Doc hugged me for a long time. “Feeling better?” he asked.

“A bit.” I lay back against the raised head of my bed.

“How are you physically?”

“My stomach is doing flip flops, but otherwise I’m okay.”

“What about your pain?”

“That’s a given, Doc.”

“I’m going to go get your lunch tray and after you have something, I’ll give you your pain meds, okay?”

“I’m not hungry, Doc.”

“You need to have something. I think they should have brought up some broth. I’ll heat it up for you in the microwave.” I groaned. “Are you okay, hon?” Doc asked with concern. He reached over and felt my forehead. “No fever.”

“Very funny, Doc.”

“I know you aren’t a fan of broth, but you need to have something and I thought that would go down better than solids right now.”

“You are probably right, I’d just rather have nothing.”

“Nothing isn’t an option. Have some, even if you can’t manage all of it.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good. That’s all I can ask.”

He was back a few minutes later with my cup of broth. “If you drink half of this, I will go downstairs and get you a coffee.”

“Didn’t one come with my tray?”

“I dumped it. It was cold and I needed leverage to get you to have your broth.”

“You are a brat, Doc.”

“Whatever it takes, hon.” He sat down in the chair beside my bed.

“You can go get the coffee, Doc. I’ll be through half of this by the time you get back.”

“And risk that you will pour it down the sink? I don’t think so.”

“Would I do that?”

“Yes, you would.”

“I can’t reach the sink.”

“I wouldn’t put it past you to get out of bed and walk to it.”

“Remember what happened when I tried walking this morning?”

“Drink your broth, Meredith.”

I took a sip and made a face. “Doc, you try it. Tell me that’s drinkable.”

Doc took a sip and grimaced. “You have made your point, Meredith. I will get you some broth at the café. I’m sure it’s better than this.”

“Thank you, Doc.”

“I’ll be back in a few minutes, hon.”

Doc came back with broth, coffee and a syringe. “What’s that?” I asked him.

“It’s your pain medication.”

“Is that going to put me to sleep?”

“It’s the same you always get when you get it via needle. Yes, it will make you drowsy.”

“Then I don’t want it.”

“Why not, Meredith?”

“I don’t want to go to sleep. I want to be awake and alert in case Jane comes here.”

“Hon, I doubt she would, but even if she did, she wouldn’t get into this room. There are two undercover officers out there.”

“But she could wear a wig and use other things to disguise herself. Maybe even wear scrubs.”

“Nobody gets in here without hospital ID. Not even me. That’s why I have my ID card hanging from my neck.”

“Could she make a fake one? She’s good with computers.”

“Meredith, the officers are on high alert. Stop worrying and concentrate on getting better.”

“Easier said than done, Doc.”

“I know, hon. But try. Think about the things you want to do when you are no longer in constant pain from that cyst.”

“Like teaching you to ride.”

“Very funny, Meredith.”

“I will, just you wait and see. I can’t wait to take Jack for a good run, it’s been a long time.”

“You will still need to be careful to not overdo it, hon, due to your arthritis. But you certainly will be able to do more than you’ve been able to do in the last while. Some activity is good for arthritis. Just not too much. Can you swim?”

“Yes, very well. I love swimming, but I’ve been so busy with the farm, I haven’t done it in a long time.”

“Swimming is very good for arthritis. We’ll have to go sometime.”

“I presume you are talking about a pool as opposed to the lake?”

“Of course, Meredith. I would not go swimming in a lake.”

“I didn’t think you would, Doc.”

“Are you finished your coffee, hon?” I nodded. “I’ll take your cup and then I will give you your pain medication.”

I resisted the urge to groan. While I liked the pain relief, I did not want to be “out of it”. But I knew I’d upset Doc if I refused it and I did not want to do that. “What are you going to do while I sleep, honey?”

“I’ll just sit here and read. I might fall asleep myself.”

“I’d invite you to lie down with me, but you’d probably say no.”

“You know how I feel about doing that in the daytime, hon.”

“I know, Doc.”

Soon, I was asleep and I did not dream, which was a relief. Or, if I did, I didn’t remember it. Doc said I was quiet, so at least there were no bad ones. I woke up a few hours later. He was reading.

“What time is it, Doc?” I asked him.

He looked at his watch. “It’s just after 5, hon. How did you sleep?”

“Okay, but I’m itching to get on my left side. I know I can’t, though. It would hurt too much. I’m just tired of only being able to lay on one side.” I turned onto my back.

“I understand, Meredith. The supper trays should be up. Do you want yours now or later?”

“More broth, I suppose? I thought so. I’ll have it later, if I don‘t fall asleep again.” I was thinking it would be preferable to go to sleep again rather than drink that nasty stuff.

“Since you don’t want your supper, I’ll give you a sponge bath. Give me a few minutes to use the staff washroom and I’ll get everything together.”

“Doc, you can use the washroom in here, I don’t mind.”

“Only the patients are supposed to use it, hon. But just between you and I, I did use it earlier. I didn’t know how long it would be until you woke up and I couldn’t wait much longer.”

“Why did you have to wait until I woke up?”

“I will not leave this room again while you are sleeping, not after what happened yesterday. Good thing there‘s a staff shower on the surgery floor because I‘m not going home until I take you home.”

“Doc, you don’t have to babysit me 24/7.”

“No, I don’t. Just while you are sleeping.”

“Maybe you’d like a jug to pee in so you won’t have to even go into the washroom here while I’m sleeping, Doc.”

“Are you mocking me, Meredith?” he asked with a hurt expression.

“No, Doc. Just giving you a hard time. You know I like to do that.”

“Boy, do I know it!” he replied. “Do you need anything, hon?”

“No, Doc. I’m fine.”

“I’ll be back shortly.”

Doc gave me a sponge bath and changed my gown. He took all my dressings off and put fresh ones on. It seemed like he was putting more tape than usual around the gauze. “Your cuts look really good, Meredith. They are healing nicely. You should be able to have a shower tomorrow or the next day, if I can get your surgical incision covered as well as your cast and hand wrappings.”

“Doc, it will feel so good to have a shower!”

“I can imagine, hon. I’m going to go get the PCA to come show me how to wash your hair in bed. Figuring out how to bathe you was easy, the hair is a bit more challenging. I’ll be right back.”

The PCA showed him how to wash a bed bound patient’s hair. When she was done, Doc rubbed it as dry as he could and brushed it out. Then he helped me get out of bed and into the chair by the sink so that I could brush my teeth. I sure felt a lot more human after all that was done!

“I suppose I have to have my supper now”, I said with a sigh when I was back in bed.

“Only if you want to”, Doc replied.

Something was not quite right here. Doc not pushing supper on me? And he had gotten me all cleaned up. Which in and of itself was not suspicious, given how clean he is. It was the timing. All that bathing and then not making me have something to eat, or should I say drink. I wondered what he was up to. Doc is such a serious person so much of the time, but he can be very sneaky when he wants to be.

I found out soon enough, and I was right - he was being sneaky. One of the cops came in and told Doc there were a couple people wanting to visit with me and he needed him (Doc) to authorize it. Doc went out with him. He was back a minute later with Karen and Kevin. So that’s why he wanted to get me cleaned up!

Karen handed a bag to Doc and he thanked her for it. We exchanged greetings and Doc said to Kevin “Let’s give the ladies some privacy so they can talk”. They both left the room.

“How is everything at the farm?” I asked my best friend.

“It is fine, Mer. You can stop worrying. Julian told me how upset you have been. Don’t be. Just concentrate on getting better.”

“That’s easier said than done, Karen. Jane threatened you and Doc. I’ve been thinking maybe I should break up with him - so she will leave everyone alone.”

“Don’t you dare do that, Mer. Do you know what that would do to Julian? It would absolutely devastate him. He’s terrified that you will do that.”

“He told you that?”

“Yes and he would rather take the risk that Jane will come after him than lose you.”

“What about you, Karen? Jane threatened you, too.”

“Don’t worry about me, I can take care of myself. Don’t let her win, Mer.”

“I don’t want to give in to her. I just want everyone to be safe.”

“Does Julian know what you are thinking?”

“I told him, and told him that I would let him make the choice.”

“What did he choose?”

“To stay with me.”

“Then leave it be. You would hurt him more by pushing him away than Jane could ever hurt him if she went after him.”

We talked for a while longer, then Doc and Kevin came back. “Ready?” Kevin asked his wife.

“We have to get going”, Karen said to me. “Want to come downstairs with us?”

“I can’t”, I replied. “Julian won’t let me out of this room.”

“You can go”, Doc interrupted. “I’ll get a wheelchair.” He was back in a minute with one and a portable oxygen tank.

“Doc, I can’t go. I have a catheter in!”

“That doesn’t matter, hon. I’ll get you a small bag and tape it to your leg. You’ll be covered by a blanket. You can be off the IV, cardiac monitor and oximeter for a little while. ”

It was so good to be out of my room! Even if it was just going downstairs to the main door to see Karen and Kevin off. I had a blanket around me and one over my knees, so I didn’t feel too self conscious about being in a hospital gown or having a catheter in me. One of the undercover officers followed us. I presumed the other stayed behind to make sure nobody went in my room.

When we got to the front door, Kevin suggested Doc wheel me to their truck in the parking lot. I was a bit embarrassed being out without being dressed and with a catheter in, even though no one but us knew about the latter. “Kevin, it’s okay, I can say goodbye here at the curb. Doc still has to push me back to my room, I‘m no lightweight.”

“You aren’t as heavy as you think you are, Meredith”, Doc said. “Don’t worry about me, let’s walk our friends to their car.”

It was dark, but the parking lot was lit up fairly well. Still, I didn’t notice until we were almost halfway there. Of course, I was talking to Karen and not really paying attention to where we were going. Suddenly, I saw something. A horse trailer was in the parking lot. It looked an awful lot like mine. “Is that my horse trailer?” I asked.

“I wondered when you’d notice it!” Karen replied. “Yes, it’s yours.”

“Why did you bring it?”

“So you could visit with it. It misses you.” I think I’ve said before that Karen can be just as sarcastic as me.

Did she …. ? I was afraid to get my hopes up that they had brought one of my horses with them. But why else would they have my trailer?

Kevin walked ahead and past the trailer. My heart sunk. They hadn’t brought a horse. He opened their truck door and Jessie bounded out. I momentarily forgot about horses in my excitement at seeing my dog. Kevin put her leash on and brought her up to my wheelchair.

I leaned down and petted her, but I really wanted to hug her, so I patted my lap, which was the command to come up. Jessie jumped up into my lap and licked my face. I wrapped my arms around her. I could see Doc out of the corner of my eye. He had a horrified look on his face. “Relax, Doc”, I said. “It’s okay.”

“Meredith, she goes in your barn and all around the pasture, you do not need to be exposed to those germs right now.”

“I gave her a bath today, Julian”, Karen said. “She hasn’t been out of the house except to do her business since then.”

“Thank you for doing that, Karen”, Doc replied.

It was so good to see Jessie! I missed her and the horses immensely. While I was visiting with my dog, Kevin opened the trailer door. Karen stepped into it. I wasn’t paying attention, so I didn’t see them do it. I heard a noise and looked and she had backed a horse out. I was hearing the sound of it’s shoes on the pavement. I recognized the horse as Buddy, the Standardbred I had worked with years ago. He was the horse Doc had bought and had shipped all the way out here for my birthday.

“Buddy!” I called. Recognizing my voice, he turned his head to look at me and whinnied. Karen led him over and I reached out to pet him. Kevin called Jessie down off the wheelchair and Karen brought my horse over to stand in front of me. He reached out his neck and laid his head over my shoulder and rested his nose on my back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in it, breathing in that horse scent that only another horse lover would understand the joy at smelling.

“It’s okay, Julian. I gave him a bath this afternoon before I bathed Jessie”, I heard Karen say. I could just imagine the look on Doc’s face. “I think this is better than any treatment you could give her in there.”

“Except for the surgeries, Karen”, Doc replied. “She would have died without them. But yes, I agree. This is very good for her.”

I gave my horse and dog some loving for a while, then Doc said I had to get back to bed. “Remember, you are not quite 24 hours out of a second major surgery in two days, Meredith.”

“You are right, Doc”, I said reluctantly. I gave Buddy and Jessie a final hug and kiss and Doc even reached down and petted Jessie. I think he was getting more attached to her than he’d admit. Every now and then, I’d catch him sneaking something to her, whether it be a dog biscuit or a piece of meat. I wasn’t too worried about her gaining weight as she ran around a lot on the farm. After the animals were loaded back into the trailer and truck, we said goodbye to Karen and Kevin. “Thank you so much for taking care of the farm”, I said to them. "Both Julian and I appreciate it very much.”

“We are happy to do it”, Kevin said. “The bill will be in the mail.”

I knew he was joking, but I said to him “Make it a big one. I’m happy to pay it.”

On the way back into the hospital, I said to Doc “We have to do something for them when this is all over. Or get them something really nice.”

“I agree. Any ideas?”

“Maybe a week at a couples retreat or something.”

“That’s a great idea, hon! We could have them over for dinner and give them the tickets.”

“I think we should include Chey and Brent since they are holding down the fort at their place and they have helped me out on the farm so much.”

“Definitely, hon. Though I don’t know what they would like.”

“The best thing to get teenagers might be gift certificates.”

When we got back up to my room, Doc washed his hands, then insisted on changing my gown and having me wash my face and hands. “I know Karen bathed Jessie and Buddy”, he said, “but Jessie was still outside after that and she licked your face. I don’t know why you allow that. And Buddy rested his head on your shoulder and back. He may have been bathed, but he was still in a barn. I‘ll put the blankets in the laundry cart and get you clean ones.”

“Relax, Doc. I’ve never gotten sick from lettering her do that or from Buddy ‘hugging’ me.”

“You have just been through two major surgeries and your sats are low. Your immune system is down, hon. You need to be careful.”

I resisted the urge to say more, and humoured him by doing as he requested. I felt he was being over cautious but I did not want to stress him out over it, knowing what he’d gone through years ago.

“Doc, did you have anything to do with this visit?” I asked after I’d cleaned up and he’d got me back into bed and hooked up to everything. He pulled the clean blanket up over my legs.

“I asked them to come. It was their idea to bring Buddy and Jessie. I okayed it as I thought it would do you a world of good.”

“It did, Doc. Thank you so much, honey. This means the world to me. Let me give you a hug.” He sat on the bed and I hugged him, then gave him a kiss. He got up and put my rails up. I was starting to feel like I was in a crib, but no way was I going to complain about anything tonight.

Then he got the bag Karen had brought from where he‘d put it down. He took out my notebook computer and the book I was reading and put them on the table beside the bed. “You can have these later if you want, but first you need to have supper. I will be right back.” He left my room. Oh geez, I thought. I’m really not into hospital broth right now.

Doc was back in a few minutes with a cup of broth. “I’d like you to drink it all, hon”, he said as he set it down on the adjustable table that goes over the bed. I resisted the urge to groan. After what he’d just done with giving consent to Karen and Kevin bringing Buddy and Jessie to see me, I was not going to give him a hard time over drinking some broth, no matter how gross it (the broth) was.

I picked the plastic mug up and brought it to my lips, vowing to not show any sign of disgust. Bracing myself, I took a sip. What?? It didn’t taste gross. I took another sip, then another. “Doc, this tastes like the broth you make for chicken noodle soup.”

“It is my broth, hon. I had Karen bring some that I froze last week. She also brought some soup for tomorrow if you aren’t up to solid foods. It’s in the fridge in the kitchenette by the nurse’s station. She had to leave the bag with the cops before she came into your room. They checked it out and put everything in the fridge for when you wanted it.”

Oh, wow, I was so very lucky to have such a great man. “Doc, thank you! I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I feel so lucky to have you. You are such a sweetheart.”

“I love you, hon and I want you to get better. You need proper nutrition to heal and after tasting the hospital broth myself, I understand why you won’t drink it. I think my soup and broth are healthier than what I could get for you at the café downstairs. Now, do you want a decaf coffee after you finish that?”

“Sure, why not? It’s not like I have to get up in the night to pee these days”, I quipped, referring to the catheter. Doc laughed.

I drank the broth while he was gone to get the coffee. I had to admit it was good. Well, most anything Doc makes is good. I say ‘most’ because no matter how good a cook someone is, I will not eat liver or eggplant. Not even if I was starving and it was the only food around. I did, however, occasionally buy liver and cook it for Jessie as a very special treat. Doc likes liver, so I will cook it for him, too. But I will not eat it.

Doc was back shortly with our coffee. I was almost finished the broth. “Wow! You sure downed that!”

“You made it, Doc. That means it’s good.”

“Thank you, hon. I love it that you like my cooking.”

“I can’t wait to get home and have more of your cooking, honey.”

“That will happen soon enough, Meredith.”

“Soon, like in tomorrow?” I asked hopefully.

“No, hon. You are nowhere near ready to go home.”

“I sure am, Doc.”

“Physically, you are not, hon.” I sighed, but I knew he was right. “In fact, you really should not have been off the ward tonight, let alone outside in the parking lot. But I thought it would do you a world of good to see Jessie and Buddy.”

“It did, Doc and I appreciate it more than you know. I know I’m not physically ready to go home. I wish I was, though.”

“I know you do, and I hope I can discharge you soon. Expect a couple more days at least, though.”

“Okay, Doc.”

“Are you finished your coffee?” I nodded. He took my cup and disposed of it and his.

“Doc, can I have a pain shot and some Gravol?” I asked.

“Yes, hon, you can. I brought your pain medication when I came in with the coffee. I’ll go get a bag of IV Gravol.” He went out to the nurse’s station to order the Gravol. “It will be up shortly from the pharmacy. A nurse will bring it in when it gets here. Here’s an emesis basin if you need it”, he said as he set it on my bed table. “I’ll give you your pain medication now.“ He picked up the syringe and injected the medicine into my IV. I knew it would start to work in minutes and it would make me sleepy.

Doc put the needle in the sharps container and then turned off the light behind my bed. He got his pillow and blanket and lay down beside me. I rested my head on his chest. “Maybe taking you downstairs was too much for you this soon after surgery, hon. I didn‘t know you‘d be in so much pain it would make you nauseous.”

“It was worth it, Doc. You don’t know what seeing Buddy and Jessie did for me and how much it means to me that you would give the okay for Karen and Kevin to bring them.”

“I think I do know, Meredith. Which is why I said yes. You needed something to lift your spirits and take your mind off other things, even for a short time.”

The nurse came in with the Gravol and hooked it up to my IV. By then, the pain medication was working and I was getting sleepy. “Doc, are you comfortable sleeping like this?” I asked him after she left the room.

“Hon, I’m a doctor. I’ve been through residency. I can sleep in any position in any place.”

“Still, I want you to be comfortable, Doc.”

“I am comfortable, Meredith. Go to sleep.”

“Okay, Doc.” I fell asleep without Jane on my mind for the first time in a while.