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“I’ll get the nurse.” Heidi was up and out of the chair before he could take a breath. A moment later she returned, and Anna accompanied her, holding a syringe whose contents she added to his IV.
Anna smiled at him. “You’ll feel better now.”
Keith tried to breathe evenly. “Have I told you recently you’re my favorite nurse?”
She laughed. “Sure, but you said the same thing to Jenny, and Lisa, and Sharon, and—”
“Okay, okay, I get it. You’ve all been comparing notes.”
Anna leaned over. “Maybe Santa will bring you a nurse to really make you smile.” Her eyes twinkled, the skin crinkling around them. “Maybe a Pete, or a Joe, or a Chris?”
Heidi burst out laughing. “Wow. They sure have your number.”
Keith laughed too, although it was cut short when his chest tightened.
Anna studied his face. “Are you up to visitors this afternoon?”
Keith reached for Heidi’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m always up to a visit from my sis.”
Anna smiled. “Then I’ll leave you to it.” She walked to the foot of his bed, added something to his chart, and left the room.
Heidi retook her seat, still holding his hand. “I like her. She seems like a good nurse.”
“She’s awesome. Which is probably why she’s the charge nurse.”
There was a moment’s pause. “Polly and Sandy send their love.”
He managed a smile. “I always think it’s amazing that even though they’re almost fifty, they still look alike. I thought twins would change as they got older, but not those two.” They couldn’t be more different in temperament. Polly reminded him of Grandma, whereas Sandy had caused jaws to drop a few years back when she’d announced she was a lesbian. When all the hugging was over, she’d run to the front door and beckoned. Her girlfriend Laura had been sitting in her car the whole time, waiting for the all clear.
Keith had always believed he’d provide the first same-sex wedding in the family, but Sandy had beaten him to it.
Heidi laughed. “Polly says to tell you she’ll try to visit next week, but—”
“But she’s a grandmother now, with new grandbabies to fuss over.” Keith sighed. “She should be with them. After all, not long till Christmas.” He waved a hand toward the door. “Anna says it looks like a fairy grotto out there.” He scanned his room. “Not so festive in here.” Keith gave her a beseeching glance. “Could you find me a Christmas tree? Even a tiny one?”
“I’ll have to ask if that’s okay,” she replied.
“I need something in here to remind me it’s the holidays.”
Especially as this could be my last one.
Keith didn’t want to stay in that frame of mind, not when Heidi was there to spend time with him.
“I know.” She stroked his brow. “It’s good to see some things don’t change.”
“Hmm?”
“You. You were always the one who couldn’t wait for Christmas, who clamored for Dad to put up the lights, the tree...”
He smiled. “Yeah. No change there.”
Heidi settled back in her chair and talked, and Keith let her melodic voice roll over him. The words didn’t register sometimes, but the noise provided a distraction from the hum of the monitor, and he’d rather look at her than see the medical paraphernalia surrounding his bed. And if he fell asleep? Heidi wouldn’t mind. She knew how little sleep he got these days.
And while he was thinking about that, sleep snuck up on him and blindsided him.
Saturday, December 17, 2022
Keith had no idea of the time. He only knew it was sometime in the twilight hours between midnight and morning. The hospital was quiet, his night nurse Lisa had just positioned him, and he couldn’t sleep.
