At ODDS - Chapter 4

Chapter 4
BURYING THE HATCHET

It was three in the morning. Jay silently slipped into her office without anyone watching. With her was a large box and a few sheets of packing styrofoam. She quickly started to empty her desk. She knew what she was to do. She already planned to resign. That way, there would be no strain between the hospital's board and the doctors.
It was a coup on the part of the board. That group of filthy rich men and women who did not give a damn about the dying man in room 199, or the comatose woman in 407. Neither did they give a hint of concern over the contents of the morgue. All these people wanted twas to have a wing on their name, or to be granted the title as the most generous philanthropist. They did not know a thing about raising the dead. As a matter of fact, that is what she did to Gary Marin. He was clinically dead but she brought him back. She did this like Jesus Christ raised Lazarus. The only difference was Gary Marin can;t lift himself up and go home. He was in the ICU comatose.
She was in front of the computer monitor fixing the files she'd have to turn over to the next supposed General Surgeon. Yeah. This is the world of medicine. You are looked on as a god, but the slightest "error" would make you nothing more than the murderer in Alcatraz.
Part of her, however, was still a doctor. Someone who was to make sure there would be less suffering in the Earth. And resigning and going into god knows what occupation would do nothing to alleviate the pain she was trying hard to wipe away.
She paused in the middle of her work and felt the urge to go to the ICU. To see Gary Marin one last time. To see how he was doing. Even if the board had the local court issue a restraining order for her not to go near the room of Gary Marin.
Even then, She stood up and picked up her wits to go to see her last patient. She left the office and went to the elevator. Her mission was to see him and him the best of luck. Probably he'd hear her. Probably not.
She got out of the elevator and went to the ICU. There was no nurse at nurses' station. Good, she thought. She was lucky there was nobody there or else they would have to call the police. There were no guards posted at the doorway of Gary Marin's room either. She slipped into the doorway of the room. The lights were on and she heard voices. There must be someone aside form her patient.
She leaned closer to the opening and saw the burly body of Arnie at the bedside holding Gary's right hand. He was saying something but she couldn't quite hear. She moved closer to the door.
"I promised to give you everything. Now if I can only give back your life." He was crying. Yes, the mean Arnie Marin was crying. Pouring his sentiments. Talking to his comatose brother in the hope that he would speak again.
Jay was touched. He really must love his brother that much. As she heard from Dr. David, they were the only siblings.
Arnie looked like a father this time. He looked like he aged. In between the sobs, all she can comprehend was that he was blaming the world for this misfortune. And the doctor, too.
Jay was about to leave when she noticed something in the face of Gary Marin. Was it? Could it have been the twitching of his mimetic muscles? She thought she saw his lips move. And his cheek rise. Was it what she thought it was?
Arnie was not sobbing anymore but had his head rested on the lifeless hand. Just then Jay saw the lips move. He was coming to. She was unable to stop herself. She entered the room and approached the bedside. This action of course alerted Arnie. He stood up and was caught off guard. In any case he was ready to collar her when she spoke.
"Your brother's coming too." She said in the most cool tone she could muster.
Arnie was immobile. He was about to speak, probably cash at her again. But he stopped for he too noticed the twitching of the lips. His eyes stared at Jay with wonder as she attended to his brother. In a few minutes, there was a sound from his throat. Gary was trying to say something.
Jay took hold of the buzzer to call for nurses. In a few minutes there were half a dozen who helped Jay give the patient attention. Then as they were busy helping him gain consciousness, he said the word, "Arnie." Then his eyelids fluttered.