Ophelia sat

Ophelia sat at her window every day watching the squirrel that lived in the big oak tree in front of Happy Hearts, Helping Hands. She watched it scurry down the trunk and scamper across to the large sign that anchored the square building.
The squirrel's routine was as important as her own. If he did not come out and move across the sign, then she refused to go to lunch. If he did not collect nuts from the ground, then she would not see her therapist. The orderlies knew this. Her doctor knew this. Her roommate knew it, too.

One day, as she sat waiting for the squirrel to appear, she overheard some attendants in the hallway.
"It's time to get her for lunch," the male said, impatiently.
"She won't come yet. The squirrel supreme hasn't come out of hiding," the female replied sarcastically.
Ophelia didn't care much for those two. Although, to be fair, she didn't care much for any of them. So impatient, so tied to time and schedules. Why not be tied to something real, something tangible, she thought.
"You know it's supposed to snow next week," he remarked. "What's gonna happen then?"
"What do you mean?" she said.
"Don't squirrels hibernate or something? That little guy's not gonna be collecting nuts and running around when it's freezing."
Ophelia felt her heart tighten for just a second and the blood rush to her temple. She took a big breath and quickly recovered. It really wasn't her problem. They would have to figure it out. Isn't that what they were paid to do?
Her eyes darted as she watched the squirrel run out from the canopy of the tree, down the trunk and across to the sign.
She sighed with relief and rose from her chair. She thought it was about time he came out. She was getting hungry, after all.