America found herself curled up in the chair next to Maxon's bed, Gerad on the other side of the bed in a different chair, holding his son in his lap. Dr. Macky stood at the foot of Maxon's bed, waiting for America's response with bated breath. But she couldn't even form a coherent thought. She didn't know where to begin with formulating a proper response to that.
"This is impossible for me to decide," America finally told him. "You're the doctor, aren't you supposed to make all of these decisions?"
Dr. Macky frowned. "This is a matter of your own wishes America. He's been in this coma for three weeks with no sign of improvement."
"He hasn't been getting worse either!" she finally reminded him. "How am I supposed to give up on him when he clearly isn't giving up?"
"It isn't as much a matter of his infection anymore. Now I'm more worried about the cognitive affects and also muscular atrophy. Most of the time, comas are more for buying time until a family is ready to let go."
America stood up. "And if I'm not?" she exclaimed.
"Ames…" Gerad began in a warning tone, eyeing her warily. She noticed how she never seemed to be alone in the hospital anymore. One of her siblings that were staying in the palace was always with her, or even Christian, probably for situations like these where there needed to be someone who could speak for her that could also think more clearly.
Dr. Macky sighed. "I'll let you think it over. Just know, that the longer he's in the coma, the more vegetative he will be."
"Vegetative?" she repeated, practically shouting. "Are you calling my husband, your king, a vegetable?"
The door opened and a stranger walked suddenly. "I hear raised voices," he said as he walked in. Everyone in the room stopped, confused at this strange man that had joined their presence. He spoke in a thick German accent, sending shivers down America's spine as she could only imagine what his purpose for being there was. Was he there to kill them all? To take over the throne? These were the things that occupy a One's nightmares and daydreams. The man smiled at their confusion. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Doctor Freud Viehmeyer, you can all call me Freud. I heard a young man is in need of a life-saving blood cell surgery."
America stepped back, not able to take her eyes off the doctor. Dr. Macky seemed at a complete loss of words. Gerad was the one to speak up. "How did you know?" he asked. They had not told the press the details of Maxon's condition, just that his health was failing. Donations and notes of sympathy had been pouring in but America refused to touch the pile of tokens from her citizens.
"Never mind how I know! I am here to help!" he exclaimed cheerily. He finally looked at Maxon. "I'm assuming this is the young man?"
That made America snap to attention. "Careful, he's a king," she warned.
"But not my king. However, my sovereigns do send their regards. They were deeply saddened to hear of young Maxon's poor fate. Of course I told them the real story, not that carefully optimistic bullshit you've been feeding to the public here in Illéa." He moved over next to Maxon's bed and looked at the various monitors that were attached to him. "Heart rate…blood pressure…yes, I see…yes…" he mumbled as he started taking notes on a small notepad. Then he looked up at America. "The surgery will take place this afternoon at three o'clock. I must have time for my doctors and colleagues to set up the equipment necessary in your operating room…"
America raised a hand to stop him. "Surgery? What surgery?"
"The surgery that you requested," he said slowly, like the answer was obvious. "Mr. Orders did not say anything to you?"
"Orders?" America repeated. "You mean my brother-in-law James?" James and Kenna had been with his family in Carolina since they left and Graham was only there long enough to yell at America. She had barely heard from them, just the occasional update from Kenna on how the family was doing.
Dr. Freud shook his head. "No. Graham Orders."
"Graham? But he…I haven't talked to him in weeks." Gerad's eyes flashed up to look at her. She forgot that no one knew about his brief visit but her. She shook her head to clear it as Doctor Freud cleared his throat.
"In any case, he sent this for me to give to you with the instructions to force you to let me perform this surgery."
America frowned. "I don't know. I mean, how were you able to find a surgery to fix this? It's a very rare case."
"Let's just say that I've had very little sleep this past month. There were a few cases very similar to this back in Germany and they are all healthy – robust even."
"The money you must have needed…" her voice trailed off. Her mind had never been good at wrapping itself around large sums of money anyway but she could recall the money she saw they were dishing out for cancer research every month. For such a specialized and rare case, the total must have been astronomical. Finally she nodded. "If you are sure the surgery won't endanger my husband's health further, you may proceed."
"Your Majesty…" Dr. Macky began humbly but America held up a hand.
"This is what is going to happen: your surgery will take place this afternoon, at three o'clock, and if, by Saturday, Maxon's health has shown no sign of improvement you Doctor Freud will be taken into custody. If he has improved by then, we will reward you most honorably."
Dr. Freud shook his head. "No reward necessary Your Majesty. It is my pleasure to serve the king of Illéa and his family." He made a funny face to Gerad's son, still sitting in his father's lap.
America took the letter from Dr. Freud and saw her name scrawled across the front of an envelope and excused herself. She stepped out into the hallway and sat down on what had become her favorite bench. This time of day, the sun poured through and warmed the square of floor it fell upon. She unfolded the letter and started reading.
Your Majesty (America),
Take Dr. Freud's surgery as a penance of my gratitude for your offer. I do appreciate your compassion, especially with the reality being that I have never had such an extension of hospitality from a woman I am not related to since my wife passed. However, I feel I must be clearer on why I had to decline. You are an incredible woman America Schreave, fearsome even, but I want to be your friend and only your friend. Maxon is your husband for a reason; you love him. I did not say no to you because I do not have feelings for you America but because I wanted you to be able to appreciate the time you have left with him.
But you see, with this surgery, I hope that you won't have to say goodbye to him for a long time. My feelings for you developed quickly America and it may seem inappropriate but I suppose that is my reason for giving you this. I don't want you to lose him. I don't want you to have to go through the same pain I did.
Thank you for being a friend,
Graham Orders
America sighed and folded the letter up again. She needed some answers about just who Graham Orders was. How was it that he had the money and resources to gift her this? She headed up to the second floor and stood outside May's door. With a hesitant knock, she cracked the door open. When she walked inside, she lost her breath.
May had been hard at work since America had last visited. Almost every inch of wall was covered with art. She couldn't remember giving permission for May to have art supplies but she suspected that her father smuggled some in. May was crouched over a sketchpad on her bed, scribbling something out in red pencil. "What do you want?" May snapped at America.
America brushed it off and approached May, knowing that she needed to persevere in order to get through this conversation and get the answers she wanted. "I have some questions for you."
"Yes, no, probably, all of the above, none of the above, true, false, I hope not. Does that suit you?" she answered, not looking away from her work. America sat down on the edge of the bed. "Don't sit there," May said quickly, her eyes flashing up to look at America before looking down at her sketchpad again. "Don't think that I'm unaware of what you're doing here. I know you're holding me prisoner so that when Maxon dies you can come up here and blame me."
With a frown, America shook her head. "No, I'm keeping you here because it's probably best."
"Did you ever think that I have a family to look after as well? My own children, my own husband…"
"Don't try to trick me into letting you go. I've done my research. You left your family two months ago," America told her.
May rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"
"How do you know Graham?" America asked bluntly.
May hesitated before setting her pencil down and looking up at America. "What do you want to know about him?"
"Job?"
"President of a medical research foundation."
"Caste?"
"Um, there are no castes."
"Before there weren't castes."
"Two."
"How?"
May sighed and licked her dull lips. "He was a doctor; a good doctor. He's brilliant and ahead of his time as far as medical technology is concerned. He was a head doctor overseeing three provinces at once and then after his wife died, he became a sponsor to this branch of research dedicated to rare diseases. It took off with his help and now he's one of the wealthiest people in Illéa."
"If that is the case, how have I not heard of him?"
"Because he's been on sabbatical for the last year. He actually delivered my last baby but that's beside the point. When I ran away from my family – because my husband found out who I was – he found me alone and hungry and close to death. He nursed me back to health and then brought me back here."
America frowned. "What happened with your family?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm not with them anymore, that's that. Any other questions?"
"One more: have you been talking to Graham?"
May slowly nodded. "I've been updating him on Maxon's condition. That's how he knew what to research in order to find the cure."
America took all of it in, trying to lock it into her brain. "So…I guess that's all I need to know," she said quietly. "May, I'm sorry I haven't been the best hostess."
"You don't have to be hostess Ames. You just have to be my sister," May said softly, suddenly holding her older sister's gaze.
With a curt nod, America walked out and pulled the door shut behind her.
Finally got my laptop so I am now up and running fully again with all of my Fanfics...except that i leave for holiday with my family tomorrow. haha. but, i do have my laptop so i will be able to update while i'm away.
so i had a lot of people complaining about America's relationship with Graham. Here's the thing: i can't tell you about it yet. i just typed the whole explanation of it and deleted it because i realized that i was giving away the whole ending. sorry, you're going to have to wait for me to explain. anyways, thanks for the reviews! there's only four chapters left!