1. She couldn’t remember why it was so important.
2. Tubes up her nose, into her veins, held her in place here.
3. Here, Geoff could relax and he did, sitting by her bed being jovial.
4. He seemed a little puzzled when she prodded him about what happened.
5. She could afford to be patient now.
6. His way of bending towards her, presenting his bald spot, seemed endearing here.
7. When he pretended to get it, she knew how his mouth would form an O.
8. Here, she could sleep and she did.
9. Deep, drugged, untroubled sleep with nothing under it.
10. The slow risings to consciousness didn’t hurt anymore.
11. Nurse wanted to know why she didn’t ask about leaving; all the other patients did.
12. Geoff did.
13. Geoff was ready, he had places for everything and everything in its place.
14. Except for her…until now.
15. Her place was prepared and it was time for her to be put in her place.
16. The ambulance drivers were rougher this time.
17. It seemed that she’d floated out into the back of the ambulance before.
18. That was the dream and this was something else.
19. Geoff strutted around, showing off his amenities and innovations.
20. That first night there was no sleep.
21. It was quiet and dark, but now it would always be dark.
22. That wasn’t the problem.
23. With no tubes to tether her, she felt her way over to the window and lifted it.
24. Soft night sounds, a bit of breeze, traffic far below.
25. No sirens tonight.
26. She listened and let her hands see the window frame.
27. Now that it wasn’t so vital, it was right here with her, in the front of her head.
28. The answer.
29. It had been there all along, she could see that now.
30. But now it was in context.
31. Now it made sense.
32. She left the window slightly ajar and made her way back to the bed.
33. She must have slept because Geoff’s short bark woke her.
34. Who opened this window?
35. Who was in here?
36. He stormed off to confront the poor, silly aide he was underpaying.
37. It was just too bad that girl would have to bear the brunt of this.
38. Everyone was on their own.
39. Geoff came back to her bedside, taking her hand in his.
40. Big and moist, pinky ring.
41. She’d know Geoff’s hands anywhere.
42. It crossed her mind to tell him she’d opened the window, but she didn’t.
43. Part of the answer was in knowing when to keep her mouth shut.
44. This wouldn’t work otherwise.
45. Another sleepless night with the drugs slid out the open window.
46. Moving slowly, deliberately, there were many things she could do.
47. Aides hired, screamed at and fired, one after the other.
48. Geoff had to know, how could he not?
49. It was finding her meds scattered around the base of the tree by the window that finished the charade.
50. The drivers weren’t nearly so rough this time.

Photo by Daan Stevens on Unsplash