Page 20 of Mafia’s Dirty Secret

Marie wasn’t a callous person; the sight of her mother’s tears didn’t leave her completely unmoved. Ruby had been, would always be, an actress and had used more than one tactic to get her way out of her daughter over the years. Marie couldn’t help but wonder if this was real or if Ruby really couldn’t remember what had just happened.

“I’ll get you another bowl, Mom, don’t worry.” She finished her task and went back to the kitchen for more oatmeal. She heated up a new bowl of the concoction and prepared it how her mother liked it: milk, butter, a little bit of sugar. She took the bowl in and watched as her mother ate the meal as if it was the best thing she’d ever had.

“This is so good, Marie. Thank you.” Her mother sniffled as she spoke and wiped at her nose with a tissue. Luckily, Ruby could still use one hand when she was herself, so Marie left the room to clean up the dishes.

Just as she put the last dish in the drainer, she heard a knock at the door. The only visitor they normally had was Jane. Her heart started to trip, and shame washed over her. Matteo hadn’t decided to visit her, had he? She didn’t want him to see where she lived.

The house needed a new coat of paint, the lawn hadn’t been cut in weeks because the mower had died and she hadn’t been able to replace it yet, and the place looked like it was falling in. It was structurally sound, the roof didn’t leak, but it still looked… unloved.

No, it couldn’t be him. She’d texted him to tell him she would be busy and not able to meet him today. He always respected her when she told him she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, be able to do something. He treated her like a lady. He wouldn’t be rude and just show up.

Marie scrunched her hair up into a bun and smoothed her clothes down. If it was him, she didn’t want to look a complete mess. Even if she was.

She opened the door to find an unfamiliar woman in her late 40s on the doorstep. “Hi, can I help you? Are you lost?”

“No, I’m sorry, I knocked at the front door, but nobody answered so I came to the backdoor. My name is Regina Murphy. I’m with Bayou State Home Health. I was sent to stay with Ruby Hebert?”

“I’m sorry, who sent you?” Marie frowned and leaned against the doorframe to block any entry, even though the other woman was much taller and rounder than she was.

“I was told to give you this, along with the company’s information and my credentials.” The woman dug a folder out of what looked like a laptop bag and handed it over to Marie. It was similar to the folder Jane had brought when she first came.

A paperclip held a card that was familiar to Marie and she closed her eyes in disbelief. Matteo had hired a nurse to come to stay with her mother?

“Matteo’s paying for this?” she asked the woman, who shrugged.

“I don’t know a lot about that, I was just told to give you the file and the card. My company pays me, and they bill the person that arranged for me to come.” Regina paused as if she understood the quandary Marie found herself in. “It happens like this sometimes. If you want to call him, that’s fine, I understand.”

“No, I’m sorry, please come in and join me at the kitchen table. Would you like a glass of iced tea?”

“I don’t drink it, but a glass of water would be nice.” Regina sat down, put her bag down, and looked around. She didn’t look as if she was judging, just familiarizing herself with the place.

Marie got the water and then sat down to go over the papers in the folder. Regina’s credentials were there, showing she was more than qualified to care for her mother, as well as a copy of the paid bill for a year of care. Marie’s eyes went big as she looked at the sum Matteo had already paid.

“Fuck.” She whispered the word so the other woman wouldn’t hear.

“Pardon?” Regina sat forward now, her red hair in a ponytail was so long it slid over her shoulder. Green eyes watched Marie.

“Nothing, I just can’t believe he’s done this. I mean, I know he has, the proof is here.” She pointed at the bill. “I just can’t believe he’s done it. And you don’t know anything about who I’m talking about. Sorry. I see you’re supposed to work from 8 pm to 8 am?”

“Yes, it’s a shift a prefer. Our older patients can have such a hard time at night, I like being there to reassure them and help them to rest.”

“You understand my mother also has dementia on top of Parkinson’s disease?”

“I do. I’m sorry, I know this is a very unusual way of doing this. We gathered from the man that paid that this wouldn’t be the normal situation. I’ve spent the last 15 years taking care of elderly patients with a variety of health problems. I’m prepared for most things. Even the patients that can’t help but act violently. I assure you I’ve seen it all.”

Something about the woman’s tone told Marie that the nurse would be perfect for her mother. Regina would do her job and keep the situation under control without panic. Marie glanced back over her credentials again and knew Regina was the perfect fit. She hoped.

“Would you like to meet her?” Marie wasn’t even sure it was legal for Matteo to hire a nurse like this, but money talked all over the world and opened doors.

There was a calm air about Regina, and she handled the introduction with Ruby competently. Ruby didn’t seem too upset and understood that she would have a new nurse in the evenings. Which meant… oh goodness.

It finally hit Marie exactly what all of this meant. She would have 12 hours free every five days! She could escape, for a little while.

Before she completely collapsed from relief, Marie showed Regina the medicines her mother would have to take, and the ones prescribed to keep her calm if she became too violent. The other woman was familiar with the machines and the precautions she would have to take to keep Ruby comfortable. Marie also showed her where the supplies she might need were kept, and spent time introducing her to the parts of the house she would use.

“I’m sorry, are you allowed to sleep while you do this?” Marie wasn’t sure how it worked, so she asked. She’d have prepared a room for the woman if that was the case.

“No, but I’m a night person, so it’s fine. I knit a lot, usually. It just depends on how much your mother sleeps.”