Her hand clenched in mine before she let it go and sat back. “The ones who been around awhile, they’re dealing. The new ones, not so much.”

“I better get out there,” I told her.

“Yeah,” she replied.

“Thanks for being so kind in telling me.”

“Practice,” she murmured like she wished she didn’t have it.

I figured she didn’t want that practice (because who would?) as I gave her a smile that I hoped reassured her, got up and went to the door.

I turned in it to see she was up and rounding her desk.

“Do you have any idea why she thought I was a Nazi?”

Dela lifted her eyes to me as I spoke and shook her head after I was done. “No clue. The woman thought I was Rosa Parks. Every time she saw me she congratulated me on the courage I showed on that bus. Now I’ve seen a fair few pictures of Ms. Parks and not in one of them did the woman have braids. But didn’t matter. Mrs. McMurphy lived in her own world and until the end it was a safe world. Somethin’ else we can give. Somethin’ she got.”

Yes. That was something we gave. Even as a Nazi, she never feared me.

So that was something she got.

“Thanks, Dela,” I said.

“Not a problem, honey,” she replied.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Long time ago, I learned what was important to give and through that, how to deal.”

I nodded, gave her a wave and walked out of her door to get to the residents.

I spent part of my time there seeing to things that needed to get done, but most of it I spent being with the resident, taking their pulse, being sensitive and as business as usual in the circumstances as I could be.

It was not a fun day.

And at the end of it, I did something that was probably not right.

But I didn’t care.

I went to Mrs. McMurphy’s room, stole that broken umbrella and took it home with me.

I didn’t know why I wanted it.

What I did know was that it would always be with me.

* * * * *

I stood at my wall of windows, the double-paned glass surprisingly warm on the inside when I knew the day, still gray, damp and windy, was chill.

I stared at the stormy sea and thought I needed some kind of seating up there. The landing was wide, two people could walk across it comfortably. Maybe three. A nice seating arrangement or chaise lounge that you could relax in, watch the sea and brood when you had really crappy days that no book or TV would help would be just the ticket.

My phone chimed and I looked over my shoulder to it sitting on the kitchen counter.