Maddy's Floor (3 page)

She'd worked on the top floor for close to five years, and had been running it for the last three. Sure, Dr. Cunningham ran it with her, but his presence fooled no one. Still, with over thirty years of impressive experience he'd lent his name and reputation to the project. But, it was called Maddy's floor for a reason.

In addition to the special project she ran there, her light, her presence, just the person she was radiated something special. When she turned that light onto 'her' patients, they blossomed, improved, and in some cases, they even healed. Her personality or her 'skills' – whatever you called it – was a common thread of discussion in the lunchroom and meetings, but always behind her back. She had a gift that caused everyone to want to reach out and touch her – if just for a moment – to know that miracle healing was possible.

Gerard shook his head at the fanciful thought. These thoughts dominated every time he watched her work, and lately, every time he thought about her. Not good.

"What about extending the day clinic hours?" Peggy suggested. "Open up for more private consultations, have the doctors do an additional half-day a week…or something?"

"That's possible, but the best thing to do is involve the doctors in this issue. In its resolution too. They're all intelligent and aware of the problem. Ask them what they see as options," suggested Dr. Jack Norton, seated beside Peggy. He rarely spoke and when he did, people listened. Jack knew his stuff.

Gerard considered the possibility. "We'd have to set up a meeting, which they won't like as they're strapped for time now. However, if we bring them in to discuss the problem, together we might brainstorm some solutions, or present a few options for them to consider."

"Don't give them too many options. That's asking for trouble." Peggy jotted notes down on her yellow legal pad. "One or two at the most and see what they think. There's a lot of brain power in that group and it's their future as well. It wouldn't hurt to give them a say."

A knock at the door interrupted the thread of conversation. Sandra Cafferty, Gerard's administrative assistant, opened the door and pushed in a coffee cart. "Coffee, everyone. Gerard, Dr. Maddy has arrived."

Gerard nodded and picked up his pencil again. Maddy's visit should be short, and probably not sweet. He needed her to accept the new patient and she wasn't going to like it – at all. Not that he could blame her, but The Haven needed to take in more patients as soon as possible to stay afloat. Even this patient.

"Good to see we can still afford a decent cup of java, hey Gerard?" Moneyman and Chief Financial Officer, Alex Cooper, stood and walked over to the trolley and doctored a cup for himself.

"Let's not joke about such a serious issue," Gerard replied. He'd cut what was necessary, but the team needed to focus on creating a bigger income stream, not just making temporary fixes to the expense drain. He rose and walked over to pour himself a coffee. Bringing it back to his place, he said, "If everyone's ready, let's bring Dr. Maddy in and deal with that issue so we can get back to the rest of the agenda. Sandra, please."

Sandra walked out, leaving the door open.

Maddy's presence filled the door seconds later. It was as if an air of lightness entered with her. "Good morning, everyone. So good to see you."

Even taciturn Jack had to smile at her. "Come on in, Maddy. Grab a coffee and take a seat. This shouldn't take long."

Maddy hurried over to the cart, quickly poured herself a coffee and glanced around the room. "Does everyone have coffee?"

Peggy lifted her gaze from her files, her brows beetled together. "Oh, I'd love a cup. Black. Thank you."

With a sunny smile, Maddy poured the second cup and placed it down in front of Peggy before taking a seat.

Gerard waited until he had her attention. "Now, the new wing, although it's not officially open yet, is causing a stir." Shuffling papers, Gerard, pulled out the one he required. "We have a long list of people waiting for beds."

Maddy remained quiet, her dark chocolate eyes watching his every move. That was a little unnerving, even after all these years. "As you know, there will be twelve extra beds on your floor. Theoretically, two or three of those could be filled now and the rest later."

He raised his gaze to Maddy.

Her eyes never wavered. "It won't be as quiet or as peaceful for them if the space isn't completely finished. There is still equipment to be installed and the finishing touches done to match the rest of the floor. You know the effect atmosphere has on healing."

En masse, the board members dropped their eyes to the various papers in front of them. Gerard studied the bent heads, knowing they were all thinking the same thing. This was a long-term care facility. People came here to die, not to heal. Unless you were on Dr. Maddy's floor. Then weird things happened. Good, but weird, and everyone who was sick wanted to be on Maddy's floor. Hence, part of the current problem.

"Right. Unfortunately, that's not negotiable right now. The budget requires cash. Either we ask you to take over shifts on other floors, or we bring in the new patients early. Four residents means four more sets of fees, and we need that funding at the moment."

Maddy had tensed initially, yet now seemed to ease. He studied her face to see if she understood. So focused on patients and healing, many doctors didn't get the basics of dollars and cents.

She inclined her head. "That'll be fine. The patients will take several days to adjust anyway. The noise will be part of that."

Gerard let out a small sigh of relief then plunged onward.

"On the waiting list for your floor are, of course, many current residents, some you referred yourself." He looked up at her. "The waiting list for new patients is longer. We're in the screening process now and have two good possibilities." He frowned.

This floor stuff bothered him. A care facility should be open to all, and it was, except this issue of requests for Maddy's floor had grown beyond him and beyond the facility. People offered an incredible sum to have a bed for their loved one on Maddy's floor and sometimes refusing wasn't an option, particularly when the applicant fit the stringent requirements – like the one they were considering now. And Maddy wouldn't like this scenario one bit.

He forged on.

"Dr. Lenning has requested one of those beds."

Every person at the table stilled.

Dr. Lenning was not Maddy's favorite person. Not by a long shot. In fact, it was safe to assume she'd buck this choice any way she could. Gerard studied her calm face, wondering at the utter stillness of it.

Finally she spoke. "And why would Adam want to be a patient on my floor?" Her voice, so quiet, so calm, raised the bent heads. Everyone looked at each other before staring at Maddy.

Gerard cleared his throat. This is where it got tricky. "He says that he'd like to experience your healing magic firsthand."

One cool eyebrow rose, heat flaring briefly in her huge eyes. "Magic. Rubbish." Her gaze was clear and serene. "We all know these people are here to spend their last months as comfortably as possible. I repeat – why would he want anything to do with me now…at this critical stage of his illness? His feelings toward me are well-known. He tried to discredit me, to have my license revoked. So why my floor, now?"

"He may have had a change of heart, my dear. Dying men do, you know." Peggy offered an unusual insight. Gerard would have to remember to thank her later.

Maddy's gaze never wavered, a hint of suspicion remained. No one could tell what she was thinking. Finally, after a long pause, she said, "As I presume you've already made your decision, a discussion on this is moot."

Damn it. Gerard hated the burning frustration eating away at him. He dared her to pass up the size of the check he'd received to let their former doctor have one of the new beds. Morals and preferences aside, he had bills to pay, and Maddy needed to do her part.

"And the other patient?" she inquired gently.

"We're considering Dr. Robertson's request for Felicia McIntosh's transfer." Gerard had already approved transferring the seven-year-old from the local children's hospital as a boon to help Maddy deal with Lenning's impending arrival. Not to mention that any child would have outstanding results with Maddy's particular skills. For that reason alone, they tried to find a place for most children who applied. He watched the reactions flit across her fine-boned features. Instead of a beam of joy, her face softened, gentled and warmed. He actually felt like he'd received a pat of approval on his head.

"I'm sure she'll like that."

"As for the next bed to be ready, we're considering former police chief, John McNeal."

Maddy nodded, her features smooth and unworried. "I'm sure you'll make the right decision on that one." She drank the last of her coffee. "Was there anything else?"

"Not at the moment. Just know that we won't be hiring any additional staff. I'm afraid these extra beds will be added to the current workload without any budget additions. We'll still be within the state guidelines – barely."

Maddy stilled yet again – unnaturally so. Everyone watched without being overt.

When she inclined her head a second time, the occupants of the board room sighed with relief.

"That's fine. My team can manage – at least for a while. Thanks for letting me know."

In one smooth elegant arc, Maddy stood, replaced her cup on the trolley and strode from the room.

The board members once again looked at each other.

"That went well, don't you think?" Gerard relaxed his tight shoulders.

Peggy snickered. "Like hell."

Then Jack raised the real issue. "And why
would
Adam want to be under her care when he tried to have her license revoked?
Has
he had a change of heart?"

Ben, the marketing director, who had yet to speak, added, "Or is he going after her again?"

***

Maddy made it back into the gilt cage elevator before her composure dissipated. Her stomach rolled in horrific waves of unease and yes, fear. Dr. Lenning. The world must really hate her right now to toss him her way.

Maddy worked to achieve her best all the time.

Sometimes she failed. Dr. Lenning was proof of that.

It wasn't that Maddy was a goody two-shoes, as some of the other staff believed. She knew firsthand what difference her emotional balance made on the patients' energy around her. Anyone involved in energy work understood the impact negativity had on others.

Maddy leaned back against the wall, her hands against her belly. Two deep breaths later, she could almost straighten her spine. A third did the trick and with the fourth, some of the tension lifted off her shoulders.

So, Dr. Lenning wanted a bed on her floor and, of course, the Board buckled under his demands. He'd make their lives a living hell otherwise. He might also have tossed his checkbook around and bought his way in. The man wasn't as rich as King Midas, but close.

Maddy frowned. She had a hard time with the constant budget cuts. Money was often short and now it was critically so. It wasn't only in her sector. This lousy economy affected everyone.

The elevator slowed its upward climb before coming to a stop. The gated doors opened, letting her exit. Maddy strolled to her office, maintaining her calm as if her world hadn't just collapsed.

"Good morning, Dr. Maddy."

Maddy smiled at the nurse pushing a medicine cart down the hallway. In general, everyone on her floor was happy with their jobs and the people they worked with. Maddy strove to keep it that way. It took finesse and compromise. However, they'd pulled together and had created something special here. Everyone on her floor knew that a delicate balance was required to keep this floor functioning at a higher energy level than the others. Her staff fought any suggestion that they transfer out – as hard as the patients fought to get in. Maddy didn't take all the credit, yet she understood the synergy on her floor. It was important that new arrivals not disturb the delicate balance.

Dr. Lenning already had. It was about damage control until everything could truly be harmonious again.

Instead of disappearing into her office as she'd hoped, Maddy walked down to look at the area under construction. She'd prefer to wait until the workers had finished before moving new patients in, but that was out of her hands. Besides, the renovation was mostly complete. The inspector had been through and the fire marshal was due today. There were a few little finishing touches, and they waited for some medical equipment to arrive and be installed, but the rest was cosmetic. Everything that had been ordered for twelve new patients was coming in piecemeal. She hoped all this would be over before the first new patient arrived, but knowing Gerard, that wasn't likely to happen.

In truth, the renovations weren't the biggest problem. It was expanding the healing energy from the main area into the new area. With new people coming in over the next month, she didn't know how to make that happen without destroying the strong healing cocoon that the patients in the main part of the floor were enjoying.

Maddy considered the problem. Dr. Lenning would move in here – down at the far end. He couldn't complain about the location because he'd have a little more privacy there, plus a window overlooking the treed area behind the facility. The advantage of that location, from Maddy's point of view was his physical distance from the other patients who were actively working on their healing…and to be honest, the distance he'd be from her office was even better.