CHAPTER TEN - THE DOCTOR
The door rang. As they came through. The eye scanner. Scanning eyes. In order.
First name basis. To make them feel more at home.
"Hello Agatha. Hello Lara. Helloooo...o.ooo...ooo...oo..o..."
Laura flashed a glance to Catcher. Her breath caught in her throat. Worried.
He was looking at Agatha. And quickly. Lara put her hand out. Hanging onto her.
Then she heard the receptionist shuffle.
"Oh that silly thing." The receptionist came around. Bringing a chair with her. Setting it up. She stood atop it. And started smacking the scanner. With her hand. "It's been like that forever now. I keep telling the doctor to fix it."
"hhh...h.h.h....h.h...hHH...Hello Ms. McClouch." It chirped. As it scanned the receptionist's eye.
Lara let out her pent breath.
"Ow. Mom, you're hurting my shoulder."
Lara let go.
"We're here for Catcher...I called yesterday..." Lara went to the counter. With the receptionist. Agatha stayed behind. And sat down beside Catcher.
"Do you like your new name?" Agatha asked.
He thought about it for a moment. Then nodded.
"Is it better than your old name?"
"I don't remember my old name."
"Do you like it better then?"
"I guess." He turned to her. "Do you like yours?"
She scrunched up her face. "Not really. Dad says I was named after someone very important though."
"Do you know who?"
"Agatha obviously." She smirked. Rummaging through the magazines. That scanned her eyes. And called her name.
"What name would you rather have?"
"I don't know. Something good though."
Lara came back and sat down. Looking at the stain on her skirt.
"Mr. Catcher?" A large doctor lumbered in. Immediately. Quintessential. In a white coat. With a handlebar mustache. His words were gentle. As he probably was.
Catcher got up. So did Lara. So did Agatha. But her mother caught her.
"You stay out here."
"Why?" Agatha asked.
"You can play with a game."
"Games are for babies." Agatha stamped. "I want to come with you."
The doctor chuckled. "She's welcome to come in." He smiled. "It's just a routine exam, nothing to keep her from." He guided Agatha by the shoulder. When she went past. Lara followed. Then Catcher.
Down the hall. First door on the right. They went in. And the door was closed behind them.
"Up here if you will sir." The doctor patted the table. And Catcher got up. Looking nervous.
For the first time. The doctor looked closely at his face.
"What happened here?" The doctor asked. Pulling on some rubber gloves. Catcher turned to Lara.
"He got into a fight." Lara answered for him.
"He lost." Agatha announced.
The doctor chuckled. His gloved hands on Catcher's face. Gently poking. Catcher winced.
"Well, there's nothing here that won't heal."
"What's this then?" he looked down at the brace. Still around Catcher's wrist.
No one said anything. The doctor picked it up. Looked at it. Then began to take it off. Moving his wrist. He asked questions. Turning it back and forth. "Any tenderness?"
Catcher shook his head.
The doctor's bottom lip went out. "I guess you don't need to wear it then." And cast it to the side.
Moving on. The doctor reached down. And pulled out a tray. Taking out a stethoscope. "Would you remove your jacket please?"
Catcher did so. Looking towards Lara again. Agatha on her lap. Looking back at him. Smiling.
As he finished stripping the jacket. The doctor came up. And blocked his vision. Reaching down. The doctor unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt. Pushing down the stethoscope. Against his chest.
Catcher cringed. And the doctor noticed.
Gloved hands went to Catcher's shirt. Unbuttoning the rest. Catcher looked up to Lara. Desperate. Lara stood and came over. Leaning up against the bed. Making Agatha stay in the chair.
"My, my, my..." the doctor spoke. Pulling back the square of gauze. Finding the bullet wound. Unhealed. Still spitting blood. He flitted away. On heavy feet. "Haven't seen a real bullet wound like this in years. Most unnatural."
He went about to his counters. Finding tools. A wad of folded gauze. Orange. A long tube. Dark. And blue. And a syringe. "If you would lie back please."
Catcher did so. Swallowing hard. Looking at Lara. She stared back at him. His breath had become fast.
Agatha came up. Despite her mother. Reaching out. She took his hand. Comforting him.
The doctor chuckled. As he saw them together. And turned to Lara. Who smiled back in kind. But watched her daughter. Intently. Interested. At the trust that was there.
The doctor played a song. On his lips. As he walked around. And came back.
He set down the things. And turned to Catcher. Plucking the flaps of his shirt away. Tucking them beneath his back.
Catcher twisted his eyebrows. Staring at Lara. Her face did the same. Confused. At his fear.
"Here we are then." The doctor produced the syringe. Filled it up. Tapped it. Squirted it. Then started down on Catcher's arm.
Catcher turned away. Agatha came around. And clamped her hands down. Just when the needle was about to touch his skin. It touched the back of her hand. Instead.
"Agatha. The doctor's trying to-" but she wasn't listening.
"What is that?" She asked.
The doctor pulled back. Not alarmed. Just reactively.
"It's an anesthesia." He smiled widely.
"What's "anesthesia"?" She had trouble pronouncing it.
"It's something that will make him not feel any pain."
"Why would he feel pain? I told him I wouldn't let you hurt him."
"Ma'am?" The doctor looked to Lara. Who took her daughter back.
"Agatha, go wait outside."
"I want to be in here." She said.
"Go." Her mother said sternly. Taking her elbow. Forcing the point with a soft squeeze.
"Ow! Fine, I'm going." She spoke over her shoulder as she left. "But if you hurt him, I'm going to hurt you." and she meant it.
Lara's cheeks reddened. The same way they had. When Catcher had kissed her hand. "I apologize for my daughter."
She was so embarrassed.
The doctor chuckled still. He seemed to like to do that. A lot. "It's quite alright. Children these days are very protective of their father's."
"He's not -" but the doctor cut her off.
"Shall we proceed?"
Lara moved up to the head of the table thing. Looking down at Catcher. Sweat had broken out across his brow. And his eyes were wide. Looking at her. Scared.
His eyes closed. As the needle went into his arm. As it had initially intended to do. And a whimper escaped him.
"This anesthesia may cause him to be sick a while after I clean this wound. That's how it naturally is." He assured. And Lara nodded.
The doctor peeled back the dressing. Once more. Poking his finger around the wound.
Lara looked down at Catcher. Whose head had fallen to the side. His eyelids fluttering. His lips moving. But saying nothing. Then. Suddenly. He jerked. And faced her. With his eyes still closed.
"Lara? Lara?" he whispered softly. Making her bend down.
"I'm here..." she said.
"Watch my heart...watch it for me..." his whisper faded away. Until he was out.
The doctor was busy scratching at the wound. When Lara looked up.
Throughout the procedure. Her eyes became fixated on Catcher's toe. Which twitched. When the doctor touched the wound.
In a matter of minutes. The doctor set up a sort of rubber ring around the hole. Then took the blue tube. And laid its end in the middle. Then hooked it up to his sink. Nearby.
He ran water over the wound. Cleaning up the blood. Before he took to it with stitches. And finally gauzed it back up.
"I couldn't seem to find the bullet," the doctor grunted as he pulled off his gloves. "It must have fallen out. The wound's cleaned now, so there's no chance of infection. But like I told you, that anesthesia's going to make him woozy for a day or so after he wakes up. Just till it gets cleaned out of him."
"He can't remember anything..." she said suddenly. The doctor winked an eyebrow at her. Before going to his head. Touching it gently with his hands. Feeling it like a piece of fruit.
"There seems to be no fracture with which that would account for it. And besides his face, there's nothing wrong. It might just be a temporary case of amnesia." He smiled kindly.
In the back of her mind. She seriously doubted that.
He looked at her. But she was staring. Enveloped. At Catcher's chest.
"Don't worry ma'am. He'll be right as rain in 24 hours."
"Thank you." She answered automatically.
Lara found herself chewing on her thumbnail. As the doctor briefly touched her shoulder. And left the room.
The door rang. As they came through. The eye scanner. Scanning eyes. In order.
First name basis. To make them feel more at home.
"Hello Agatha. Hello Lara. Helloooo...o.ooo...ooo...oo..o..."
Laura flashed a glance to Catcher. Her breath caught in her throat. Worried.
He was looking at Agatha. And quickly. Lara put her hand out. Hanging onto her.
Then she heard the receptionist shuffle.
"Oh that silly thing." The receptionist came around. Bringing a chair with her. Setting it up. She stood atop it. And started smacking the scanner. With her hand. "It's been like that forever now. I keep telling the doctor to fix it."
"hhh...h.h.h....h.h...hHH...Hello Ms. McClouch." It chirped. As it scanned the receptionist's eye.
Lara let out her pent breath.
"Ow. Mom, you're hurting my shoulder."
Lara let go.
"We're here for Catcher...I called yesterday..." Lara went to the counter. With the receptionist. Agatha stayed behind. And sat down beside Catcher.
"Do you like your new name?" Agatha asked.
He thought about it for a moment. Then nodded.
"Is it better than your old name?"
"I don't remember my old name."
"Do you like it better then?"
"I guess." He turned to her. "Do you like yours?"
She scrunched up her face. "Not really. Dad says I was named after someone very important though."
"Do you know who?"
"Agatha obviously." She smirked. Rummaging through the magazines. That scanned her eyes. And called her name.
"What name would you rather have?"
"I don't know. Something good though."
Lara came back and sat down. Looking at the stain on her skirt.
"Mr. Catcher?" A large doctor lumbered in. Immediately. Quintessential. In a white coat. With a handlebar mustache. His words were gentle. As he probably was.
Catcher got up. So did Lara. So did Agatha. But her mother caught her.
"You stay out here."
"Why?" Agatha asked.
"You can play with a game."
"Games are for babies." Agatha stamped. "I want to come with you."
The doctor chuckled. "She's welcome to come in." He smiled. "It's just a routine exam, nothing to keep her from." He guided Agatha by the shoulder. When she went past. Lara followed. Then Catcher.
Down the hall. First door on the right. They went in. And the door was closed behind them.
"Up here if you will sir." The doctor patted the table. And Catcher got up. Looking nervous.
For the first time. The doctor looked closely at his face.
"What happened here?" The doctor asked. Pulling on some rubber gloves. Catcher turned to Lara.
"He got into a fight." Lara answered for him.
"He lost." Agatha announced.
The doctor chuckled. His gloved hands on Catcher's face. Gently poking. Catcher winced.
"Well, there's nothing here that won't heal."
"What's this then?" he looked down at the brace. Still around Catcher's wrist.
No one said anything. The doctor picked it up. Looked at it. Then began to take it off. Moving his wrist. He asked questions. Turning it back and forth. "Any tenderness?"
Catcher shook his head.
The doctor's bottom lip went out. "I guess you don't need to wear it then." And cast it to the side.
Moving on. The doctor reached down. And pulled out a tray. Taking out a stethoscope. "Would you remove your jacket please?"
Catcher did so. Looking towards Lara again. Agatha on her lap. Looking back at him. Smiling.
As he finished stripping the jacket. The doctor came up. And blocked his vision. Reaching down. The doctor unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt. Pushing down the stethoscope. Against his chest.
Catcher cringed. And the doctor noticed.
Gloved hands went to Catcher's shirt. Unbuttoning the rest. Catcher looked up to Lara. Desperate. Lara stood and came over. Leaning up against the bed. Making Agatha stay in the chair.
"My, my, my..." the doctor spoke. Pulling back the square of gauze. Finding the bullet wound. Unhealed. Still spitting blood. He flitted away. On heavy feet. "Haven't seen a real bullet wound like this in years. Most unnatural."
He went about to his counters. Finding tools. A wad of folded gauze. Orange. A long tube. Dark. And blue. And a syringe. "If you would lie back please."
Catcher did so. Swallowing hard. Looking at Lara. She stared back at him. His breath had become fast.
Agatha came up. Despite her mother. Reaching out. She took his hand. Comforting him.
The doctor chuckled. As he saw them together. And turned to Lara. Who smiled back in kind. But watched her daughter. Intently. Interested. At the trust that was there.
The doctor played a song. On his lips. As he walked around. And came back.
He set down the things. And turned to Catcher. Plucking the flaps of his shirt away. Tucking them beneath his back.
Catcher twisted his eyebrows. Staring at Lara. Her face did the same. Confused. At his fear.
"Here we are then." The doctor produced the syringe. Filled it up. Tapped it. Squirted it. Then started down on Catcher's arm.
Catcher turned away. Agatha came around. And clamped her hands down. Just when the needle was about to touch his skin. It touched the back of her hand. Instead.
"Agatha. The doctor's trying to-" but she wasn't listening.
"What is that?" She asked.
The doctor pulled back. Not alarmed. Just reactively.
"It's an anesthesia." He smiled widely.
"What's "anesthesia"?" She had trouble pronouncing it.
"It's something that will make him not feel any pain."
"Why would he feel pain? I told him I wouldn't let you hurt him."
"Ma'am?" The doctor looked to Lara. Who took her daughter back.
"Agatha, go wait outside."
"I want to be in here." She said.
"Go." Her mother said sternly. Taking her elbow. Forcing the point with a soft squeeze.
"Ow! Fine, I'm going." She spoke over her shoulder as she left. "But if you hurt him, I'm going to hurt you." and she meant it.
Lara's cheeks reddened. The same way they had. When Catcher had kissed her hand. "I apologize for my daughter."
She was so embarrassed.
The doctor chuckled still. He seemed to like to do that. A lot. "It's quite alright. Children these days are very protective of their father's."
"He's not -" but the doctor cut her off.
"Shall we proceed?"
Lara moved up to the head of the table thing. Looking down at Catcher. Sweat had broken out across his brow. And his eyes were wide. Looking at her. Scared.
His eyes closed. As the needle went into his arm. As it had initially intended to do. And a whimper escaped him.
"This anesthesia may cause him to be sick a while after I clean this wound. That's how it naturally is." He assured. And Lara nodded.
The doctor peeled back the dressing. Once more. Poking his finger around the wound.
Lara looked down at Catcher. Whose head had fallen to the side. His eyelids fluttering. His lips moving. But saying nothing. Then. Suddenly. He jerked. And faced her. With his eyes still closed.
"Lara? Lara?" he whispered softly. Making her bend down.
"I'm here..." she said.
"Watch my heart...watch it for me..." his whisper faded away. Until he was out.
The doctor was busy scratching at the wound. When Lara looked up.
Throughout the procedure. Her eyes became fixated on Catcher's toe. Which twitched. When the doctor touched the wound.
In a matter of minutes. The doctor set up a sort of rubber ring around the hole. Then took the blue tube. And laid its end in the middle. Then hooked it up to his sink. Nearby.
He ran water over the wound. Cleaning up the blood. Before he took to it with stitches. And finally gauzed it back up.
"I couldn't seem to find the bullet," the doctor grunted as he pulled off his gloves. "It must have fallen out. The wound's cleaned now, so there's no chance of infection. But like I told you, that anesthesia's going to make him woozy for a day or so after he wakes up. Just till it gets cleaned out of him."
"He can't remember anything..." she said suddenly. The doctor winked an eyebrow at her. Before going to his head. Touching it gently with his hands. Feeling it like a piece of fruit.
"There seems to be no fracture with which that would account for it. And besides his face, there's nothing wrong. It might just be a temporary case of amnesia." He smiled kindly.
In the back of her mind. She seriously doubted that.
He looked at her. But she was staring. Enveloped. At Catcher's chest.
"Don't worry ma'am. He'll be right as rain in 24 hours."
"Thank you." She answered automatically.
Lara found herself chewing on her thumbnail. As the doctor briefly touched her shoulder. And left the room.