The homicide unit was put on the case after a perfunctory look by the detective.

It appeared to be an easy enough puzzle to put together. It looked like a drug deal gone bad. Two bodies, traces of heroin; bag whatever evidence could be used to ID them and the possible assassins.  The coroner and her young assistant were checking bodies, when one of the dead started to open her eyes. The young assistant almost fell on her backside from her squatting position she was so startled. The puzzle now became a whole new game.

The paramedics were called, the rig was removed and bagged for evidence and Gloria was taken not to the morgue but back to the hospital she had recently been released from. Her concussion was worse than the withdrawals. She did however have an oozing wound where the needle had been for way too many hours, probable septicemia, and extreme dehydration. She would remain in the CCU for a long time, if in fact she lived to see the next day.

Gloria was identified from fingerprints and hospital records. Her mother was called and this time she elected to stay until her daughter was either pronounced dead or stabilized. She had a good book she was reading and enough change to keep her filled with vending machine coffee and snacks for twenty four hours. She had just put the change and book in her purse to go to the Laundromat. What timing she thought bitterly. There was no one she could call for comfort. Her sister had washed her hands of the mess her niece had become since Gloria had been in the same high school as her cousin; well should have been, by then Gloria was well on her way to being a first class junkie. Only her mother knew what turned Gloria into who she was today, and that secret would go to the grave with her. The step-father was long gone, never heard from again. Yes, Gloria was a child victim who was made to feel responsible for the sick man her mother married. She was ten years old and he was raping her every day while her mother worked to support the family. She only found out about it when Gloria needed an abortion at thirteen, by then, the damage was done. Her mother still felt the shame and remorse for what she did when she found out. The old man ran away and Gloria’s mother blamed her child for destroying her marriage.

In the critical care unit, Jessica had just punched in for the day. She was scanning the charts and cringed when she saw what was in store for her. Gloria was one of three cases, but from the looks of it, she wouldn’t be around too much longer. Jess went in to check her vitals and realized she had seen that face before, even with the stitches on her forehead and cheek, and the bandages on her head, tubes and wires everywhere, she looked familiar.   She wouldn’t put the pieces together until later that night, but she would try to place her for rest of her shift.

Elizabeth Saunders, Gloria’s mother was pacing now; she had too much coffee to think about her only child and how through neglect she had left her to fend for herself in life. Gloria had nothing now thanks to her lack of upbringing.  Elizabeth Saunders made a pledge to whoever was in the universe, that if her child lived, and would give her a chance, she would try to become the mother Gloria always needed. Mrs. Saunders had no idea what that meant.

***

Joseph was bored. There was only so much sitting around he could do. His PO suggested he take a class or two at the community college. He was perusing the catalog when the his grandfather walked into the room.

“Why not try something that could develop into a career?” the old man suggested, “maybe a certificated class so you could begin earning a legit income.”

 The idea seemed perfect to Joe, hell, anything would feel right, and he needed something to do. At least it would be a start. Maybe he could work at the hospital as a lab tech or get into law enforcement; he could become one of those crime scene investigators like he saw on television that would be really cool.

His PO said he could probably get him some help with the cost for books and tuition. The old man was excited, he felt he was a good influence on Joseph; as a matter of fact, he was.

***

Belle heard a loud noise; it came from the small room where the hot water tank was. She checked and sure enough, water was coming out from under the door. She went to her list and called the plumber, the answering service said to shut the water off until the crew could get there. The person on the phone talked Belle through finding the main water shut off, gave her the name of a water heater company and told her most likely she would need to get the heater replaced, in the meanwhile, the crew would do what they could, but not for at least two hours.

Belle called the company that managed the building; it was her first time speaking to anyone, other than the payroll department. Was this an emergency she thought? She was standing by the payphone, list in hand when an angry occupant in a bathrobe yelled where the hell is the water? She decided it was an emergency. The operator on the other end of the phone was calm and reassuring, told Belle she would take it from there and got the information about who she had called and what she had done.

After praising her for her smart work and instructing her to post a sign on each floor saying the water would be turned off till 6PM due to an emergency she hung up. Belle made the signs and began her task. She walked up the four flights of stairs posting a sign next to each elevator door. She had never even walked the whole of the building before, she felt brave and strong as long as no one opened their door.  

As she descended the stairs there on level two were the three elderly women chatting and of course they wanted to include the new manager. Shy as she was, Belle had learned a few social skills from Grace so she smiled and asked how everyone was. Each woman told Belle exactly how she was, and about fifteen minutes later, she excused herself saying she was waiting on the water heater folks leaving the women to gossip about her she guessed.

***

It was a new day on the ward; Jessica looked at Gloria’s chart and saw there had been no improvement during the night however when she checked her vitals she found she was finally responding to the antibiotic and no longer at risk of septicemia.  What a relief, no one wants a death on their shift or their conscience at the end of the day. It was time to inform the staff and most importantly her next of kin.

Elizabeth Saunders had been dozing on and off all night she had a stiff neck and a panic in her chest she had not felt for a long time, actually, she had not allowed herself to feel anything for many years. She dozed off again.

 When Jessica came into the CCU waiting area, she saw the fragile figure of a woman who had seen better days, and nights. She felt bad waking her, but with the main crisis averted, she could tell her it was safe to go home soon. Mrs. Saunders? I am  Jessica, your daughter’s nurse, the doctor is in with her now and will be out shortly to talk to you, but Gloria is responding to the antibiotic, her temperature and blood pressure are almost normal.  She is going to get better.

Mrs. Saunders stood up and grabbed the nurse in a hug and started sobbing. Jessica hugged back, gave her some tissues and held her hand. When she looked up, they made eye contact and both had the same thought, “She looks familiar.”

Jess went in to read his orders and get busy, and Mrs. Saunders left before the Doctor came in to speak to her.   

Jess almost knew who these people were, almost.