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In the Waiting Room
Looking at her reflection, Elise adjusted her hat till it was straight. It was a very traditional style: white uniform with the hem line at her knees, white hose, white shoes, and a white cap in her hair. Timeless and distinctive, she couldn't remember how many years back she's proudly worn the same outfit after graduating with her nursing degree. Most hospitals had done away with the old uniforms now. She'd never thought much about it but looking in the mirror she had to admit there was something about tradition.
Becoming a nurse had been her ambition since she was a young girl. She loved helping people, being the caregiver, there to comfort someone in their loss or deliver the good news after an operation. And the doctors, always so confident, she loved the way they took charge the minute they walked into her ward, dictating orders for patients and making sure the charts were up to date. The other nurses made jokes about them being egotistical, but she never joined in. Some of those doctors had repaid her admiration with abuse, but Ben wasn't one of them. He understood, he must, or he wouldn't have left the uniform for her.
A professional appearance was important, that was the excuse she made for spending too long in front of the mirror. Her master had given her an assignment to talk to the group in the waiting room. He wouldn't appreciate her taking too long. And she did not want to be the one to tell him she'd failed in her task.
She went to the front desk to check with Annie, to see if the patient's status had changed. Ben was still in post-op, watching for any unexpected developments. Otherwise the patient was resting and wouldn't wake up before morning. The monitor next to Annie's desk showed a strong, regular heartbeat. Already feeling at home Elise told Annie she would be in the waiting room with the family.
One look and she had separated the group into two couples and the wife. "Mrs. Leeds? I'm Dr. Jaffe's nurse." The older woman stood up. Elise could see she'd been crying. The man sitting next to her stood up too.
"John? How is he? Please, is he okay? Can I see him now?"
"Your husband is resting comfortably. Dr. Jaffe is with him right now. The operation was a complete success. As soon as the doctor is finished he'll be out to tell you more." For the first time Elise noticed all three women wore collars like her own.
The man standing next to her spoke up for the first time. "My name is Mark Sturgis, a friend of John's. The doctor said he'd had a heart attack and they were going to do a bypass?"
"That's right, sir." Her training at the Facility hadn't worn off yet. The sir had come out without any effort on her part. "Dr. Jaffe will give you the details. I can tell you I just checked Mr. Leeds' vitals and they all show he's doing well. The doctor asked me to mention that Mr. Leeds will be sleeping off the sedation tonight, and that you can visit him as soon as he's awake in the morning."
That's when circumstances began to spin out of control.
"Morning?" Anna Leeds shrugged off the hand Mark had laid on her shoulder. "I want to see him now! Why is the doctor still with him? Why did he send you instead? What are you hiding from me? What's wrong with John?"
Elise's training told her what was happening. Too much anxiety and stress had pushed Anna Leeds into near panic. "He's in the recovery room right now, Mrs. Leeds." Elise was careful to keep her voice calm and professional. Silently she thanked Ben for having her put on the uniform. The image would help to diffuse the situation. "The doctor is checking for any post operative complications. This is a normal procedure. Any major surgery puts a strain on the body. Mr. Leeds needs a few hours of quiet and sleep to rebuild his strength."
Elise didn't get the chance to continue. "What do you mean, complications? You're not telling me the whole story. Or maybe you don't know? I want to talk to someone who was in the operating room." Anna's voice was getting louder.
"I assisted Dr. Jaffe, Mrs. Leeds, for the entire operation…"
Anna interrupted, "…and who are you?" She studied Elise's face, her collar. "I don't recognize you. Who is your master? I meet everyone who goes through the ownership program."
"My master is Dr. Benjamin Jaffe, Mrs. Leeds, chief surgeon at this clinic and for the entire island. I didn't participate in the ownership program." Elise was trying to be polite but the woman's attitude was beginning to irritate her. She couldn't see the reason for the questions.
"Didn't participate…" Suddenly Anna's voice rose to a scream. "You're from the Facility! Get out of here! You don't deserve to be in the same room as the rest of us. Where's a doctor? Not your Dr. Jaffe. He probably isn't any more real that you!"
Elise backed up, thoroughly confused at the unexpected attack. Mrs. Yates had mentioned briefly that not everyone on the Island approved of the Facility. She hadn't gone into any detail, nor had she mentioned how deep that disapproval might run.
At that moment the man next to her took over, much to Elise's relief. He grabbed Anna Leeds by the upper arms and turned her to face him.
"That's enough, Anna. The people here are doing their best to help John. Let's sit down and wait for the doctor. I'm sure we can work out a way for you to see John tonight."
"No!" Anna pulled away from Mark. She pointed an accusing finger at Elise. "She sold herself to an auction, sight unseen. Her doctor was the high bidder. I don't want to deal with either of them. I want one of the other doctors here to look after John, and I want it now!"
Cathy, Luisa and Kurt had been silent bystanders. Seeing Mark intervene Cathy began to stand up, to come to his aid. She stopped when Kurt put a hand on her arm and shook his head. He leaned over and whispered, "Wait, he knows what he's doing." She sat back down.
Mark had hold of Anna's arm again. "Anna, I want you to read something." With his free hand he took a folded envelope out of his back pocket and handed it to her. "John asked me to give it to you, just before they put him in the ambulance."
That stopped Anna's tirade. She flashed one last dirty look at Elise, who had backed out into the hallway. Anna took the envelope from Mark's hand and opened it. She read it, looked up at Mark, read it again. The anger drained out of her as stood there, head down, letter dangling from her hand, silently crying. Mark went to her, put an arm around her waist, and gestured for Cathy to join them.
"Anna?" Mark's voice was soothing. "After we talk to the doctor, we'll take you home. You need to get some sleep so you can be fresh when you see John in the morning. Okay? He needs to see you at your best, so he won't worry. Cathy will stay with you tonight, and I'll bring you back here first thing in the morning. Why don't we sit down now?"
The letter dropped out of Anna's hand and slid across the floor until it stopped near Kurt. He reached down, picked up the scrap of paper, read it, nodded, and handed it to Luisa. She read:
Anna,
If you are reading this then something has happened to me. For whatever reason I can't be there for you. That doesn't mean you are on your own. I trust Mark Sturgis. In the time I've worked with him I've found him to be honest and honourable, a true friend. For that reason I ask that you give him your complete obedience in my place. Place your trust in him, do as he asks, and accept that he will act in your best interest even if you don't believe it. Do your best Anna, and do not fail me.
John
Luisa handed the letter back to Kurt. He leaned over and whispered to her, "I expected as much. Any good master would do the same."
Luisa watched as Mark and Cathy comforted Anna. At that moment Dr. Jaffe came in and sat down across from them. Luisa was half listening to him, more interested in John Leeds' letter than his operation. He'd anticipated a problem and left a contingency plan to handle it. As Kurt had said, "what any good master would do." That's when it hit. Had Kurt prepared a letter for her?
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