Dottie snored herself awake. She peered at the white, sterile room around her, searching for a cup of water.
“Nurse?” A nurse came in so fast, it startled Dottie to an upright position.
“Mrs. Murchison, you have a visitor.” At last, she thought, Midge had come. A tall figure stood in the shadowed hallway, and in came a strange man.
“Hi. How are you feeling today?”
Dottie glared at the man. “Who are you? What do you want?”
“Oh, come on. Let’s not have any of that nonsense today.”
“Go away. I’m tired.”
The man looked at the nurse. “Bad day?” The nurse nodded and filled the water cup again, hoping it would keep her for another hour so she could check on other patients.
“I have a gift for you,” said the man, waving a little white box in front of her.
“I don’t accept gifts from strange men.”
The man shrugged and said to the nurse, “Maybe I should come back?” The nurse shrugged back, more interested in getting out of there.
“I tell you what. I’ll leave this here for you, and I’ll go down the hall and visit. I saw a veterans’ group when I came in. We could shoot the bull for a bit while you rest.” The man set the box down next to the water pitcher and excused himself.
Dottie squeezed the television remote. A soap opera was in mid story with two brunettes fighting over what one of them did while the other was in a coma. Dottie fidgeted with her blanket, kicking her feet like a spoiled child. Why hadn’t Midge come? She grabbed the assistance button and yelled into the hallway, “Nurse? Nurse? Can I have some water, please? Make sure there’s no ice because…”
A disgruntled nurse came in, shoved the cup toward her and left. Despite the rude presentation, Dottie slurped up the water, dribbling half of it down her gown. She shakily placed the cup back on the table. That’s when she noticed the white box. “What in the devil?” she asked to no one. Opening the box, she found her cherished prize. The locket. She cradled it in her palm and tears came like rain. D&M Forever. She brought it to her lips and kissed it gently. Never mind that she hadn’t had a drink of water all day, she was now content. She heard a man approach her bed. At last, a doctor. The man wasn’t wearing a white coat, though.
“Who are you? What do you want?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Dottie. I was just here. I told you I was going to check out the veterans’ group down the hall.” The frustrated man sat on the chair near her bed. He bent down to tie his shoe and got clocked in the head with a hard object.
“Darn it, Dottie!”
“Get out of my room! I don’t want you here! Nurse! Nurse!” The man picked up the white box and rubbed his sore noggin.
“I got your locket fixed for you, and this is your way of saying thanks?”
“You got it fixed? Why would you do such a thing? How did you get it? Did you steal it?”
“I didn’t steal it! I bought the damn thing for you. You just don’t remember. Come on. Focus.”
“This is Midge’s locket! How dare you!”
“Midge? What are you talking about, Dottie?”
“Midge gave it to me!” screamed Dottie, now in full-fledged hysteria. A nurse ran in and stared at the man for an explanation.
“Bonnie will you please tell her that I mean no harm? She’s gone plain wild today.”
“All right now, Mrs. Murchison. Calm yourself. He just wants to talk to you. It’s OK.”
A fear shot through Dottie, and she dropped the locket onto the floor.
“No! My locket. Midge gave that to me!”
The man stood, calming himself this time. “Honey, please. Try and remember. It’s me. Mike. Your husband.”
Dottie’s choking tears halted. “My husband?”
“Look at the locket,” he said, lifting it from the floor. “That’s us, D&M Forever. Remember? I gave that to you when we got married.”
“But… but… Midge?”
“D&M is us, sweetheart. Dottie and Mike forever. Remember?”
“But Midge…”
“Honey, Midge was a girl you knew years ago. You’re just confused.”
The nurse glanced at the man, hoping he wasn’t going to try it again. She didn’t want to have to give her another shot.
“Where is she?”
“Midge died the same night we met. That’s probably why you got confused with our names. It’s OK now. It’s OK to forget sometimes.”
“Midge is dead? But she gave me this locket. I know she did.”
“No, honey. She died while trying to take pictures at an apartment fire. She got too close. She’s been gone for a long time now. Please. Just try to relax and…”
Dottie shoved the table to the ground. The water cup and pitcher rolled down the side of the bed like a violent waterfall. The man jumped back from the unwanted shower. Dottie’s hysteria could be heard throughout the facility. The nurse ran out for a moment and came back in with a large nursing assistant and a spurting syringe oozing with artificial ease. Dottie wailed and kicked as the women held her down. In a few seconds, Dottie fell into a deep lull.
When she awoke, there was a blaring game show on the television. She pawed for the remote control and turned it off. The room was empty and silent. Struggling to get herself upright, she squeezed the assistance button. “Nurse! Nurse! I would like some water, please!”
It was shocking to her that they would let her go all day without one drop. She patted the locket around her neck and smiled. She couldn’t wait for Midge to visit. Why hadn’t she come yet?
About Ann Lamparski
