Rainbow slowly grew stronger and more focused. Nadja came to visit her every other day. To both her dismay and surprise, she actually found herself looking forward to the sexy accountant’s visits. She was surprised in that she never thought she’d ever look forward to anything again but dismayed because she knew she couldn’t count on her to always be there for her. Wouldn’t she be on her own once she was released? That was a thought that made her shudder. She and solitude didn’t exactly get along and she was clueless as to how she’d make ends meet since Carlos had been the main breadwinner, making more than she could make doing odds and ends online.
Nadja came to visit her one day as she was having one of her physical therapy sessions.
“Nadja!” Rainbow called out when she saw her enter the therapy room which was off of the lounge area. She tried not to show how excited she was to see her, but Nadja may’ve figured it out.
“Hallo, little one,” she said with a bright beautiful smile that tugged at Rainbow’s heart.
Rainbow, who was lying face down on a mat, extended a leg as far back behind her as she could.
“How’s she doing today?” Nadja asked in German as the tall, burly physical therapist helped guide her through the motions at a steady pace.
“Sehr Gut,” he answered with a smile.
When her therapy session ended, Nadja pulled her upright and onto her feet. “A hug?” she said.
Rainbow nodded and they hugged.
Both women found it to be a very satisfying feeling that they truly savored. Nadja gently ran a hand slowly up and down Rainbow’s back, not wanting to let her go.
“I’m sorry,” Rainbow said when she pushed back from Nadja a moment later.
“For what?”
“For being such a jerk.”
Before Nadja could answer, Doctor Fleischer entered the room. “There you are,” she said.
She and Nadja exchanged greetings and then Nadja guided Rainbow to the doctor’s office where they discussed Rainbow’s plans for after she was released from the hospital.
“That’s just the thing,” said Rainbow. “I don’t have any plans. I don’t have anywhere to go, I don’t have any money, and I don’t have any life. So I don’t have any plans to discuss.”
Nadja chuckled and the doctor smiled.
“You didn’t think I’d leave you out on the streets, did you?” Nadja said.
Rainbow shrugged and said, “You didn’t think I thought an earthquake would come and swallow up my husband and our home, did you?”
“No, ma’am, I certainly didn’t. But I can assure you I won’t leave you stranded with no home, food or life if I can help it.”
“Ah, but there’s a catch, I’m afraid,” said the doctor.
“I’m sure there is,” Rainbow said, rolling her eyes. “As they say, if it’s too good to be true, it usually isn’t.”
Nadja and the doctor laughed, but Rainbow wasn’t amused.
The doctor’s features took on a note of seriousness once again as she said, “We can’t simply release a patient and hope for the best. Certain things will be required of them and of the courts in order to gently ease them back into the real world in a way that will increase their chances of happiness and success.”
Rainbow looked confused and said, “What the hell does that mean?”
Nadja smiled with amusement and the doctor went on to explain. “It basically means that under German law, you can’t go out there on your own. Someone in which the courts and doctors agree is suitable to help you break back into the swing of things will need to take you in.”
Rainbow mulled this over in her mind. “I don’t get it. I mean I can understand wanting support for us whack jobs, but what about those who have absolutely no one to go to? What do they do, stay here forever?”
Both women smiled this time.
“No, not exactly,” said the doctor. “There are what equates to group homes like what you have in the U.S. What will likely happen is that you’ll get to go with Nadja so long as she agrees to look out for you – and I’m sure she will – and then a month or so later the courts will re-evaluate the situation, see how you’ve been doing, and then decide what’s best for you from there on out.”
“And to hell with what I may want?” said Rainbow, throwing up her hands in frustration. “And just what does agreeing to ‘look out for me’ mean? Does she send me to my room if I don’t eat all my vegetables?”
Again both women laughed and Nadja said, “I missed that little smarty with the smart answer for everything.”
“I’m getting pissed.”
A knock on the door interrupted them.
“Yes,” said the doctor.
The door opened and a tall, painfully thin woman with long stringy hair that hadn’t appeared to be washed in days stuck her head in the room and spoke in German.
Rainbow understood that she was reminding her of their little pretend tea party she agreed to set up with her. “Yeah, yeah,” she said. “Tell her we’ll play her stupid delusional tea party game later.”
Although the women smiled, they told the woman, in what was no doubt the nicest of ways, that Rainbow would join her soon.
When the door closed once again, the doctor clasped her hands together and said, “Rainbow, it seems that based on our conversations you don’t want to be alone and that that’s something that even scares you.”
“So?” Rainbow said with a shrug.
“So it may be a good thing that the courts will want to make sure you’re not alone. They would never insist you be with anyone you didn’t feel comfortable with or that didn’t truly want you in their company.”
“That’s true,” Nadja said with a confident nod.
“Yeah, you’ve been in my shoes before,” Rainbow said sarcastically. “You should know.”
Nadja laughed and said, “No, Miss Sarcastically Funny. It’s just common sense.”
“Oh. I didn’t know life was usually based on common sense.”
Another ripple of laughter.
“There will be some stipulations,” the doctor said. “You won’t be able to come off your meds for a while and so whoever’s responsible for you will need to help ensure that you remember to take them and that you’re continuing with both physical therapy and psychotherapy.”
“Whoever’s responsible for me?”
“Well, Nadja here tells me she has an apartment. But her mother has a house. Since you’re still a bit physically challenged, it may be easier on you to spend the first few days with her mother.”
Rainbow looked at Nadja with contempt. “You’re gonna sic me on your mother? But we don’t even know each other!”
Smiling she said, “Oh, but I would be there too, honey. And since she has a nice swimming pool and you used to talk about how much you love swimming, we thought it might be best in the beginning.”
“The head doctor has to approve it first but I don’t see why he wouldn’t,” said the doctor.
“You talked to her about me?”
Nadja nodded. “And she’d love to meet you. Remember, what I told you about her?”
Rainbow nodded. “That she worked with handicapped people and other crazies like me.”
“Oh, but you’re much too intelligent to be crazy,” Nadja said with a smile. “We know that. But as I’m sure the doctor will agree, what you have isn’t something you can fix overnight or with a couple of pills. You may not be crazy, but you’re a bit disturbed with all you’ve had to endure.”
“Yeah, this whole thing disturbs me,” Rainbow said, getting another smile from the other women. I feel like a kid all over again with not much say in what happens to me. Why don’t I just go join my fellow sisters of Disturbia and have pretend tea parties?” She began to push herself up from her chair even though she knew she couldn’t yet walk on her own. “Then after that’s done maybe we can all bullshit ourselves some more.”
Doctor Fleischer came around to assist Rainbow to the door. “It’s not as bad as it seems, Rainbow. You really do have more control over your life than you realize right now, but we can take a break for now and let today’s discussion sink in.”
She opened the door and an orderly who was nearby came to assist her back to her room.
“Is it ok if I continue talking to Nadja?” asked the doctor.
“Yes, badmouthing me behind my back is permitted,” Rainbow said.
Laughing, Nadja rose from her own chair. “Can I have another hug first? I really liked that hug you gave me earlier.”
Rainbow slowly turned, using the doorjamb for support, and faced Nadja. Their gazes locked a moment and then they embraced. Rainbow turned to leave a moment later.
“Hey,” Nadja said.
Rainbow glanced back over her shoulder.
“You take care, Lady Rainbow.”
Rainbow hurried on as fast as her weak legs would allow her to for fear of Nadja seeing the tears that had begun to well up in her eyes, even though she was certain she already had and that her own eyes were a bit moist as well.
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