did."
Scott was still aroused and he needed some relief. He sat down on the bed and began kissing Maggie.
"My goodness," she said, when she finally came up for air. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but if spending the day hanging out with your buddies does this to you then by all means, I think you should do it more often."
Undressed, he grabbed the remote and turned off the television before pulling up Maggie's nightgown. She reached for the lamp on the nightstand.
"No, leave the lights on."
Maggie started to giggle. The sound of her laughter irritated him. He dispensed with the foreplay so he could relieve himself as quickly as possible. He climbed on top of her and as he entered her he looked up at the nude photos of Carrie, hanging over the bed. Tending to his needs with Maggie, he kept his eyes on the photos and imagined he was with the nymph with the long, dark hair.
Eight
T he all too familiar feeling of dread filled Carrie once again as she entered the parking lot and pulled into a space. She scooped up the bouquet of flowers, stepped out of her car, and headed toward the front door. The signage over the entrance read, "Sierra Arroyo Long-Term Care," but she knew full well what it really was. It was a house of death. It was a place where worn-out, broken-down people came to die. She muttered Dante to herself as she stepped into the lobby to sign in at the front desk.
"Abandon all hope, all yea who enter here."
"Good morning, Carrie," greeted the receptionist.
"Good morning, Heather."
"Mr. Greene would like to talk to you."
Carrie let out a sigh. "I have a check. Is he in his office?"
"Yes, it's down the hall."
"I know where it is."
She walked down the hallway leading to the administrative offices and tapped on his door. He looked up and smiled, inviting her in and motioning to her to take a seat.
"I know what you're going to ask, and yes, I have a check for you." She opened up her purse and handed it to him. "I know it won't cover everything, but it's the best I can do for you this month. You have to understand. Ever since Doug and I split up, I just don't have the funds I had before. I'm now having to pay rent on an apartment."
"I'm aware of that, Carrie," he replied. "Look, I admire your spirit and your determination to take care of your mother, but you're fighting an uphill battle. The cost of her care is going up faster than you can keep up with it. It's time for you to make her a ward of the state."
"I can't do that."
"I understand if you're worried about the quality of her care, but I can assure you that nothing will change. She'll continue to receive the best care we can possibly give her."
"You don't understand. I don't take handouts. That's the one thing that she taught me never to do. She's my mother. I have a responsibility to her. She took care of me, and now it's my turn."
"I get that," he replied, "but you're taking on a debt that you may never be able to repay. It's like I just told you a minute ago. The cost of her care is going up while your ability to pay is going down. Carrie, I can only do so much. The bean counters at the corporate office don't care about your circumstances. They only see the red ink, and even though you're writing us a check each and every month, you're still falling behind. There'll be a time, probably sooner than you think, when they'll turn her account over to collections. At that point, you won't have much of a choice."
"I'm doing the best I can, Mr. Greene."
"I know you are, but please, just think about it, okay? Whenever you're ready, let me know and I'll help you with the paperwork."
She thanked him before leaving his office and headed to her mother's room.
"Good morning, Carrie," said Hilda as she came in. Hilda had a kind heart. She also looked as old as most of the patients she cared for.
"Good morning, Hilda. How's she doing today?"
"About the same. Take a look for yourself." She turned to her patient. "Linda, you have a visitor.
Scott was still aroused and he needed some relief. He sat down on the bed and began kissing Maggie.
"My goodness," she said, when she finally came up for air. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but if spending the day hanging out with your buddies does this to you then by all means, I think you should do it more often."
Undressed, he grabbed the remote and turned off the television before pulling up Maggie's nightgown. She reached for the lamp on the nightstand.
"No, leave the lights on."
Maggie started to giggle. The sound of her laughter irritated him. He dispensed with the foreplay so he could relieve himself as quickly as possible. He climbed on top of her and as he entered her he looked up at the nude photos of Carrie, hanging over the bed. Tending to his needs with Maggie, he kept his eyes on the photos and imagined he was with the nymph with the long, dark hair.
Eight
T he all too familiar feeling of dread filled Carrie once again as she entered the parking lot and pulled into a space. She scooped up the bouquet of flowers, stepped out of her car, and headed toward the front door. The signage over the entrance read, "Sierra Arroyo Long-Term Care," but she knew full well what it really was. It was a house of death. It was a place where worn-out, broken-down people came to die. She muttered Dante to herself as she stepped into the lobby to sign in at the front desk.
"Abandon all hope, all yea who enter here."
"Good morning, Carrie," greeted the receptionist.
"Good morning, Heather."
"Mr. Greene would like to talk to you."
Carrie let out a sigh. "I have a check. Is he in his office?"
"Yes, it's down the hall."
"I know where it is."
She walked down the hallway leading to the administrative offices and tapped on his door. He looked up and smiled, inviting her in and motioning to her to take a seat.
"I know what you're going to ask, and yes, I have a check for you." She opened up her purse and handed it to him. "I know it won't cover everything, but it's the best I can do for you this month. You have to understand. Ever since Doug and I split up, I just don't have the funds I had before. I'm now having to pay rent on an apartment."
"I'm aware of that, Carrie," he replied. "Look, I admire your spirit and your determination to take care of your mother, but you're fighting an uphill battle. The cost of her care is going up faster than you can keep up with it. It's time for you to make her a ward of the state."
"I can't do that."
"I understand if you're worried about the quality of her care, but I can assure you that nothing will change. She'll continue to receive the best care we can possibly give her."
"You don't understand. I don't take handouts. That's the one thing that she taught me never to do. She's my mother. I have a responsibility to her. She took care of me, and now it's my turn."
"I get that," he replied, "but you're taking on a debt that you may never be able to repay. It's like I just told you a minute ago. The cost of her care is going up while your ability to pay is going down. Carrie, I can only do so much. The bean counters at the corporate office don't care about your circumstances. They only see the red ink, and even though you're writing us a check each and every month, you're still falling behind. There'll be a time, probably sooner than you think, when they'll turn her account over to collections. At that point, you won't have much of a choice."
"I'm doing the best I can, Mr. Greene."
"I know you are, but please, just think about it, okay? Whenever you're ready, let me know and I'll help you with the paperwork."
She thanked him before leaving his office and headed to her mother's room.
"Good morning, Carrie," said Hilda as she came in. Hilda had a kind heart. She also looked as old as most of the patients she cared for.
"Good morning, Hilda. How's she doing today?"
"About the same. Take a look for yourself." She turned to her patient. "Linda, you have a visitor.
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