Karen sat across from her new doctor, Drew, or Dr. Sheard, as the nurses told her to call him. He had grown up well if she could say so herself. Initially, she hadn't recognized him because it had been so long.
She hadn't seen Drew since he went off to college initially. Her family had been off on the road ever since, only returning home when there was a break in between albums.
She remembered how shocked he looked when he first saw her, how Dr. Winans had to pull him out of the room because he startled her and how his voice echoed down the hall as he kept asking Dr. Winans what had happened to her.
She knew that everyone in here thought that she had become this empty shell with no recollection of anything or anybody, but it was the picture she had to paint in order to remain. The only sign of recognition she ever gave was to her sister, Jacky, because she was now the head nurse and never stopped coming to see her.
She remembered that Drew had a little brother, Ethan. She'd seen Ethan every now and then, as he walked the streets heading toward his school. If she estimated correctly, he would be starting college around this time, but she wasn't sure. Her perception of time had been altered since stepping foot in this place.
She watched attentively as Drew made sure all his things were in order before he went over to the tape recorder to turn it on. She hated being recorded in these sessions, Dr. Winans had introduced it about two doctors ago. It's not like she said anything to be recorded, they were mainly filled with her doctors asking her questions she never answered anyway.
She wanted to let Drew know that this would be a waste of his time. He wouldn't get anything out of her. Nobody ever would because she couldn't leave this place.
Jacky had told her that she would stick with two sessions a week - Tuesdays and Thursdays. It was Wednesday. Drew hadn't been ready to take on anybody the previous day so they moved her Tuesday session to today.
She followed Drew's hand as it pressed the record button that lit up the red light on the tape. He walked back over to his comfy chair opposite the sofa she sat upright on and clutched his clip board where he would write his notes for today.
Karen knew that he would write the same thing as the past four doctors - no progress.
"Karen," Drew began. "I don't want you to think that I'm going to force you to respond. There's clearly something that's inhibiting you from speaking to your doctors. So, whenever I may ask a question, you can nod or shake your head. That will do for now. Is that okay with you?"
Karen paused before deciding if she would give him any sign of a response. Then she thought, if she still didn't speak, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
She nodded.
Drew smiled, pleased with her cooperativeness.
"I was reading the notes from your former doctors. They all said pretty much the same thing, but your second doctor, Dr. Newton, was the most helpful to me."
Karen remembered Dr. Newton. She was a sweet lady, around her age. She would rarely see her these days but when she did, the doctor would always give her a smile as she passed her.
She got the most out of her. She saw the best in her. She saw the worst of her.
"You stopped speaking under her care," Drew continued. "Her notes make an insinuation that your family's lack of visiting contributed to it. Do you think so?" He watched her body language after asking the question.
Karen chose not to respond. However, Drew didn't miss the way her eyes slightly shifted. He concluded that it had to be a factor.
