Thirty Seven - AR

It was almost lunchtime the following day. Scott was on his way to the dining room when he bumped into Virgil, who was carrying an envelope.

"What have you got there?" Scott asked.

"My case notes from the hospital. I thought I'd give them to Brains for my medical records."

"Good idea." Scott turned back towards his room. "Give me a moment and I'll get mine."

They found Brains in the dispensary. "W-What can I do for you?" he asked.

"It's our hospital records." Scott dropped his onto the tabletop. "We thought you'd want to keep things up to date."

Brains retrieved two very thick files. He picked up Scott's file and slotted the papers into it. He then looked at Virgil.

Virgil looked at the file in his hand. "Um Brains. I was wondering if you could clarify something for me."

Scott looked sharply at Virgil as his younger brother handed over the file. Brains took it. "O-Of course Virgil. Wh-What?"

Virgil tried to sound nonchalant. "I was wondering if I was reading the graph on page three correctly."

Brains turned to the page in question and studied it closely. His stained finger traced the line of the graph until it hit the bottom. He stared at it for a moment, swallowed and then looked back at Virgil. He said nothing, but the expression on his face was eloquent.

"Thought so." Virgil said unemotionally. "Thanks Brains." Without a further comment he left the dispensary.

Scott still needed confirmation. "So he did die, Brains?"

Brains nodded dumbly. "He had no h-heart b-beat to speak of. Y-You could say that h-he w-was d-d-dead."

"Thanks Brains." Scott hurried back into the hallway. He was just in time to see Virgil turn the corner that would lead back to his room. Scott caught up with him. "Hey" he said as brightly as he could. "The dining room's that way."

"I'm not hungry." Virgil mumbled.

Scott stopped him. "You know Grandma's been working flat out to cook us our favourites. You can't disappoint her. Come on, at least make an effort." He took Virgil by the shoulders and turned him in the correct direction. Half-heartedly Virgil began walking towards the sounds of the family arriving for their meal.

Scott made sure that he was seated beside Virgil. At first the family was in high spirits, but as time went Virgil's mood began to weigh heavily on them. Brains kept on looking anxiously as Virgil as if he was the one to blame for his friend's depression.

"Come on Virgil. You haven't touched a thing." Jeff eventually said.

Virgil laid down his fork with some finality "Guess I'm not hungry. Sorry Grandma... If you'll excuse me..." He pushed his chair back and left the table.

"Virgil!" Scott dropped his own fork and took off after his brother.

The rest of the family all looked at each other in bemusement.

"What's wrong with him?" Alan asked. "I would have thought he'd be pleased to be home."

"I-I think it's my f-fault." Brains stuttered.

"Yours?" Gordon asked.

Brains nodded unhappily.

"What do you know, Brains?" Jeff asked quietly.

"V-Virgil asked m-me to r-r-read his c-chart from th-the h-hospital." Feelings of guilt were exacerbating Brains' stutter. "I-I c-confirmed th-that his h-h-heart st-st-stopped for 28 seconds."

"What?" Mrs Tracy gasped and her hand went to her own heart.

Jeff laid a comforting hand on her arm. "He's alright now Mother. Don't worry." Then he turned back to Brains. "How'd he react?"

"H-He didn't. J-Just th-thanked m-me and left."

"You knew?!" John asked his father.

Jeff nodded.

"No wonder you were in such a hurry to get to him." Gordon said numbly. "I'm sorry Dad." Jeff smiled gently at him.

"When did it happen?" Alan squeaked. "I mean was it before you left home?"

Jeff shook his head. "No. Just after I got there. I walked into the room and there were all the hospital staff working on him. I'll tell you, those 28 seconds were the longest I've ever experienced. People yelling and grabbing various bits of medical equipment, and my son lying unmoving in the middle of it all. I'm glad they got Scott out of there before it happened." He stopped talking and his mother took the opportunity to squeeze his hand. "I told the staff not to tell him or Scott how close it'd been. I didn't want Scott to worry about Virgil and disregard his own health. We just insinuated that it had been serious, but not life threatening. I should have known they'd find out somehow."

"You turning up unannounced must have sparked their interest." John pointed out.

Jeff stood. "I'd better go talk to him."

***

Scott stood in the doorway to the lounge. He watched Virgil seated at the piano, pressing keys one at a time. There was no pattern or rhythm to the notes. Virgil only played like this when he was depressed.

Scott took a deep breath and plastered a smile on his face. "Why so glum, Virg.?" He asked brightly. "You're alive."

"Only just." Virgil said quietly. "It was that close Scott."

"I know." Scott said equally quietly.

"It's frightening to know how easy it is to die. We weren't out on a rescue. It was just a reaction to the medication."

"I know." Scott repeated again, unsure of what else to say.

Virgil played a couple more notes and then slammed the lid of the piano shut. "I mean, it's not only me. It happened to Ma. It could happen to any of us. Grandma, Father, you..." He looked up into Scott's bandaged face. "It came so close to being you when that generator blew."

"Yeah, but it wasn't. And it wasn't you either. It just wasn't our time to go." Scott indicated the piano. "Why don't you try playing something?"

Virgil raised the cast "It may have escaped your notice Scott, but I'm a bit incapacitated at the moment."

"Only one hand." Scott walked around to Virgil's left side and gave him a slight push. "Go on, move over."

"What?"

"Move over so I can sit beside you."

"Why?"

"Are you being deliberately dense? I may not be up to your standard, but I can pick my way around a piano keyboard. You play the treble and I'll take care of the bass."

"But can you see the music okay?"

Scott stared at the sheet music short-sightedly. "Sure! Not a problem." He raised the keyboard's lid. "You count me in."

They started off tentatively and got steadily worse. "It should be 'legato' - smoothly and evenly," Virgil said. "You're playing it 'staccato' - sharply."

Scott let his hand flop into his lap. "I'm sorry. I guess I can't read the music well enough at the moment. And I can't remember the Concerto that well."

"We were playing the Prelude." Virgil informed him.

"Oh." Scott picked up the sheet music and held it close to read the title. "So it is. Sorry."

Jeff was standing at the doorway. "Scott! That was terrible!" he chuckled.

"Gee thanks. A guy makes an effort and he gets laughed at. Let's see you do better."

"I think I can do better." Jeff walked over to his desk. "But not in the way you mean." He retrieved a flat package and brought it over to the piano. "My sources finally tracked this down. It arrived on the mail plane today. I bought it for you Virgil."

"For me?"

"Yeah well. I'd already booked a seeing eye dog for Scott and I thought you deserved something as well. It's taken this long to get it."

"You'd what!" Scott stared at his father.

"Only kidding Scott. I knew you'd be fine."

Virgil was trying, unsuccessfully, to undo the sticky tape. "This is a two handed job."

"Here let me." Jeff loosened the tape. "There you go."

Virgil folded back the brown paper. "Music." He said deflated.

"Ever heard of Guiseppe Bocelli." Jeff asked him.

Virgil wrinkled up his brow in a frown. "The composer?"

Scott was examining the sheet music. "Hey! Have you seen the title of these?" He held one up. Printed across the front was "Concerto for the Right Hand".

"That's right." Jeff said. "I got him to arrange some of your favourites. I thought his works might tie you over until you get your left hand operating again."

"You did! Thanks Father! Let's see." There was a trace of eagerness about Virgil as he placed the music on the piano. He started off with a set of scales to get warmed up. "I'm a bit rusty." He began playing. As the music flowed from his fingers they could almost see his depression float away.

"Nice one, Father." Scott said quietly, before turning the page for Virgil.

Jeff smiled. "Anything for you boys."

Virgil finished the piece and was surprised to receive a round of applause. The entire family were standing watching him.

"Encore, encore." Alan shouted.

"Encore? Well okay. Here's another piece for the right hand." Virgil played seven notes. 'Shave and a haircut - two bits'. And then grinned as his family shared in the joke.

"I'm going to start thinking about what to make for dinner." Mrs Tracy said.

"What already!" Tin-Tin exclaimed. "We've barely finished lunch."

"Oh I thought Scott and Virgil might want something special." She beamed. "Any suggestions boys? I could bake a pie."

"Apple?" Scott said hopefully.

"Apple pie for Scott. Virgil?"

Virgil shrugged. "Anything would be fine Grandma. I'm just happy to eat your cooking rather than hospital food."

Scott nudged him. "Anything you DON'T want? Any flavours..."

The light dawned. Virgil glared at Alan. "Yeah anything but orange, beetroot and liver." Alan turned beet red. "Something chocolate would be nice. I missed out last time."

"Fine!" Grandma Tracy said happily. "I'll go get my recipe books."

"The seed is planted." Scott whispered to Virgil.

"Yep. Time to start watering it..."