Page 20

Chapter Twenty

Tobias

“Good morning, Mrs. Simmons. How are you today?”

“I’m okay. How are you today, Tobias?” she responds in a raspy voice, her words coming out slowly as she catches her breath.

“Not bad.” I wash my hands at the sink, dry them good, then put on a pair of gloves.

She’s alone today, which isn’t a surprise. Mrs. Simmons has a family, a husband and kids old enough to visit her on their own, but she tends to shoo them away, not wanting them to see her like this. She’s a frequent flier here, unfortunately.

“We’re just going to do some range of motion today, if that’s okay?”

She nods, giving me a weak smile. I get her bed situated, lowering the rails and putting the bed at a height that’s comfortable for me. I start with her hands, stretching each finger carefully. Then I move to her wrist, elbow, and shoulder .

“This okay?” I ask.

“Yes, it’s fine.”

“If it’s too much, let me know. I won’t be upset.”

I get another nod as her eyes fall closed.

I’ve worked with her for years, due to her MS diagnosis.

She does physical therapy regularly to keep herself mobile and walking around, though she does use a walker on bad days, which seem to be more frequent.

Usually she ends up here after getting the flu or pneumonia, some illness that really knocks her on her ass.

It weakens her body further, making her bedridden, and because she’s a fighter, she wants to get back on her feet.

Only this time, she’s looking a little worse for wear and the fire in her eyes isn’t as bright as I remember it from the last time I saw her.

These are the cases that break my heart but also urge me to do better.

If this woman can fight so hard for her life, even though she’s in pain every day, then I can too.

Brandon wasn’t wrong when he said I do this job because it satisfies a part of me that needs to help people, but it’s more than that.

It really does keep me humble, and it reminds me that people have it worse than me, and I should always fight for what I want.

Only now, I’m not so sure what I want anymore. Theo has my head all messed up.

“How are the kids?” I ask.

“Martin graduated high school this year.”

“Wow. He’s that big already?”

She huffs a little laugh that turns into a coughing fit, so I pause the stretches and pour her a cup of water. She takes a sip, then says, “I can’t believe it myself. Seems like just yesterday he was learning to walk.”

“I hear they grow up fast.”

I finish with her second arm, then move the covers back to shift her and work on her legs.

“You ever think of having kids?” she asks.

I huff out a surprised laugh. “I don’t know. It’s scary to be in charge of other humans.”

“You do just fine here.”

“I don’t have to take you home and change your diaper.”

She barks out a laugh that turns into another cough and a flinch. I don’t apologize because she hates that. I pause what I’m doing and help her get another sip of water.

“People like to say babies and toddlers are the worst, but it’s a lie,” she adds once she’s able to.

“Oh?”

“Teenagers are the hardest. Once they get to the age when they start doing things on their own. When you have to let go and hope they keep all the good things you told them in the back of their mind. When you have to pray they stay good humans and keep themselves and others safe. That’s the hardest.”

I cover her left leg with the blankets then move around to the other side of the bed.

“I can imagine letting go isn’t easy. Especially of someone you love so much.”

She gives me a sad smile, and our conversation stops there.

“How are you feeling?” I ask when I’m finished.

“Tired.”

“I’ll be back here tomorrow for another round of this. I’ll make sure the nurses are helping you reposition. Hopefully, we’ll have you out of here in a week or two.”

I smile at her, and she returns it, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

I think she knows as well as I do that it’s likely when leaves, it won’t be on her feet.

According to her chart, the pneumonia was rough this time and she waited a long time to come in.

She’s giving up, and I hate it, but I’m not in her shoes, so I can’t judge.

I don’t know how I would react to this situation if it were me.

I’d probably have given up a long time ago.

It makes me wonder if she keeps fighting for herself or for her family. Maybe both?

I close her door when I leave, eyes on the ground as I make my way back to the nurses' station, which is why I don’t realize there’s someone standing in the way.

I bump right into them, and start to apologize before the pretentious smell tells me who it is.

I jerk away, taking a few steps back, and bite my tongue to stop from snapping at him.

He probably did this on purpose. A cheap way to touch me, because that's how he is.

“Good morning, to you too,” Brandon says with a smirk.

“Do you need something?”

He steps to me, head held high. I swear the only thing he owns these days are three-piece suits.

He looks like an idiot. When we were together, his closet held slacks and dress shirts without jackets and ties and vests.

I even convinced him to get a pair of sweatpants, which I begrudgingly admit he looked really good in.

“Just want to check in. See how your Thanksgiving was.”

“It was great. You can go now.”

I move to walk by him, but he stops me by stepping in front of me. I meet his eyes, talking myself down from punching him square in the nose.

“I’m trying to work,” I grit out.

“I have a function coming up on Christmas Eve, and I’d like for you to attend with me.”

I bark out a laugh, unable to stop it. “You’re joking.”

“You know I don’t joke, Tobias.”

“There’s no way I am going anywhere with you. It’s bad enough I have to see your face here.”

His jaw clenches. “It’s for business. For this place. It could do wonders for your career.”

“I’m a physical therapist, not a doctor. I don’t care about furthering my career.”

“It’ll bring in more money.”

“You have enough money to fork over. Just do that.” I cross my arms over my chest, holding his gaze.

I am not afraid of him, and maybe when he realizes that, he’ll stop harassing me.

He holds my gaze just as fiercely. Seems neither of us plan on giving in, but I have work to do so I’m going to have to move one way or another.

“Uh, Tobias?” Max calls carefully from behind Brandon, who scowls before stepping aside.

“Yeah?” I answer.

“There’s someone here to see you,” he says, sneaking a glance at Brandon.

I move forward and as I turn the corner, I hear Brandon call out, “Think it over!”

There’s nothing to think over. You couldn’t pay me enough to go anywhere with him.

I don’t care if it’ll give us a new building and all the best equipment.

I’m a good person, but I’m not that good of a person.

I need my sanity, and I lose that when Brandon is involved.

Just thinking of spending time with him outside of this building has my skin crawling.

I follow Max to the nurses’ station where a few people are lingering around, not anyone I recognize, so I don’t know who is here for me. Unless he just did that to save my ass, which I should seriously thank him for.

“It’s my brother,” Max finally says, pointing to the guy who looks just like him, only a little more clean cut. Max has a neat mustache and beard, while his brother, Asher, is clean-shaved. They both have the same long hair and full eyebrows though.

“Hi?” I say as I reach him. Never in a million years would I have guessed this is who is here to see me. I told him last year that I wasn’t interested in hooking up with him. He couldn’t possibly have come here just for that, right?

“Sorry, if this is weird, but uh… is there somewhere we can talk?” Asher asks, sliding his hands into his jeans’ pockets .

Glancing at Max, he just shrugs and focuses his attention on the computer, tapping away on the keyboard. Thanks for the help.

“I guess… Follow me.”

I lead him down a few halls, to the employee lounge, which is sizable enough that we can talk at one end and not worry about others overhearing our conversation. There are always people in here, since it’s the only lounge and this place has a couple floors with plenty of employees.

I take a seat at the round table toward the back, and once he does the same, I ask, “What is this about?”

“Theo.”

“Theo?” I blurt out. “How do you know Theo?”

“He’s my best friend. Has been forever.”

This is weird.

“Okay… Is he okay?”

Why else would he be here talking to me about Theo? And how does he even know I know Theo? Does Theo know he’s here? And does Theo know that Asher tried hooking up with me? What kind of twisted small world is this?

“Yeah, he’s okay. As okay as he can be, anyway.”

“What does that mean?” I ask carefully.

“Physically, he’s fine. He wasn’t in an accident or anything.”

I stare at him for a moment, trying to figure out what’s going on.

“So, why are you here? ”

He clears his throat, folding his hands on the table. “I’m worried about him.”

“And you’re coming to me, why? You just said you’re his best friend.”

I hope I didn’t get Theo wrong. I hope he isn’t some psycho stalker who told all his friends we’re dating or something. I don’t need to deal with that shit. That doesn’t seem like Theo, but I’ve been wrong about people before—perfect example, Brandon.

“I am, but you guys have been hanging out. As friends.” He adds the last part slowly, holding eye contact. “I only came here to ask that you keep an eye on him and let me know if you notice anything off.”

“I’m so confused…”

Asher sighs, shifting in his seat. “Look… Theo is a great guy, but he’s dealing with a lot. Things you’re aware of. I just want to make sure my friend is okay because he doesn’t always come to me with his problems. I get that part is my fault, but still.”

“Your fault, how?” I ask.

“Doesn’t matter.” He waves me off. “The point is I’m worried about him and just want to know that he’s okay. So, can you please just reach out to me if you think something is wrong?”

I’m relieved that this is what he’s here for. That I wasn’t wrong about Theo, and Asher is just a concerned friend. There’s nothing wrong with what he’s doing, and in a way it makes me feel like shit because I don’t have anyone to do this for me.

“Sure, I can do that,” I finally say. “I’ll get your number from Max?”

“That would be great, thank you.” We both get up and head out of the lounge.

“You came all the way here just to say this?” I ask. “You could have got my number or something.”

“I knew Max wouldn’t give it to me, and he only let you know I was here today because I threatened to put gum in his hair.”

I bark out a laugh, shaking my head. “You’re a good friend." I pause a moment, then add, "Shitty brother though."

He grins at me, and we part ways. He heads toward the exit, and I go back to work. All shift, all I can think about is how much I wish I had a friend like Asher. How Brandon ruined everything for me. How Brandon ruined me .