AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“With the recent improvement in our practical techniques and the subsequent successes we’ve had at the center, outcomes are much higher than we might have expected even a couple of months ago,” Dr. Brighton says.
“If that’s the case, then would you care to explain what happened to Henry,” Theo demands.
Again, Ru—urgh!Dr.Brightoncasts a disgusted glance at Theo. He’s a pest to her. An inconvenience she could well and truly do without. “Henry’s death was very unfortunate. The trauma to his brain was less considerable than Sorrell’s, but the placement of his scar tissue was far more complicated. We didn’t realize the extent of it until he was lying on the table—”
“And once you had drilled a hole in his fucking head and had him on that table, and youdidsee the scope of his scar tissue, do you think it was ethical to roll the dice and continue with the procedure, without consulting his parents or performing more comprehensive scans? I mean, why wasn’t every scan in the book carried out already? It’s a miracle you still have a license to practice medicine. I hope you have a good lawyer, ’cause I hear Mr. DeKosky is just itching to sue the living fuck out of you—”
“Then you’d better hope, for both of your sakes, that Sorrell opts to undergo the surgery as quickly as possible,” Dr. Brighton says, without even the smallest flicker of emotion. “Falcon House is the only facility equipped to deal with cases like Sorrell’s, and I’m the only doctor willing and experienced enough to help.”
“If you do open me up and things look worse than anticipated, would you halt the procedure? Close me back up so we can game plan?” I ask.
Dr. Brighton looks displeased, but she nods. “If that’s your wish.”
Theo practically leaps out of his chair. “You can’tseriouslybe considering this, Kid.”
I ignore him. “And there is a chance that I’ll get my memories back? All of them?”
“We will primarily focus on alleviating the pressure to your frontal lobe first, to ensure that the issues you’ve been experiencing with your judgment and personality are stabilized first. Once complete, we’ll move on to resect the deeper area of the lesion that’s affecting your memory centers. I’m very confident that we’ll be able to address both matters to a satisfactory standard.”
Closing my eyes, I shake my head. “I’m not looking for confident or satisfactory. I’m looking for a definitive.”
“Even if the odds of success were much, much higher, I wouldn’t be able to offer you a definitive. There are always associated risks, even to the safest surgeries. I couldn’t in good conscience—”
“Oh,please!” Theo erupts. “Like you have a conscience!”
Dr. Brighton blows out a frustrated breath; she slumps back into her chair, slowly setting her stylus carefully back down on her desk. “I’m afraid that I’ve had enough of you for one day, Mr. Merchant. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
“I’m not leaving her here with you,” he spits. “God knows what you’ll get her to agree to.”
Frustration vibrating from her, Dr. Brighton turns her sharp eyes on me. “Sorrell, you’re an intelligent young woman. I trust that you can make your own informed decisions. Is there anything else you’d like to ask me before we end our appointment today?”
There’s only one question that’s been bothering me since I found out what role this woman plays in my story. I feel ridiculous putting it into words, but my own curiosity compels me to ask. “Why? Why did you play along with—with my delusions? I turned you into some kind of savior. I thought you were training me to come and hurt Theo. You came all the way out to Toussaint. I—I don’t understand why you’d go along withanyof that.”
Dr. Brighton tucks a rogue strand of hair behind her ear. “I wouldn’t categorize the fantastical memories your mind created in order to protect you as delusions. They were a very authentic reality to you. You believed that reality was true. It would have been dangerous to repeatedly jar you from that reality. Certainly counterproductive. It was no problem for me to play along with your reality as you saw it, or to oversee your physiotherapy. I wanted to make sure you were physically fit and capable of going back to school yet again. It’s quite normal for patients to perceive their doctors through the lens of some kind of…god or savior—”
“JesusChrist,” Theo mutters.
“The very nature of our work means that we hold life and death in our hands on a daily basis. It isn’t surprising that your mind assigned me an authoritative role in your life. I came to Toussaint because your principal was concerned that if you left Toussaint for a fourth time, you’d lose any progress you’d made and that you were running out of opportunities to heal in a safe environment. I was happy to come and perform an assessment. Additionally, your health insurance isverycomprehensive, and I was compensated handsomely for the long-distance appointment.”
Well. This woman might not be the hardened, distant foster carer I made her into in my mind, but she is certainly just as cold and unfeeling as I seem to remember. I can’t help it—I know who she is now, and that she has only been doing her job, but some innate, ingrained part of me who always sought her approval is stung by the callousness of her reply.
“Was there anything else?” she asks.
“No. Thank you. I think I’ve heard everything I needed to hear.”
Dr. Brighton opens the top drawer of her desk and takes out a business card. She snaps it down onto the desk and slides it over to me. “I’m fully booked for the next few months but let me know if you’d like to proceed. I’m eager to further my research, so I’m sure my schedule could be rearranged if you decide to go ahead.”
27
SORRELL
“There we go. Booked.”Theo closes his laptop with a flourish. “Flight doesn’t leave until two tomorrow, so we won’t have to rush. We can grab some breakfast and take our time getting to the airport.”
“Mmm.” I stare out of the hotel room window, feeling a strange sense of detachment when I realize that I can see the Hollywood sign on the hillside in the distance. So freaking bizarre. I thought I knew this city, but I don’t. The past I created for myself here feels like a weird dream now, half constructed and full of holes. Most of the time I’ve spent in Los Angeles was all at the hospital, recovering from my injuries.
The bed dips when Theo comes to sit next to me. “You okay?” he asks, brushing my hair back from my face. “You’ve been pretty quiet since we left Brighton’s place.”
“Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know what I expected. I just…I didn’t expect her to be so cut-throat.”
