The Flat Effect

"Are you conversant with the medical dysfunction known as TBI?" The doctor asked Ian's anxious parents who were seated opposite him in his air-conditioned office.

"TBI?" Nancy stared at her husband in confusion. "What in God's name is that? She held onto his hand, squeezing it tightly. She could feel her heart slamming against her chest as she imagined a thousand scary meanings of the acronym TBI.

"I think it stands for something, Brain Injury?" Ramsey guessed, unsure of the full acronym.

"That would be Traumatic Brain Injury, sir." The doctor corrected.

"Traumatic Brain Injury?!" Nancy's widened eyes flashed with terror. She started hyperventilating as if the doctor had just confirmed that Ian was going to die.

"Sweetheart!" Ramsey quickly picked a flat book from the doctor's table and started fanning his wife.