“You’re not fine,” he said, touching his fingertip to the angry red mark on her face. “I’m so sorry. She’s never done anything like that before, even when Alex and I gave her reason to.”

“Believe it or not, that wasn’t the first time a patient has hit me. The frustration and anger are part of the illness. I don’t take it personally.”

“Well, I do. I take it pretty fucking personally when she hits you, of all people.”

She smiled at his outburst. “You’re very sweet when you’re protective.”

The nurse returned with a disposable ice pack.

“Thank you so much.”

“No problem. Don’t worry about your mom. We’ll take very good care of her, and we have your number if we need you for anything.”

“I appreciate it. Thanks again.” With his hand on Hope’s lower back, he guided her out of the building and into the warm sunny day outside. His body was rigid with tension and frustration and rage he didn’t know what to do with. How could he justify being angry with his mother when she couldn’t help what she did? No, he was furious with the illness that had snatched her away from them in the prime of her life. She’d worked by his father’s side for decades, and just when she should be heading into her relaxing retirement years, the dementia struck. It was so unfair to her, to all of them.

He opened the passenger door for Hope, and when she was seated, he took the ice pack from her and held it against her face.

She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. “Feels good.”

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I hate that she did this to you.”

“And I hate that you’re so upset about it. I mean it when I say I’m fine and that stuff like this goes with the territory when you work with dementia patients. It’s not the first time, and it probably won’t be the last time.”

“How do you do it? How do you stay so patient and calm when you must want to scream sometimes from the aggravation of it all?”

“Screaming isn’t going to change anything for her or for me. It’s just going to make everything worse. I tell myself over and over it’s the disease. It’s the disease. As a medical professional, you can’t take it personally, or you’d go crazy. That’s one of the first things we’re taught when we work with this population.”

“I just want you to know… I admire you so much for the way you handle her—and Ethan. You’re so great with both of them.”

“Aww, thanks. That’s nice to hear.”

“I mean it. I watch you with them, and I’m floored every day by how calm you are. Where does that come from?”