Meet the Doc

Andrew Jones

My father never told me that Penelope Rose Braxton is under Intensuve Care Unit. When I came fave to face with Dr. Mallady, he immediately requested to talk to me in private. He's in his late forties and kind of decent.

"Larson, you can wait here," I said to my driver slash bodyguard. We're standing outside Penelope's ward. The visiting hour will resume at five so I decided to agree with the doctor.

Larson took a sit across Penelope's room. "I'll be right here boss." Well, he knows exactly what is happening and who is the girl inside the ICU. If she's important to me, he'll guard her with his life from now on.

Dr. Mallady brought me to his private office. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Jones."

I crossed my legs and look at him in the eye. "I hope you did not inform my father about not responding to her medication, Dr. Mallady."

I know I can be arrogant and overbearing most of the time but I have to control myself for the sake of Penelope and my father. Scaring him now will not help the situation.

"I wanted you to know that Penelope is..."

My tongue clicked. "Doc, I don't give damn if she sleeps forever. Just don't suggest something irritating like mercy killing her. That will only put you in big trouble."

Dr. Mallady shakes his head. "No, of course not. That would be the last thing to discuss about. I'm thinking about trasferring her into a more advance hospital. The treatment here is good but her body is somehow immune into it already. Well she's been here for almost a year, maybe other approach of treatment can be of great help."

I raised my brow.

"How can this new approach help her doc?"

"The result of this new approach is thirty percent accurate,"he answered, sure of himself.

I am not a doctor but why he did not inform my dad about this before. "Did my father know that there is more advance treatment out there?"

"I did not tell him."

"Why?"

The doctor seemed hesitant to answer. He sighed and said, "I have to brief you first about Penelope's condition."

Maybe I really should know her condition first. This way, I can understand how serious is her injury.

"She's in comatose state because of traumatic brain injury. It's kind of hemorrhagic intercerebral. Both sides of her brain were damaged. Her latest MRI scan showed improvement, both sides are starting to recuperate however we suspect another complication..." He paused and took another file. "Her heart is starting to weaken, Mr. Jones."

She's dying, isn't she? I gulp hard thinking that she might. But why do I worry about it so much? I don't know her. I didn't even see her face yet. So why do I care?

Was it because of my father's fortune? Or if she'll die, my dad will find another girl for me to marry. I don't need another candidate for a wife. Atleast this girl is unconscious, I can live with it.

"So the problem is not the brain injury anymore. If her heart is weakening, then why don't we hire more specialists them?"

"Mr. Jones, St. Therese does not have heart specialists. We specialize in brain-"

My patience is thinning every second that he opens his mouth. I can see the problem here. "I can bring heart specialists here in St. Therese, doc. Transferring her into a new hospital is quite risky, does it?"

"Mr. Jones, there are only a dozen heart specialist in this state. Where can we find one in a short period of time."

Okay, my rope already reaches its end. I get up and eyed him. "I can bring two within this week. And doc, I am very curious on the reason why the need to transfer my fiancee. It seems like you're in a hurry. Did you promise my dad something?"

That is the only plausible reason I can think of right now. Well, the old Jones is able to pay on time and knowing my father, he's probably paying him generously. My father could also give him a deadline.