Chapter Forty-Six

Stephanie is sitting on the bed alongside her mom as the two are finishing up a couple of sub sandwiches that Deb brought them.
“That was awfully nice of Deb to bring us something to eat, wasn’t it mom?” Stephanie asks.
“Yes, dear it was,” Violet responds, but stoically.
“I do need to get home and get some rest, mom. You should try to relax and get some rest yourself,” Stephanie says. The nurse is hoping to coax her mom into relaxing.
“I don’t know if I can,” Violet says softly.
“Well, you should try,” Stephanie says as she scoops up the sandwich wrappers in her hands and removes them off of the bed to make room for her mom to lie down. Stephanie walks over to the trash bucket and drops the wrappers into it, glancing out the window at the same time and hoping that her mother doesn’t notice her looking.
She doesn’t.
Violet is fluffing the pillows a moment before she sets herself back against them.
“I think you will fall asleep shortly mother. It’s been a rough twenty-four hours for you,” Stephanie says. The nurse walks over and reaches for her mother’s hand, lifting it up to kiss the back of it. “I will see you shortly, O.K.? I just need to go get some sleep myself and clean up.”
Violet nods her head yes but is silent.
“I will make sure that Dr. Ramsey checks on you,” Stephanie gives a reassuring smile to her mom. “He’s a great doctor mom, and he’s kinda cute.”
Violet smiles, but she remains silent as Stephanie leaves the room.

Ryan approaches Dr. Ramsey sitting at the front entrance nurse’s station. “You’re still here?”
“Yeah, this place seriously needs to get some new people hired,” Dr. Ramsey says.
“Agreed. Anyway, I took a walk around the property and I didn’t see anything unusual,” Ryan walks up next to the desk closer and leans against it. “I walked by Bob’s room and he was fine.”
“Good. I was worried about him after running into Claire,” Billy shakes his head, “which I can’t blame him. Of all people, he should have been told she was coming back.”
“Well, I have heard about what happened and I don’t see how she can still be allowed to work here after all that happened before,” Ryan says.
“Yeah, I’m not sure what’s up with that?” Billy wonders out loud.

Claire is in her small apartment on Cedar Street sitting on the couch. The woman is looking out the front picture window where she can see the top of the Katahdin Mental Institute in the distance.
She reaches over and picks up her phone and dials. After a brief pause she begins, “Yeah. It’s me. I need your help…”