Post by Tammy on Aug 17, 2006 11:14:28 GMT -5
The next day Shawn sat in the doctors office hoping for some explanations from John’s doctors as to what was happening with his son. Dr. Reynolds was nervous, “As I said to you on the phone, I just don’t know. Now that is the simplest and truest answer that I can give you. Um…he claims to have no sensation of touch and now there are these…these visions. It is possible that all of this could be the result of some damage to the brain, maybe due to the accident…or the length of the coma. There is just so much more that we don’t know than we do. I think that he should be here in our care. I think that we should do more tests. He should…” Shawn interrupted, “He refuses to do more tests, so there must be some other way.” “Well frankly I, Uh… don’t understand the reluctance Mr. Brady. This is a critical time for him.” Shawn nodded his head, “Well his mother wants him home.” Dr. Reynolds stared at him, “Why?” Shawn exhaled, “It makes her feel that things are normal again.” “It’s not normal Mr. Brady. It never will be. Now uh…maybe accepting that… would be a good place to start. “ Shawn starred at him, “Give me another option.” Dr. Reynolds sat there and tried his best to think of another alternative.
Marlena was working around the house when the doorbell rang. Marlena opened the door to someone she never expected to see. “Hello Nurse Evans. Could we uh…talk?” Marlena shook off her shock and welcomed Mr. Brady in closing the door behind him. “Can I get you something? I have water…or umm…” Shawn laughed nervously, “Oh no…I am fine really…but thanks.” After a few moments Shawn began to speak, “Miss Evans uh…I’d like to offer you a job.” She looked at him and then glanced away while he continued. “A little in-home care…for um…Johnny.” Marlena took a deep breathe, “Umm do you want to sit down?” “Thank you.” Shawn sat down and continued to speak in a shaky voice. “Uh…you would work at our house and as a reprehensive of University Hospital. That way Johnny will receive the help that he needs, and he will be able to stay home with us. “ Marlena starred down at her hands. She was torn as to what she should do. Shawn saw her dilemma and began to speak again, “He’s seeing things…did you know that? Did he tell you that?” Marlena simply shook her head no while starring at her hands. ”He thinks he is seeing his son. And uh I don’t know how to help him. I can’t help him. “ Marlena took a deep breath and tried to hold back the tears. “I care…about your son. But…I just can’t right now.” Shawn shook his head, “ I won’t loose him again. I won’t!” He said in a gentle voice. Marlena looked away, “Um…I think you should go.” Shawn began to protest but stopped, “I’m sorry…thank you.” As Shawn walked out the door Marlena looked after him with tears streaming down her face.
Marlena spent the next few day doing nothing but thinking. Did she really want to do this? Did she want to take the chance and open up her heart? Every time she had done it in the past it never turned out very well. No matter how much she tried to help others it never seemed to be quite enough. Every time she put her heart on the line…it always seemed to be in vein…it never turned out how she thought it would. Either she let the person down or she was let down…either way it ended badly. And she just wasn’t sure if she had the strength anymore.
Marlena rang the door bell. As she stood there waiting for someone to answer to contemplated running away, but her attempt was futile as the front door swung open. On the other side stood an older gentlemen with a heartwarming smile on his face.
Marlena entered the room and saw John sitting in a wheelchair starring at the television. Marlena walked closer to him. She glanced at the television and saw what had John so mesmerized. He was watching a video…a home video of his sons birthday party. Suddenly John spoke, “His last birthday party.” Marlena glanced at the screen and saw the boy beaming a bright smile and then she looked back to John. “I’ve seen him. They obviously told you that right?” Marlena nodded but did not speak. John looked at her, “Why did you come?” Marlena nervously studied the carpet, “Because your dad said that you needed me.” John looked away, “And?” Marlena looked up at him with tears in her eyes, “And…he was right.” Marlena walked over to Johns bed and sat down fidgeting. When she realized that he wasn’t going to say anything she took a deep breath, “All those things…everything…that I did…while you were…you know… the pictures…the cemetery? I only did that because I was trying to help. It wasn’t meant to be an intrusion or…or…and invasion of your privacy.” She looked up at him and his eyes were red from crying and he took a ragged breath, “But it was.” he said in a soft voice. Marlena looked away for a moment, “If you don’t want me here I can go.” John shook his head and spoke gently, “I’m not saying that. I’m not.” John looked back at the television, “But this is my life. Everyone keeps doing things to me. “ He looked at Marlena, “But I’m awake now. That’s got to count for something.” Marlena smiled at him and nodded, “Fair enough. But if I’m staying then I’m your nurse…and that has to count for something too.” John glanced away with a small smile on his face, “Fair enough.” He looked back at Marlena and she smiled at him and whispered, “Okay.” Marlena had a sense that they were at an understanding and they both felt much more at ease. She took a deep breath, “Then…I shave you now.” John looked at her in mild shock, “The hell you do.” Marlena looked at him exasperatedly yet mildly amused, “Okay now…what did I just say? I’m the nurse…you’re the patient.” She examines his face, “You’ve completely let yourself go…you need a shave.” He stared at her, “Why?” She looked at him and grinned, “Because I like sharp objects. It’s empowering.” She did her best to keep a straight face but when he smiled, that gorgeous million dollar smile, she lost all resolve and the both laughed. Marlena wheeled him into the bathroom that was in his room. John’s eyes shone with a slight bit of trepidation. Marlena noticed this and lied a gentle hand on his shoulders to waylay his fears. She placed a hot washcloth on his face… then after a moments she sprayed the cream into her hands and began to lather his face. As she caressed the cream on his face she found herself starring into his ocean blue eyes…starring at him she felt a sudden rush of happiness and peace wash over her and she began to smile. She looked at him and nodded as she picked up the razor. She began to run the razor over his soft yet firm face…he starred at Marlena’s reflection in the mirror. He saw a woman who was so full of love and tenderness. A woman who was treating him with such gentleness and he began to wonder how he became so lucky as to have this woman helping him and caring for him. He starred at her for a moment longer and a smile came to his face. He reached up to still her hand. He took the razor and tentatively lifted it to his face…and began to shave himself. Marlena leaned on the counter and was amazed how much she loved watching John perform this simple task. She sat there watching him with delight. When he finished a few moments later she began to clean him up with a smile on her face. When he was clean she stood behind him as he sat in his wheelchair. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind. They both looked into the mirror and began to smile.
Later that night Marlena sat out by the swimming pool…just relaxing and thinking…which was something she seemed to be doing a lot of lately. John sat on his balcony just watching Marlena as she sat there swinging her feet back and forth in the pool as she was deep in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about so deeply. Whatever it was seemed to be weighing on her shoulders and wished he could take all her worries away.
Marlena was working around the house when the doorbell rang. Marlena opened the door to someone she never expected to see. “Hello Nurse Evans. Could we uh…talk?” Marlena shook off her shock and welcomed Mr. Brady in closing the door behind him. “Can I get you something? I have water…or umm…” Shawn laughed nervously, “Oh no…I am fine really…but thanks.” After a few moments Shawn began to speak, “Miss Evans uh…I’d like to offer you a job.” She looked at him and then glanced away while he continued. “A little in-home care…for um…Johnny.” Marlena took a deep breathe, “Umm do you want to sit down?” “Thank you.” Shawn sat down and continued to speak in a shaky voice. “Uh…you would work at our house and as a reprehensive of University Hospital. That way Johnny will receive the help that he needs, and he will be able to stay home with us. “ Marlena starred down at her hands. She was torn as to what she should do. Shawn saw her dilemma and began to speak again, “He’s seeing things…did you know that? Did he tell you that?” Marlena simply shook her head no while starring at her hands. ”He thinks he is seeing his son. And uh I don’t know how to help him. I can’t help him. “ Marlena took a deep breath and tried to hold back the tears. “I care…about your son. But…I just can’t right now.” Shawn shook his head, “ I won’t loose him again. I won’t!” He said in a gentle voice. Marlena looked away, “Um…I think you should go.” Shawn began to protest but stopped, “I’m sorry…thank you.” As Shawn walked out the door Marlena looked after him with tears streaming down her face.
Marlena spent the next few day doing nothing but thinking. Did she really want to do this? Did she want to take the chance and open up her heart? Every time she had done it in the past it never turned out very well. No matter how much she tried to help others it never seemed to be quite enough. Every time she put her heart on the line…it always seemed to be in vein…it never turned out how she thought it would. Either she let the person down or she was let down…either way it ended badly. And she just wasn’t sure if she had the strength anymore.
Marlena rang the door bell. As she stood there waiting for someone to answer to contemplated running away, but her attempt was futile as the front door swung open. On the other side stood an older gentlemen with a heartwarming smile on his face.
Marlena entered the room and saw John sitting in a wheelchair starring at the television. Marlena walked closer to him. She glanced at the television and saw what had John so mesmerized. He was watching a video…a home video of his sons birthday party. Suddenly John spoke, “His last birthday party.” Marlena glanced at the screen and saw the boy beaming a bright smile and then she looked back to John. “I’ve seen him. They obviously told you that right?” Marlena nodded but did not speak. John looked at her, “Why did you come?” Marlena nervously studied the carpet, “Because your dad said that you needed me.” John looked away, “And?” Marlena looked up at him with tears in her eyes, “And…he was right.” Marlena walked over to Johns bed and sat down fidgeting. When she realized that he wasn’t going to say anything she took a deep breath, “All those things…everything…that I did…while you were…you know… the pictures…the cemetery? I only did that because I was trying to help. It wasn’t meant to be an intrusion or…or…and invasion of your privacy.” She looked up at him and his eyes were red from crying and he took a ragged breath, “But it was.” he said in a soft voice. Marlena looked away for a moment, “If you don’t want me here I can go.” John shook his head and spoke gently, “I’m not saying that. I’m not.” John looked back at the television, “But this is my life. Everyone keeps doing things to me. “ He looked at Marlena, “But I’m awake now. That’s got to count for something.” Marlena smiled at him and nodded, “Fair enough. But if I’m staying then I’m your nurse…and that has to count for something too.” John glanced away with a small smile on his face, “Fair enough.” He looked back at Marlena and she smiled at him and whispered, “Okay.” Marlena had a sense that they were at an understanding and they both felt much more at ease. She took a deep breath, “Then…I shave you now.” John looked at her in mild shock, “The hell you do.” Marlena looked at him exasperatedly yet mildly amused, “Okay now…what did I just say? I’m the nurse…you’re the patient.” She examines his face, “You’ve completely let yourself go…you need a shave.” He stared at her, “Why?” She looked at him and grinned, “Because I like sharp objects. It’s empowering.” She did her best to keep a straight face but when he smiled, that gorgeous million dollar smile, she lost all resolve and the both laughed. Marlena wheeled him into the bathroom that was in his room. John’s eyes shone with a slight bit of trepidation. Marlena noticed this and lied a gentle hand on his shoulders to waylay his fears. She placed a hot washcloth on his face… then after a moments she sprayed the cream into her hands and began to lather his face. As she caressed the cream on his face she found herself starring into his ocean blue eyes…starring at him she felt a sudden rush of happiness and peace wash over her and she began to smile. She looked at him and nodded as she picked up the razor. She began to run the razor over his soft yet firm face…he starred at Marlena’s reflection in the mirror. He saw a woman who was so full of love and tenderness. A woman who was treating him with such gentleness and he began to wonder how he became so lucky as to have this woman helping him and caring for him. He starred at her for a moment longer and a smile came to his face. He reached up to still her hand. He took the razor and tentatively lifted it to his face…and began to shave himself. Marlena leaned on the counter and was amazed how much she loved watching John perform this simple task. She sat there watching him with delight. When he finished a few moments later she began to clean him up with a smile on her face. When he was clean she stood behind him as he sat in his wheelchair. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind. They both looked into the mirror and began to smile.
Later that night Marlena sat out by the swimming pool…just relaxing and thinking…which was something she seemed to be doing a lot of lately. John sat on his balcony just watching Marlena as she sat there swinging her feet back and forth in the pool as she was deep in thought. He wondered what she was thinking about so deeply. Whatever it was seemed to be weighing on her shoulders and wished he could take all her worries away.
