Opening the door, she stepped to one side to let me through.
‘I am Eleanor Sawyer,’ she said. ‘And this is my husband, Gray. I assume the nursing association has filled you on our situation?’
I nodded, placing my bag down on the floor. ‘They have, yes. Hello, Mr. Sawyer.’ I held out my hand to the man in the bed wearing royal-blue pajamas. He smiled, and I was relieved to know that at least one person in the house appreciated my presence. ‘I’m Mae. Your in-home nurse for the foreseeable.’
There was another sniff behind me.
‘Unless your wife decides otherwise,’ I added. ‘In which case the agency will happily assign you someone else.’
He clasped my hand with both of his and gave it a weak squeeze. ‘Don’t worry about her. She likes to fuss over me.’
‘Someone has too,’ Eleanor stated bluntly. ‘You haven’t been looking after yourself very well, but now I’m in charge. Things are going to change.’
‘I don’t suppose you have any whiskey in that bag, do you?’ Gray asked me mournfully in a loud whisper. His speech was slow and slightly slurred, and I could tell every word was a bit of an effort for him to get out.
‘Sorry, no,’ I whispered back. ‘But if you do as you’re told over the next couple of months and your recovery goes well, I’ll see what I can smuggle in.’
‘You’ll do no such thing,’ Eleanor growled, and Gray grunted with laughter.
‘She has hearing like an owl,’ he told me. ‘You’d do well to remember that.’
I winked. ‘Duly noted. Thanks for the heads up.’
‘I like you,’ he said. ‘You have a sense of humor. So many people don’t these days.’
‘Shouldn’t you get started?’ Eleanor asked pointedly. ‘You’re already behind schedule. I’m afraid that doesn’t bode well for the rest of your patients.’
‘Of course.’ I opened my bag and pulled out what I needed, placing my stethoscope, thermometer, oximeter and blood collection kit on the bed. ‘The agency has been kind enough to ease me in gently though. I only have Mr. Sawyer this morning and another patient this afternoon, so as long as I’m not holding you up, we’re OK.’
He pulled a face. ‘Please call me Gray. Mr. Sawyer is too formal. You’re seeing me in my pajamas after all.’
‘OK.’
He held out a hand towards Eleanor and she took it. ‘I’m sure you’ve got plenty of other things you need to be doing.’
She hovered, unsure, as if she didn’t quite trust me. ‘I think I should stay.’
He gave her a soft, tender look. ‘Allow me some dignity, please. It’s bad enough you’ve had to help me with dressing and going to the bathroom.’
She tutted. ‘You would do the same for me. In sickness and in health, remember?’
He nodded. ‘I would. But please, Mae and I will be fine. I promise.’
She gave me a hard look. ‘Very well. But I won’t be far away.’
‘I’m not sure if that was to reassure you or threaten me,’ I mused after she’d gone, as I wrapped the blood-pressure cuff around Gray’s upper arm.
He chuckled. ‘Probably both. I know my wife can be intimidating.’
I inflated the cuff. ‘She is. But I’ve met worse.’
‘Her heart is in the right place, especially when it comes to her family.’ He looked over my head towards the door and his eyes lit up. ‘Speaking of which, here’s one of my sons now.’
I turned with a smile ready on my lips to offer a greeting, but it slipped as soon as I saw who was standing in the doorway.
10
JONAH
