Chapter 6 A Call From Past
New York Mercy Hospital.
An old doctor with a long bear and wearing small squared glasses is talking to a very attractive woman, nearby forty year old, brown hair and cat eyes.
Doctor Johns: "I really don't know how treat your son."
These words go straight and heavily to Stacey's stomach like a fist.
S: "Doctor Johns………………… you are once of the best specialists in the entire country."
D. J. : "Madame, please, I don't need compliments. Really, here you are just loosing time. I don't know how to treat your son disease."
S: "What do you suggest me? Give up?"
D. J. : "Certainly not. Go to some other hospital."
S: "We already have been to over ten different hospitals in the past four months and no one came through Richard problem."
D. J. : "Can I make a suggestion Mrs. Warner?"
S: "It will be very much appreciated."
D.J. : "In New Jersey there's the best teaching hospital I know. Is the PPTH. And there works a very valuable diagnostician, Dr Gregory………………"
S: "House." Stacey finishes his sentence.
D. J. : "Oh. Do you already know him?"
S: "Yeah. In a certain way………………………… He treated my husband about five years ago."
D. J. : "Excellent, I can immediately write a letter to Dr. Lisa Cuddy, their Dean of Medicine, and see how to arrange your son transportation there."
S: "Doctor Johns, wait. I don't know if this is the right place where to go."
D.J. : "Why?"
S: "I don't know…………………"
D. J. : "You are just upset and confused." Is understandable. You know the fact Doctor House already knows your husband medical story could be a clue."
S: "Why?"
D.J. : "At this point I'm pretty much sure that your son disease is connected to a genetic problem."
S: "So if you already know what is the problem why can't you cure him yourself?"
D.J.: "I'm not good in this branch of diagnostic, the only one I know is ……………………"
S. "House." She looks so afflicted. "May I see Richard now?"
D.J.: "Sure."
Stacey enters in his son room.
God, he looks so pale and skinny because on the disease. She forces herself to smile.
S: "Hello Honey!"
R: "Hello Mum."
S: "How are you feeling?"
R: "Tired."
S: "I know. Soon you'll be fine I promise."
R: "Mom?"
S: "Yes darling?"
R. "Why Dad is angry at me"
S: "He is not angry, he's just worried."
R: "I'm sorry for making this happened."
S: "It's not your fault."
She rubs his short dark hair.
At least his eyes have not lost their brightness jet.
There they are, big, of a bright and intense blue.
Stacey picks up a book from the desk near the bed.
S: "Here. Enjoy with your collection leafs and plants."
R: "I love them. They smell so good."
Stacey smiles.
S: "I'll be back soon."
She exits from the room. Doctor Johns is waiting for her.
D.J.: "What have you decide?"
S: "I need to talk with my husband."
Stacey goes straight to their hotel room.
When she comes in, she founds that Mark is there, looking out of the window.
M: "Hi. How is it going?"
Stacey closes the door behind her.
S: "Thanks for spending some times with our son."
M: "He's not my son."
S: "Stop it! You told me we would have carry on this together."
M: "I can't stand it any more!"
S: "Why are you giving up now? Because he's ill????"
M: "That's not the point."
S: "And what is the point?"
M: "That he's looking much more like him everyday that passes by!!!!!" He screams at her face. "I can't face that look anymore! I'm not capable to fight against it!!!!!."
S: "Thanks for trying!!!!"
Stacey sits on the bed. Her head on her hands. Mark sits on her left side and put a arm on her shoulder. M: "I'm sorry."
S: "I don't know what to do."
M: "What the doctor said?"
S: "Doctor Johns believes that Richards' disease comes from a genetic problem."
M: "So you have got the answer."
S: "I have got the answer? Is that your way of thinking? Can't you realize that actually we have got a problem?"
M: "It's a your problem. Not mine."
S. "Fine. At least I know I'm alone."
S: "I have got to save my son. And there is just one way to solve this."
She thinks for a moment and then picks up her mobile phone. Scroll the address book till a familiar number than calls.
The phone rings. A friendly voice reply: "Hello?"
S: "Hi Lisa. It's Stacey here. I need to talk to you. I have a problem."
Tomorrow will never come –
When Cuddy hang on the phone, she would like to die. How can she tells House what's going to happen.
Like he was smelling something wrong in the air House enters in her office.
H: "Morning Sunshine!"
C: "House! What do you want?" She jumps on her chair.
H: "Mmmmmh. Bad morning? Does that phone call upset you?"
C: "No……… Yeah…………… I mean………………… I'm sorry Greg."--- 'This will be a complete catastrophe' she thinks.
He sits on her desk, grabs her left hand (that one carrying the engagement ring) and kisses it softly.
H: "Anything you could tell me?"
In his way he has become a softy.
She can't tell him now, she wants him to keep his good mood at east for another day.
C: "Just forget it. Boring work stuff."
H: "Ok, I will not insist."
C: "Why don't we go out for lunch? I need some fresh air."
H: "Sure." There's something wrong, he knows it.
When they are close to the door he stops her.
H: "Cuddy, are you alright?"
She looks confused. Than places a kiss on his right cheek and smiles.
C: "Yes, I'm. I'm just tired that's all. Let's go now."
They exit.
Cuddy is hoping that tomorrow will never come.
