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“I won’t. He’s just being difficult and it’s wearing on me,” I said.
“I know you care about your patient. But sometimes, the only thing you can do is strongarm them out of their stubbornness.”
“Thanks, Emilia. For everything.”
I hugged my friend one last time before I opened the door for her, then I relegated myself to the silence.
She had a point. If none of my tactics were working up until this point, then I had to try something new. But I didn’t have any other nice tactics to try. They were all steeped in aggression and based on empty threats. And there was a chance that if Hayden knew it was an empty threat, he still wouldn’t budge.
Which was why I had to stand my ground if he combated against me.
I wanted to make him coming out of his room worthwhile, however. There was no point in him coming out of it if he was simply going to roll over to the window and continue staring out at that one. I needed a reason for him to come out. I walked back into the kitchen and sat at the table, putting my head in my hands.
What would entice a man to come out of his room?
Then, it hit me.
“Mr. Lowell?”
I knocked on his door, but no sound emanated from behind it.
“Mr. Lowell. It’s me. Grace.”
I jiggled the doorknob to see if his door was open. And of course, it was locked.
“Mr. Lowell, this is getting ridiculous,” I said. “I need to get in there and check on you to see how you’re doing.”
“I’m fine,” he said.
“I’m your nurse and I need to chart it with my own eyes,” I said.
“Then learn to take me at my word.”
I gritted my teeth as my forehead pressed into the firm wood.
“Mr. Lowell, you hired me to take care of you.”
“No, I hired you so my family would release me from that house and leave me alone.”
Wait. Was that true?
Furrowing my brow, I lifted my head from the door. Was Hayden being serious? Was that really the only reason why I was here? To be an excuse to get away from his bickering mother and sister? I felt tears rise to my eyes as my hand fell from the doorknob. I wasn’t even here to help him. I was here as a distraction. A fall girl, so Hayden could coop himself up and drown himself in his own self-pity.
I felt anger bubbling in my gut.
“Mr. Lowell-”
“Go away.”
“No, now you listen to me. You’ve been moping and depressed and being an all-around genuine asshole since I got here. And I can understand being angry at your predicament, but as your nurse I have full medical intervention. If I can’t survey you eating and if I can’t help you bathe, then I have to assume those practices are not taking place. Which means you’ll be admitted back into the hospital underneath my direct supervision.”
I heard the wheels of his chair squeak as I drew in a deep breath.
“If you don’t want to cooperate and let me do my job, I’ll have the hospital do it for me. And I’m sure your mother and sister would love to be at your side helping you every step of the way while you’re there.”
I could hear him drawing in a deep breath as I cleared my throat.
“Dinner is at six. You don’t have physical therapy today.”
