Chapter 2

After my wife died, I sold our house. Too many memories there. I had tears in my eyes constantly so I bought a little pier and beam two bedroom house for me. I didn’t need anything more. I had plenty of money to buy anything I wanted but I just didn’t need a big house.

I went home and thought about our conversation and went over what she had said regarding our feelings. Does she really feel something for me? She has no idea, I fell in love with her the first time I saw her.

The next day, I drove by Jane’s house to check on her. There were a couple of high end cars in the drive way. I went ahead and stopped in anyway. When I walked in, a nurse in scrubs answered the door.

“Hi I’m, Rob, Security at the hospital. I just stopped by to check on Jane ... uh ... I mean, Dr. Carter.”

Jane was standing in the room teetering on her crutches with her foot off the floor.

She said, “Hi, Rob. Mr. Thomas, The President of the hospital and his staff stopped my to check on me. Come on in.”

I knew who Mr. Thomas was. He didn’t care for us because we were a liability to the hospital. We don’t bring in any revenue so we were just an unnecessary albatross around his neck when it came to the bottom line.

Mr. Thomas and some smarmy asshole with him both chimed in.

Thomas said, “Dr. Carter, isn’t he the security officer at the hospital. Did he just have the gall to call you by your first name?”

“Listen, for future reference, Officer ... Porter? Is it? You will address her as Dr. Carter when you talk to her which will be only when necessary. She is our prized, award winning surgeon and I don’t want some low paid non medical employee embarrassing her. Are we clear?”

Jane stood there seething but no words came out.

I said, “I’m very sorry for embarrassing you, Dr. Carter. I won’t bother you again. I hope you’re feeling better. Excuse me.”

As I walked out the door, the smarmy little asshole thought he needed to say something too.

He said, “Hey, You! I’m the Director of Nursing and I better not find you sniffing around.my nurses either. You understand me?”

I ignored him and kept walking toward my SUV. He chased me down thinking he was going to force himself on me and get a response. He put his hand on my shoulder trying to turn me around. Big mistake.

Faster than he could move it, I removed his hand from my shoulder and put his hand and fingers in a wrist lock. He was on his tiptoes.

I looked him in the eye and whispered so that just he and I could hear.

I whispered, “You slimy little Shit. You put your hands on me. That’s a big No No. You ever lay a hand on me or speak to me with disrespect like that again, you will need the services of a good doctor. Do you feel me, Asshole?”

He didn’t respond so. I tightened the wrist lock to where he was on his tippy toes.

“I didn’t hear you, Mr ... what the fuck is your name again? I don’t think I caught it earlier.”

In a really high voice, he said, “Roger ... Roger Anderson.”

I said, “Good. Mr. Anderson, I believe this conversation has come to an end. If you try to get me fired. That’s ok because I will find you. Pussies like you are all talk and no walk.” I released his fingers and drove away.

I saw Jane and Mr. Thomas watching us but they couldn’t hear what was said.

It was about another hour before my phone was ringing. It was Jane. I just let it ring.

Three days later, a big black suburban drove in my driveway. I was on my days off. I hadn’t heard anything from the hospital so I guess I was still employed. The vehicle looked like it was probably an Uber. The driver opened the door and I saw Jane being assisted out of the back seat. She got on her crutches and made her way to my door.

I opened the door and said, “Welcome, Dr. Carter. Welcome to my humble abode. How may I be of service?”

“Stop it, Rob. I came to apologize for the rude actions of Mr. Thomas and Mr. Anderson. That was not and is not acceptable in my home. May I come in?”

Sure, Dr. Carter. Mi casa, su casa. I’ll get you a pillow for your foot. Please sit. Something to drink? I’m afraid beer or Diet Coke is all I have. No Cosmos or Martinis here. I’m sorry.”

I returned with a pillow and moved my coffee table in reach of her leg. I rested her casted foot on the pillow.

“Rob, please ... I’m so so sorry they treated you so horribly. It was totally uncalled for and I told Thomas that it was unacceptable in my home.”

“Apology accepted, Dr. Carter. You will have no problem from me. Do you know if I still have a job? I was not nice to Mr. Anderson.”

“So I heard. I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to them.”

“Please don’t go to bat for me. Don’t soil your reputation on my account, Dr. Carter.”

“Stop calling me Dr. Carter.”

She was starting to cry and that would break my heart.

“Look, Jane, I got the message loud and clear. I’m not in your class or even in the same room as you. I won’t be causing you any more problems. It will only end badly for me. I don’t need it.”

“Rob, are you saying you don’t want me?”

I thought, “God, why did you say that. You don’t know, My Love. Every atom in my body craves you.”

“Jane, I can’t be in your life. You are a famous person all over the world. You travel in circles most of us just dream about or see on TV. You heard Thomas label me. He’s right. I’m just a low paid hospital security officer. Not worthy of your attention or even calling you by your first name. Thank you for allowing me the few moments we had. Now it’s reality check time.”

I helped her up on her crutches and opened the door for her. The Uber driver and I helped her back in the vehicle. The tears were flowing.

I whispered to her, “Another time, another place. I love you, Jane.”

I closed the door and motioned to the driver to go. He drive off. Jane was looking at me and trying to talk to me. I just put my head down and walked back in the house.

I reported to work the next day after my days off. I was called to Administration where Thomas, Roger Anderson and my immediate supervisor were waiting.

My supervisor, Johnny Rogers, said, “Rob, Mr. Anderson said you were extremely disrespectful to him when you visited Dr. Carter at her home. Is that true?”

Well, Johnny its like this. Mr. Thomas and Mr. Anderson expressed their utter disrespect for me and our department in front of Dr. Carter at her residence. Then Mr. Anderson decided he was going to chase me down and laid his hand on me. That was unacceptable to me. I only explained that he was never to touch me in any way. The point being there would be hell to pay if he did. Is that pretty much the way it went, Mr. Anderson?”

Anderson was looking at everything and everywhere but at me.

I repeated, “Mr. Anderson? Surely you wouldn’t fabricate another story, would you? An upstanding member of Administration would never stoop that low, would they?”

Johnny said, “Mr. Thomas, I have a written and sworn to statement from Dr. Carter stating that is exactly what she witnessed at her home. Rob, you can return to your duties. We’re done here.”