Janet didn't know what to do.
It had been over a week and a half since she and Brad had inadvertently journeyed to that remote castle, and her life had been in turmoil ever since. Suddenly, the man she'd loved for years elicited no emotions in her but scorn and disdain. She knew she was behaving like a royal bitch every time she saw him, but she was powerless to alter her behavior.
At first, she'd thought things would return to normal after a couple of days…that once she'd had a chance to think through what had happened that night, she'd be able to come to terms with it, move on and regain the closeness she'd shared with Brad for so long now. However, it hadn't worked out that way. With the passing of time, her attitude toward him only grew harder and colder.
She tried to figure out the reason for her hostility, and finally concluded she felt he'd let her down. She'd known he wasn't the world's most exciting man, but she thought she could always count on him to take care of her. She was bitterly disappointed to realize that wasn't the case; that when the chips were down and she needed him the most, he hadn't been strong enough to be there for her. Indeed, she now knew that she was easily the stronger of the two of them. That revelation was simultaneously thrilling and devastating to her.
Of course, that wasn't the only reason. Until that night, she'd attributed her lack of interest in sex to a weak sex drive. Now she understood that lack of interest was attributable to Brad's corresponding lack of skill and charisma. The idea of going to bed with someone so inept and dull every night for the rest of her life made her want to cry.
Still…Brad was a good man, and she knew he loved her with all his heart. He would never betray her trust (his encounter with Frank notwithstanding; for obvious reasons, she was willing to make allowances for that), or deliberately make her unhappy. She realized those qualities weren't easy to find. But how could she break through the wall of negative emotions in able to get back to the place where she could again appreciate Brad? She needed advice from someone older and wiser, but this wasn't a problem she could bring to her parents.
Suddenly, it came to her. She would go visit Dr. Scott.
Arriving at his laboratory, she greeted his receptionist, Celia, to whom she was a familiar face.
"Hi, Celia. Is Dr. Scott in?"
Celia smiled and nodded. "He sure is. You can just go on up to his office. He's on the phone now, but I'm sure he'll be done in a minute."
Janet smiled back at her. "Thanks, Celia. Have a good day."
As she walked the familiar hallways toward Dr. Scott's office, she pondered exactly what to say. She'd never discussed such highly personal matters with him. Arriving outside his open office door, however, those considerations quickly vanished from her mind, overtaken by astonishment at the conversation she was overhearing.
"…Yes, Dr. Furter regained full consciousness a couple of days ago."
"…No, I'm afraid not. Thus far he has entirely refused to speak."
"…No, I'm quite certain the problem is due to hostility, not to any sort of brain dysfunction. His silence is quite eloquent. He is obviously frustrated and angry at the situation in which he finds himself."
"…Oh, I'll keep trying one or two more days. At any rate, I am not yet in a position to begin the physiological testing. I am awaiting additional equipment from Washington. It should arrive by the end of the week at the latest."
"…Right now he is being detained at the Denton Convalescent Center, with an armed guard outside his door. What? No, he has not attempted to escape. Yes, I agree, it is surprising. It will be a relief to me once he is dead. I find it difficult to believe someone of his ruthlessness and intelligence will simply stay put and wait to be killed. As a scientist himself, he must certainly be aware of my plans for him."
Janet slowly backed away from the open door, shocked into numbness by what she'd heard. Frank was alive, right here in Denton. She struggled to pin down her feelings about this startling revelation, and failed miserably. Many possible reactions…fear, anger, joy, excitement…battled for control in her head and heart. Complicating things further was the additional knowledge that while he was alive now, that wouldn't be the case much longer. She closed her eyes and leaned wearily against the wall.
Suddenly, she thought of her grandmother, of all people. As it happened, she was recovering from surgery and undergoing physical therapy at the Denton Convalescent Center. It had been a couple of days since Janet had seen her, so it was time for another visit.
And while she was there, perhaps she could stop in on a considerably more unwilling temporary resident.