When she left for the day, her mind was full of thoughts about her situation at work. She hoped this whole Pelham thing would soon be resolved. In fact, she wasn’t sure she’d be all that disappointed if the Dean decided to suspend her for a week or so, although she’d have to grieve through her union if it was without pay. Still, some time off wouldn’t be a bad thing in her life right now, she thought, although she was sure Dick wouldn’t like it at all. In fact, she could picture him being quite agitated if such a thing were to happen. Myrtle smiled to herself at how ridiculous the whole thing really was. She looked up as she climbed into Fred's car to see the Dean watching her from across the parking lot. He glanced at his watch. Talk about being watched, thought Myrtle, feeling uncomfortable.
She settled behind the wheel and started the car. As she drove along, she put such matters out of her head and pondered briefly if she should eat out, or go to Fred’s room first, then excuse herself to get a supper at the hospital cafeteria. Myrtle decided for the latter and was again lost in thought as she parked Fred’s car right next to a full-sized red pickup with all kinds of accessories. She paid for a couple of hours parking and headed into the hospital.
On her way to Fred’s room, she heard a loud voice penetrating the otherwise quiet hallways and wondered sort of distractedly what poor person had such loud complaints. But as she turned through the doorway into Fred’s room, she immediately had her answer. Flora Luckinbill was standing at Fred’s bedside, and she turned to glare at Myrtle. Again, the vague feeling of being followed intruded on her mind. Myrtle gave her head a little shake and wondered what either she or Fred had done to deserve a Flora.
“Oh, it’s you!” exclaimed the large woman, as Myrtle rounded the end of Fred’s bed.
“Yes. Yes, it’s me,” Myrtle confirmed quietly as she accepted a hug from Fred and kissed him on the cheek. He seemed to cling to Myrtle a little awkwardly ~ and desperately.
“He’s been alone all day!” accused Flora.
“Has he?” said Myrtle wearily. “Well why has he then?” she asked, feigning innocence. “I mean, I’ve been at work all day. Was there no one else in the world to look in on him ~ all day?” she sort of demanded.
Flora blushed deeply as Fred shrank back into his pillow, looking a little as if he hoped it would swallow him.
“In fact, I’ve been at work since early this morning,” continued Myrtle, plainly in something of a combative mood. “I’ve only just gotten off. But I wonder why Fred had to be alone.... all day!”
Flora backed away a step and glowered at Myrtle, who apparently wasn’t done. “Why are you always so unpleasant?” she asked, glowering right back at Flora. “Why can’t you just be a civil human being? You act like you think I should quit my job or something to be here every minute. But just how long have you been here if it’s so important for someone to be lurking over Fred all the time?”
Flora’s mouth fell open. She was accustomed to intimidating others, certainly not to anyone speaking to her so plainly. Her confusion showed. If the truth were known, Flora wasn’t really all that concerned about Fred. He was her son and somewhere deep inside she harboured some small affection for him. It mattered to her what happened to him. But mostly she was concerned about Fred’s girl friend. It actually hadn’t occurred to Flora that there might be a genuine romance happening here. She assumed Myrtle was after something Fred had, but she wasn’t sure what that might be. Most people probably wouldn’t have come back after the last thorny visit, but Flora’s curiosity and her own avarice had the better of her. Flora was being quite obviously nosy and what with everything else that was happening in her life, Myrtle didn’t have a lot patience for it.
“Well, I never!” exclaimed Flora.
“Oh, I’ll bet you have too,” retorted Myrtle. Then she turned to Fred. “I was going to get some supper from the cafeteria and bring it back to eat with you,” she explained. “But I think I’ll just go eat. I’ll look in on you again before I leave,” she said, plainly put off by Flora’s presence. She didn’t mean to take it out on Fred, but she’d had enough for one day.
“But Myrtle....” he sort of whimpered. “Please... get something and bring it back. I’m sure my mother will be gone by then,” he offered uncertainly, with a nervous glance at Flora.
“Huuuumph,” declared Flora. “I can see I’m not wanted,” she announced. “I have a home-cooked dinner waiting to be warmed up at home. You two do just as you please,” she said haughtily, as if she thought they ought to feel bad for it.
Fred sighed deeply, but Myrtle only looked up at Flora through narrowed eyes, her expression stony. “Just please yourself,” she said coldly.
With eyes widened, Flora turned and marched away once again. Myrtle sat with Fred awhile in silence, but when she heard the dinner cart approaching from down the hallway, she headed for the cafeteria to get her supper too. She got back in good time this time to just take the lid off her ravioli and a salad as Fred uncovered his meal. It wasn’t exactly like eating out together, but they chatted as they ate and the evening passed pleasantly enough, as long as they avoided the touchy subject of Fred’s mother.
Myrtle hinted around about the excitement at work, but down-played the gnarlier details of the situation so as not to worry Fred. She made it sound as if the whole controversy was between Pelham and his students, and it was just the Dean caught in the middle. So rather than being worried, Fred was grateful for the entertaining story.
Myrtle was feeling better by the time she headed for home. The whole routine was getting a little wearing, but she really enjoyed spending time with Fred and felt things would only get better once he was out of the hospital and well on the mend. She also hoped Tuesday wouldn’t be quite so exciting, either at work, or at Fred’s bedside. She was up for a little ordinary routine. She just doubted somehow that she’d get it.
For his part, Fred was getting quite bored with routine and with being in the hospital. His stomach hurt, but he was getting used to how he had to move to minimize the pain. The nurses were nice enough, but he felt very much as if he was living his life at the whim of people dressed in scrubs. Sure, the disagreeable appearance of his mother punched a loud hole in his boredom, but he didn’t like Myrtle to have to deal with her. He was anxious to get into his new apartment behind a locked door. At least, he thought, he could keep his mother out.
