TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT - ANOTHER INSTALLMENT OF "TWO OF HEARTS."

  

I know I said last week was the last one of "Two of Hearts", but people have been objecting. So I'm continuing with this story this week, and maybe a couple more weeks. Only 300 words allowed this week. Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. Thanks for stopping by. 

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Jen choked down toast with peanut butter, changed into something pretty and headed for the hospital. There was no more avoiding it. Stan was coming home today. 

   On the subway she checked her email. There was a confirmation that the home care guy would meet her at home. She needed to text when the service that was bringing Stan home was on the road. She replied, closed her phone and leaned against the center pole on the train.

   Steeling herself for unexpected turns, Jen went up in the elevator in the hospital and strode down the hall to Stan’s room.  

   “It’s about time. Where the hell have you been? On a hot date?”       Stan barked as she came through the door. 

   His words slapped her across the face. She stopped abruptly, her head actually snapped back. She stared at him. “What?”

   “Where have you been,” he said more slowly, but with as much anger.

   “It’s not even nine, Stan. The nurse said not to bother to get here too early as the service wouldn’t be here ‘til ten.”

   “Where’s my newspaper?”

   Jen pulled it from under her arm and handed it to her husband. He made a big deal out of leafing through to a particular page. He struggled, trying to fold the paper. Jen took it, but he snatched it back.

   “I’m not a fucking invalid! I can do it,” he shouted.

   She moved back. Her eyes watered. She blinked back the tears. The nurse put her hand on Jen’s arm.

   “It’s okay. Let him do it. He needs to do as many things for himself as he can.”

   Jen nodded, but her pulse didn’t settle down. She took the flowers out of the vase and rolled them in a discarded section of the paper.

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