As a b-day gift to someone.
Warning: OC and a bit of...'family' lines.
"So that's Resurgam." A young girl whispered from the passenger seat. Her hazel eyes overlooked the gardens and complexity of the hospital- she paid more attention to word of 'first care center' spread next to the famous title.
"What, Vesper? I thought I told you about this place many times already..." The driver mumbled in response at seeing his passenger's light blue hair sway from the vehicle turning. "You would be a great nurse here." He spun the wheel and entered the garage- using his work ID at the entrance checkpoint.
Vesper sighed and responded, "You know that's not the real reason I wanted to come." Her voice was light and innocent- yet determined in the ears of the other. "Didn't mom tell you?"
"Clara told me already..." The parent gave a following sigh. Before the marriage, Clara was always the feisty and strong-willed one. At least...much less compared to one of his co-workers. And Vesper- she's stubborn at times, but less than Clara. "It's gramps, right?" Anyways, Clara literally drilled the main idea into his head at the talk.
"Yeah." The girl answered with a nod. "I'm just visiting." Her mother wished she could come- but her job has always kept her and family apart. So only she could visit- dad was busy, too.
The father then went back to his previous subject as he parked the car. "I hear you're going to volunteer here soon, so ask me if you need some pointers." He pulled out his keys and said, "You shouldn't have any problems with the doctors here. At least, not too much." His last words were less softer.
Vesper exited the vehicle disregarding her dad's advice- her dream of being a nurse was important, but there were reasons behind it. Reasons including her parents and...Grandpa. "I'll go to the front and ask where he is." She followed her parent until they reached the elevators. "Go ahead and get to your job... I'll be fine." She lined up with a different elevator than her parent.
"Alright then..." The father didn't know how to respond to his daughter. He turned away and said, "Take care- and say hi to gramps for Clara and me." He walked away into a hall after his goodbye.
An downwards arrow blinked nearby the elevator Vesper lined up to. The golden-colored doors opened, with someone already inside.
"Are you heading towards the lobby as well? There is plenty of space left here." A black-haired Asian woman not much taller than Vesper herself said as she had her hand to the elevator door. "Go on ahead."
Vesper entered reluctantly. "O-oh...thank you." Assuming the correct button has already been pressed, she waited in the corner- glancing over at the woman's kimono and lab coat several times.
"I'm Dr. Tachibana." Tomoe smiled at the girl- realizing she was looking at her traditional clothes. "And you are..?" Seeing the jeans and quite modern style this girl was in, Tomoe automatically implied that she was a visitor.
"Vesper Sellers. You may know my father... he works here." Vesper's eyes met with Dr. Tachibana's violet ones. "Darnell Sellers?"
"My-! You are his daughter? What a pleasure to meet you." Tomoe felt ashamed that she had not noticed earlier. "We don't meet too often here, but I certainly know Nurse Sellers." She kept her bright smile and continued, "May I ask what brings you to Resurgam today?"
The girl felt uneasy after noticing she was getting much more attention than she anticipated- and from a really well-mannered doctor- dad wasn't off the mark. "I'm here to visit my grandfather...for myself and my mother. You see, we don't want him to make any rash decisions..."
"I understand..." The elevator doors opened as Tomoe spoke. "Well, I hope for the best. Goodbye, Ms. Sellers." Dr. Tachibana speedily walked out with papers in hand.
"Bye..." Vesper was caught off guard with the quick departure. She entered into the lobby and searched for the front desk. "(Uh...Ow!)" She was bumped into by a woman with earrings and a bun as her hairstyle- and a bunch of manilla folders in hand. "Sorry-"
"Woah, sorry there, kiddo." The woman regained her balance with the documents. "I'm kinda busy here...oh-!" Her hand slipped and several papers fell to the floor. "Great. Uh... can you... pick those up for me?"
Vesper crouched down and picked up the fallen sheets- couldn't help spotting her father's name on one of them. "Hey- this is my dad's..."
"Huh?" Trying to hold the pile in place, the woman glimpsed over at the paper as the girl placed it on top. "You're Darnell's kid?"
The girl nodded. "Do you know him..?"
"Of course-!" The woman lowered her voice realizing that she was a complete stranger. "I'm the Chief- Esha Patel, if you need to know." Esha went over to the front desks and dropped the pile onto the counter, giving a sigh of relief after. "And you really do look like Darnell's kid. So- what are you doing here? He knows I'm not gonna babysit anyone."
"Actually...I'm here to see my grandfather... Can you help me?" Hoping she didn't look too young in the boss' eyes- she was eighteen, almost with a car and a stable job.
"Uh..." Chief Patel turned to the reception- no one. "(Seriously, whenever I need them the most...) Yeah, just give me the name of him and I'll give you the room number." She went over to the computer and waited to type in a name.
"I think he's in an examination now..." Vesper admitted.
"What? You mean, you came even..." Esha stared at the girl then shook her head. "Well, you better have a good reason for this... just gimme the name."
"Jacob Tillman."
Examination Room
"Just quit with the stubborn attitude, you old geezer."
Jacob grunted a few times on the chair. "You're gonna tell me why I got pulled out of my office again? I'm not gonna run your stupid exams just because I was nice last time." He risked his head for this doctor during the quarantine. "Now give it straight, son. Not like the last hour you spent rambling." At least, that's what he felt.
"Okay, you American-loving idiot- listen up." Dr. Cunningham tried not to bite his cigarette knowing that he received the same dreaded patient from Esha. "You know you've got a bad heart. And the OLCVR for your DCM was only a temporary solution."
"So? Just tell me what's wrong now and get it over with." Assistant Secretary Tillman calmed his annoyed tone. "I have the nation to take care of- and a family, so hurry up."
"Well..." The 'nation' part he had heard tons of times, the 'family' one was new.
"Say it."
"Fine, but..." Gabriel sighed. "Dammit, I don't get how all you seniors get so lucky." He muttered out, "You got a donor."
Jacob's eyes widened. "You mean- I-I get to live?"
"There's a catch, though."
"Wh-what...?"
This was the part the diagnostician would rather not say. "Do you know what a pacemaker is, old man?" He tried be casual with this part, trying not to sound too serious. This was supposed to be good news- for the idiot, that was.
"Dr. Cunningham, it is the doctor's duty to inform the patient about the procedure, not question." A mechanized voice interrupted the secretary's silence.
"RONI, this is a one-to-one conversation here. Shut up and quit talking." Gabriel hated his computer, always objecting to his methods. "Now, Secretary Assistant..."
"Dr. Cunningham, there is-"
"Shut up-!"
"Excuse me?"
"Huh?" Now that voice didn't sound like RONI's. "What the-" Gabriel turned his head to the doorway. "Who are-"
"Vesper-?" Jacob stood up, but then fell back down onto the chair. "Aargh..."
"Grandpa-!" The sudden visitor ran to the weakened grandparent, disregarding the presence of the bulky-haired man across from him. She then noticed the lab coat on the man and asked, "Doctor, is he going to be okay?" She looked at the smoking diagnostician more directly for answers. "He's not going to die, is he?"
"He has a weak heart, kid. He's gonna get a transplant for that soon, so don't worry too much about this old geezer..." Gabriel let out a sigh, but then from seeing the girl wasn't happy with that answer at all, he changed it a tiny bit. "Your... dear grandfather will be fine." He saw a smirk of rejoice and pain on his patient with his awkward sentence. "So...is she the family you talked about, gramps?"
"Vesper, what are you doing here..?" Jacob ignored the diagnostician's question. "Was it Clara who sent you?" His chest pain lessened but still remained.
"Yes and no... I came here because I heard you were going to get operated on again-" The girl glanced at the doctor, who seemed to be rude. "What kind of doctor are you, can't you see he's in pain?"
"Hey, don't get your facts mixed up, kid." Before Gabriel could continue, he gave up on explanations and greetings- time to get back to business. "Nevermind. So- geezer, that transplant isn't the best. It needs the help of a pacemaker. But you, so eager to get back to your little office, asked for it so here you are."
"A pacemaker and a transplant..?" Vesper may not be a full-fledged nurse, but she knew what that meant. "That's...that's suicide, grampa-! It's like getting a some gift that barely works!"
"The kid summed it up pretty well." Dr. Cunningham disposed of his cigarette. "It's your call." This was going to be a show he'd hate to watch.
Vesper spent a few seconds completely blank. She had her hand on her grandfather's shoulder and said, "Don't do this-!"
"Vesper. You know who I am, right?" Jacob asked, tilting his head ever so slightly.
"The Assistant Secretary of the HHS, but that doesn't matter-!"
"And you, doctor- owe me one."
Gabriel stayed silent. Again, the past years haunt him. He turned around to his computer and commanded, "RONI, call the nurses. I'll find the surgeons..."
"Wait-" Vesper tried to object.
"Understood. Nurse Wilson will be arriving shortly."
The girl couldn't respond- she could only stand. Frozen.
"Don't worry, Vesper. This guy does owes me one. I'm not dying yet." Jacob assured as he stood up and was led by a nurse out of the examination room. "Tell Clara I'll be fine."
Gabriel stood up from his chair and walked by Vesper. "Is that guy really your..."
"My name is Vesper Sellers." The girl introduced herself, this time less enthusiastic. "Mr. Tillman is my mother's adoptive father."
"Hm." Dr. Cunningham looked at his patient's so-called granddaughter skeptically. "Really, now that's new. Darnell's kid and my favorite patient's relative..."
Vesper looked away- realizing this was the second time she has been referred to as a kid. "That's...right." Was her height the probable cause?
"Not so rude. Maybe I'll reconsider your old man." The diagnostician waved back as he left the room. "Now I need to find the surgeons. Later."
"What's the chance of him dying?" Vesper stuttered out at the last moment. "The... mortality rate?"
Gabriel grinned. "Didn't you hear the guy? He's gonna be fine." He looked down to the girl's concerned face and couldn't help turning away- scratching his head with the strangeness of it all. "Uh..." He never expected the old man to have such a childish...grand-kid. "Geez, why do care for that geezer so much? I know he's your grandparent and all, but can't you perceive that he's really...stubborn?" He was right at the doorway when he asked.
"He's not that stubborn- you just... don't know him." Vesper was still in the room as she muttered out her reply. "I've known him ever since I was born..."
The diagnostician clenched his teeth. "(Uh...)" He waved back again and sighed, "Yeah, yeah- I'm just the doctor, of course I don't know that guy."
"Doctor, please hurry with the search. Unless you wish me to contact Chief Esha for you."
"Aargh. Didn't I say to keep your mouth shut? I'm going, I'm going..." Dr. Cunningham made a few steps and walked right into someone. "Woah-...Hank?"
Vesper was also exiting and saw the doctor encounter a much... taller man. She lowered her head and tried to walk away, slightly intimidated by the overshadowing of the giant.
"Gabriel, Maria told me you should hurry... I don't know what she meant, but..." Hank turned his head to the short light blue-haired girl coming out of the office. "Oh, is she a friend of yours?"
"Huh? A friend?" The diagnostician shot one look back at Vesper and groaned, "Just my patient's relative- Also, great timing...you take care of her while I hunt down the kids..." He sped away leaving Hank behind. "Have fun- she's Darnell's kid..!" He started a full dash after adding Hank's previous message to the situation. He moaned to himself, "How did Maria get into this...?"
"It seems he's occupied..." Hank looked at the young girl in front of him. "You are Nurse Seller's daughter? I'm Dr. Freebird. It's nice to meet you...Ms. Sellers. " He held a hand out.
Vesper slowly put out her hand. "You can call me Vesper..." Her hand was half the size of this doctor, but the handshake was gentle. "Is there anyway I can see the operation?" Her concern couldn't be kept hidden forever- she had to see if 'gramps' will really be okay. The diagnostician's weakly-mannered words were not convincing. "Please..!" This doctor seemed more... generous.
"You wish to... view the operation..? I'm sorry, but that's impossible...except..." Hank's expression changed. "How much of an...emergency is this?"
The girl remained in front of the giant. "I'm his granddaughter-! You have to let me see him!" Her plea was getting to this man much faster. "I won't cause any trouble- I promise!"
Dr. Freebird turned away- draining the hope from Vesper. The small strand of green hair swayed as he glanced back. "Follow me." He began walking down the hall- the girl following promptly. "None of the visitors are allowed in the place we're heading to, but since you're Nurse Sellers' daughter... I suppose this would be... a good experience?" He smiled back at Vesper, who realized this was her excuse to get inside whatever the doctor was talking about- some place where she can see Grampa.
Video Camera Room
"Damn, they never cease to amaze me... and Gabe, you're just talking."
"Maria?" Hank stopped at the doorway, his word making the one inside turn her attention to him.
Vesper peeked past the giant and saw a brown-haired, green-eyed, athletic woman in a brightly-colored jacket. She quickly noted the goggles around her neck and then thought this person as a first responder of some sort.
"Oh, hey Hank. Came to catch some of the show?" Maria didn't take long to notice Vesper behind her co-worker. "Who's the kid behind you? You know visitor's don't-"
Dr. Freebird stepped further inside and aside to allow Maria to see the one behind him. "This woman is Vesper Sellers. She's a relative to the one being operated on right now."
"'Sellers?' You mean...Darnell's kid? And she's the old... man's family?" Maria had to correct herself midway of her questions. She saw a nod from the girl and said, "So...uh... Come on in." Interesting, she could hardly tell the kid was related to the nurse- and even more unbelievable that she was related to the stubborn mule.
Vesper carefully entered and positioned herself in the middle of the room. After shaking off the embarrassing feeling of being called a 'kid' by this woman, she looked at the panels and rows of television screens. She saw four people total in the OR- that diagnostician from earlier who was the one giving the instructions, a man with red eyes and black hair performing the procedure, a woman with silver hair also operating, and the one who caught her attention the most- her father, the nurse. "Dad..?" She didn't hear him say anything about being part of the operation on Grandpa- was he hiding it?
"The kids are doing great in there- or is it that the oldie is too stubborn to die..?" Maria joked. She realized the small offense behind her words. "Uh...Sorry. I had to deal with him when he first came here. He sure knew how to kick." She grinned at Vesper. "Dr. Torres. But I guess you already heard my first name a lot already from Hank and Gabe. Nice to meet ya." The paramedic winked at the girl, then turned back to the cameras.
"They have finished with the transplant...Oh-" Hank wasn't the only one who was surprised with seeing a pacemaker on the screen. "A..."
"A pacemaker? On a transplant?" Maria drew closer to the screens. "That idiot-! Couldn't he tell the guy to wait for a better heart?" She had fists on the counter- scaring Vesper.
"It seems... patience was not an option..." Dr. Freebird looked to the girl, who seemed to know this beforehand. "Now I understand why you were so concerned. Indeed, a heart transplant and pacemaker in a single operation is very challenging."
"Cardiac arrest! We need to massage the heart- have the pacemaker nearby!" It was that diagnostician's voice.
"No-!" Vesper had her hands covering her mouth in despair. "He's-"
"Calm down, Vesper. The kids got this." Dr. Torres said sternly as she kept a face of determination as she stared at the screens- her hands planted at the counter, no longer fists. "You're old man is lucky. These kids are the best here- best I've ever seen, that is." When the patient was resuscitated, she said, "You see?"
"Yes." Hank confirmed. "Oh, your father is also one of our best here." He looked at the girl, now relieved, and asked, "Are you planning to follow his footsteps?" Seeing that she knew what was happening, he assumed so.
"I will be... volunteering...later on." Vesper admitted quietly- the screech of the vitals ended before her confession. "My goal is to be a nurse like him..." Right now, she wished she could be the one helping in the OR.
"Sweet- I'll help you, so chill out for now." Maria declared as she began leaving, "I think I've spent too much time here...gotta go, Chief wanted me for something." She sprinted off, her steps heard far into the hall.
Dr. Freebird informed the girl, "I also have an appointment. Why don't I take to the OR hallway... they are almost done..." He went out into the hall first. "You wish to see your father, correct?"
"Thank you, but I'll go there by myself... I don't want you to be late for your appointment because of me..." Vesper walked past the doctor and followed the signs to the direction of the elevators.
"Oh...then...take care." Hank made his farewell then turned in the opposite direction.
OR Hallway
Vesper stood up from a bench at seeing the OR doors giving way to the diagnostician and her father. "Dad-"
"Vesper, you were here the entire time..?" Darnell was interrupted by his daughter's expected 'is he going to be alright' and replied, "Gramps made it through just fine."
"Sheesh. So it really is true- well, not to be cold, but I got other errands to run." Gabriel pulled out a new cigarette from his pocket and moaned, "You make sure your grandfather of yours doesn't need to come back here again. I'm sick of examining him and we're now even." He trotted off, making jokes about his recent patient and the next one as he did.
The girl refused to listen to the diagnostician's complaints and asked again, "Grandpa is really okay? I saw-" She gasped and stopped herself. "I mean, it was a pacemaker with a transplant, right?"
Nurse Sellers nodded and assured, "If you don't believe me... then-" He gestured behind him- other nurses were pushing the cart which Jacob Tillman was on out of the OR, and they weren't so much in a hurry. "The operation was successful."
"Oh." Vesper saw the two surgeons from earlier and shouted, "Hey- thank you so much!"
The red-eyed male looked away and sighed, "It was nothing." He walked away without another word.
The other one just smiled back- but left as swiftly as the other.
The girl couldn't understand the reason behind the doctors silence. "Why are they like that..? Everyone else I've met so far was..."
"You've met others? Well, that's great. You could get a good start with that when you volunteer." Darnell sighed, "Are you going to stay here the entire time? I won't be able to drive you home right now."
"Mom said she would pick me up later." Vesper heard an 'oh right' from her father then asked, "Who were those surgeons anyway? They didn't say anything-"
The father sighed as he tilted his head away. "I'm sure you saw them on the news. Especially the male surgeon." He looked at his daughter to ask, "Do you really need to know who they are? Gramps is fine..."
"What do you mean 'on the news?'" Vesper had a more tense expression. "Tell me who those doctors are." She glared at her father, realizing this was a subject of interest.
"One's an ex-convict. The other..." Darnell could say anymore seeing his daughter starting to panic. "Vesper-"
"Grandpa was saved by a what?" The girl was completely disoriented by the information. "This hospital has a former prisoner as one of its best?"
Darnell grasped Vesper's arm. "Calm down- that man was innocent...so I've heard."
"You don't even know that for sure! He could-" She began to thrash.
"Vesper!" The yell was more effective. The daughter came to a halt with her actions. "Stop jumping to conclusions!" Darnell lowered his voice and warned, "This is a hospital, Vesper." He then released his hold and ended with, "That doctor saved him- that's all." Pushing up his glasses that almost fell out of position, he turned away with regret of his words. "Clara should be here by now. See you later."
Vesper humphed and crossed her arms. If she knew, she would have never left Grandpa in the hands of those surgeons.
Days Later
Correction: The day Vesper was available.
Being eighteen meant lots too stress over about- but the number one thing on her mind was Grandpa. She hitched a ride with Darnell to get to Resurgam, but this car ride was much quieter than the one before. Even before that- she and her father both had to evade Clara's questioning.
The pair split up at the elevators again- this time Vesper was more confident of the direction to take. She debated to herself whether or not to tell Grandpa about the surgeons as she approached the reception desk in the lobby. "I'm here to visit Jacob Tillman- I'm his granddaughter."
"Oh-" A nurse in pink uniform stumbled to the computer. "Uh..." She typed the name slowly into the computer.
Vesper recognized this nurse- she was one of the few that towed away Grandpa to his room. She raised her head slightly to view the name tag. "('Emma Wilson...')"
Emma was still somewhat lagging in her response. "Sorry, I don't actually work at this area..." She clenched her teeth as she continued searching. "He's at room...B13."
"Thank you..." Ms. Sellers turned around to face the direction of the elevator again. "(Uh... is that the second floor..?)"
Nurse Wilson spoke up, "Excuse me, ma'am..." Her call got Vesper's attention. "I'm actually heading to the same area, so you can follow me." She lifted up a pile of portfolios and exited the round reception counter.
The girl cheered inside at her luck- she hoped the same fortune can be found in her Grandpa's condition.
Patient Room B13
It took a total of ten minutes to help get Grandpa to sit up and to explain what happened in her life so far- the usual stuff. Vesper then brought up another subject. "Why did you take the chance? You could've-"
"Hah. Clara and you, always worrying about me..." Jacob laughed, "Why care? I'm so old now, and you two have your own lives to curse about." He kept that smile of his as he said, "And Vesper, you were a child just years ago... now you've grown up so bright..."
The girl leaned over in the stool and objected, "Grandpa- stop changing the subject- we can talk about that later! Now you-"
"Shut up!"
The granddaughter and adoptive grandfather both flinched. That was definitely not Vesper's voice. The muffled yell most likely came from the hallway.
"Dr. Cunningham, may I remind you that this is a hospital and outside voices are prohibited."
"There you go, scolding me again like some mother." Gabriel groaned as he opened the closed door. When he noticed the pair in the room, he dared not to take another step inside the room. "Oh. Family time... Sorry for that rude interruption- my dear mechanical assistant doesn't know when to keep her mouth closed." Instead, he started to walk backwards. "I'll leave you two alone-"
"No-! Is there some check-up he needs?" Vesper stood up immediately. "Go ahead-"
The diagnostician cocked an eyebrow at the girl. "I thought I said I didn't want to examine your old man again." He threw a clipboard onto the bed, sighing, "Wanted to leave early, old man? Well, discharge stuff there." Gabriel turned around with his cigarette held in his right hand as he gave his goodbye wave. "I got your paycheck and returned the favor- now don't bother me."
Mr. Tillman grunted at the diagnostician. "Vesper, at least you grew up better than that son. Not too stubborn like us men." He teased Gabriel, causing the diagnostician to glance back.
"I'm not in the mood to give an old fart like you disciplinary lessons..." Dr. Cunningham countered. "And kid, I still don't get why you like this guy."
Vesper repeated her 'you don't know him' and added 'as much as I do.'
The doctor shot at suspicious look to the girl. "Don't say I don't know him- We had fun together back then, right old man?" His attention was now on the geezer sitting up on the bed in the hospital clothes with IV still on him.
"What?" The girl also looked at him, confused what to believe in. "Grandpa, you-"
"Geez, you didn't tell the kid of that little adventure?" The diagnostician continued on even after seeing the old man scowl. "Well, you see..."
"Now you shut your mouth." The grandfather silenced the doctor with only that. "Vesper, know that I'm very proud of you. But you should forget your old man. I don't deserve to waste your time like this- you go follow your own dreams."
The girl sat back down and shook her head in disagreement. "Stop talking like that! You know you're very important to mom and I! Everyone-!"
"Vesper, you know I'm not part of the family, I adopted your mother..."
"And so you're the grandfather! We don't care if you're not related by blood-!" The girl's voice overcame the weak patient's volume. "We all love you, so stop this!"
Gabriel couldn't leave in time.
"Vesper, listen! I want you to forget this old man- you go home and have a happy life. You're a woman now, so show me you can handle this!" Jacob's voice roared throughout the room.
"But what about mom? And how can I-"
"Clara and you are both grown up women- I knew Clara was no longer a girl when I saw that Darnell son scoop her off her feet, and you, Vesper, with all of those future plans... you're past childhood. You two should start accepting the fact I'm not your family and move on!" The adoptive grandfather overcame Vesper's argument once more.
"But grandpa-!" The girl was up on her feet again. "You know you can't-" Her tone was full of confusion and emotion- enough to drive the diagnostician crazy.
Gabriel didn't really know what to do- his leave could cause as much disruption as his entrance. But staying here was pretty much asking to get sucked in other people's family drama, which he had enough of, personally.
"I'm getting old."
When hearing that, Gabriel returned his cigarette to his mouth and grew a serious face. "(Hah, the man finally admits it.)"
"What?"
Jacob's volume dropped even further as he said, "Vesper. No one cannot 'not' die." He took in a deep breath and said, "That day will come. And that's something everyone has to give up on." He sighed, "I'm gonna have to turn in one day."
Vesper eyes were beginning to well up with tears. "Don't say that, you still have..." She had always listened to Grandpa for advice and stories when she was young, but never put much thought on the many years ago that they came from.
"I'm not gonna stand having you and Clara weeping on my grave- you leave and forget me now, raise a good family. You don't need this stubborn hag to stop you." Tillman turned away and pointed to the door. "Go-!" His yell was weak, showing he himself was facing pain with the word.
"No- I won't!" She cried in response as she held her ground. "You won't..." The tears began to roll down her cheeks. "No...you can't do this to us..."
Dr. Cunningham was still in the room- stuck his decision for the next action to take. He could smirk after hearing the old man has admitted to his stubbornness, or he could choose to quietly scold the geezer in the shadows for breaking the kid's heart. Either way, he was a bit torn seeing the kid crying from her failing argument- it's like she's asking him to do something. "(Now what do I do...? I thought I just said not to get involved with this idiot again...)" He kept his mouth shut at he glanced over at the 'kid,' still keeping his serious composure.
"Go home." Mr. Tillman bitterly said, "I've already forgotten you and the others. Go do the same." His words stunned the other two in the room.
"Grandpa!" Vesper was now shouting through her tears. She didn't come all the way to the hospital to hear this.
"I'm not your grandfather!"
The girl's eyes showed terror. "But-"
"Leave!" Jacob yelled in a way to sound as if he was irritated. "Don't bother me anymore!"
"!...I..." Vesper threw down her fists in anger, but couldn't say the word 'hate.' "Aargh!" She started to storm out of the room as she tried to wipe away her tears.
The patient was silent as he closed his eyes in sorrow.
The doctor who watched the entire play was getting sick of the 'bad ending.' He put out his hand to block the girl from leaving. "Hold on, kid."
Vesper looked up to the diagnostician, her tears smeared across her face. Her gaze saw the diagnostician's determined one. "?"
Gabriel was looking at his former patient, who just noticed the disruption he caused. "(Time is gonna repeat itself...)" He prepared for a yell or two from him.
"Don't do anything stupid, son. This is none of your business!"
Two. But nothing he couldn't handle. Dr. Cunningham's voice stayed at a normal volume as he said, "Okay, you geezer, I don't know what the hell you wanted to gain, but scaring off your granddaughter and making her cry is not going to do any good- for your health and that little ounce of respect I had for you."
Vesper was shocked by the doctor's words. Her grandfather was the same.
"I said to stay out of this!" Jacob yelled, "Leave me alone and I'll leave you alone!"
Gabriel smirked as he said, "So sorry to disappoint you, old man." He stepped closer to the bed with Vesper watching from behind and continued, "You think I'm going to let you out of this hospital with the kid drowning in her tears..?" He swiped the clipboard from the bed. "Hell no."
"You have no right to. You just don't know when to give up, do you, son?"
"'Never give up,' huh? Just what's that supposed to mean now?" Gabriel glared at Tillman, who began now was clenching his teeth. "Just then you just 'gave up'."
Jacob shouted back, "You think I can live forever- What kind of doctor are you?"
"Now listen, you idiot! You're way past childhood- so keep your word as a man." Gabriel continued with his voice lowered, "I'm not talking about death here, I'm talking about you giving up on the kid and your family- explain that."
The patient and relative were speechless at the diagnostician's intervention.
"Hey, kid." Dr. Cunningham said, still facing the patient.
Vesper stuttered 'yes' as she walked up closer to the bed.
"You go scold your old man. Have him admit how stupid he was- I'm done here." He took the clipboard with him as he walked up to the doorway. "I'll give this to the kid when she's done." Before he could even reach the door, Vesper ran over to her grandfather's bedside and began talking.
"Grandpa...please...don't throw us away like this..."
"It's my fault. I was... just too overwhelmed by you growing up so fast..." Jacob had a single tear held back in his left eye with his confession. "When Clara got married, I didn't get to see her anymore... and when you came...I was happy...but I got worried about you growing up as fast as she did..." That teardrop began to roll down his face. "You know, you two brought joy to this old man... I don't know what'll happen to me without you..." It eventually dropped onto the hospital blanket below.
"Come on, Grandpa, you really think we'll forget you that easily?" Vesper had a smile on her lips besides just her drying tears as she said, "No way."
"Vesper, you and Clara are always the hard-headed ones...not giving up on this old man..." Tillman chuckled several times, then said, "Sorry for all that nonsense earlier, I was being... careless. And..." He looked at the doctor waiting for him to say the right word. "Stupid. Forgive me."
"Of course...!" Vesper jumped onto Jacob to hug him, a new set of tears now coming from her eyes- this time in rejoice. "I love you, grandpa."
"(Ugh.)" First Gabriel was celebrating at his success, now he's simply annoyed.
"I love you too, Vesper."
Double that. "(Okay, enough nosing around, gotta get back...)" Dr. Cunningham turned to the door, but then thought of the clipboard with the discharge papers. "(Well, I've got my side of the deal...)" He threw it into the plastic slot in the wall, then stepped out into the hallway.
"Doctor, wait!"
The kid's voice. "Now what?" Gabriel reentered the room, but only by several steps. "I'm busy, you know. And the clipboard's-"
"Not that- I just meant to say...thank you." Vesper said gratefully as she rose up from the bed. "Thank you so much...!"
"Was that it? Come on, I'm in a hurry." The diagnostician waved goodbye once more. "Whatever. Just make sure the guy doesn't end up here again."
"Doctor, should I mention that Mr. Tillman is officially one of your patients for checkups and would return here if necessary?"
"Whoa- RONI, since when did you..." The doctor groaned to his computerized assistant as he lifted his head up in frustration. "No, you shouldn't have mentioned that. And when did I say this geezer could be come one of the routine patients?"
"By examining him twice throughout your career here at Resurgam, the Chief has decided to have you be the examiner when the client handed in a request for scheduled checkups."
"Huh?" The voice behind the word was empty since Gabriel was actually gasping at the same time. "What do you mean he sent that kind of request to Esha?" He glanced over at his now 'routine' patient. "Geezer, what did I say about leaving me in peace?"
"Woah, son. You think I would do such a thing?" Jacob was also astonished by the news. "I wouldn't dare!"
"RONI, mind enlightening us?"
"With pleasure. The request was handed in by a family member and accepted by Chief Patel about a half hour before Mr. Tillman's operation."
Gabriel turned his attention to the kid. "That... means..."
"Vesper?"
"Oh... so that's what that Chief meant when she asked to 'have appointments on him regularly...'" Vesper muttered. "I...didn't think about you being the doctor..."
Dr. Cunningham sighed. "Great...Everything's screwed up." His painful career just became even more...torturous. "RONI, send a message to Chief to take back that request... the kid didn't mean it."
"I'm afraid that's impossible. The information has already been written out and put into the database. Chief Patel would need a strong reason why to terminate the contract."
"What about if I said I don't get along with the patient, or..." Gabriel continued listing as the girl giggled at the side.
"Vesper..." Jacob moaned. "Look what you've done now..."
"I didn't know...! And besides... you two seem to be fine with each other..." The girl defended with a faint smile. "You need checkups, Grandpa..."
"'Fine?' Don't even get me started with this geezer!"
"And I need no doctor!"
"In actuality, it is crucial for a patient after an organ transplant to visit the doctor regularly. And Dr. Cunningham, hatred towards any patient for any reason is unacceptable and was stated in Chapter 2 Section 11 of the job contract."
"Shut up!"
Vesper watched at the two men, now in collaboration, arguing against the voice in the ceiling. Weakly laughing to herself after realizing her fatal mistake. "Oh."
Well. That was unexpected. Working on a gift for someone else on the week of my b-day and when I'm sick...how dramatic... *sighs*
So...I had many of the original characters of TT in there. Except Naomi and Little Guy because I couldn't incorperate them into this... And about what I said earlier...
Vesper & Clara belong to b-day person. (And the small hint of refernce to the 'other surgeon' goes back to my story... Alicia, anyone? And chapter 17 of Retribution or something I think; I go to this only slightly so hopefully you don't notice...)
Anyways, it was a nice experience. Not sure if this will be a chapter story, so I left it open-ended a tiny bit. But I really doubt it since...well...actually, I have no clue.