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“Billie has allowed for me to share her prognosis with Ms. Nesbit and Mr. Miller.” I look at Reaper but it’s Frannie who speaks up.
“Sharon, you can take the time to go and check with Billie but she will tell you it’s fine to tell Tyrel as well as us. He’s family. I know it’s procedure but I would rather know how my daughter is doing sooner rather than later. I’m trying to save some time. My first question… is Billie awake and the second… when we can see her?” Frannie isn’t mean about it, just direct.
“If I get sued, you know I’ll be sleeping on your sofa,” the doctor kids with Frannie. “Alright then, Ms. Nesbit was awake but I gave her a mild sedative that will help her get some rest and will not harm the baby. She needs to sleep through the night. She said she hasn’t slept well the last few nights due to the nausea. The woman is exhausted. She is also dehydrated. I am sending her fluids through her IV at a medium pace so she isn’t awakened with a need to urinate. In the morning, I want her to try and eat a bland breakfast, some plain toast, and either broth or oatmeal. I know it’s not very appetizing, but she needs nutrients. We will also do a scan in the morning to see how the baby is doing just to be safe. Severe dehydration can put some women in premature labor. That’s why I want her to remain in the hospital until all her numbers are in the safe zone. It’s just as a precaution. The other thing and the last is I think that Billie may have hyperemesis gravidarum. The lab is running the test tonight so we’ll have the answers tomorrow morning. Only one of you can stay with Billie tonight and if she wakes up, please, encourage her to go back to sleep. The nurses have instructions that if Ms. Nesbit wakes up in the middle of the night, to administer another dose of the sedative. They’re that low of a dose. I’m staying here at the hospital tonight so if the nurses need me, they know I’m in the call room. The two that aren’t staying, need to leave soon. Visiting hours are over.” I’m staying tonight with Billie no matter what Frannie says. The doctor leaves us there. I look at Frannie.
“I know, Raider. I’m going home. Your woman and your child, but don’t forget she was mine first. If anything changes, you will call me first thing.” Frannie is a fierce mom just like I know Billie will be.
“I’ll drive you home since you said I was staying at your house. I can pick my bike up tomorrow. I just need to lock my saddlebags up and pick up my clothes. Raider, do you want me to call your mom for you?” Reaper is being nice and I can do that too.
“No thanks. I’ll call her in the morning after the doctor comes in. There’s no reason for her to worry all night since she can’t come up here and see Billie. I’ll let her know when we know everything,” I address Reaper. “Frannie, what was that thing that the doctor said that Billie may have?”
“Hyperemesis gravidarum happens to some women when they are pregnant. I should have thought of that but I’m an RN and not a doctor, or I’d be bringing home the big money. The symptoms are along the lines of what Billie has been going through. There is no medicine for it except the kind the doctor has given her. She will need a lot of rest and to watch her fluid intake or she’ll be having a lot more visits to the hospital. We will all need to watch her dietary needs. Even some smells can set off her nausea. We’ll need to keep the things that her stomach can tolerate stocked in the house. The same things we have been doing. She made need to add a little thiamine to her diet as well. The doctor will tell us. The good news is this may go away during the pregnancy.” That eases my anxiety a little. The nurse sticks her head in the door.
“Whoever is staying with Billie Nesbit, please follow me.” I look at Frannie.
“Mom, will you pick me up a change of clothes and my toothbrush before you come back?” Frannie smiles at me and Reaper is watching us both.
“Sure thing, son,” she tells me.
“Thank you, and Reaper, thank you for driving Frannie home. I don’t like her on the roads at night by herself.” Reaper nods his head at me. I don’t think Reaper knows what to expect from me. I just want to get to my woman, so I follow the nurse to Billie’s room. The nurse walks away but my eyes are only for Billie. I walk up to the bed and I kiss her forehead. I carry the chair from the other side of the room and put it next to Billie’s bed. I sit and watch her for hours. I’m afraid to take my eyes off her. I must nod off to sleep sometime in the night because I wake up when the nurse comes into the room just before dawn. I get up, stretch, and go and find me a cup of coffee while the nurse is doing her thing.
28
Reaper…
As soon as we arrived back at Frannie’s, we both were beat and she showed me to a guest room. I showered and then hit the bed. The bed was comfortable and I think I slept better than I have in years. The sheets smelled clean and they were soft. I haven’t had soft sheets since Jas died. I miss that woman dearly and what should have been.
I don’t drown myself in the bottom of a bottle anymore. That only made me feel like shit, and then I still had to wake up and be lonely and full of grief again. I went the endless women route, too. I’m getting too old for that shit for sure. There are only so many for sures a man can listen to. I need a woman my age or at least mature enough to hold a damn conversation with. I have my eye on Frannie. I’m just not sure she’s ready for me yet. I have certain desires and needs that most good women would frown upon. We’ll see how it works out. I’m not a staying man and I know she wouldn’t be up for that.
I hear someone downstairs, moving around, and there is food cooking and coffee in the air. I get up and do my thing in the bathroom and then dress and go downstairs.
Frannie is floating around the kitchen, preparing things. I look at my watch and I see it isn’t even six yet. Ryan and Maggie need to get ready to ride the bus soon. Frannie told me last night on our ride back here. “What are you doing up so early? Is it time for Ryan and Maggie to be up?” I ask her.
“I’ll call them in about fifteen minutes. Everything will be done then. To answer your question why I am up so early, I always try to fix my children a hot breakfast before school, even if it’s only oatmeal. The other reason is because I’m too worried about Billie. I had paperwork to do to put Billie on leave for the time being so her insurance is still paid by the farm business account.” Frannie is still moving around the kitchen.
“Is your farm run like a business or are the reins a little slack?” That makes Frannie stop.
“At one time, this farm was a small family business. William, my deceased husband, turned a considerable-sized family farm into a huge business. Everything we do now is turned over to our business managers so they can keep our taxes straight. Even the family has forms to fill out. Billie usually handles it all so it takes me a little longer. I wanted to make sure that Billie gets her entire check instead of partial pay. Our insurance is top of the line. So everything the hospital and doctor do will be covered with only a small copay. Stop me anytime, I know I am hyped up on caffeine and I will continue to talk.” Frannie smiles at me.
“Did you get any sleep at all?” I ask the beautiful woman.
“I cat napped off and on but at five, I gave up and started downing coffee,” Frannie tells me.
“You’re going to do Billie no good if you’re as exhausted as she is. When do you go back to work? I know you said you had the weekend off. That’s the day after tomorrow. I came early so I had could hang out with Raider and Billie until you were off work.” I see that the words I’m saying aren’t registering with her. I wanted to spend the weekend with her. After Billie is feeling better, I will make sure Frannie knows that she’s on my radar. Now is not the time.
“I put my papers in for a temporary leave of absence. I saw that Billie’s condition was escalating and I wanted my bases covered for work. You know I could quit tomorrow and the kids and I would be covered for our lifetime, but I would miss helping others. I felt helpless when William died and I never want to feel that way toward one of my children. If they don’t approve my leave, then I’ll take the two months of vacation I have saved up. My vacation rolls over every year. I have used most of my PTO hours for Billie.” Frannie loves her children and will sacrifice what she loves for them. She’s just like my mom and Jasmin were.
“Frannie, I’m here. Let me help you. I know we just met and you have no reason to trust me, but I would do anything for Billie and that means her family too. I can help with getting Ryan and Maggie back and forward to places. I can cook a few simple meals and I know how to order in. Just let me help you. Lean on me for whatever you need.”
Frannie smiles at me. “Watch it, biker man. I may take you on the wildest ride of your life.” Frannie is flirting with me. Maybe she is picking up on the reason I’m here.
“I’m up for the challenge. Bring it on.” I wink at her. Frannie gets up from her chair and walks around to me and straddles me. Damn. “I wish I had time for you right now.” Frannie kisses me and her kisses aren’t timid in the least. She’s in command and she has me pressing into her. I take control of the kiss and it isn’t long before Frannie and I are making out like a couple of teenagers, sitting on a parent’s couch. Frannie is the one that pulls away.
“Darlin’, you are full of surprises. You want control but you want it taken away from you too. I can give you both but I’m not the staying kind. One day, I will roll out of here. Can you handle that?” Frannie laughs and gets off my lap. I want to pull her back but she must decide on her own.
“Men really are arrogant. You think you’re going to kiss me and my panties are going to fall off, or if we have a one-night stand that I’m going to worship at your alter. Think again. I have a scratch that I haven’t itched since before my husband died. If we scratch that itch together, it will be me that tells you to see your way to the door. I was a one-man woman once upon a time, and I have no intention of repeating that. I’m keeping my options open. I know you’ve been hurt in the past. I don’t know by whom or why. I don’t know the circumstances, but I’m not a groupie. If we take this flirtation further, I will be going in with my eyes wide open and there will be condoms involved.” That gets my attention.
“You said condoms, as in plural. I’m all in for that.” I flirt more.
