Wife for Hire

Chapter 14

(Jason)

Karmen was giving directions and I can honestly say I had no idea where we were going. So, you can imagine my shock when we arrived at a long term stay cancer treatment center. I looked at her then at the building confused, but she wouldn't meet my eyes. I pulled into the parking deck and took one of those tickets from the automated machine. I found a parking spot and put the car in park before removing the keys from the ignition.

"Karmen..." I said, turning to look at her. She still wouldn't face me and I didn't know what else to say. What was I supposed to say in this situation? Was she telling me she had cancer? Was she saying she knew someone that had cancer?

"If you've decided you want to stay in the car you can." She whispered, still not making eye contact. Whatever it was she wasn't comfortable saying it out loud to me, so I would follow her and let her show me herself. I opened my door and went around to her side to open hers. She unfastened her seatbelt and climbed out of the car. With a deep breath she looked at me and plastered on the brightest smile I had ever seen, I couldn't help but feel like it was also the saddest smile I had ever seen.

I followed her into the lobby of the hospital and she greeted a couple of the nurses. They were all smiling and waving back asking how she'd been and fussing at her for not stopping by sooner. I could tell she came by here a lot. She introduced me and both of the nurses looked at each other and squealed before running around the desk giving me a hug. I looked to Karmen for help, but she was trying hard not to laugh at my discomfort.

"We're so glad we finally got to meet you! Karmen he is so cute! I'm glad you got you a good looking rich man, now if only Jared would go ahead and strike rich so I could quit my job." Karmen did laugh genuinely this time and pulled the nurse named Tonya, at least that's what her name tag said, off of me.

"Well if you did that, I wouldn't see you anymore." Tonya nodded and rubbed Karmen's arm.

"Well we won't keep you guys for long, go do what you came here to do." Karmen nodded and we continued to walk deeper into the hospital before getting on the elevator and going up to the third floor. On the third floor we were greeted in a similar manner by more nurses. Karmen laughed and kept everyone at bay before introducing me to everyone. All the nurses crowded around me asking me questions, all speaking to me at the same time. Karmen rolled her eyes outside of the crowd and pushed her way through before standing in front of me like a bodyguard protecting their charge.

"Ladies, ladies, we will not be accepting autographs at this time. We have a very important person to meet here, so if you could wait until then..." A couple of nurses groaned and pouted but agreed before parting and letting me and Karmen through. Once the nurses left Karmen smiled at me sheepishly.

"Looks like you come here pretty often." She rubbed her neck and shrugged, not looking at me. I grabbed her hand to reassure her that I was fine and that she had nothing to be upset over. She looked at me and smiled, I couldn't help but return it. The chorus of awws that came from behind the front desk caused me and Karmen to blush. She quickly removed her hand from mine and began speed walking in the other direction. I chuckled but caught up with her easily.

We stopped in front of one of the room doors and Karmen took a deep breath before looking at me and nodding. I didn't know what we were nodding for, but I returned her nod with one of my own and she took that as the sign to open the door. She stepped inside and I followed.

The room was white and very clean. I could smell the cleaning products that had been used as if the janitors had just left. We walked further into the room and Karmen peeked around the curtain at an older black lady laying propped up in the bed. Karmen smiled sheepishly at me before going around to the other side of the bed and shaking the woman's shoulders gently.