Blackout (10 page)

“Alice!” He took her hand. “Don’t cry. Gee, I’m sorry. I don’t want to upset you.” He looked around the small store to see if anyone watched them.

Alice sniffed and held back her tears. “It’s all right. Really. I can’t talk right now.”

“I understand. Really, I do.” He stood up and offered her his hand. “Let’s get you home.”

She took his hand and held on to it as they walked to the car.

On Hannah’s front porch, he bent down and kissed her on the lips. A deep thrill ran through her, and she clung to him. She didn’t ever remember anything like this before. Had she ever even kissed a boy? She didn’t know. She pulled away gently, and they stared at each other a minute. Alice looked away first. Donald took her keys, opened the door, and motioned her into the house.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.

She nodded and went inside.

In her bedroom, standing at the bureau, she removed the silver earrings carefully, thoughtfully.

The next day at Merry Hills, Alice walked by Brenda’s office at morning break. The social service director bent over a chart and only glanced up when Alice lightly tapped on the doorjamb.

“Yes? Can I help you?” Brenda didn’t smile, and Alice hesitated.

Resolutely, she stepped into the office. “Can I talk to you for a minute? It’s important.”

“Of course.” Brenda closed the chart and motioned to a chair. “Sit down.”

Alice had rehearsed the best way to begin. “The day before yesterday I heard what I think was resident abuse.”

“Tell me about it,” Brenda said softly, her hands folded on the desk in front of her.

“An… an aide told a resident to shut up. And she threatened to tie the resident up if she yelled anymore.”

“My goodness,” Brenda said. “Why didn’t you report this to Betty right away?”

“I’d rather talk to you,” Alice said. “And you were busy all day yesterday when I came by.”

Brenda studied Alice for a moment. Alice remained silent.

Brenda pulled a yellow pad toward herself and picked up a pen.

“All right,” she said. “Please tell me exactly what happened.”

With mixed emotions, Alice told Brenda what she had seen and heard. She felt as if she were betraying Nancy, but when she thought about the old woman’s shaking shoulders, she talked doggedly on.

When she finished, Brenda asked, “Do you know the name of the woman Nancy did this to?”

“Yes,” Alice said. “I went by later and saw her name with her picture on the sign by the door. She’s Mrs. Brodski.”

Brenda nodded. “I’ve heard her yell myself. Well, Alice, you did the right thing by coming to me. I’ll take care of everything now.”

“Thank you,” Alice said, relieved. She stood up. Brenda stood, too, and held out her hand. Startled, Alice took it, surprised by the strong grip.

Alice went back toward “her” hall, happy to have that over with.

But then she heard Mrs. Brodski yelling again. Oh, no, she thought. Heart pounding, Alice rushed toward the sound.

“Help me. Help me. Help—”

Abruptly the cries stopped. No one else had paid any attention—everyone was used to Mrs. Brodski. But the cessation of the yells worried Alice even more. Almost at a run, she arrived at the woman’s door.

Nancy had arrived first. She shook the wheelchair violently up and down by the arms.

“I told you not to yell like that,” she said in a low, menacing tone.

Mrs. Brodski’s face had become slack. Two tears coursed down her wrinkled cheeks.

“Nancy!” Alice exclaimed and stepped into the room.

“What do you want?” Nancy scowled as she straightened up. “This is my hall. Go back to yours.”

“Nancy, please.” Alice came farther into the room, aware of the strong smell of urine. She stared at the aide and the resident.

“Go away,” Nancy said.

Alice continued walking, and suddenly she felt herself slipping on something wet. She landed hard on her backside, her arm hitting the overbed tray which came crashing down beside her.

Mrs. Brodski began her litany once more. “Help me. Help me. Help me.”

“See what you’ve done!” Nancy screamed. Then she bent over Alice and said, “You better not tell. If you do, you’ll be real sorry. Your life won’t be worth squat.”

Alice cringed away from the other girl and began to cry herself. Angrily, she brushed at her tears and got up awkwardly from the floor.

“What’s going on here?” Betty said from the doorway.

Both Alice and Nancy started, looked at each other, and as quickly looked away.

“Alice fell in a puddle. I think she may have hurt herself,” Nancy said.

“Help me. Help me. Help me,” Mrs. Brodski kept on.

Betty’s face showed concern. “Nancy, take Mrs. Brodski to the bathroom, will you, so she’ll stop yelling? Alice, are you all right? Do you need to sit down?”

“I’m all right, really,” Alice said as she watched Nancy wheel the resident to the bathroom. Nancy shot her a warning glance, and Alice looked quickly away.

“We need to make out an incident report. Come with me, please, Alice,” Betty said.

Alice smoothed her hands down the back of her slacks and felt dampness. Oh, no, she thought. She looked at the floor. The tile glistened with urine.

“I must have slipped in that,” she pointed for Betty. “My pants are wet.”

“Turn around,” Betty said. “Oh, my. You don’t want to go parading down the hall like that!” She stepped around Alice to the bathroom and came back with a towel. “Wrap this around yourself. Go to the ladies’ room and dry your pants under the blower. Then come to my office. Be sure you do so. The report has to be made out right away. I’ll let Rita know what’s going on.”

Alice nodded that she understood and left the room as quickly as she could. She felt people staring at her on her way to the ladies’ room.

Once there, she removed her slacks and noticed they smelled of urine. Shuddering and wrinkling her nose, she wrapped the towel around herself again. Wetting a wad of paper towels at the sink, she scrubbed the pants down. Tears welled up in her eyes as she worked. Tiny pieces of the white toweling clung to her black pants. She brushed at them angrily with her hand. Why had this happened to her? What was she going to tell Betty?

She punched the button to start the dryer, holding the material close to the warm air.

The door burst open and Nancy entered. Alice shrank back against the wall as the young woman came toward her.

“Listen to me,” Nancy said. “You better not say a word about what you saw. I need this job, and you’ll get hurt if you say anything at all. You stay out of my business from now on. Understand?”

“Yes.” Alice’s heart thumped. “I understand.”

“Good,” Nancy turned abruptly and left the room.

Another tear slid down Alice’s check. She brushed at it and checked her slacks. They were still damp. She held them close to the dryer and tried to think what she should do.

Betty did paperwork in her office while waiting for Alice. Needing a quick pick-me-up, she opened her bottom desk drawer and got out a handful of trail mix.

Alice came in, self-consciously brushing at her slacks. Betty put away the snack. “Sit down, please,” she said. “How do you feel?”

“I’m fine, really,” Alice said so softly Betty had trouble hearing her.

My back would be killing me
, Betty thought.
Lucky youth
. She handed Alice a form and a pen. “Pull your chair up closer to the desk and fill this out.”

When the girl finished, she handed the form back to Betty. Betty glanced through it, then looked at Alice, studying her.

“Is there anything more you’d like to tell me about what happened?”

Alice twisted her index fingers. “Yes.” She cleared her throat and said louder, “Yes. I went into the room because Nancy was shaking Mrs. Brodski’s wheelchair and telling her to shut up.”

Betty’s eyes widened, but she tried to keep from showing any emotion.

“I’d seen her do it before,” Alice said.

“And not reported it?” Betty’s voice rose a little. She couldn’t help it.

“I told Brenda this morning.”

“Oh.” Betty’s mind churned.
Why Brenda and not me
?

In a rush, Alice said, “Nancy threatened me. She said if I told I’d be sorry. But I’d already gone to Brenda. Nancy didn’t know I’d seen her do it twice. She said she needed the job and I’d be sorry if I reported it.” Her voice quivered.

Betty leaned forward and spoke gently to Alice. “Don’t you worry now. I’ll talk to Brenda and neither of us will let Nancy know you told us anything. Nancy will be careful for a while, but I’ll keep a steady watch on her. Eventually I’ll catch her myself. She’ll be fired on the spot and will never know if you said anything or not. If she asks if you told me, deny it.”

Alice still appeared frightened, and Betty didn’t blame her. She thought a moment, then said, “I’ll get Donald to take you back and forth to work. For a while, have someone with you when you’re out of the house. Okay?”

Alice nodded.

“Now,” Betty said, “I want to apologize for not getting back to my office sooner the other day after Mrs. Lacy died. I understand you got tired of waiting and left. Have you remembered anything more since then?”

Alice frowned slightly, then said, “I guess I might have a grandmother. I think I called her Nana. And maybe there’s something important about a camera.”

“It seems like bits and pieces are coming back to you. I’m sure that’s good. Have you thought any more about seeing a doctor? You really should, you know.”

Alice shook her head.

Betty sighed. There was nothing she could do to force her to go. Being unable to do anything to help made Betty jittery. “Well, if you ever want someone to talk to, let me know. I won’t pressure you to see a doctor again. If you change your mind, tell me and we’ll arrange something. And keep me informed if Nancy threatens you further.”

Alice smiled shyly and stood up. “Thank you, Miss Cranston.”

“You’re welcome,” Betty said gruffly. “And for heaven’s sake, call me Betty. Surely you know we all go by first names around here.”

Alice nodded. “Okay,” she said softly and turned to leave.

Betty stared with unseeing eyes at the doorway after Alice left. The poor girl, she thought. She shook her head and brought her eyes down to her desktop and her to-do list. She crossed off “See Alice” and looked at the next notation. “See Margaret.”

Phooey. She didn’t want to talk to the food service director, but she’d better. She had several questions to ask her.

In the kitchen, dietary personnel were making preparations for lunch. The smell of cooking fish and potatoes overpowered her, so Betty stood a moment, watching everyone. No one noticed her as they bustled around.

The back door opened, and a little man entered. Betty recognized him instantly. He had large ears that stuck out like wings. His squinty eyes glanced around warily. He saw Betty, paused a moment, but then went toward Margaret’s office.

Betty decided to wait to see what happened. A cook noticed her standing by the door and said, “Hi, Betty. You need a hairnet. I’ll get you one.”

Betty nodded at the woman. When she brought the blue hairnet to her, Betty grimaced and put it on, then stood next to the cook at the steam table.

In a moment, Margaret and the little man came out of the dietary office. He went back outside. Ignoring her staff, Margaret went to the large walk-in freezer and began removing boxes of meat.

Betty stayed very still as the man came back in. He and Margaret exchanged cartons. No one in the kitchen spoke as the transaction took place. A few of the personnel glanced at Betty out of the corners of their eyes, but as quickly looked away. Betty caught Tammi’s eye and nodded at her. Tammi suppressed a grin and went back to stirring the corn.

When the man left and the final box had been placed into the freezer, Margaret looked around the kitchen for the first time. Her glance fell on Betty and her face turned crimson. Quickly she twirled around and went toward her office. Betty followed as fast as she could.

The door slammed in her face again. But Betty would not be stopped this time. She threw open the door and stormed inside, pulling the annoying hairnet off her head and throwing it on Margaret’s desk.

“Get out,” Margaret shouted at her. “Get out of my office and my department.”

“Not until we talk,” Betty said, straining to control her voice and her emotions. “I know what you’re doing, and I’m going to report it to Katherine right away.”

“You can’t prove a thing,” Margaret snapped and sat down hard in her chair. “Go away.”

“There are witnesses—”

Margaret snorted. “It’s your word against mine.”

“We’ll see about that,” Betty said loudly as she turned around and stalked out of the room.

In the hallway, she saw Lettie coming toward her. Her gait had slowed and her shoulders slumped. When she saw Betty, she asked listlessly, “Do you know me?” But she shambled away before Betty could even respond.

Betty turned to watch her, her heart heavy.
Lettie’s medicine is beginning to work
, she thought.
But for her or against her? Only time would tell.

I need to see Ma
. She hurried to room 301, barely acknowledging the greetings of residents and employees on the way.

Betty Senior lay with her eyes closed, her hands folded across her stomach. Images of Ida Jenkins and Mrs. Lacy raced through Betty’s mind. Putting her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from exclaiming aloud, she hesitated at the door. Her heart did strange things in her chest. As her blood pounded in her ears, she rushed to her mother’s bedside.

“Ma!”

Her mother’s eyes flew open, and Betty gasped with surprise.

“You’re all right!”

“What do you mean? Of course I’m
not
all right,” her mother exclaimed. “Oh,” she looked at her daughter sharply. “You mean I’m the same, not any worse. Or dead.”

“Ma, don’t say that!” Betty sank into the visitor’s chair and put her head into her hands.

“Why, Betty. What’s wrong?”

Betty shook her head. “Who’s visited you this morning?”