Chapter 11

Time was closing in on her, but she had to take the time to call an old friend who peddled illegal substances.

"Johnny? It's Sheila. Can you get me some H?

"For Crissake. Give me your cell. I'll call you."

When he called back immediately, he asked, "What the hell you need H for?"

"A friend is dying and she wants a hit. How much?"

"How much do you want? Three hundred will get you three grams. It's cheaper than before."

"How much do I need for a non-addict interested in an occasional thrill?"

"The stuff I sell will give you at least five hits per gram. I can bag it for you if you like. That way, when you mix it, you won't give too much."

"I don't have three hundred, but I will tomorrow. I have to catch a plane tonight."

When Sheila met Johnny, he asked her to take off her coat and let him see her arms. He inspected them and found no needle marks.

"Go to Walgreen's and get needles. If she's new, go slow. The Internet will show you how to mix it and how to shoot it." He sighed. "I don't know why, but I'm going to trust you for the money. Ordinarily, I'd expect a little loving."

"Last month, you would have received some loving. If you weren't a crook, I'd have loved on you good before now."

"Okay, I fucked up. I hated poverty, dream girl." He handed her the packet. "I wrapped it and put hair spray on the package to keep the dogs from sniffing it. Doesn't always work. Put it in your luggage. Don't try to carry it on."

She kissed him full on the mouth. "Thanks. I will FedEx you a money order tomorrow. Give me your safe address."

"If you ever kiss me like that again, I'll take you to the mountains and you'll never get out. I can support you now."

"Not if you're in prison."

Sheila knew that the taxi driver was impatient, but she also knew that the meter would take her credit card. That was a relief. She sat back in the cab and watched as he went up I-25 and then onto I-70 to the airport. When she boarded the plane, she saw that Greg had upgraded her again and she had a comfortable reclining seat in the front cabin. She sat back and thought, a hundred thousand dollars. Almost two years pay. For what? The flight attendant brought her a Scotch and by the time they were ready for takeoff, she was asleep.

So very soon later, she heard the captain's orders to sit up, put down the foot rests and straighten her seat. She managed to sleep at least three of the four hours. The flight attendant brought coffee in a foam cup and she drank it eagerly. As she sipped the coffee, she contemplated her life and her choices. I guess you're moving in with him. Otherwise why would you be here? She shuddered. Damn, that was a big decision and you made it so quickly.

As the plane taxied to the gate, she called him. He asked, "Hi, baby, are you okay?"

"As okay as I get. Do you realize that I just commuted to Denver in two days? Madeline had her lawyer or accountant call me last night. Did you have anything to do with that?"

"Without your permission, I gave him your cell number. I think Madeline wanted him to get you some money."

"Did you do anything about getting her moved to our house?"

"Yes and no. Hard to do anything after close of business. I have her room ready and the home health care people lined up, tentatively. She won't move until you go get her. She needs you right now."

Suddenly, Sheila felt a surge of power flow through her like a huge magnetic field. "Of course, I will go get her. I just want to make sure we're ready. No surprises." She looked out the window and saw that they were arriving at the gate. "I have to get out of here. I'll see you in a few."

When she saw him in the baggage claim, she ran to him and threw her arms around him. "I am so glad to be back and I don't even know who I am." He kissed her fondly and with passion. She relaxed.

"You're Sheila the charmer and—hear me—you're home. This is where you live. Later, we will go get Madeline and bring her home. That way, you can get her some happy drugs."

"Do you know that her accountant/lawyer told me that he was transferring $100K to my bank?"

"I'm so glad. Now you can take me to dinner."

The absurdity of his remark caused her to laugh. When have I laughed? "McDonald's or Burger King?"

As they walked to the baggage carousel, she still had her arms around him. The last time I was in this airport, I had to have my arms around him. I cried. Now, I have my arms around him and I'm about to cry.

On the way home, she sat in her seat properly and glanced at him, realizing that she was now where she ought to be. She sighed. Yeah. Kelly was right.

He drove through McDonald's and Burger King and bought more bad food than anyone should ever eat. When they were home, she helped him unpack the fat-laden food and watched as he made coffee. She put some of the items in a toaster oven to keep them warm. She poured juice. Then, she looked around at her kitchen.

He warmed plates and served everything with plenty of ketchup and hot sauce. He held up his coffee cup and said, "Welcome home, Sheila."

That did it. She cried. "I just can't handle all this change at the same time. I feel like I'm swimming against the riptide."

When they finished their snack, he took her upstairs to their bedroom. He said, "Get in bed."

She started to resist and then, quickly removed her clothes and jumped into the bed. In seconds, they were both naked and he brought her close to him, kissed her at length, and said, "Welcome home, darling."

She put as much of her skin against his as she could figure out how to do and then replied, "I'm glad to be home."

In less than a minute, she slept against his shoulder. He smiled. I guess she is okay here. I hope she is able to keep up with Madeline.

When she awakened, she felt around and had the same feeling of disappointment she felt at the coast. He was gone. She stretched under the nice bedclothes and began to recover. She went to the large shower and found it met her immediate needs to wash the night away. You are now here, Sheila. Later, you will get Madeline. People have to eat. Will you take charge of that? You can leave any time you like.

When she went to the kitchen, he was again making omelets with the box of egg whites—fake eggs. She wore one of his shirts and just her panties as she stood near him with her arm around his shoulder. She remembered her period starting on the airplane and was now into her third day. She didn't want to have sex with him while she was bleeding. Later, he would question this decision, but for now, she was determined.

He asked, "Are you sure about bringing Madeline here? Do you know how to care for her?"

"I know how to get people who do know. Yes, I'm sure. She will either die here or she will recover. I am going to cause her to recover. While I'm doing that, I will pick her brains dry. If she wants a protégé, she has one."

He looked at her with admiration. "My God, Sheila, when you were a spoiled brat at the beach, I had no idea you had personal substance. You do have class."

"She will get her money's worth."

"I know it was sudden. Please keep it in her perspective. A hundred thousand is a rounding error in the third decimal place in her estate. Use it. Buy clothes. Pay loans. Whatever. I'm sure that is only the tip of the iceberg. She has a lot of money to unload and I'm sure she won't give it all to the art museum."

As they ate, he said, "We have to work out the logistics. We have to get oxygen, and all the other stuff she needs. I will call the home health supply and have them find out what she needs. I think you need to get dressed and go over to see her as soon as you're ready."

Madeline was sitting up when Sheila walked in. Instead of the mask, she had small tubes in her nose. Sheila went to her, kissed her cheek, and said, "Hi, lady. How you doin'?"

"I don't like this place. They treat me like a patient. Doctor says this. Nurse says that. I'm tired of it."

Sheila said, "You have a choice. You come home with me or you stay here or you go to a nursing home."

"You'd take me in?"

"I know it will be hard on both of us, but I can't stand the thought of your being here or in a nursing home." She smiled, "Of course, if you don't act right, you go to the nursing home."

"How did someone so young and pretty get to be such a bitch?"

"I work hard, Madeline. I practice. It pays off."

Madeline laughed. Then she stopped. Then she giggled. "I haven't had a laugh in a long while."

"We'll see if we can get you more laughs. They're good for you. Thank you for the money. That was a shock."

"You're welcome. Please never mention it again. I'm sure that you know I can afford it."

"Gregory is making arrangements to get all the stuff you need from the medical supply. He'll get a bed, oxygen, and the rest of it. I will hire a nurse to be sure that I'm caring for you and managing your medications. I think we can spring you this afternoon."

The old woman cried. "Thank you. Thank you, Sheila. You are a Godsend. I hate this place."

At about three o'clock, the delivery van from the medical supply arrived and put the bed together, hooked up the oxygen, and instructed them both on the operation. They had scheduled the visiting nurse to arrive at five.

Sheila said to Greg, "You take me to the hospital. I'm riding home with her in the transfer van. The nurse will be here shortly."

At the hospital, Sheila signed all the legal forms making her Madeline's custodian to get her out of the hospital. She rode in the back of the transfer van with Madeline and held her hand all the way home. The van driver was quite skillful in getting her out easy, making sure not to disengage her catheter.

Sheila had put her in a small room off the sun terrace where the orchestra kids had performed. Within minutes, everything was hooked up and working. Oxygen was flowing; Madeline cranked her bed up, and looked around.

Then, she looked at Sheila. "I can't believe you did this. It is so much nicer than the hospital."

"I have some other surprises for you. I brought some illegal feel-good drugs. I bought some legal drugs, but not legally. I'm not sure I can get a prescription for the IV Demerol legally. It feels good."

Madeline cried again. "I always wanted to try some of those, but no one ever made it possible. Oh, they brought some cocaine to sniff, but I didn't like the way it made my nose feel. I don't breathe well enough any more to smoke dope, so what's left?"

Sheila laughed. "We'll see. After the nurse goes, we'll get you something to eat. Now, you take a nap. I have to go to the market. Do you want the TV?"

"Later, maybe. Right now, I think I'll nap."

She went back to Greg's office. "She's all settled. More or less. I need you to go the fish market and get me some scallops and some shark meat scallops. Get heavy cream. I assume that you have sherry and wine?"

"Yes, dear. I have sherry and wine." He laughed at his situation. "Anything else?"

She was suddenly overcome and her tears burst out. "Do you know that I love you?"

"I hope so. It would be awful living with me if you didn't."

"Get on with you. I promised her a Coquille and she shall have it."

The nurse, who said her name was Rosalie, came while Greg was at the market. Sheila brought her in and took her to Madeline's bed.

Rosalie said, "Looks like you have everything under control."

Sheila asked, "I have never asked. Why was she in the hospital?"

"She ran herself down. She was exhausted. Maybe from the flu. I don't know for sure. Sometimes, older people forget to eat the right things. I don't think she has any serious condition, but at her age, she will recover slowly. For a while, they thought it was her heart. She will need physical therapy."

"Oh, God. I had one of those when I had knee surgery after a volleyball accident. Do you know that physical therapists are the only legally licensed torturers in the USA—outside the CIA, I mean?"

"Fortunately I have been able to avoid them. I have heard the stories and I believe them."

The nurse did all the vital signs, chatted with Madeline for a while, and seemed satisfied that the arrangement would hasten her recovery.

As she started to leave, Sheila said, "You have physical therapists and you will send one here. Send a nice looking man. I know it's sexist, but she's old and needs a thrill. Can you drop by a couple of times a day for a few days until I get the hang of it?"