed uncomfortable. Cora had already been a widow when his mom, Cora’s only child, had died in a car accident. After that his dad had gone into a deep depression and never recovered. That’s when Cora had taken Brady in. She’d done her best to give him a decent life, but he’d done his best to make life difficult for her. Could he ever make it right?

“I can hardly wait to get out of here. I don’t mind being in the assisted-living apartment, but I’ll go crazy if they keep me in here.” Cora’s green eyes grew bright with tears as she grasped his arm. “You have to be my advocate.”

Brady furrowed his eyebrows. “You mean, like having a medical power of attorney?”

“Yes, that’s what it’s called.”

“But I thought that was for people who were dying or something.” Brady’s stomach sank. “You’re not dying, are you?”

Cora chuckled. “No. Nothing like that, but I want you to be able to talk to the doctors and nurses about my medical issues. Sometimes, I’m not sure what the doctors are telling me. So I’d like to have you know what’s going on, too. All that privacy stuff makes it so they can’t talk to you unless I say so.”

“What do I need to do?”

“Talk to the nursing home administrator, Ian Montgomery. He’s a lawyer, too. I’m sure he’ll know exactly what’s required.”

“Where do I find this administrator?”

“He has an office in the main building near the front gate.” Cora waved one hand toward the door. “But you’d better do it soon. He’s getting married in ten days. Then he’ll be gone on his honeymoon.”

Brady nodded. “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“Good, because I want out of here so I can go to Ian and Annie’s wedding. In fact, if they don’t let me out, I’ll escape.”

“Gram, you aren’t in jail.”

“Well, it sure seems like it.”

“I heard that. They’ll be no escaping.”

The familiar voice made Brady turn toward the door. He wasn’t sure what to say as Kirsten pushed a cart into the room.

“Kirsten, have you met my grandson?” Cora saved him from having to say a thing.

Kirsten nodded. “We met earlier when he was looking for something to eat.”

Cora looked at Brady. “She’s the one who was calling you.”

Brady gave Kirsten a wry smile. “Yeah, I know.”

When Kirsten returned his smile, he almost fell out of his chair. Had the touchy nurse suddenly become friendly? There was a hint of humor behind her prickles. Maybe he had her wrong. She’d only done what his grandmother had asked.

Kirsten brought a little cup to Cora’s bedside. “Time for your pain medication.”

Cora frowned. “Do I need that stuff?”

Kirsten waved a finger at Cora. “You know if you don’t take it now, you’ll be waking up in the middle of the night in pain.”

Cora poured herself a glass of water, then took the little cup. “I hate taking these pills.”

“Gram, you need to stay ahead of the pain. You’ll get better much sooner if you do.”

“Listen to your grandson. He’s right.” Kirsten retrieved the empty cup after Cora took her medications. “And as for going to the wedding. If you work hard at your therapy and can walk the entire corridor with your walker, you can attend the wedding.”

“And the reception, too.”

Kirsten hesitated. “Why don’t we leave that decision up to the doctor and the physical therapist?”

“But you’ll put in a good word for me, right?”

Shaking her head, Kirsten laughed. “No promises from this corner. You have ten days to improve.”

Cora released a heavy sigh. “That therapist is a slave driver.”

“That’s because she’s on your side. She wants to help you get out of here, so you don’t have to plan an escape.” Kirsten looked at Brady. “I hope you’re not assisting in any way with her intention to break out of here.”

Brady held up his hands, trying to hide a smirk. “Not me. I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“I don’t know why that doesn’t comfort me.” Kirsten took hold of the cart. “Take care, Cora. I’m off to finish delivering these meds.”

As Kirsten wheeled the cart into the hallway, Brady looked over at Cora. “I’ll be back in a minute. I want to ask her something.”

“Out for a date?” Cora’s eyes twinkled.

Brady frowned at her. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“You should think about it,” Cora called after him.

Brady stepped into the hallway, hoping Kirsten hadn’t heard his grandmother’s remark. A date. He could barely remember the last time he’d been on one. Or maybe he’d chosen not to remember because it had probably been a drunken one-night stand. He didn’t want to remember those. Since he’d discovered his newfound faith in God, he’d been too busy working on oil rigs or catching salmon to bother with dates.

Besides, he doubted a date with Kirsten would be that great, or would it? He liked challenges. He liked adventure. He liked pretty women, even if they were a little on the hypersensitive side. What was he thinking? He’d only met the woman a half hour ago. She was likely to turn him down if he asked, but give him a few days and she would look at him through a different lens. That was the plan.

He looked both ways down the hall but didn’t see Kirsten. She’d probably already gone into another room. He stood there for a moment, and she reappeared. “Hey, Kirsten.”

She turned, a little frown puckering her eyebrows. “Yes?”

He went down the hallway in her direction. “You have a minute to talk?”

She hesitated. “Not now. If there’s something you’d like to discuss, I can do it after I finish delivering the meds. I can stop by Cora’s room after I’m done.”

“Sure.” Brady watched her push the cart to the next room and forced himself not to think of her as just another attractive woman who’d caught his eye.

For a few minutes he leaned against the wall in the hallway and took in the sights and sounds of the place. He tried to put himself in Cora’s shoes. Everything was clean and the nurses and assistants seemed very attentive to the patients here. But there was no denying the place had the feel and smell of a nursing home—a place from which patients often didn’t go home. Was that what was worrying his grandmother? He supposed Kirsten couldn’t really tell him anything until he got the medical power of attorney, but maybe she could at least put his mind at ease concerning Cora’s condition.