“As good as it can be.” She took a drink from her plastic water cup. Even her upper half was moving gingerly.
“Still a little stiff?” Maya asked.
“I’m afraid so.” Bettie set down her water. “I’m really feeling yesterday’s PT.”
Knee replacements were tough, especially for someone of Bettie’s age. Not only were they dealing with the pain from surgery, but also the aftereffects of the anesthesia could last for weeks, and that wasn’t kind on someone’s system.
“You’re doing amazing—I hope you know that.” I tightened the bottom of the bedding, knowing she preferred a perfectly made bed. “And despite how you’re feeling, you’re looking mighty fine in that hot burgundy lip color.” Lipstick, she never went without, no matter what time it was.
“Gals, I’ve always lived by two rules.” She patted her silver curls like she was checking to make sure they were in place, and they were. “You smile regardless of how you’re feeling. It hides just how good the good is and just how bad the bad is. And while you’re smiling, wear lipstick. But the lipstick is for you, because whether your smile is lying or telling the truth, your lips should look fabulous.”
I held on to the foot of her bed, grinning. “I love that.”
“My new motto,” Maya said.
Bettie waved the air, but I could tell she was flattered by our responses. “How’d my blood work look this morning? A sweet gal came in and took it at around four. I swear, they just don’t want you to sleep in this facility. It’s as bad as a hospital.”
“When I started my shift a little bit ago, the results weren’t in yet,” Maya explained.
“I think the results just posted,” I told Maya, which was what I’d been looking at when she came to speak to me at the nurses’ station. “Do you want me to go get the results?”
“I’ll do it.” Maya pointed at the two of us. “You guys don’t have too much fun or get into any trouble while I’m gone.”
As Maya left the room, I grabbed an extra pillow and carefully lifted Bettie’s leg to slip it beneath her knee. “The higher elevation will improve the blood flow, and that’ll help with the pain and stiffness and mobility.” I gave her a soft smile. “You’re doing great. Just a little bit longer and you’re going to feel up to your old self.”
I sensed her eyes on me while I moved up the bed, giving the pillow under her head a little extra fluff.
“My girl”—she put her hand on my arm—“is everything all right?”
I finally looked at her.
I’d been avoiding her gaze since Maya walked out. A part of me felt guilty that her grandson and I had done all those naughty things last night.
But why?
We hadn’t done anything wrong. We were single. Careful. We had mostly taken all precautions to prevent Ben from seeing or hearing us.
I shouldn’t feel anything.
But I did.
“I’m just tired,” I admitted.
Her thumb stroked my skin. “You’re not wearing any lipstick.”
Her way of saying she was seeing right through my grin.
So I felt the need to reveal: “I work two jobs. Sometimes the hours get to be a lot—not the work, I love the work. Just the amount of timeI put in. I think it’s caught up to me this week. But I have tonight off, and I’ll be able to catch up on my sleep.”
Her fingers lowered to my hand, holding me in a similar way that Ben had when we’d been skating. “What’s your other job?”
“I’m an on-call nurse for Dr. Kaplan. You probably haven’t heard of him, he’s a pediatrician.”
She was still wearing her bright-red framed reading glasses even though she was no longer doing a crossword puzzle, and she slid them halfway down her nose, looking at me over the lenses. “Dr. Kaplan, of course I’ve heard of him. He’s a dear friend of the family, and he’s Ben’s doctor.”
I didn’t confirm—I couldn’t, by law. I just smiled at her. And what that earned me was a gaze so intense, I felt it move right through me.
Was I surprised to hear she knew he was Ben’s doctor? Or was I silly to think Bettie wouldn’t know that he was Ben’s doctor?
