FOUR
"So, you're a White Lighter," said Prue when they had returned to the manor.
"For thirty-two years now," said Alister. "I couldn't very well tell you with Reardon standing there. I'm just glad you understood my little code. I didn't know what else to do."
"What's wrong with Leo?" asked Piper. "Why isn't his healing ability working like it's supposed to?"
"Just calm down," said Alister. "Leo's going to be fine. The truck that hit him did a lot of damage. If he wasn't immortal, he would have died instantly."
"But his injuries aren't healing," insisted Phoebe.
"Actually, they are," said Alister, "only at a very reduced rate. He's in no real danger, I can assure you. He's going to be just fine. But we've had to impede his normal healing ability for a while."
'Why?" demanded Piper.
"A large number of mortals witnessed the accident," said Alister. "We couldn't very well have Leo just get up and walk away after that. Not with so many witnesses looking on. There would be too many questions we don't want asked. Questions that you don't want asked."
"But he's in a coma," said Prue.
"Yes," said Alister. "That's necessary for the moment. His most serious injuries are being healed even as we speak. In a few hours, he'll wake up. As the attending physician, I'll make the decision that he can recuperate at home as well if not better than in the hospital. Once he leaves the hospital, they'll forget all about him, figuring that I'm taking care of him. He can heal completely then without attracting any undue attention to himself."
"So there's nothing wrong with his healing ability?" asked Piper. "When his healing ability didn't seem to be working, we became worried."
"Everything is fine," said Alister. "We've just had to take some extraordinary measures because of the mortal witnesses. There's nothing wrong with his healing ability at all. It's not the first time something like this has happened. You have to expect it from time to time."
"Isn't it risky?" asked Phoebe. "Pretending to be a doctor? What if they ask you some technical medical questions or something?"
"Actually," said Alister, "I am a doctor. Or at least I was before I died. That's why I was sent. Who better to impersonate a doctor than a real doctor?"
"How long before Leo can come home?" asked Piper.
"Probably tomorrow or the next day," said Alister. "He'll wake up later tonight and they'll want to keep him at least twenty-four hours for observation. That's standard practice. Tomorrow, when he doesn't appear to be in any real danger, I'll say he can go home the next day under my personal care. Then he can come home and it will all be over."
"Good," said Piper. "I don't like this one bit."
"You would have liked the attention your husbands public miraculous recovery would have brought even less," said Alister. "If there had been any other way, we wouldn't have done this. Now, Leo's always bragging about your cooking. I was hoping to get a sample of it while I was here. If that's okay."
* * *
Just as Alister promised, Piper received a phone call about ten o'clock saying that Leo had regained consciousness. Even though it was well past normal visiting hours, Dr. Reardon had left instructions that Piper could visit. Alister, of course, could go in whenever he wanted to.
Once at the hospital, they went immediately to Leos' room. They found him eating a bowl of soup as they entered. Piper sat on the bed next to him.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "How do you feel?"
"Still in some pain," said Leo. "But Dr. Reardon said that was to be expected."
"Well, once we get you home we can fix that," said Alister. "I'm Alister Crumley. We haven't actually met yet. I'm your regular doctor."
"Yeah, Dr. Reardon mentioned you," said Leo. "He was going to be here but got called away on an emergency. He said he'd be back as soon as he could."
'You seem to be doing fine," said Alister, looking over Leo's chart. "Nothing that might arouse suspicion. Tomorrow, I'll give orders that you will be released the following day. Then we can get you home and put this all behind us."
"You had us worried," said Prue. "Especially when you didn't get better right away. We thought something was wrong with you."
"But Alister explained everything to us," said Phoebe. "So I guess everything is fine. Once we get you home you'll be as good as new and things can go back to normal. Well, as normal as possible for us, anyway."
"I'll make a special dinner," said Piper. "All of your favorite dishes. After all this, you can use some pampering."
"I really am grateful for all this," said Leo. "I don't want to seem like I'm not. But I do have one question."
"Only one?" asked Alister smiling. "I'd think you'd have more than that. So, what do you want to know."
"Who are all of you people?" asked Leo in total confusion.
"So, you're a White Lighter," said Prue when they had returned to the manor.
"For thirty-two years now," said Alister. "I couldn't very well tell you with Reardon standing there. I'm just glad you understood my little code. I didn't know what else to do."
"What's wrong with Leo?" asked Piper. "Why isn't his healing ability working like it's supposed to?"
"Just calm down," said Alister. "Leo's going to be fine. The truck that hit him did a lot of damage. If he wasn't immortal, he would have died instantly."
"But his injuries aren't healing," insisted Phoebe.
"Actually, they are," said Alister, "only at a very reduced rate. He's in no real danger, I can assure you. He's going to be just fine. But we've had to impede his normal healing ability for a while."
'Why?" demanded Piper.
"A large number of mortals witnessed the accident," said Alister. "We couldn't very well have Leo just get up and walk away after that. Not with so many witnesses looking on. There would be too many questions we don't want asked. Questions that you don't want asked."
"But he's in a coma," said Prue.
"Yes," said Alister. "That's necessary for the moment. His most serious injuries are being healed even as we speak. In a few hours, he'll wake up. As the attending physician, I'll make the decision that he can recuperate at home as well if not better than in the hospital. Once he leaves the hospital, they'll forget all about him, figuring that I'm taking care of him. He can heal completely then without attracting any undue attention to himself."
"So there's nothing wrong with his healing ability?" asked Piper. "When his healing ability didn't seem to be working, we became worried."
"Everything is fine," said Alister. "We've just had to take some extraordinary measures because of the mortal witnesses. There's nothing wrong with his healing ability at all. It's not the first time something like this has happened. You have to expect it from time to time."
"Isn't it risky?" asked Phoebe. "Pretending to be a doctor? What if they ask you some technical medical questions or something?"
"Actually," said Alister, "I am a doctor. Or at least I was before I died. That's why I was sent. Who better to impersonate a doctor than a real doctor?"
"How long before Leo can come home?" asked Piper.
"Probably tomorrow or the next day," said Alister. "He'll wake up later tonight and they'll want to keep him at least twenty-four hours for observation. That's standard practice. Tomorrow, when he doesn't appear to be in any real danger, I'll say he can go home the next day under my personal care. Then he can come home and it will all be over."
"Good," said Piper. "I don't like this one bit."
"You would have liked the attention your husbands public miraculous recovery would have brought even less," said Alister. "If there had been any other way, we wouldn't have done this. Now, Leo's always bragging about your cooking. I was hoping to get a sample of it while I was here. If that's okay."
* * *
Just as Alister promised, Piper received a phone call about ten o'clock saying that Leo had regained consciousness. Even though it was well past normal visiting hours, Dr. Reardon had left instructions that Piper could visit. Alister, of course, could go in whenever he wanted to.
Once at the hospital, they went immediately to Leos' room. They found him eating a bowl of soup as they entered. Piper sat on the bed next to him.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "How do you feel?"
"Still in some pain," said Leo. "But Dr. Reardon said that was to be expected."
"Well, once we get you home we can fix that," said Alister. "I'm Alister Crumley. We haven't actually met yet. I'm your regular doctor."
"Yeah, Dr. Reardon mentioned you," said Leo. "He was going to be here but got called away on an emergency. He said he'd be back as soon as he could."
'You seem to be doing fine," said Alister, looking over Leo's chart. "Nothing that might arouse suspicion. Tomorrow, I'll give orders that you will be released the following day. Then we can get you home and put this all behind us."
"You had us worried," said Prue. "Especially when you didn't get better right away. We thought something was wrong with you."
"But Alister explained everything to us," said Phoebe. "So I guess everything is fine. Once we get you home you'll be as good as new and things can go back to normal. Well, as normal as possible for us, anyway."
"I'll make a special dinner," said Piper. "All of your favorite dishes. After all this, you can use some pampering."
"I really am grateful for all this," said Leo. "I don't want to seem like I'm not. But I do have one question."
"Only one?" asked Alister smiling. "I'd think you'd have more than that. So, what do you want to know."
"Who are all of you people?" asked Leo in total confusion.