Free Then Came Indecision (Southern Love #2) by E. L. Todd

nurse glared at her. “Super tech to the rescue.”
    Alexandra realized she was quickly earning a reputation she didn’t want. She ignored the insult and went into the room.
    The patient was standing in her gown, moving the garbage to the other side of the room. She had schizophrenia and a muscular disorder, making it hazardous when she walked around.
    “Ms. Tanner, do you need help?”
    “I got it,” she said as she moved the bin.
    Alexandra watched her for a moment. “Why don’t you take a seat?”
    The woman ignored her.
    She sighed as she watched the woman walk around, the IV pole trailing behind her. “You need to lay down, Ms. Tanner.”
    She stopped and stared at the cabinet, her eyes looking at the different drawers.
    Alexandra realized there was nothing she could do. The patient was clearly intent on doing what she pleased. She eyed the bed and noticed how well it was made. The dirty towels from the linen were folded and placed on the table. It gave her an idea. “I’ll be right back, Ms. Tanner.”
    The woman opened the drawer and looked inside.
    Alexandra left the room and walked to the cart. She grabbed a stack of clean towels and shoved them into a bag, ruining the folds.
    “What are you doing?” Betty asked.
    “I have an idea,” Alexandra said. She placed the pile of towels beside her desk along with a chair then returned to the room. “Mr. Tanner, can you help me with something?”
    She stopped and looked at her. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What?”
    “Come with me,” she said with a smile. She pulled out a wheelchair and nodded to it. “Sit down.”
    The woman slowly walked to the chair and sat down. Alexandra arranged the IV pole and the catheter before she wheeled her out and put her next to her desk.
    Alexandra nodded to the towels. “Could you fold these for me?”
    The woman stared at them before she started going through them, arranging them in a perfect pile. When s he was finished, Alexandra mixed them up and put them back on the desk. The woman folded them again.
    Betty watched her. “Interesting…”
    “She just needs something to do,” Alexandra whispered. “I’ll watch her.”
    “We’re just waiting for her x-rays to come back,” Betty said. “She should be discharged in an hour or so.”
    “Okay,” Alexandra said. “I’ll be here the whole time.”
    Betty nodded. “Good thinking.” She walked away and returned to her desk.
    Alexandra picked up a chart and placed the orders in the computer. The woman sat beside her and kept folding the towels.
    “Ms. Tanner, do you have any kids?”
    “Huh?” She dropped the towel she was holding because she was startled.
    Alexandra picked it up and handed it back to her. “Do you have any children?”
    “Oh.” She started to fold it. “I have two boys. They are both married now.”
    “That’s wonderful,” Alexandra said with a smile. “What do you do for a living?”
    “Well, I used to be a house maid until I was told to stay home.”
    That made perfect sense to Alexandra. It explained her constant need to clean and fold things. “Did you do that for long?”
    “My whole life,” she said with a sigh.
    “That’s cool.”
    “How long have you been a nurse?” she asked. “You look so young.”
    “Oh, I’m not a nurse.”
    “My mistake.”
    “But I get that comment a lot. Whenever I’m on a high school campus, the teachers assume I’m a student.”
    Ms. Tanner smiled. “Enjoy it while you can. At least when you’re forty you’ll look twenty.”
    “I hope so.”
    “So what do you do here?” she asked.
    “I’m a tech.”
    “And what do they do?”
    “I put in orders and do a few procedures.”
    “Do you like it?” Ms. Tanner asked. She folded all the towels then stared at the pile.
    Alexandra demolished it so she had to start over. “Yeah. I don’t have any complaints.”
    “Do you want to be anything else?”
    Alexandra looked around and realized no one was listening. “Well, I already