After examining Lucy, the doctor made some notes in her chart and said:
"Lucy, please, take care of yourself. Next time, we might not get here in time. Here's a list of medications and instructions on how to take them, along with the necessary prescriptions. Make sure you get these filled today; you need to start the treatment as soon as possible. Well... take care, and get well soon!"
Glancing sideways at her husband, who was standing by the window with a crooked smirk, the doctor walked into the hallway.
"No need to see me out, I'll get the door myself."
The lock clicked, and Nick, Lucy's husband, immediately spoke up:
"Problems with you again. This is the second time we've had to call a doctor this month. Maybe you should just check into the hospital for good? At least I'd get some rest instead of sitting here by your side like I'm on a leash."
Her husband's words stung Lucy's pride, but she didn't snap back. Instead, she gave him a sweet smile and whispered softly:
"Be patient, Nick, it'll all pass soon. I just got a bit overwhelmed. You know my job is stressful."
Sighing as if he were being forced into something against his will, her husband said:
"Fine, give me the prescription; I'll go to the pharmacy myself. And stop stressing out so I don't have to call the doctor again."
Slapping the door shut behind him, Nick almost ran down the stairs and headed toward the drugstore. Meanwhile, Lucy's mother called her:
"Sweetie, tell me the truth, did you and Nick have another fight? Is that why your blood pressure is up?"
Not knowing how best to answer, Lucy said the first thing that came to mind:
"No, it's all the job's fault. I need to take a vacation and get some rest, or my heart really won't hold out."
Lucy worked as a floor manager at a glass manufacturing plant. The complex production process and responsibility for hundreds of workers didn't come without daily nerve-wracking stress.
The old machinery, dating back decades, was constantly breaking down, but the executives didn't care. For them, the priority was meeting orders and turning a profit at any cost. Basically, Lucy was working herself into the ground. Naturally, at some point, her nervous system couldn't take it anymore, and her body started to fail.
Lately, her blood pressure spikes had reached dangerous levels more frequently. Management noticed and even suggested some time off, but Lucy refused. She remembered the loan hanging over her. A year ago, she had taken out a bank loan to renovate the apartment. Her husband hadn't lifted a finger, claiming his salary was too small and that he didn't want to deal with debt. So, the entire responsibility for the payments fell on her shoulders. She remembered her mother telling her:
"You shouldn't have started all this, honey. The renovation isn't going anywhere, but your health will bolt so fast you won't even see its shadow."
Her mother's warnings hadn't been accidental, but Lucy had ignored them again and committed to the debt. The only consolation was that she had less than a year of payments left. However, her husband's behavior was very unsettling; he seemed to take any sacrifice to the family budget personally. It was as if Lucy were taking the money directly out of his pocket. Even now, as he went to the pharmacy for her medicine, it looked as though he felt he was being robbed of his last pennies. Lucy had almost wanted to decline his help, but then decided to let him spend a little. Half an hour later, the lock clicked again, and Nick's voice rang out:
"How are you doing? Still kicking?"
The nerve, to even ask his wife something like that. Lucy called back:
"Everything's fine, dear, I'm feeling better. I'll probably be back at work in a couple of days. I don't want the bosses suffering because of me."
Hearing that his wife would be going back to the plant, Nick actually seemed to brighten up:
"That's the spirit. We really need the money right now."
Another bit of sarcasm that Lucy chose to ignore. She didn't want to start a fight over nothing. Getting up from the sofa, she walked unsteadily to the bathroom.
"I'm going to take a shower, then we'll have dinner."
Nick set the medicine on the table:
"Here are your pills. You can figure out how to take them yourself later."
Dishes rattled in the kitchen, and Lucy guessed that her husband, as usual, had sat down and was waiting to be fed. Stepping out of the bathroom, she almost fell, but gathering her remaining strength, she leaned against the wall and caught her breath...
***
After dinner, Lucy went back to the bedroom and took the pills the doctor had prescribed. But the splitting headache wouldn't let up; all Lucy wanted was to close her eyes and fall asleep as quickly as possible. At that moment, Nick came up behind her and, as smooth as a fox, put his arms around her and cooed:
"Well, is my queen ready for some love?"
Lucy pushed Nick away sharply:
"Have you completely lost your mind? My blood pressure is 180 over 100, and you only have one thing on your mind."
Nick clearly didn't like this turn of events. Looking at his face, Lucy thought a massive row was about to break out and another emotional breakdown would be inevitable. But no, her husband calmly stepped aside and, bowing his head, said:
"Fine, I'm a reasonable guy, I won't harass you. You go to bed; I need to head down to the garage anyway. Bill asked me to help him with his engine yesterday, and I haven't made it over there yet. If anything, I'll be back late—don't wait up."
And that was that. A chasm had opened between them, as usually happens in such cases. And over what? Just because a wife couldn't give in today. She needed rest, especially since the doctor had said so. If anything, "love" could wait; the health of a loved one should come first. But Nick, it seemed, wasn't satisfied with that arrangement. One could only guess why he suddenly needed to go to the garage. Lucy didn't try to stop him:
"Fine, go ahead. Just don't forget your keys; I might not hear the doorbell."
Nick grabbed his jacket, put on his shoes, and, slamming the door loudly, left the apartment. This time, everything ended without a fight in the quietest way possible: Lucy muffled the pain with medicine, while her husband went off to pour his heart out to his drinking buddies. It wasn't the first time he'd done this; he was particularly resentful when he once had to make a loan payment. Lucy had been short on cash and asked him to chip in. You should have seen his face when he heard the amount. A cry of reproach immediately flew at Lucy:
"You could have borrowed it from relatives! Now I have to start saving up for car parts all over again."
Just like that, his car was more important than his family and its well-being. And it wasn't even about the renovation Lucy had started. It was just that lately, her husband acted as if he were staying at a hotel rather than living in a home.
***
Shining a flashlight, Nick waved his hand and whistled cheerfully:
"Well, here I am, boys. Hope everything's ready."
His drinking buddies in the garage immediately poured him a "penalty" shot for being late. Without flinching, he downed the full glass and, as pleased as a peacock, sat down on an old sofa:
"Now that's more like it. I can't stand it anymore; she's completely worn me out. Started that damn renovation, and I come home from work exhausted wanting to relax, but for her, it's 'paint this' or 'wallpaper that'—ugh. I would've divorced her long ago, but the apartment is hers—where would I live? I'd show her my true colors if it weren't for that busybody mother-in-law of mine."
At that moment, one of his companions sat down next to him:
"Listen, Nick, I'm gonna tell you something, but keep it quiet."
What they whispered about could only be guessed. But by the end of the secret conversation, Nick was quite worked up and didn't settle down until he emptied another glass. God only knows what advice he received. Fired up, he began helping with the engine, which was, after all, why he came.
As for Lucy, after taking her medicine, she managed to fall asleep after a fashion. But she had dreams so vivid she wished she were awake. Tossing and turning, Lucy tried to quiet the inner turmoil. With difficulty, she managed to stop herself from twitching, though her hands were still shaking slightly. At half-past two in the morning, the front door opened, and Nick, leaning against the wall, staggered in his shoes straight to the kitchen. The clink of a porcelain mug was heard, followed by the sound of running water. After a few gulps, her husband dropped the dish on the floor and stumbled into the bedroom like a dazed bear. But he seemed to lose his balance and thudded onto the floor, lacking the strength to get back up. He lay there until morning, and the next day, he called his boss and took the day off.
***
At noon, Lucy's mother arrived. Seeing her son-in-law's haggard face, she winced and said:
"Typical. That's all Nick is good for. You'd be better off going to work; maybe you'd sober up faster."
The response was a standard, defensive grumble about staying out of his business.
Against the backdrop of such stress, Lucy's blood pressure spiked again. But this time it was serious, and she had to be rushed to the hospital. Grumbling that he'd have to hang around waiting rooms again, Nick helped the paramedics lower the gurney and load his wife into the ambulance. He reeked of alcohol, but the medics tried to ignore it. At the same time, they felt sincerely sorry for Lucy for having such a heartless husband.
At the hospital, they were met by the same doctor who had been to the apartment:
"So, my warnings didn't help. Take her to a room for now; I'll be there shortly."
However, Nick jumped in front of the doctor:
"What do you mean, a room? We can just do some shots and treat her at home just fine."
Ignoring his protests, the doctor continued giving instructions to the staff. Everyone bustled about like ants, each doing their job. Effectively snubbed, Nick went outside and cursed loudly. A patient nearby noticed the noise:
"What's your problem? This isn't a nightclub!"
Hearing a familiar tone, Nick smirked and replied:
"Oh, I see you like to have a good time? Look, there's a shop nearby. If you want, we could set something up real quick."
The patient, surprisingly enough, turned out to be a heavy drinker and eagerly agreed. Half an hour later, they were sitting secretly under two birch trees, slowly emptying a bottle. Nick bragged about how much he cared for his wife:
"I even came here with her myself so she wouldn't be lonely."
The companion introduced himself as Ivan:
"Yeah, I saw how you were taking care of her. Good on you. Hardly anyone ever visits me."
Clouded by the alcohol, Nick wanted to go to the admissions desk to find out why his new friend wasn't getting visitors. However, Ivan, though also quite drunk, still realized where he was. He stopped Nick:
"Don't go in there. The doctors will get pissed, and then there won't be any perks."
Soon, after all the liquid was gone, Nick headed toward the taxi stand near the hospital. The doctor saw this from the window and shook his head in disappointment. But he didn't tell Lucy. He didn't want to upset her, especially since any stress in her condition would only do harm.
***
Lucy was examined again and given a diagnosis. It was preliminary, of course, but the symptoms indicated that congestive heart failure was progressing. All night, the doctor literally stayed by her bedside, measuring her blood pressure several times and monitoring her breathing.
Nick, meanwhile, continued to "drown his sorrows," as he put it, claiming it was a traumatic experience. Remarkably, nothing inside him stirred; it was as if his wife were a total stranger. On the contrary, a thought crept in: "It would be great if she didn't come back from there." If it weren't for the marriage license, you'd think they were just two people living together as outsiders.
Right after the morning rounds, Lucy's mother arrived:
"Good Lord, honey, why are we being punished like this? I knew you'd end up back in a hospital bed. Tell me the truth, where is that parasite?"
Lucy adjusted her pillow and said softly:
"I don't know. Once he brought me here, he never showed up again. Probably sitting at home, took the day off work. You know how much he loves a holiday in the middle of the week."
Her mother nodded and said with sadness in her voice:
"Don't I know it. I'm so tired of that son-in-law. I don't understand why you stick by him."
Lucy wasn't in the mood to discuss her husband:
"Enough, Mom. Tell me how Stacy's doing. My sister hasn't called me in a while. Does she have a new boyfriend again?"
Noticing a smile on her face, her mother brightened up too:
"Oh, honey, if I had her problems, I probably wouldn't have a worry in the world."
The doctor entered the room, and her mother had to step out. But she could hear him lecturing Lucy for not looking after her health.
Nick didn't show up all day and only deigned to grace his wife with his presence in the evening. But it so happened that at that exact moment, Lucy felt ill again. The nurses ushered him out into the hallway:
"Don't come in while we perform the necessary procedures."
With a crooked smirk, Nick sat on a bench and closed his eyes for a few minutes. Finally, the medical staff left the room:
"She's sleeping, so you should go home."
But Nick was adamant:
"I won't be able to sleep until I spend at least a minute with my lovely wife."
The nurse took pity on him and said:
"Fine, but make it quick before the doctor sees you."
Slipping in like a mouse, he closed the door tightly behind him. However, he was in such a hurry that he didn't notice the doctor approaching the room right after him. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Nick picked up Lucy's mug and began pouring something into it from a small glass bottle.
The doctor quietly pushed the door open, and it was as if he'd been doused with ice water: a murky liquid was flowing into Lucy's mug. Lunging to her bedside in a split second, he snatched the cup from Nick's hands and splashed the contents onto the floor. The linoleum immediately hissed and bubbled, and a black scorched spot formed. Nick turned pale when he saw the doctor standing over him:
"What are you doing? I just wanted to pour my wife some water. In case she wakes up thirsty; you can never get a hold of anyone around here."
Pointing at the floor, the doctor barely contained himself:
"And you call this water? What was in that bottle?"
Turning as red as a beet, Nick began backing out of the room, but fortunately, the on-duty anesthesiologist from the surgical department appeared. Sizing up the situation, he grabbed Nick and led him out into the corridor.
He waited there until the police arrived, and when the villain was led away in handcuffs, it turned out he had poured a potent acid reagent into the mug. The exact chemical was identified later, and it became clear that Nick had intended to send his wife to the other side.
***
Soon Lucy regained consciousness, and when she was told what her husband had tried to do, she wept bitterly. She couldn't have imagined what Nick would do just to get rid of her and take the apartment...
However, neither during the investigation nor later at the trial did he ever clearly explain why he had intended to take his wife's life.
Two weeks later, Lucy was discharged and firmly decided to get a divorce. She was helped through the process, especially since Nick was under criminal investigation. As a token of her gratitude, she visited that same doctor and expressed the full depth of her appreciation. Lucy's health has improved significantly. Now, the doctor visits Lucy more often, and there seems to be a certain spark between them. It's quite possible that this will be the beginning of a new, truly sincere, and strong relationship.
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