Claire was moved at the obvious sincerity in Dr. Mauldin’s voice. She could tell that her mother was also soothed by his promises, and some of the panic eased out of her eyes. “Now I’m going to go set up some tests for later this morning and let you and your daughter have a chance to visit. If it's ok, I’ll call you Evelyn from this point; we’re going to be good friends before this is over.” Her mother nodded her head in agreement, and Dr. Mauldin left them alone.

Claire looked down at her mother and said, “Mom, you’re going to be okay; I know you’re scared but please believe we will get you the help you need.”

Tears started to flow from her mother’s eyes as she said, “Cl…Ai..Re.” Somehow just hearing her mother managing to say her name after several attempts was one of the sweetest and saddest moments of her life.

“Mom, please just try to rest now and build your strength back up. You heard Dr. Mauldin say they’re doing tests today so they’ll know how best to help you.”

“Soo..rr..y.....N..ot…G…ood…M.o….m.”

It took her a few seconds to figure out what her mother was trying to say to her. “Mom! Why would you say that? This isn’t your fault and it sure doesn’t make you a bad mother. I love you very much, and you being sick will never change that.” As her own tears began to flow despite her best efforts to hold them back, Claire reached down to brush the tears away from her mother’s cheeks.

“Di..d..no..t…s..av.e….my….baa..bie..s.” In that moment Claire knew exactly what she was referring to. Even after he was gone, the presence of her father lingered heavily in the room alive in both her mother’s and Claire's memory.

The abuse she received at the hands of her father would never leave her, but she’d managed to make a life for herself. Her mother, however, had never really had that reprieve. She moved from the prison of living with an abusive husband to the prison of Alzheimer’s and now those walls were once again closing in around her. Regret and something close to shame were clearly reflected in the depths of her eyes.

“Mom, the past is over. Daddy made you a prisoner, but now you’re free and you deserve to be happy and enjoy your life. I realize that you spent most of your life trying to deflect his anger onto you and away from us." Claire leaned down and put her arms around her mother as best she could, and they stayed like that until the door opened.

“Can anyone join in this hug?”

Claire saw Louise smiling in the doorway and held out a hand to her. “Group hug then.” Claire insisted that Louise take the one chair in the room, and she stood near the window. “How did you get here this morning? I was going to call and see if you wanted me to pick you up.”

“My sister dropped me on her way to play bingo,” laughed Louise. “You know nothing can keep her from getting in there and hoping for the big payoff.”

Claire noticed her mother looked much better since Louise arrived. She’d been part of their lives for so long that she was like a sister and maybe a bit of a mother to them both. Claire could tell that Louise brought the same calming influence to her mother that she always did. Soon, she was trying to smile along with them as they joked and tried to lighten the mood.

~~~

Glenda arrived around eleven and wheeled her mother off for her first round of tests. Louise said she was going to the restroom and to stretch her legs for a bit. Claire decided to go to the waiting room and find some magazines to pass the time. As she neared the nurse’s station she was surprised to see Jason deep in conversation with Dr. Mauldin.

Jason spotted her and walked over to give her a hug. “Hi there, how is your mom doing today?”

“Umm, pretty good. When did you get here?”

“A few moments ago,” said Jason. “I met Tom on my way in, and we were catching up. We both serve on some of the same charities and have known each other for years. Your mother couldn’t be in better hands. I told Tom that your mother was to have whatever she needs so don’t worry about anything.”

Claire felt her spine stiffen. She gave Dr. Mauldin a tight smile and turned to Jason. “May I talk to you privately for a moment please?”

Obviously puzzled by her behavior, Jason replied, “Sure. Tom it was great to see you again. I’m sure we will talk soon.”

Jason steered her down the hall and stepped out a side door into a small courtyard. When he attempted to put his arms around her, she stiffened and pushed away. “Jason, why were you discussing my mother’s medical care with her doctor?”

Still looking confused, he said, “As I mentioned, Tom and I are friends, and I wanted him to know that your mother could afford to have any care that she might need. Doctors have their hands tied these days getting insurance companies to approve adequate care for their patients, and I don’t want this to be the case with your mother; I know how important she is to you.”

“Jason, I appreciate the fact that you’d care, but I need to make these decisions. I realize that you’re somewhat in the know about my mother’s financial situation; however, I must be completely informed so that I can make the necessary judgments concerning her care. I can’t promise the hospital or the doctor that I can give them a blank check for whatever they deem necessary; we’re not rich. I can, however, start making arrangements as soon as the doctor discusses options with ME.”

“Honey, you don’t have to worry about looking at options. I’m perfectly happy to pay for whatever your mother might need. You don’t need the additional stress of thinking about money while you’re worrying about your mother. Claire I’ve the money, and I would like nothing better than to help you. I’m not trying to take over here, but I do want your mother to have every opportunity to recover,” assured Jason.

“I know that you feel like you’re helping, and I do appreciate it, but she’s my mother Jason, and I need to make the decisions. Please let me handle this, and I would appreciate it if you’d not discuss my mother’s case with her doctor without my knowledge.”

Jason was temporarily at a loss for words. “Claire, I’ve obviously upset you, which was not my intention. Tom asked me who I was seeing at the hospital which brought up the conversation of your mother. As I said, I know how important she is to you, and I wanted to make sure you didn’t have to worry about her getting the help that she needs. I’m sorry if I’ve upset you, and I’ll of course respect your wishes in this.” Claire stared into his eyes and saw nothing but sincerity.

Was she overreacting? Was her past relationship with her father coloring everything she did? Still feeling uneasy despite his assurances, Claire knew that the hospital was probably not the best place for a heart to heart talk with him and decided to let the matter drop for now. Soon though, they had to discuss his habit of trying to run her life. He had to understand that she was capable of making her own decisions. Maybe her mother and father started out this way in the beginning; then he had he started taking over small areas of her life until he finally consumed her?

~~~

Boy he royally messed this one up. His conversation with Tom had begun as innocently as he indicated to Claire. His assurance to Tom that he wanted the best for Claire’s mother regardless of the cost had gone a little beyond what he had admitted to her. Taking care of people was second nature to him. He never considered himself a nurturing person, he was simply someone who saw a problem or a need and fixed it.

One thing having money, and plenty of it, had taught him was that most everything could be fixed for a price. He wasn’t consumed by money and didn’t throw it around. He, however, did appreciate the good deeds that he could easily do because of it. Growing up as he had obviously colored his views of relationships. Whatever he had with Claire now was the closest he had ever been to a committed relationship, and he was committed to her, more than she would be comfortable knowing.

He needed her; he burned for her, and he longed for the taste of her. He stayed in an almost constant start of arousal now. If she walked into the room, he was hard within minutes. Each time he thought he had sated his hunger for her, but it only burned brighter. She was a witch, and he was completely under her spell. It wasn’t just the sex though that held him spellbound; it was Claire, the person, as well.

He loved that she worried about everyone around her but never herself. He loved how she sucked her lower lip into her mouth when she was deep in thought, he loved how his house had felt like a home with her inside, and he loved her independence even though he didn’t know how to handle it and seemed to screw up at every turn.

How could you explain to a woman that you’d practically been born taking care of people? He often thought his mother had decided to have a child simply to have someone to solve all her problems at any time of the day or night. He had never been a child though, he had been the go-to man since he was old enough to walk and talk. Hell, he still spent a good part of his time solving his mother’s problems.

After almost losing Claire over the loan at work and the loss of her job at Partiez Plus, he told himself he would never again interfere in her life, but he had stumbled again today. His need to protect her was taking over with little thought to the consequences. Being involved with someone who seemed to want nothing from him other than, well, just him was something new; and frankly, he didn’t know how to act. He was a smart man; surely he could manage to keep it together enough not to ruin the best thing to happen to him.

~~~

Claire walked Jason to the exit door of the hospital where his car was waiting. Jason rarely used a car and driver even though someone in his position could easily afford to. He had assured her that he didn’t need his Mercedes and wanted her to keep it. Even though she was still uneasy over their earlier conversation, she promised she was going to run by her apartment that evening to pick up a few things and would return to his house to stay for the night.

Maybe that wasn’t the best idea, she felt like she needed time to think about her relationship with Jason. Things seemed to have moved so far, so fast. She would take some extra time this evening when she was at her apartment to think.

Dr. Mauldin made his last round of the day and indicated he would have the test results sometime tomorrow. Her mother was going to start some light rehabilitation as well to keep up her muscle tone. She was still having great difficulty forming her words and also with use of her left arm and hand. Louise’s sister had picked her up a few minutes ago, and Claire was preparing to leave with visiting hours ending very soon.

They’d given her mother a light sleeping pill to help her anxiety and ensure she rested well. She seemed to be less confused this afternoon and Claire was very grateful for the patient, encouraging manner of both Dr. Mauldin and Glenda. She knew they were just getting started on a long road but today at least she felt somewhat encouraged that there could be a light somewhere at the end of the tunnel.

Chapter Twenty Four

Claire pulled the Mercedes in beside her Toyota in front of her apartment. Luckily, each apartment was assigned two spaces which Claire rarely needed. As she was getting out of the car, she saw Billy approaching from the other side. With an inward groan, she tried to plaster on a friendly smile. “Hey Billy, how have you been?”

“Hey Claire, no complaints, I’m doing well. Where is your boyfriend?”

“Oh, I’m just picking up a few things; he isn’t along this time.” Ugh great Claire, why don’t you ask him to abduct you next since you admitted to being alone. “He’s waiting for me though so I need to run in and pick up a few things and be on my way.”

“Are you moving in with him?”

“Oh, I don’t know; we haven’t made any decisions on that yet.”

“Claire, I just wanted to say I was sorry if I scared you before, you know, when I kept asking you out. I admit; Billy did have kind of a crush on you, and I hoped we could get together but since your boyfriend came and talked to me and told me how I was scaring you, well old Billy was just embarrassed.”

Claire was trying not to smile at Billy’s continued use of himself in the third person when his words started to sink in. “What’re you talking about Billy? When did you talk to Jason?”

“Well I guess it was the next day after I met you two here. He came to see me and told me I was making you uncomfortable. He was real nice but serious; you know trying to protect his girl. Billy can respect that, being a man and all. Don’t you worry at all about your place while you’re gone, I’ll keep an eye out on things.” Somehow managing to say something in parting to Billy, Claire stumbled into her apartment and closed the door.

My God, Jason really has taken over my entire life. What other things were there that she didn’t know? Had he contacted everyone she knew to cut her off from the world, just like her father did to her mother? Claire walked into her bedroom and collapsed on the bed; all the hope that Jason was different going out of her.