“I’m fine. My ankle is sprained, and I need to stay off it as much as possible.”
“Can I do anything to help?” I asked. “I could come over right now and bring you anything you need.”
“I did groceries last night, so I’m okay. But I need you to help another way.”
“Anything.” Gwen had helped me so much over the years that she knew all she had to do was ask and I’d come running. She somehow didn’t exploit my deep need to care for women, even when it was her.
“Glad to hear you say that.” She paused. “I have a nursing gig this week, and I can’t get there, obviously.”
“So the agency has to send someone else?”
I heard her sigh. “No, they’re already totally overbooked. Four nurses are out with the flu already. My patient isn’t considered a high priority since she’s not really on medication, and is technically healthy. I even called a couple of other places, but they’re not picking up on a Sunday morning, and I don’t really trust them anyway.”
“Oh. What can I do?”
“Liam, I need you to go care for this patient. She had surgery two days ago, and her eyes are bandaged for several more days, so she’s temporarily blind and helpless.”
“Um, can you just send in a replacement like this?”
Gwen laughed. “Not really, but I can’t leave this poor girl alone. Even though she’s very self-sufficient.” There was a pause. “Actually, I think she really doesn’t want help. But she needs it. She doesn’t know how to operate without sight, and she’s supposed to be completely resting. All you’ll have to do is spend most of the day with her, make sure she has food that’s easy to eat, and make her comfortable.”
I nodded to myself, thinking. “Yeah, I could do that. Sandwiches, finger food, audiobooks. Conversational company.”
“Cool. Thanks so much, little brother.”
My chuckle always amused her. I was a year younger, but she was tiny compared to me.
“Get over to my place quickly to get her key,” she said. “I’ll write out instructions, and I’ll always be a phone call away.”
“On my way.” So much for a week of catching up on much needed rest, and my backlog of editing. Packing my laptop and a few things in a knapsack, I rushed to Gwen’s.
I had barely knocked on her door when she called out, “It’s open!”
As I went inside, I tried to glare at her where she sat with one foot propped up on a pillow on the coffee table. “You left the door unlocked?”
Her eyes rolled hard. “I unlocked it the last time I got up for ice.”
“How are you feeling?” I asked. She looked exhausted and slightly disheveled, but I didn’t want to point that out.
“Achy, but as long as I’m not putting weight on it, it’s okay.” She flashed me her weird, quirky smile. “Thanks so much for doing this, Liam.”
“You’re welcome.”
She gave me a key with a purple ribbon, and three pages of printed instructions. “Thorough, much?” I kidded.
Then Gwen pinned me with her sisterly glare. ‘Tell me that you’re seeing Sarah again.”
I rolled my eyes. “No. That was just for three weeks, and it ended over a year ago. Why?”
“Dammit.” She shook her head. “The most important thing isn’t on those pages. Liam, do not fall for her.”
I shook my head. “Sis, I’m not that lonely. Come on.”
“Seriously. I know your type, and I know you love a damsel in distress. This girl is pretty pissed off that she needs any help. So she’d likely kick you to the curb the second she could see again.”
Taking a deep breath, my shoulders drooped. “Gwen, I’d never get close to a woman if I wasn’t damn sure she could handle my face.”
“Come closer so that I can smack you,” she grumbled, reaching out wildly, but I was a few steps too far. “No quality woman would care about that.”