Saving Easton by Kaci Rose
Chapter 5
Paisley
I'm on my way to visit Easton today, and Molly is so confused why we’re going through the front door, instead of the side door and not stopping to see Lexi.
I head into Easton's room, and Molly goes right to him. Like always, she stands in front of him, until he pets her, and then she climbs into his lap. Though today, his chair isn't facing out of the window, it's facing the couch, putting his right side facing the window and his back to the wall.
He watches, as I close the door behind me.
"Shh. I have contraband." I say, smiling huge.
I set my bag on the coffee table, pull out the lunch I made for him, and then hold it up.
"What is it?" He asks.
"My meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a few rolls," I say, as I slowly walk over to him and hand the bag to him, careful not to touch him.
"There’s silverware in the bag," I say, as I sit on the couch.
Easton opens the bag up and pulls the containers out, placing them on the table next to the chair.
"You want me to take Molly? She won't go for the food, but she does make it kind of hard to eat."
"She's fine." He says, taking a bite.
He closes his eyes, as he chews. "This is better than I remember it."
A few bites in, he looks over at me.
"This won't get you in trouble, will it?"
I just shrug, "I might get the Lexi face, but nothing else."
"The Lexi face?"
"She has this stern 'do as you’re told and don't argue with me' face. I've seen her use it on a few patients. It's kind of scary."
He eats a bit more, and then holds up a roll. "Can she have some of this?"
"Yep, and she’ll love you even more than she does now for it," I say.
After a few more minutes, he looks at me again, and then finally addresses the elephant in the room.
"Does Leeland know you are here?"
"Nope. Does he know you joined?"
"Yeah, we lost contact after my first deployment."
He finishes eating and starts putting the containers away.
"How many deployments were there?"
"Three."
"I wish I'd known. I would have sent letters and care packages. You'd have had more baked treats than you'd have been able to eat."
Standing, I hesitate, "I can come get that. I'd rather put it back in my bag than chance Lexi seeing it."
He nods, and I move slowly, taking the bag and then sitting down again.
"East, when was the last time you left this room, not related to your care here?"
"I haven't left at all. They all come here."
"You know you’re safe here, right?" I say, and right before my eyes, he starts to retreat back into himself. Molly picks up on it and rests her head on his chest, looking up at him.
"I know you know that. That came out wrong. I meant to say, do you feel safe here?" I try to pull him back.
"I don't feel safe anywhere." He admits.
That small admission breaks my heart. I can't pretend to know what he's been through, but for him not to feel safe, is something I want to fix, though I have no idea how.
I might ask a few of the nurses at the hospital if they have any suggestions.
"I'd really like to show you the grounds. I'm so proud of what Lexi and Noah have done here, but I won't push you. Just think about it. We can start slow by just staying inside."
He doesn't acknowledge me, just turns his head to look out of the window.
Suddenly, Molly jumps off Easton's lap and gets between me and the door, as a guy from the kitchen pops his head in with Easton's lunch.
"Hey cool, you're letting people in your room now." Then, he takes a step into the room. I look back at Easton and see panic in his eyes.
Molly starts to growl and lunges at the kitchen guy.
"No, he isn't. Now get out. Molly down." I yell.
Molly continues to growl, but slowly sits down with her back feet under her, ready to pounce the second the guy shows any signs of danger.
Easton's nurse comes running, along with Lexi and Noah. I step forward and take the lunch tray.
"Get him out of here," I growl too, glaring at the kitchen guy.
"I need to check on him." His nurse, Kaitlyn, says.
"East?" I ask him, but he isn't with us. His eyes are blank, and he doesn't register I'm talking to him. I'm pretty sure he's back in that dark room.
"Let me try, please?"
Kaitlyn looks over at Lexi and Noah before she agrees.
"What happened with Molly?" Lexi asks.
"I'll tell you before I go. I’ll stop by your office, I promise. Now go." I say and close the door behind them.
"East. It's Paisley." Using a soft voice, I slowly take a few steps towards him. With a simple hand motion, Molly stays at my side.
"Are they gone?" He asks, but his eyes still aren't focused.
"Yes, it's just you, me, and Molly.”
He doesn't move, and I start to worry.
"Easton, I need you to look at me," I beg.
"It's you."
"Yes, it's me." I take a few steps closer.
He shakes his head.
"Noah asked me last night. It's you."
I still don't understand, but he turns his head and finally looks into my eyes.
"There you are." I breathe a sigh of relief. "I need to go let them know you’re okay. Kaitlyn wants to check on you. Molly will stay here with you, and I’ll only be gone a few minutes. Is that okay?"
He nods.
"Molly, up," I say, and she wastes no time climbing back into his lap.
I head to the door and turn to look at him, before opening it. He’s watching me and gives me another nod, before I open the door and find Kaitlyn, Lexi, and Noah in the hallway.
"He's fine, but a little dazed," I tell them.
"I really need to go check on him," Kaitlyn says again.
"Yeah, he said it's okay. Molly is there, and she won't be an issue."
I tilt my head down the hall away from Easton's door, and Lexi and Noah follow.
"That little shit from the kitchen, Molly lunged at him. She freaks anytime he gets near me. Only him, and he gives me the creeps. After today, I think it's best you reassign him and keep him away from Easton's room."
Lexi and Noah look at each other and have one of their silent conversations. You know, the one couples who know each other well enough have.
"Okay, he won’t be near Easton again," Lexi says, and I turn to leave, but then stop.
"Noah, what did you ask him last night? He keeps saying it's me. That you asked him, and it's me."
Noah smiles, "I thought so. I asked him what he thinks about, when he wakes up from the nightmares. Who calms him.”
"Me?" I ask, slightly dumbfounded.
"Yep. For me, it was Lexi. Just some food for thought." He says with a wink, as he wraps his arm around Lexi's waist, and they walk off.
I wait outside Easton’s door for his nurse to come back out.
"He's doing okay. He turned down any medication. Though, I reminded him that I have something to help his nerves and anxiety, if he wants it. Otherwise, just call if you need anything." She smiles at me and leaves, I’m sure to talk to Lexi and Noah.
I peek my head back in, and he's in the same spot with Molly on his lap.
Watching him for a few minutes, I really wish I knew what I could do to help him. I want to break him out of this prison he's trapped in and let him live again. I just don't know how.
But being here with Molly seems to help him, and if that's all I can do right now, then so be it. It will have to be enough.
For now.