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Chapter 61

The girls invited Don and Eileen’s friends to the house for a farewell party to send Don off to Colorado in high hopes and spirits. They considered the hospice team to be more than friends, almost part of the family. As a part of the celebration, Don asked Jake to say a blessing for this transition in his life. Jake, of course, was honored to be asked.

“Let’s gather around Don as I say a blessing for him and for the family. We want to be in support of them as Don makes this important move. Hold the hand of the person next to you.”

Jen was strategically standing next to Jake.

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Chapter 58

Don Janicek returned from his visit to Colorado with a revived spirit and apparently refreshed body as well. He called to request an appointment with Jake as soon as he got into town. Jake, of course, obliged. The two men met at the Sunset Diner for their traditional breakfast meeting.

“Good morning, Jake.” Don beat Jake to the Diner and was almost finished with his first cup of coffee.

“Good morning, Don. You’re certainly looking good. It looks like your trip to Colorado helped you a lot.”

“Yes, it did. Thank you for suggesting it. I enjoyed being with my brother and his family. It’s a good place to live and woodworking agrees with me. He wants me to move up there as soon as I’m ready to go.”

“Well, Don. It sounds like you are ready to make the change.”

“You know, Jake. I think I am. I felt better up there with my brother than I’ve felt in a long time. I know this is the right thing.”

Jake wished he were able to become so confident so quickly. “I’m happy for you, Don. How do the girls feel about it?”

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Chapter 55

To a married couple with young children, time alone together is a precious commodity. To Jen, who is a single mother in a relationship, finding time alone with her beloved Jake was worth more than gold... if she had any. They both scheduled Friday off so they could go grocery shopping together and have some time on the gun range that afternoon. That was about as romantic as the week was going to get. On the upside, they were growing so close that opening negotiations on the subject of ‘happily ever after’ commitment were beginning to come up from time to time, thrilling Jen to no end.

Somewhere along the peanut butter aisle, Jake surprisingly played the opening gambit. “You know, if we were to be together, it would mean a big change for the three of you.”

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Chapter 52

After church on Sunday, Jake decided to drive into Belton to shop at a recently opened mega-food store to shop for his special dinner with Jen. He could have purchased reasonably decent items at the S-Mart in Sunset, but the variety at a mega-store was much better and the drive would help him gather his thoughts for the “big talk.”

Jake kept himself busy that afternoon preparing his favorite meal: cedar planked salmon, roasted asparagus, and watermelon, feta, and balsamic salad. This was going to be an inspired meal for Jen even if the “big talk” fell flat.

Jake waited until Jen arrived to put the salmon and asparagus on the grill. He would take no chances with timing this wrong. She drove up to the cabin right on time having used her personal gate code. When she stepped out of her car Jake immediately noticed a difference in her.

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Chapter 50

Jake, Jen, and the boys arrived at the House of Chan on the Southwest side of Waco within about fifteen minutes of Jake’s call. Frank Chan Jr., the proprietor of the restaurant that his father opened over forty years ago, was greeting other guests but waiting for their arrival. “Mr. Jacob Jennings, we are honored that you have come this evening and brought guests. You bless us with your presence. Please come in.” Frank had four menus in his hand already and escorted the party to a table in a somewhat secluded area of the restaurant.

Jen knew she was tired and had been through a physically and emotionally trying day, but she thought she saw some of the employees stop and look at Jake as they passed by. It may have been her imagination, but one or two of the women may have even bowed slightly as they walked to the table. It wasn’t her imagination that something was going on here that she didn’t quite understand.

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Chapter 47

The message went out Friday morning that Virginia Evans, the patient who lived in the small trailer, had declined rapidly and was placed in a “hospice room” in Marlboro Medical Center. The hospital had donated two unused rooms to Sunset hospice to use for general inpatient placement. These rooms were used for symptom management that couldn’t be performed in a home. Virginia was just such a case. Jake visited Virginia as soon as she settled in. The rooms had been beautifully furnished and decorated by the hospice volunteers and had a small refrigerator stocked with water and drinks for family members along with snacks and magazines.

Virginia was blissfully ensconced in the hospital bed. “Hi Cha-pin Jake. You came to see me.”

“Yes I did, Virginia. How are you feeling?”

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Chapter 42

Jake stopped off at the office late Monday afternoon to drop off paperwork and to check in with the Family Support Team on some patient issues that were on everyone’s mind. He pulled in the parking lot ahead of Becca Blinn, whose car was obviously having difficulty. When her car finally gasped to a stop, Becca got out, in a seriously bad mood, a mood Jake had never seen associated with this particular CNA.

“Becca, not so good in the automobile department, looks like. I’m sure this heat isn’t doing your car any favors either.”

“No, this piece of junk is about shot. I don’t know what I’m going to do. It’s beyond repair and I can’t afford anything for a few more months.”

Jake had a thought brewing. “Becca, if you’d like, you can borrow my car for a week or so until you can figure out what you’re going to do. I’ve got a truck I can use until then.”

“Oh, Jake. I can’t put you out like that.”

“Becca, as nice and wonderful as you are, it would bless me to help you like that. It would be my pleasure.”

“Seriously? Well, Jake Jennings, you are a kind man.”

“Thank you. Just reinforce that with Jen when you have a chance. I kind of blow it from time to time and need all the help I can get.”

“Oh, Jake. I’ll let you in on a little secret. You score more brownie points with Jen than she will ever let on.”

That’s nice to know. “Thanks, Becca. Let’s tell Janet you’re driving my car for insurance purposes. Since we’re meeting Jen and the boys at The Clown for supper you can drop me off at my place after that.”

“Sounds like a plan. Thanks, Jake. You’re da’ bomb!”

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Chapter 37

“I will choke the living daylights out of you Stephen Merrill Lawson.” Jennifer threw the papers and envelope down on the countertop in frustration. “I can’t believe he would pull a stunt like this.”

Becca came running to the kitchen to see what the fuss was about. “What’s wrong, Jen?”

“Steve didn’t pay the mortgage last month or the month before like he was supposed to in the divorce decree, the jerk.”

“What do we do?”

“It’s not your problem, Becca. It’s mine.” Jen ran her hands through her hair while she thought through her very limited options and pondered her even more limited finances.

“I know, but I live here too. Maybe I can help.”

“No, I’ll figure something out. I always do.”

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Chapter 30

The events of the night and the exhaustion that Jake felt, both physical and emotional, caused him to skip worship and opt for personal meditation and lots of sleep that Sunday morning. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Jen said to him as she drove away. How far does she want this ‘relationship’ to go? This is going too far too fast! The strain of Eileen’s death added to the turmoil in his mind and heart over one simple kiss and comment from Jen.

He received a call from triage on Sunday afternoon saying that Don Janicek wanted him to call.

“Don, this is Jake.”

“Thanks for calling, Jake. I need to ask a favor of you.”

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Chapter 29

Jake was roused from his most blissful sleep in ages by his cell phone.

“Jake, this is Roger. You awake, buddy?”

“Uh, no. I mean, I guess. What’s up? What time is it?”

“Sorry to bother you, but it’s eleven forty-five. I know you’re not on call, but one of your patients, Eileen Janicek has taken a dive and you said you wanted to be called even if you weren’t on. Do you want to take this one or do you want me to go ahead and go?”

“Oh, Roger, dude. Thanks for calling me. Yeah, I really need to go on this one.”

“Okay. Concho is on his way to be with her. Since they have a house full of family, triage says we need chaplain and social worker, so Sarah is already on her way. I know this is a tough one, so I’m praying for all of you.”

“Thanks, dude. Get some sleep.” Jake launched out of bed and dressed as quickly and efficiently as he could. He called Sarah on his way out of the gate to let her know he was on the way and would be there in about twenty-five minutes.

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Chapter 27

The rest of the week seemed to drag on forever yet highlighted with quick interactions with Jen and excited outbursts from various team members who heard about the “big date.” Sarah seemed cold and distant to Jake at the team meeting on Thursday. He was beginning to understand why but didn’t know what to do about it. It was new territory for him, and he learned a long time ago that relationships were a topic that one didn’t discuss in the office.

Preparing for the event was a bit more involved than a basic dinner date. Jake had plans. Phone calls had to be made and schedules coordinated. He wanted this to be perfect.

On Friday evening Jake rolled up to Jen’s address in his predictably early manner. He’d waited around the corner for ten minutes waiting for the right moment to drive up. He walked up the porch of the relatively modern two-story Victorian style house and rang the doorbell expecting the boys to come running to answer it. They didn’t.

Less than a minute later Jen opened the door to reveal a picture of loveliness that outdid anything he had seen of her before. He could barely speak. The green satin outfit she wore was a profound contrast to the usual medical scrubs or blue jeans Jake had grown accustomed to. Jen was simply stunning.

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Chapter 23

Jake arranged to meet Dallas Thompson on Thursday morning since that was a day that no one else from hospice would be visiting and Dallas would have more energy for other things. He arrived at the beautifully landscaped and manicured property in East Milam County to visit Dallas, not knowing exactly what kind of reception he would get. Mrs. Thompson answered the door of the double-wide mobile home and graciously but cautiously welcomed Jake in.

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Chapter 7

The Clown, located across from the hospice office, started off as a food trailer parked in a gravel lot several years ago. The hamburgers were so good that the owner parked there permanently, added on, built picnic tables, then a massive enclosable gazebo and, lately, added a small music stage for weekend concerts. It’s popular with the Sunset Hospice employees due to its proximity to the office and its food.

Jake arrived with his usual promptness and procured a table. This is just lunch with a colleague, right? Why was he having so much trouble convincing himself of that? Did he want to convince himself of that?

“The green chile cheeseburger is the best.” Jen was standing right next to Jake before he knew what hit him.

“Oh, hi Jen. I was zoned out... that sounds good. What will you have? I’m in a good mood today, so I’m buying.”

“Ooh, I never turn down a free green chile. If you’re feeling generous I’ll take fries and a diet soda with two animals. It’s been a tough day for just one.”

“Two... animals?”

“Oh, you’re new here. Suzie at the counter will know what I want.”

“Okay, whatever.” Jake suddenly felt that warm wonderful sensation that he felt every time he was around Jennifer Lawson. He smiled as he made his way to the counter to order lunch.

On his return, Jen helped him distribute the messy burgers, the greasy but incredibly delicious fries and two diet sodas each with two tiny plastic zoo animals hugging the edge of the Styrofoam cups.

Jake was rather amused by the menagerie on his drink. “The animals are a nice touch.”

“Yeah. It’s become a hospice tradition to broadcast what kind of day you’re having by how many animals you have on your cup. One for a good day, two for a rough one and three, well, just leave me alone.”

“Got it.” Jake plucked one of the animals off his cup. “I’m having a good day.”

Jen smiled and plucked off one of hers. “Mine’s getting better.”

Jake felt a wave of overwhelming contentment and nervousness at the same time. This was very unfamiliar territory for him. He didn’t like being in unfamiliar territory. Safe was better. Jake wasn’t sure why he would feel unsafe with Jen. She couldn’t possibly know enough about his history to want anything from him... except. Can’t go there, Jennings.

“I guess you’re wondering why I called you here. I do have a motive for this little meeting, Jake.”

“Really? What’s that?”

“I hate to talk business during lunch, but there’s a family in my church that’s needing hospice care and I wanted to talk to you about them before they came on service.”

“Sure. What can I do to help?” At some level he didn’t quite understand, Jake felt a pang of disappointment that this was not a personal visit.

“Well, this is a really complicated problem. You’ll find out a lot more when Sharon fills in the details and, well, we can’t use names in public.” Jen looked away for a moment, lost in thought. “The husband worked for many years in a factory where he was exposed to asbestos. His wife was the one to come down with mesothelioma, not him. She washed his work clothes every day and probably breathed in the asbestos fibers. It’s just awful what the husband is going through thinking that he made his wife sick like that.”

From Jen’s demeanor, Jake could tell this was affecting her deeply. This was the first time Jake had seen Jen in this kind of a mood. It was unsettling. “I can’t begin to imagine what he’s going through. I hope they got a huge settlement from that one.”

“No. The company won that case because the husband didn’t have any physical evidence of asbestos on his work clothes.”

Jake instantly became angry as Jen talked. “I hate lawyers. All of them... except one, but that’s another story.” Jake could feel an old, cold rage building up inside of him begging to be let out. This was a repeat of history that he didn’t want to remember... ever. Jake took a deep breath, trying to relax. “So, they are coming on service soon?”

“Uh, Jake. Are you okay?” Jen had a strange, concerned look on her face.

“Yeah, I think so. Why?”

“Well, you just choked your napkin to death. I’ll give it a decent burial for you if you want.”

“Oh, sorry. I get a little worked up about lawyers. That’s all. So, the family will be coming on service... when?”

Jen paused for a moment, giving him a wary stare. She hadn’t seen a dark or angry side to Jake so far. It didn’t feel good to her at all. She had experience with men with anger issues and she didn’t like it. “This week. Sharon said she wants to send you on the consent visit since you need to be involved as the chaplain and the bereavement counselor. They have asked for me to be the nurse.”

Jake took a deep breath to finish calming his nerves. “Jen. It looks like this is affecting you deeply. Is it a good idea for you to be caring for this family?”

“I need to do this. They’ve asked for my help, and I need to be there for them.”

“I understand our need to be there when people ask for our help, but we also need to take care of ourselves. Nurses are the worst about going too far and stretching themselves too thin. Please don’t do that to yourself.”

Jen’s glow began to shine through again. “Why, Jacob Jennings. I didn’t know you cared so much.”

Jake was speechless. Anything he said next would probably get him in trouble. A lot of trouble. He just smiled and looked at Jen for a moment. “Well, we all need to take care of ourselves.” That was lame, Jennings.

Jen’s smile began to glow brighter. She knew some of Jake’s discomfort and exactly why he was so off balance right now. She also instinctively knew that she had to tread lightly with Jake.

Chapter 8

That evening, Becca, who rented a bedroom from Jen for their mutual benefit, had a talk with Jen while they folded clothes and straightened up, which were monumental tasks with two boys in the house.

“So, Jen, what’s cookin’ between you and the yummy Chaplain Jake?”

“Cooking? I’m not sure anything’s even simmering between us Becca.”

“Oh, I know there is. I’ve seen the way he looks at you when we’re at the office, Jen. There’s something going on there. You’ve got to go for it. He’s too good to pass up... and those green eyes are to die for.”

“Yeah, but there’s something else there. He’s got something else going on behind those eyes I can’t quite figure out. It’s like he’s trying to hide something from me every time we talk.”

“Maybe he’s got the hots for you and doesn’t want to show it.”

“No. It’s not that. Well, I hope it’s that too... No. It feels like he’s really hurting down deep inside and can’t let it show. He’s a great guy. I’d like to get to know him, but it’s hard to get close to someone who’s that closed up.”

“Patience, Jen. Patience. Give him time. It’s like trying to make friends with a cute little wild animal. You can’t force it to happen. You have to be patient, friendly and still. Offer it something it wants and you’ll have a friend. You got it goin’ on girlfriend. How could Jake not want to be with you? The two of you are made for each other.”

“Maybe, but Becca, I’m still trying to deal with Steve and the problems he’s causing for me and the kids. Why am I even thinking about another relationship so soon?”

“Because he’s so freakin’ hot, Jen. That’s why.”

That brought a laugh from both of them.

That same evening Jake also had a talk, but with himself. The anger he felt earlier in the day around Jennifer had disturbed him. It wasn’t the time or place for something like that. He just couldn’t help himself. Jake didn’t like being out of control in any aspect of his life. That’s why he tried to establish such an orderly routine and living space.

The dark time in his life was made that much darker by the very people who were supposed to uphold the concept of law and justice. They instead turned an inexcusable tragedy into an evil course of events that almost destroyed him forever.

He let his anger slip in front of Jen. He shouldn’t have done that. Jake needed to talk it through... but with whom? He sat alone on a cedar post bench under an ancient pecan tree on his three-hundred-acre ranch. Alone. And cried.

Chapter 9

Jake arrived at the office the next morning at Sharon’s request to discuss a new patient. Jake had an idea what this was about. “Morning Sharon. What’s up?”

“Hi, Jake. Hope you’re having a good week. I have an assignment for you. It will accomplish several things at once, your orientation consent visit, a social worker ride out and get you introduced to a patient and family that are going to need you as a chaplain and bereavement counselor. The patient is Eileen Janicek in Cameron. Her husband is Don. She has mesothelioma.”

“Jen told me a little about them yesterday. They go to her church. She said they want her as their nurse.”

“Then you know this is a pretty tragic situation. It’s going to need your magic touch, Jake. You up to it?”

“That’s what I’m here for, Sharon. Let’s do it.”

“Okay. I want Sarah to go with you since she will be the social worker and you still need your ride out signature. Come back to the office with a full report.”

“Will do.” Jake picked up the consent paperwork and met Sarah in the Family Support room.

“Hey, Jake. This one sounds tough.”

“Yes, it does. You ready?”

“As ever. Let’s go.”

The two of them walked quietly to Jake’s car and left to go meet the Janiceks. Jake’s radar sounded a faint signal that Jake couldn’t quite make out.

Chapter 10

Jake and Sarah shared small talk on the way to the Janicek home. Jake was lost in thought, not really paying much attention to Sarah as they drove through the Central Texas farmland.

Sarah felt slighted by Jake’s lack of attention but understood that he may be distracted by the visit that was at hand.

When they pulled to a stop at the curb in front of the Janicek home Sarah unbuckled her seatbelt and started to open the door when she realized that Jake hadn’t moved. She looked over at him and noticed that he sat still with his hands on the wheel and his eyes closed. She was hesitant to say anything not knowing whether to check if he was alright or leave him alone.

After a short and nervous moment for Sarah, Jake looked over at her. “Oh, I’m sorry, it’s my tradition to say a quick prayer for the patient I’m about to visit.”

“Oh, that’s... that’s beautiful, Jake.” Sarah really didn’t know what to say. She felt moved by the depth and genuineness of Jake’s faith. “That’s something we all should do, really.”

“Well, we have a family to meet.” Jake grabbed his satchel and headed for the door. Sarah followed him hesitantly, almost fearfully. He couldn’t understand Sarah’s hesitancy. Jake’s intuitive radar wasn’t perfect. Then again, he sometimes avoided the signals.

Shortly after ringing the doorbell of the immaculately kept ranch style home, they were greeted by a distinguished looking gentleman who tried hard not to look beaten down and tired.

“Hello, Mr. Janicek? I’m Jake Jennings, chaplain with Sunset Hospice and this is Sarah Newsome, social worker.”

“Good morning. We are expecting you. Won’t you come in.” Mr. Janicek led them down the entry way to the den. “Eileen, girls, they’re here.”

As Jake entered the den he found Mrs. Janicek, a gracious petite lady with twinkling blue eyes and the tale tell nasal cannula that signaled a serious illness, sitting in one of two plush recliners surrounded by three women who looked to be around Jake’s age or younger. “Hello, I’m Eileen Janicek and these are our daughters, Mary, Ellen and Cheryl.”

Ellen looked vaguely familiar. “Hello, Mrs. Janicek, ladies. I’m Jake Jennings, chaplain and this is Sarah Newsome, social worker from Sunset Hospice.”

Don took his seat in the recliner next to Eileen. Jake could easily see this scene as the king, queen and the ladies-in-waiting in a medieval castle. “We’re glad you’re here. We think we need your help.” Don seemed to grow stronger in their presence, as if having everyone where they were supposed to be meant things would somehow be better.

Jake and Sarah shook hands and greeted the daughters. While all three of the daughters looked apprehensive about this visit, Ellen seemed particularly emotional and nervous around Jake sending his radar alarm blaring.

Don, not one to waste time, jumped right in. “Now, what can hospice do to help my Eileen?”

“We’re here to see how we may be able to help all of you, Mr. Janicek.”

“Please, call me Don,” he interrupted.

“Alright, Don. We have all the time you need to talk about what we can offer and answer your questions. But first, tell us about what you are going through and what the doctor has told you about your illness so I will know how to proceed.”

“Well, you can call me Eileen and I guess I will start. The doctor told me I have mesothelioma, a lung cancer you get from asbestos exposure. That was about a year ago. It’s progressed pretty fast. I’m on oxygen most of the time and have a hard time getting around on my own. Today’s a good day for me.”

Jake looked at Don while Eileen talked and saw the deep hurt on his face. Don felt that he caused Eileen’s illness by bringing home the deadly substance on his work clothes.

Don spoke up. “Eileen had never come into direct contact with asbestos, but I did. I worked at the plant south of here that makes equipment for the oil and coal industry. Eileen, being the wonderful wife that she is, scrubbed and washed my greasy work clothes almost every day when I came home. She breathed in the asbestos fibers and got sick. I didn’t.” His voice cracked.

Eileen patted his hand and smiled reassuringly. Don felt guilty, but Eileen only felt love for her husband.

It took a moment for Don to regain enough strength to continue. “The doctors were certain that the only way Eileen could have gotten sick was from exposure from my work clothes, but the company refused to take any responsibility. I retired long before Eileen got sick. I didn’t have any of my work clothes with ‘evidence’ as the company lawyers put it. Our lawyer tried his best to get a settlement, but it didn’t work. The only coverage we have for her illness is Medicare and my regular retirement. We saved up to enjoy our golden years, but they’ve tarnished on us.” Don looked down and away from Jake and Sarah to keep them from seeing the tears forming in his eyes.

Jake allowed the silence to continue for a moment. His distaste for and distrust of the legal profession from his past experiences was creeping into his mind in an inappropriate way. Focus Jake. It’s not about you. Sarah was about to speak, but Jake motioned for her to stop. He knew Don or Eileen would speak when they were ready.

Don ran his hands over his face. “Well, now that you know what we are up against, what can hospice do to help us?”

“Quite a lot actually. When the doctor says they can’t reverse an illness, hospice steps in to let you know there is still a lot that can be done to make your life better. We do that by providing medical, spiritual and social support for the whole family based on your unique needs for as long as you need us. The good news is that Medicare pays for everything we do. We know you’ve had enough expenses up to this point. Medicare knows it is far less expensive for us to be caring for you than for you to be on your own. Without us the only option you would have if you had a pain crisis at two o’clock in the morning, for instance, is to go to the emergency room. You would likely end up in the hospital for several days costing Medicare in the high five figure range. That amount would pay for hospice care for over a year. With hospice involved you call us in the middle of the night, and we send a nurse here to take care of you, figure out how to resolve the problem and not leave until you feel better.

“I know that you have asked for Jennifer Lawson to be your nurse. She will see you on a regular schedule to check on you for any changes in your condition. She will determine on admission what medications your physician has prescribed. Any prescriptions that are necessary for your admitting diagnosis, hospice will pay for. Jennifer will be sure that all your medications are up to date and in your home as you need them.

“We also have Certified Nurse Assistants who are available to help with bathing, changing sheets and light housework to make things easier for the whole family. As you already know, you have a chaplain and social worker available to support you with spiritual concerns, living wills and other issues that may be of concern to you or your family. We also have volunteers who can provide companionship visits for Eileen if Don needs to go to the store or visit a doctor. We are available to support family members even if they don’t live in the home. There are some other services available that are explained in the handbook.” Jake gave the handbook to Don.

“All visits will be scheduled at your convenience. How often each of us visits you is determined based on a care plan we all work on together as a team. You are the boss.

“We are here to be your support system, to provide hope and encouragement, to let you know that even though you have a terrible illness we don’t give up on what we can do to make your life better.” Jake allowed a moment to let the information sink in. “How does that sound?”

“A little too good to be true. What’s the catch?” Don wasn’t someone to fall for a scam. He’d been through enough with his wife’s illness. He couldn’t afford to lose even more. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Chaplain. I know Jennifer. She’s a fine girl. I know she wouldn’t do anything crooked, but it just doesn’t make sense that we would get all of this without having to pay anything.”

“I know it sounds like that, Don, but you have been paying Medicare premiums for years. That’s what is paying for this. It’s also more cost effective for us to be caring for you than not. There’s a Medicare brochure in the handbook that explains that aspect of the hospice benefit.”

Eileen spoke up. “What about a time limit? Don’t hospice patients have a six-month time limit? What happens if I live longer than that? I hope I would, anyway.”

“Good question. The guidelines are six months, but none of us knows how long we will be on this earth. Medicare has very specific and complicated parameters for who can and cannot be admitted to hospice. If a patient meets those parameters, they can be admitted. A patient can remain on hospice as long as they remain eligible and as long as they want to remain on hospice. I’ve taken care of patients for a few hours and some for a few years. We will be here for you as long as you want and need us.”

Eileen thought for a moment. “This sounds wonderful to me. What do you think, girls?”

The three daughters looked at each other and nodded approval. It was Mary who spoke up. “Sure, Mom, we’ve been wanting you to do this for months.”

“Are you alright with this, Don?”

“Sure, dear. Okay, Jake. What do we do next?”

“Well, any time you are dealing with Medicare there’s always a lot of paperwork. I will have you fill out and sign about ten forms. Jennifer will come over this afternoon and conduct an admission which will take a few hours. You will be our patient starting today if that is alright with you.”

“That fast?”

“Yes, ma’am. We feel that if you need us, you need us now, not later.”

“Let’s get going, then.”

The favorite part of any consent visit for Jake happened at that moment. The rewards for a well-done consent visit were the look of relief, the happy banter between family members and even tears of relief that often come when they realize that what they thought was going to be a depressing, even painful meeting turned out to be something inspiring. They found a resource that provides them the first light of hope they have seen since being given a death sentence.

Jake and Sarah talked with the Janicek family about all kinds of things, mostly unrelated to illness and death, while Jake helped Don and Eileen complete the complicated maze of forms. Ellen excused herself from the group at her earliest opportunity.

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Chapter 4

Saturday morning brought a muggy but cold southerly wind and a visit from Sheriff Alvin Novotny, scheduled well ahead of time as is Jake’s custom, to inspect the recently completed firing range on Jake’s sprawling ranch hideaway. He consulted with “Sheriff Alvin,” as the locals called him for well over three decades, to make sure no laws were abridged and that the neighbors would not rebel due to the noise.

Alvin assured Jake that the people in the area would actually take comfort in a few gun shots now and then. “Sunset’s not like any place you’ve lived before, Jake. Everybody knows everybody else’s business. The whole town’ll know you’ve got a range and probably what kind of firepower you’ve got just from the sound. You can’t eat beans in this town without everybody fartin’ so get used to it.” That was unsettling to Jake who was almost paranoid about privacy.

Alvin rolled up to the security gate in front of the farmhouse built by the previous owners at nine twenty-seven by Jake’s watch which was twenty-seven minutes late. Jake was at the handgun range cleaning up an already perfectly manicured area when the security alarm sounded on his phone. Jake saw Alvin’s nonplussed image accented by his trademark bushy moustache on the screen and tapped the code to open the gate.

As Sheriff Alvin drove down to the range he thought back to the times when his son Mike brought Jake and his buddies from Baylor down to Sunset for the weekend to hunt. Jake had always been a quiet but intense young man. Alvin was amused by Jake’s resistance to shooting dove, opting instead to sharpen his skills with a rifle and scope. Now, Jake’s a champion long distance shooter and Alvin could take lessons from the kid. And Mike... well... Alvin resisted the urge to grieve over the son he lost in Iraq. Jake did what he could to help….

Alvin exited the cruiser donning his well-worn cowboy hat like he was walking up on a crime scene. He even instinctively reached to check his service weapon, then chuckled softly. This was Jake Jennings he was visiting. He owed Jake more than he could ever repay... literally.

“Morning, Sheriff.”

“Morning, Jake. Damn, this is a nice place you got here. It looks better ever’ time I come.”

“Thanks. I’m pretty proud of it.”

“Well, ya’ should be. You got a better firing range than I got for my people, short or long. ‘Course that’s why we’ve been talkin’ so long about this. I appreciate you being willing to let my boys come and practice their long shots here.” By “boys” Alvin also meant the women who worked as deputies in the Sheriff’s Department and the one female officer on the Sunset police force, but it never paid to quibble with Sheriff Alvin.

“It’s the least I can do for your help getting this thing built. I know you’re busy so let’s go look at the long range.” Jake walked behind the storage shed with Alvin close behind. The two of them took their seats in the Commander, a four-wheeled vehicle made more for desert racing than for ranch utility use and started up the path along the rifle range. “I’ve laid out the long range for four established distances, two-fifty, five hundred, seven fifty, and a thousand yards, but for sniper practice, your people could set up anywhere in the trees. Just not too close to the house. The concussion could set off the alarm system.”

Alvin just shook his head. Jake didn’t get Sunset. Very few people needed alarm systems, especially people who had sophisticated security gates already.

They came to a stop at the thousand-yard plateau. “Where’s the target? We’re so far away, I can’t even find it.”

“Here’re the binoculars, Sheriff. Just follow the orange flags all the way down and you’ll see it. I set one up this morning.”

Alvin took a second to adjust the binoculars and followed the flags. He whistled through his teeth. “That’ll be a challenge for Sheila, our best sniper. She’ll love it.”

Jake smiled. One of Alvin’s ‘boys,’ huh?

Alvin lowered the binoculars and looked around the property for a minute. Jake could tell there was something else on Alvin’s mind. Men like him weren’t the best at talking about personal stuff. They needed to be doing “guy stuff” like this to lead into it.

“You know, Jake. All this time you’ve been in Sunset and I’ve never really thanked you for what you did for Mike’s family.” Alvin looked down and tapped a rock with his dirty boot.

Jake paused long enough to let Alvin’s words really mean something. Responding too quickly could nullify a significant moment. “It’s the least I could do, Sheriff. You know how far back our friendship went. He was sold on going into the Air Force when he was in ROTC at Baylor. We all knew he would make a great officer.”

“Nobody woulda guessed he’d be killed by a one of his ‘allies’ while he was asleep.” Alvin raised the binoculars again to hide the tears welling up in his eyes.

Jake just let that comment stand for what it was, a senseless tragedy. Mike was proud to serve in Iraq. On his third tour a uniformed Iraqi soldier dropped a grenade through a window in a shelter, killing Mike instantly. There was no way to justify a tragedy like that.

“You made things better for Allie and the boys, Jake. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Sheriff. It wasn’t all me. It was the iMAJine Foundation. Lots of other people contribute to it too.”

“I know. We get updates from them. You named it for Mindy and Adam didn’t you?”

“Yeah. It was my way of trying to make sense of my own senseless tragedy.”

“I guess we have that in common.” He handed the binoculars back to Jake. The two men looked down range at the target area a thousand yards away during an uneasy pause. Alvin shook his head. “Damn, that’s a long way off.”

“Not through the right scope it isn’t.”

After saying goodbye to Sheriff Alvin, Jake took time for what was becoming his traditional morning walk around his property. It gave him time to think and pray about what he was going through in his transition to his new life in Sunset. This particular walk brought up feelings triggered by the conversation he had with Alvin. Jake ticked off the number of people in his life that he had lost to tragic deaths: his parents, Mindy, Adam, and his friend Mike.

Lord, have I ever really worked through that grief? I take care of people that are grieving all the time, but have I ever taken care of myself? Is that why I’m here? How will that happen?

The people he met in Sunset were incredibly nice and supportive. There was one in particular that kept his mind and heart busy. He didn’t know quite what to think about what place she should have in all of this.

Chapter 5

The next week Jake was granted a full reprieve from the drudgery of reading manuals and suffering through online training programs. He looked forward to visiting some patients on his own.

Heading to “Murderboro” for his first visit of the day he thought back to his days as a chaplain in Houston. Last week he had gotten a taste of the difference between the people in Sunset and those he left behind. The pace may be slower here, but the needs were just as intense.

Marlboro Medical Center could barely be called a hospital by Jake’s standards having come from the massive medical behemoths of the Houston area. Marlboro could only accommodate forty-five patients if it were fully staffed, which it wasn’t. Easy parking, easy in, easy out, friendly staff. And, if the hospice team was to be believed, easy to not make it out on your own two feet. Thus, the name “Murderboro.”

This is way too familiar to me. Lord help me to put the past in the past and focus on the needs of the people I care for today.

Jake’s intended “target” for this morning was Janelle Brenner, a ninety-two-year-old woman who literally lived in one of the patient rooms at the hospital. Mrs. Brenner read three newspapers each day, one of which is the Wall Street Journal, watched a conservative news channel relentlessly and did all her crossword puzzles in pen. She had enough “old money” to pay cash for the privilege of being pampered by the hospital staff in a well-decorated private room not far from the nurse’s station. Mrs. Brenner was the unofficial “Grandma” for the staff.

After the perfunctory introduction to the staff, review of the plan of care and hand sanitizer, Jake said his traditional prayer for wisdom and God’s presence to help this patient with her needs. Knocking on the door he heard a dignified, “Enter.”

Wow, this is going to be good. “Good morning, Mrs. Brenner. I’m Jake Jennings, the chaplain from Sunset Hospice.”

“Pleased to meet you, Chaplain Jennings. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” Mrs. Brenner was not only well dressed in a silk robe, but had jewelry to match, perfect makeup and a welcoming smile.

Jake’s radar for patient care told him that this was going to be a polite test of his abilities as a pastoral caregiver. If he was found competent, she would open up to him and allow him to help her with some important spiritual issues. If not, she may only tolerate visits from him on a purely social level but not much else.

“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you as well. Your team members have told me a lot about you.”

“All good, I hope.”

“Wonderful to be exact.”

“Well, young man. You know so much about me. Tell me about yourself.”

Jake’s canned recitation was much like what he gave to Jennifer the week before. He could almost see Mrs. Brenner’s mind calculating the timeline for Jake’s career to see just how experienced he was and how much education he had.

Mrs. Brenner looked up for a moment lost in thought. “I didn’t think they let children be chaplains.”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, you don’t look a day over twenty-eight. And if my feeble brain is working right, your work experience would have made you thirteen when you started as a chaplain.”

Jake responded with a tight smile to keep from laughing out loud and possibly offending her. “Thank you for the compliment, Mrs. Brenner, but I’m forty-two.”

She looked him up and down, then peered over her glasses. “Son, God has been very good to you.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I will treasure that.”

“Now, from your education I assume you are Baptist?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m Missouri Synod Lutheran myself.”

“I loved studying Martin Luther in seminary. In fact, I’ve told people that if I ever had to enter witness protection and could never go to a Baptist church again, I’d become a Lutheran. I guess that makes me a closet Lutheran, doesn’t it?”

Mrs. Brenner smiled. “I guess it does just that. I haven’t been able to attend in many months due to my heart condition. When I visited my son last year he took me to his church. They played guitars and drums and such. It wasn’t nearly liberal enough for me.”

“Wait. I thought you said you were Missouri Synod. Don’t you mean your son’s church wasn’t conservative enough for you?”

“You know your Lutherans, don’t you Son.”

With that, Chaplain Jacob Jennings found a dear place in Mrs. Janelle Brenner’s heart.

Chapter 6

With one successful visit completed, Jake decided to try a follow-up visit to Robert Mason. Jake’s intuitive hunch that he needed to talk was right on target. Mr. Mason was too weak to get out of bed this morning. Mrs. Mason stayed in the room only long enough to be polite and then promptly excused herself to go do a million chores that needed doing around the house, but only as a reason to leave so that Mr. Mason could be free to talk in private.

“Thank you for coming to see me, Chaplain Jennings.”

“It’s my pleasure, Mr. Mason. Please feel free to call me Jake.”

“Oh, okay Jake. You can call me Robert.” Robert adjusted his oxygen tubing for a few seconds to collect his thoughts. “Jake. I have something I need to talk to you about. That I need your help with, actually.”

Jake was surprised and a little skeptical that Mr. Mason was going to discuss his real concerns. Very few patients were that forward with their needs. It typically took a couple of visits for patients to be comfortable enough to discuss important issues with a new chaplain. Many patients started off with a smaller issue to test a chaplain to see if a more serious issue would be dealt with competently. “Sure, Robert. What can I do to help?”

“I’m concerned about my Sylvia. What’s going to happen to her when I’m gone? Who’s going to be there to help her? I’ve been the strong one in the family all these years and now I’m stuck in this bed. After I’m gone the kids will be a lot of help, but who will be there to help her when she’s sad?”

“Do you feel like you are letting her down?”

Robert looked at Jake for a moment. “That’s exactly how I feel.”

“You didn’t choose to get sick, Robert.”

“You’re right, of course, but what do I do?”

“Have you talked to Sylvia about how you feel? My guess is that she’s been thinking about the same thing and has been planning for how she will deal with things for a while. Maybe it will help to talk about it. Both of you may feel better for having done it.”

“You know, you’re right. It would just help me to know there’s someone there to help when she needs someone to talk to.”

“If you are willing to allow it, we will, Robert. That’s one of the responsibilities hospice takes seriously, to care for family members after our patients are gone. We will keep up with how she is doing to make sure she’s going to get through this. She won’t be on her own.”

The relief on Mr. Mason’s face was hard to miss. “You don’t know how much that means to me. I worked all my adult life to set us up for our retirement and now I won’t be around for much of it. I just need to make sure my Sylvia is taken care of the right way.”

The two men and new fast friends talked about what it meant to finish strong in a life cut short by an unfair illness, and how to start saying goodbye to loved ones in a way that would leave lasting positive memories and a faithful legacy for the Mason family.

On his way out the door of the Mason home Jake met Jennifer arriving for her visit.

“Hey, Jake. I hope you didn’t wear out my patient before I got here. That’s my job.”

“No, I think I left a little for you to work with.”

“Good... How’s it going so far?”

“Great. I’ve had some awesome visits this morning. Just the kind of thing I’ve needed.”

“That’s good to hear... Hey, Jake. I’ll be done pretty quick. You have time for lunch?” Jen’s consistent smile and sparkle wavered for a moment as if she was afraid Jake would turn her down.

Jake had not seen Jen look hesitant or pensive. Even if he had lunch plans he felt compelled to say yes anyway. “Sure, I’ve got time. Where would you like to meet?”

“It’s nice enough to sit outside. How about The Clown, say, in forty-five minutes?”

“Sounds good. See you there.”

Jen’s smile and sparkle were back with a vengeance. “Well. Mr. Mason’s waiting. See you in a little while.” Jen’s gaze at Jake lingered for an intense moment before she resumed her energetic pace toward the Masons’ door.

Jake made it to his car before he realized what happened. He just made a lunch date with a woman who seemed to be interested in him. He promised himself he would avoid doing that when he moved to Sunset. Now, he was right in the middle of it. This is SO not good, Jennings.

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Parts 1-4 are a preview. Parts 5-23 are available as they are published to PLM+ members. CLICK HERE for more information.

After Jake finished lunch at his desk while reading another tedious manual, Sharon swooped in and rescued him from his boredom. “It’s time for you to do a ride-out for the afternoon. I want you to meet an RN for the team you are on. Jake Jennings, this is Jennifer Lawson. Jen, Jake.”

In the time it took for Jake to put down his manual and stand up, Sharon finished her quick introduction. Jake at first thought he had lost his balance a little when he turned around and saw Jennifer for the first time. It wasn’t his balance that he lost.

Jennifer Lawson struck him immediately as the most beautiful woman… no, more than that… the most beautiful soul he had ever seen... since Mindy, he reminded himself. She was a tall, young, confident looking woman with flowing chestnut hair and the most intriguing deep blue eyes that seemed to dance and sparkle as Sharon continued whatever else it was that she was saying... something about getting to know the blah blah in the whatever for the day. Jake was having too much trouble breathing much less hearing right now. He slowly raised his hand.

Without taking her eyes off his Jennifer stepped forward tempted to give Jake a hug. Sensing his discomfort, she stopped herself and took his hand instead. “It’s nice to meet you, Jake. We’ve heard a lot about how good you are at your job. Now you get to prove it to us here in Sunset.”

Not ‘at’ Sunset as most other employees put it. Interesting.

“Get your stuff, we’ve got to get moving. The patients are waiting and they’re not getting any healthier.” Jennifer’s gaze lingered for a moment and then she abruptly turned and left the Family Support Room without waiting for Jake to follow.

Sharon watched Jennifer leave then looked at Jake with an intense look in her eyes but a serene smile on her face. “You better go after her Jake. She’s not going to wait forever.”

It was either what she said, how she said it, or the sensation of complete disorientation sweeping through him, but Jake felt like he was having an out-of-body experience. The words just didn’t make sense. How could he “go after” someone he just met? He barely knew her. She couldn’t mean that much to him. He was trying to get away from emotional attachments, not run straight into one... Get a grip, Jennings. She means go on the ride out, you idiot. Jake shook his head, grabbed his satchel and walked out the door to catch up with Jennifer, his heart still pounding.

Sharon stood there for a minute and watched through the window as Jennifer and Jake talked on their way to her car. She still had that smile on her face as she watched them walk around the house and out of sight.

“So, have you settled in Sunset yet?”

“Yes. I bought a place awhile back getting ready for the transfer. I took some time off before starting here so I could catch up on some things I needed to do.”

“Vague enough, but it’s a start.” She opened her car trunk revealing a neat and orderly arrangement of medical supplies in baskets. She dropped her bag in one of them. “You have any ‘HIPAA’ in your satchel yet? If so, you need to put it back here.”

“Yeah, they started that policy in Houston. ‘All protected patient information must be secured in a trunk or lock box when transported in a personal vehicle and removed at night and on weekends.’”

“Good Lord. You can quote company policy like its Scripture or something.”

“Believe me. Scripture is much more inspiring.”

Jen’s laugh was like a song. It gave Jake the strangest feeling. One that he barely recognized. It felt good, but he couldn’t identify it. Maybe he didn’t want to.

“Well, I certainly hope so.” Jen slammed the trunk, got in the driver’s seat and started the car.

Jake rushed to get in the passenger’s seat sensing Jen’s impatience to get going.

“Shotgun controls the AC. Driver drives.”

Jake got the hint. He would keep his mouth shut about Jen’s driving even in the face of impending death. He learned a long time ago that you don’t want to get on a nurse’s bad side. It’s not good for your relationship... or your health. Nurses know a hundred ways to kill you slowly and painfully without leaving a mark; or make you wish you were dead if they turned against you en masse.

She pulled out on Main Street and headed south. “Our first stop is Jeffrey Mason and his wife, a really cute couple near Rockdale. He’s on service for colon cancer. She dotes on him like he’s a child.” He’s been holding steady for a few weeks, but I’m concerned he’ll start declining soon. He’s been with us for about eight months now. He will be your patient of course, so I’ll introduce you as their new chaplain. They just love chaplains.” Jen negotiated the sparse small-town traffic and headed down highway 73.

As Jennifer talked Jake caught himself noticing the glow on her face. She had this natural smile that radiated a muted excitement about something... or everything. She was a bundle of energy and enthusiasm in a beautiful package. This is SO not good. Jake had moved to get away from emotional attachments, not to get entangled in another one.

“You okay over there, Jake? You look a little pale. You’re not afraid of a little old cancer patient, are you?”

No. I’m afraid of you. “No, I’m fine.” I’m not fine.

Jen’s smile seemed to radiate even more as if she knew what kind of effect she was having on him and enjoying every second of it. “Well, I don’t have to tell you about the job. You already know that. So, how ‘bout we go straight to the story. Tell me about yourself.”

I was afraid it would get to that. “Okay. You know most of my work history. I graduated from Baylor and Southwestern Seminary. Chaplain training in Houston. Worked in hospice since then. Not a lot to it.”

Her smile never wavered, but Jennifer slowly shook her head, “That’s the resume, not the story. I want to know about you.”

“That’s a long story.”

“Is it ‘we don’t have enough time before we get there’ long story, or ‘I can’t talk about it right now’ long story?”

Jake looked out the passenger window at the vast fields of vivid green winter wheat zooming by. “It’s some of both.” There was a long pause. One that should have been uncomfortable, but it wasn’t. Jake looked over at Jen. Her smile was unfazed. Even with her designer sunglasses on he swore he could see the sparkle in her eyes. There was that feeling again. “I’m sorry. It’s kind of rude of me to clam up like that.”

“Not at all. We all have the right to keep to ourselves. Fair warning, though. I’m going to keep working on you ‘til I get to the story. … ‘good for the soul’ and all that.”

She’s right, but at the wrong time and to the wrong person…. “You’re right. Maybe I will someday. Would it be fair to ask about you?”

“Sure. You can probably guess by now I love to talk. My resume? I got my RN from Temple College four years ago. Worked at Murderboro two years while I bridged a BS online.”

“Excuse me, ‘Murderboro?’” Jake wanted to be sure he’d heard that one right.

“Oh, yeah. That’s our pet name for Marlboro Medical Center here in Sunset. Your chances of coming out of there on your own two feet aren’t that great depending on which doctor is staffing the ER.”

That made Jake way too nervous and brought up some uncomfortable memories he preferred not to think about.

“I’ve been with Sunset Hospice for two years. I was Sharon’s first hire. My short story? Grew up in Wyoming. Grandma and Grandpa Cash raised me when Mom couldn’t. Probably the best thing that could’ve happened to me. Grandpa worked the coal mine. Fell in love and got married to a mining boss. Storybook marriage to a nice Christian guy until we moved here and things changed. Two boys. Ryan who’s ten, and Evan who’s seven, last month. My Ex, Steve, lives in Cameron and runs two coal mines in the area. Our divorce was final almost a year ago.”

It was either the Texas sun beating down on Jake through the window or the thought of Jennifer Lawson being single that caused him to reach for the AC controls and Jen to smile even wider.

The rest of the day allowed Jake to settle into a somewhat normal routine and comfortable zone: visiting with patients. That was what he did best. The Masons were as nice and “cute” as Jen promised and were a delight to get to know. Mr. Mason said he looked forward to Jake’s next visit. Jake could tell there was more to it than just an invitation for a return visit, as if Mr. Mason had something he needed to talk about that was weighing heavy on his mind. That intuitive radar was what made Jake Jennings so good at his profession.

As they met the other patients throughout the afternoon, Jake became more aware of just how good Jennifer was at her job as well. Her brash presentation with him was an endearing quality to her patients. They respected and loved her for being upfront and honest with them. She didn’t pull punches or hide behind professional hedges. She said what she thought and told them flat out if she didn’t have an answer but promised to come back with one.

Once Jake regained his composure after meeting Jennifer, he found himself developing a deep admiration for her abilities as a hospice nurse even though she had only two years of experience.

“I think I’ve put you through the ringer for the day, Jake. How you holding up?”

“This has been great. After being off this long, it’s just what I needed. Thanks.”

“Dang, you are a glutton for punishment. A newbie would be slobbering all over himself and begging for mercy.” The extra glow in her smile made it appear that she would have enjoyed seeing Jake do just that. “I guess that means you’ll be back for more.”

“I guess it means just that. I’ve gone too far to back out now.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here, Jake.”

“I’m feeling pretty good about my decision too.” Jake’s ambivalence about the move seemed to be dissolving a little too quickly for his comfort.

Jen’s glowing smile radiated again giving Jake a brief but overwhelmingly happy feeling. They were both quiet as Jen drove through town on the way back to the office.

As Jake reached for the door Jen gave his arm a light squeeze, sending a warm pleasant sensation through Jake’s body. “See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah. See you...” As he got out of her car he felt a hint of sadness that she was leaving. As she drove away, he felt a flood of guilt that he felt sad.

Jake focused as best he could on getting to know his patients and the other team members the rest of the week. He had to remind himself that there were other nurses in the office. A chaplain typically worked directly with four to five Registered Nurses. In his dual role that number dropped to two or three depending on the census and geographic arrangement. He had all of Jennifer’s patients as well as some of Sandy Easley’s and Melissa Davidson’s. They were kind and competent nurses with lots of experience.

Everyone on the team made an effort to help Jake feel at home in his new surroundings. Since Jake had been “in the field” for fifteen years everyone sensed that he knew what he was doing and could be trusted to provide excellent care for their patients. New employees usually had to prove themselves to the established team members to be fully trusted. This immediate bond helped Jake overcome some of the uncertainty he still felt about his transition.

Jake knew too that experienced and competent hospice team members developed a sense for people who are in pain whether it’s physical, emotional, or spiritual. While he was physically in his prime he had plenty of the other kinds to last him a lifetime. His fellow team members weren’t completely insensitive to Jake’s plight.

Jake did his best to slog through the online training programs that were required any time a Ventura employee changed to a new position. His new responsibilities included bereavement support to families for thirteen months after a patient’s death. While this was not a new concept to Jake, the administrative part of the job was a bit daunting. Fortunately, his low-walled cubicle sat in the corner surrounded by windows which gave him a relaxing view of the town. The downside was that he had a fifty-yard line seat to watch Jennifer Lawson drive up, get out of her car and walk into the office. He didn’t know if he could live with that distraction... or live without it.

Rebecca Blinn, CNA, glided through the office on Thursday morning showering everyone with her cheery disposition topped off with the candy she bought from the S-Mart that morning.

As a Certified Nurse Assistant, Becca provided care to patients in the form of bathing, dressing and a flood of love and attention. She and the other “CNAngels,” as they were affectionately known, were the unsung heroes in the hospice office. They saw the patients more often than any other discipline, knew their patients intimately, usually had more emotional attachments, more difficulties when the patients died and got the least amount of recognition for what they did.

“Good morning, Roger, Lynn, and... oh those green eyes tell me you must be Jake Jennings. Nice to meet you, Jake. I’m Becca, one of your CNA’s.” She greeted Jake with a hug and a peppermint. “Jen has told me all about you. We’re so glad you’re here. Poor Roger was getting desperate for help.”

Startled by Rebecca’s whirlwind appearance and revelation of her knowledge of all things Jake, he simply hugged her back. “Nice to meet you too.” So, Jen likes me for my green eyes, huh...? Don’t… do… that. The rollercoaster ride of emotions just then caused him to break out in a sweat even in the cool confines of the office.

Becca pirouetted and left with a “later y’all.”

Roger smiled, “You just met Becca Blinn.”

“I guess I did.”

That afternoon the entire team met for the weekly meeting to discuss patient care plans. These meetings also included the medical director, a physician who oversaw the care of all the patients. The first fifteen to twenty minutes were usually devoted to open discussion, snacks, and team building.

This was Jake’s first opportunity to meet Sarah Newsome, the other social worker. Sarah struck Jake as a rather quiet, pensive, unassuming young lady who had lots of “book smarts,” but would likely be unsure of herself when it came to applying what she knew in real world situations. Again, his intuition won... almost.

Jake struck Sarah as the most handsome man she had ever met, but she was afraid to say or do anything about that especially in a work situation. She had always been told you don’t mix work with pleasure. “Hi, Jake. I’m Sarah. It’s a shame we didn’t get to meet until now. It’s been a crazy week around here. I hope you’re settling in okay.”

“Yeah, it’s going fine. Fortunately, I know the ropes pretty well. The biggest hurdle is getting to know the area. Jennifer, Roger and Lynn have been a big help so far.”

At the sound of Jennifer’s name Sarah winced slightly. “Oh, okay. If you need help with anything, I’m here for you,” she said, almost pleadingly without Jake even noticing.

It was Jen’s radar that caught that one. She maneuvered around the conference table to Jake. “Hey, you finished with the orientation training yet? I need you to get busy with a couple of these patients who are begging to see you.” Jen verbally, if not physically, squeezed Sarah out of the conversation.

If Sarah’s looks could kill, they would have barely pricked Jen’s back. While she resented Jennifer tremendously, she didn’t have the personality to do anything about it.

“I should be ready to go by Monday morning. Just a few more boring online classes to go and I’m... done.” Jake caught himself before he said “yours.”

“Okay team let’s get started,” beckoned Sharon as she called everyone to their seats.

Jen resisted the urge to do the “Sharon maneuver” and take Jake by the arm and walk with him to his seat.

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