A Common Thread by Sean Fitzgerald

Author:Sean Fitzgerald
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2020-11-05T00:00:00+00:00

Two hours later Jake was standing outside the door of Room EW3.3. He spent the early part of the morning looking through his journal notes and research material from yesterday. Just so he could get things straight in his head. After three cups of strong coffee he decided it was time to visit his patient.

As he waited to enter TP’s room he thought about Sister O’Rourke. How did she know when he would return to work? Since the first day of his arrival at the Centre, O’Rourke was never that far away from where he himself was. The sister seemed to be able to pre-empt his every move. This unsettled him.

Jake knocked softly and entered the room. TP was sat up in bed; his eyes fixed on a wall-mounted flat screen television. The gentle hum of electronics was the only perceptible noise. The room looked very comfortable with picture windows on two sides and pastel shades on the walls. There were flowers in a vase and fruit in a bowl. Two small monitors silently displayed TP’s blood pressure and heartbeat.

The television volume was muted and the subtitles active. There was a generic property-buying programme on the screen. TP watched the images. His lips moved as he read the text. It was clear to Jake that TP was fully engaged in this programme. This presented a different picture from that of the irreverent intelligent man who had first greeted Jake less than three weeks ago. What have they done to you? Jake started to feel his anger rise.

He approached TP’s bed not sure what to expect.

‘Hello Jake or Dr. Balfe or whoever you are today.’ His eyes did not leave the screen. ‘Sister said you might be in to visit me.’

‘Oh. Sister does seem to know everything.’ He checked his rising temper. ‘Forgive my manners. Hello TP and how are you feeling? See you’ve discovered daytime television then?’ He tried to make light of the situation.

‘I’m fine. So they tell me. Had a bit of a set-back but you must know all about that. Can’t remember a thing about it.’ TP looked between the screen and Jake.

Unsure of how much he should tell TP about the post-resuscitation procedure he had witnessed, Jake skirted the issue. ‘What can you remember? Before? After? Anything?’

TP turned slowly towards him.

Jake imagined he could see the thought processes taking place behind TP’s eyes.

‘I can remember talking to you vividly. Our frank conversation. After that it is all just a blank. The next memories I have are waking up here with the television on.’ TP seemed confused.

‘You realise that conversation took place nearly six days ago?’

‘Was it?’ he sounded unsure of himself. ‘I honestly cannot remember anything of the last six days then. That’s not good. Is it?’

‘No. It’s not.’ Jake didn’t know how to re-assure his patient. ‘Does “The Harvey Clinic” mean anything to you?’

‘I don’t think so. Why?’

‘No matter. Someone else mentioned it that was all.’ Jake felt awkward.

TP looked back to the television set. ‘Although I do remember the promise you made to me as though it were just yesterday.

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