have any insurance. She was living off disability payments, and just couldn’t cut it.”
“You opened your office in the shittiest part of town to help those that need it the most?” I ask.
“Yeah. Figured it was my way of giving something back. Ella, my wife, that’s all she ever wanted.”
“And now you get stuck treating assholes dealin’ in the illegal side of shit,” I murmur under my breath.
“Do you have insurance Monster?”
I narrow my eyes and shake my head.
“Then you’re just a person in need of help too.” He turns toward the door when I stop him.
“Hey Paul?”
He turns back to look at me.
“That means a lot. Not just to me. You’re doin’ your wife proud man.”
With a quick nod he’s gone.
Chapter 2
Kyza
Music blasts through my headphones as I dance my way down the road. Bad part of town? Shit, I grew up in worse than this. This isn’t bad to me, or maybe I just don’t see a problem with the way people live around here. I’ve seen it every day for the last twenty-two years.
“Hey Kyza,” one of the homeless ladies yells at me. I pull my headphones off and wrap them around my neck as I smile at her.
“Kelly, how are you? How’s the finger?”
She came into the clinic a while back with a cut that needed stitches. I’m not a nurse, but I could be. Paul made sure I knew enough about that kind of shit.
“It’s better. I was going to come and let doc take a look at it tomorrow, but since you’re here… can you?”
I nod my head, walk closer, and reach my hand out for hers. She places her small, frail hand in mine and my heart aches for her. Kelly was the mother of four kids but lost them to drug addiction. She lost her house, job, and everything that she loved. Now, she lives on the street just trying to make it day by day.
“It actually looks really good. Did you finish the antibiotics that doc gave you?” She looks away sheepishly before pulling her hand away.
“I was trying to save some money.”
“Hasn’t Paul made it clear that you don’t have to do that? You can always come to the clinic Kelly. Finish your pills,” I scold her.
She nods her head and as I turn to leave, quietly replies, “You’re a good girl Kyza.”
I wish that were true. No one knows why I’m here. No one knows why my life is what it is now. I’m just a ghost of the past me and that’s the way I like it. No one knows me, and I have no fears here.
I make it to the clinic and go in the back as usual. Paul had called and told me that there was a patient staying for the next few days. I like it when this happens. I don’t feel so alone. Although we don’t get clients staying overnight often, I tend to take advantage when we do.
I start doing my nightly routine. I clean up the front office, restock the supplies, disinfecting as I go, when my phone chimes. It’s time for more Motrin. Paul told me not to give them strong pain medication unless he’s here. I smile as I head to the back and grab the pills, a bottle of water, and the food I brought for him then walk back to the room he’s in. I knock first, but when no one answers I just walk in. The room is dark. Before I can even reach for the light switch a hand snakes around my waist. I’m about to scream when cold metal touches my temple.
“Who the fuck are you?”
His voice is deep, dark, and a whisper in my ear. My insides tremble as he waits for an answer. This isn’t anyone that would be looking for me I tell myself. It’s just the patient.
“I’m Kyza. I work with Paul,” I say shakily.
The man lowers the gun and moves around me in the dark. The only light is what’s coming in from the hallway. He sits in the chair in the corner. His face is blocked by shadows.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. This isn’t the best part of town,” he says.
“It’s okay. I get it. No harm done. I have your medicine and food. Let me just turn the light on and-”
“No,” he roars which startles me again. “Leave them off.”
Okay. Weird, but whatever.
“Uh, okay then. I will leave the food on the table for you. Here’s your