CHAPTER 4: FACING THE FACTS
"I have heard that there is a great funfair somewhere in the vicinity. Maybe we could go there after a quick lunch", House suggested to his wife. Dominika frowned a bit, replying, "I'd love to do anything with you, but what we're currently doing... Isn't it childish?".
"Cool. I take you on a trip and you nag me", he replied in mock exasperation. "I'm not nagging you, but I don't see your point in running away instead of confronting your mother", she insisted.
"I'm not avoiding my mother because I don't want to confront her. I'm avoiding her because she's boring", House countered and resumed driving. "Don't you wanna know why she's seeking you now?", Dominika enquired again.
"Didn't bother to think about it. She must want something, but I don't want to find out what exactly", he stated matter-of-factly. "Can't it be that she just misses her son?", she suggested, cocking an eyebrow at his direction.
"Your own mother, does she miss you?", he caught her off guard with that question. "I guess, but that's not point here", she answered in protestation. "Have you ever felt your parents are constantly disappointed with you and resent you?", he issued his next question. "My father died was exact opposite of your father. Mother is totally different issue. She still thinks I'm naive little girl", she replied in all honesty.
"Good for you that you have some happy memories from your father. Still, you ought to understand that I wanna avoid my mother", he countered, focusing on driving again. "Your mother has right to see you", she still kept her own edge of the argument.
"When you make your mind up about something, it's nigh impossible for anyone to change your opinion, right?", he quipped. "I think it's best for you to meet with her. And I'm not gonna change my mind, just so you know", she shot back.
House was about to say something, but then his phone rang. The call was from Chase. He answered, asking how things were there in the hospital. "We are proceeding fairly well with the case Cooper gave us, but...", Chase started saying, only to be interrupted in mid-sentence.
"And whose rugged breathing can I hear behind you? Masters'?", the diagnostician asked his fellow. "Yes, Martha is behind me, and...", the surgeon tried to reply, but was again interrupted.
"Is it Martha for you now? You've always called her by her surname. Now, either the two of you started...", House was saying, but then Masters, irritated, picked the phone up and said, "Your mother came here and asked where you are. When she got ready to leave, she collapsed. She is in the ICU now. We don't have the faintest idea what she has". "Did you rule out the very strong possibility she's faking the symptoms?", the diagnostician enquired. "It was the first thing we did", the young prodigy informed him, adding, "and we completely ruled it out. She's sick, for real".
House was rendered speechless, his features turning pale. "Is everything alright?", Masters' voice could be heard. "Greg? You okay?, Dominika was asking, concern evident in her voice. The doctor addressed his team members via the phone, stating, "I'm coming as soon as possible. In the meantime, make sure your patient doesn't die. Did she say where she was staying here?".
Chase, having picked the phone again, replied, "Majestic Hotel. She didn't say in what room, so we can't break in". "Fine. I'm gonna search her room myself. I'll call you in a couple of hours", House responded, hanging up.
"What's the matter?", Dominika asked him again. "My mother. She got to the hospital to look for me. She collapsed and is in the ICU now", he replied, still having trouble to comprehend what was happening.
"Oh, my god!", Dominika exclaimed, adding, "I'm sorry". "Damn. I wasn't expecting that. I don't know why, but I'm blaming myself for it. I know I'm not responsible for her disease, but...", his voice faltered.
"You feel like that because she's your mother. You love her. It's natural", she replied. "That reminds me of Wilson. He'd say something really similar if he was here", he shot back. "So, we're both right", she replied, asking, "what are you going to do now?".
"Are you up for a lil' adventure?", House asked his wife. "Of course, if I'm going to adventure with you", she answered. "Cool. We're going back in town, to Majestic Hotel. We gotta search her room and see whether something there helped cause or exacerbate her disease", he explained. "I see. I'll do my best", she remarked. "You know, it's not a joke or a prank, like the ones we've pulled so far. This time, we're dead serious", he said. "As if I didn't know. Let's go and find out what your mother has", she responded.
"What did House say?", Cheng was asking Chase, as soon as the phone call was over. "A lot of things. What's important now is to take care of our patients", he replied. "Patients? Why plural?", the pediatrician enquired. "House will surely take the case of his mother, of course. We have two patients now and House will be back in some hours. You, Cheng, go check on Blythe House. We need her medical record and we must do some tests. Me and Masters will determine what is going on with Mr. Ridgeway", the surgeon gave his order. "Fine", Cheng answered and tossed her lab coat on, then paused and added, "by the way, I think House understood something about you two", pointing towards Chase and Masters.
"Oh", the redhead exclaimed, as her colleague was exiting the conference room. "Don't pay attention, we have a job to do", the surgeon advised her. "But... but... there's nothing between us... Yet?", she muttered. "Whatever happens or will happen between you and me doesn't concern our job. Grab your lab coat and let's go, we have a patient to diagnose. Our tests will determine what he has", Chase answered. "But... About us... We still...", the young brainiac was at a loss for words. "It's not the proper time, nor the proper place", Chase demurred, looking away from the red-headed prodigy. He strode out of the room, Masters following behind him.
House was driving quickly, almost too quickly. More than once did Dominika request that he slows down a bit, but his only reply was "We don't have time". Finally, they were near Majestic Hotel. He almost dragged Dominika behind him, his limp barely noticeable as he struggled to reach the reception desk. Approaching it, he instructed her, "Stay here. I'm gonna introduce myself and request to go to her room", to which she nodded.
"Good afternoon, sir, how can I help you?", the receptionist asked. "I'm Dr. House, the son of Blythe House. My mother has checked into this hotel and me and my wife have just arrived here for a medical conference. Could you please allow us to go to my mother's room for a moment to freshen up?", House said.
"Just a moment, sir", the other man replied, adding, "Hmmm, I don't see the name Blythe House in the list of our customers. But, there is a room, room 325, the bridal suite, reserved for Thomas and Blythe Bell, yes, I remember now, that elderly couple that were newlyweds, imagine that, sir", the moron droned. "You said Blythe Bell?", House asked, his patience evaporating. "That's true, sir. Is this the one you are looking for? And you said you are her... Son?", the other man blabbered. "Yes, genius, I've already told you so", the diagnostician quipped. "Well, sir, she said that only Greg may enter the room", the moron got back. "See my ID card", House said. "Oh, sorry, sir, right, sir, you can go to their room, sir, I think Mr. Bell is there, sir", the idiot replied and House sighed audibly, gesturing for Dominika to follow him to the elevator.
House knocked on the door with his cane. After two knocks, a voice could be heard from the inside, sporting a thick, Scottish accent, "Is that you, baby? You've left me waiting for so long". Then, the door opened, the two men seeing each other.
"Good Lord, you're Blythe's boy!", Thomas exclaimed. "And you are the guy sleeping with my mother. Guy sleeping with my mother, this is Dominika, my wife", House finished the introduction. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Bell", she said, remembering her good manners. "Come in, come in", Thomas urged them.
"Blythe told me she was gonna fetch her boy. But, she's not with you. Could you perchance know where...?", Thomas started his sentence, but didn't manage to finish it. "She's in the hospital's ICU. She was coming to visit me, but I was out of town for the moment. My team called me informing me that she collapsed in the conference room", the diagnostician stated matter-of-factly.
"Goodness! Is she okay?", Thomas asked, concern evident in his tone. "Actually, she isn't, or else she wouldn't be in the hospital", House quipped, Dominika giving him a look, trying to non-verbally admonish him to speak in a more courteous manner.
Thomas changed the subject, apparently taken aback by House's ironic comment. "Why didn't you tell her you'd moved and got married?", he asked. "The other way around", House retorted, adding, "And you also hid the same thing from me". "Greg!", Dominika chided him. "No, don't worry, I don't mind. Blythe has told me everything about him I need to know. Actually, lad, we planned for you to be the first to know", Thomas replied.
"Our marriage was kinda momentary decision", Dominika tried to explain. "I see. Love at first sight, no? I knew that romance is not dead", the older man said. "I'm sorry to interrupt this delightful conversation, but I'm here to check for toxins and whatever else might have caused my mother's collapse", the diagnostician announced. "Of course, do your job and make her well", Thomas answered, then turned to Dominika, "So, you're Greg's wife. Was I right about it being love at first sight?".
"I'm afraid that this isn't proper time for discussing this, Mr. Bell", she answered, adding, "I came to help my husband in his search". "What a pity Blythe is ailing... I want to see her. Is it possible?", the older man asked. "No. Only docs get to see her, basically to examine her. Don't worry, though, we'll do our best. Nothing in this room. Apparently, we've wasting our time", the diagnostician remarked.
He limped all the way to where Thomas and Dominika were seated and said, "It's about time we leave. I have a patient to treat and to find out what my mother has". "Of course. Please, call me when Blythe is better. We need to have dinner as one big family", Thomas suggested. "Yeah, one big, crappy family. I bet she's gonna call you herself when she regains her senses. Now excuse us, we gotta go", the doctor responded and limped out of the room. Dominika mumbled some goodbyes and followed her husband.
"Damn, that was a hit below the belt", House exclaimed. "It appears your mother indeed had something to tell you", his wife mused. "Wanna know whom did we just meet?", he asked her quizzically. "Hmmm... Your mother's new husband?", she observed. "And, my real father. I've already told you how I found out that my dad- my mother's husband- wasn't my biological father. That guy is", he clarified.
"How do you know?", she enquired. "Birthmarks don't lie. When my mother gets better, I gotta confront them both over this", he declared, in a manner betraying that any objection was useless.
"Where to now?", she asked, adding, "Maybe you'd like to go home for couple of hours, relax or...", but he cut her off, stating, "I gotta go to work. I'm dropping you at home first, though. We'll have a serious talk at evening".
Meanwhile, Chase and Masters had done the lab tests, but the results had proven them wrong. "Your silence says that you have no clue about what I have", Ridgeway surmised. "We are trying to find out the exact disease afflicting you", Chase said, trying to reassure him. "My fiancée is a doctor herself, you know. I've seen that expression on her face, every time she's baffled over a case", the patient shot back. "Different doctors have different methods", Masters piped in and enquired, "Does your fiancée work in Chicago?". "Yeah. How did you know?", Ridgeway asked. "In your pockets, you had a ticket for a train going to Chicago. We learned that you collapsed when buying a ring for your fiancée", the young prodigy responded, surprising them both. "Clever", Ridgeway admitted, adding, "Allison is working in the ER in a major Chicago hospital". "Allison?", Chase asked. "Yes, that's her name. Allison Cameron", Ridgeway clarified. "What?", Chase blurted out, wide-eyed. Martha cast an inquisitive and worried look upon him.