Foreman was in his office, meeting with a couple who were considering making a sizable donation to the hospital. He was only half listening to the man as the man arrogantly insisted on seeing Foreman's 5-year plan due to the recent change in hospital management. There was something about the flowers in Foreman's office that nagged at him, something that he couldn't quite place. Suddenly it hit him. The flowers had been his office for at least a week and still looked fresh. Foreman's epiphany had him quickly excusing himself from the meeting with an urgent need to find House.
Foreman found him in the lab, looking at slides of blood smears while he tried to figure out what was killing his Alzheimer's patient.
"It's Reyes Syndrome," Foreman announced. "Patient had a sore throat a few weeks ago before he was admitted."
House looked up at Foreman from his seat at the microscope. "Reyes in adults is a reach."
"Not if he took aspirin."
House was unconvinced. "Aspirin in adults is a reach. Especially in a house with locked medicine cabinets."
Foreman pressed on. "It wasn't in a medicine cabinet. Wife used to run a floral company, still does a few orders from home. She uses crushed aspirin in the water to make the flowers last longer."
House considered this. It fit. "So the husband has a sore throat, takes an aspirin without her knowing. Realizes he has a sore throat, takes an aspirin. Realizes he's got a sore throat...stop me whenever you like." He thought for a moment. "Have Chase start him on steroids."
"I already did."
This mildly surprised House. "Then why are you telling me?"
Foreman looked evenly at House. "Because I wanted you to hear it from me." He turned and walked out of the lab, leaving House to reflect on their discussion.