McConnell House

1932 Redux Part 2

Ted was having a horrible nightmare.

“Ted.”

He was dreaming that his wife had shot him.

“Ted.”

Why couldn't he dream the one where he is on an island in the pacific. Stranded, and at the mercy of the horny Amazons who ruled the place.

“Ted!”

Ted opened his eyes. He was going to give whoever was yelling his name a piece of his mind. He sat up only to fall back again; it felt like someone was stabbing the back of his head with an ice pick.

“Whoa there buddy. One step at a time.”

Ted opened his eyes again. Standing above him with a concerned look that couldn't look more fake on his face was his colleague and rival; Dr. Patterson. Standing next to him, the cause of the fake concerned look; Nurse Michelle.

“How are you feeling, Ted? I bet you have quite the headache there.” Dr. Patterson said. He smiled down at Ted, like he was talking to his son who just got a boo boo.

“What happened?” the voice coming out of Ted's mouth sounded weak, and distant. Ted wouldn't have believed it belonged to him if he didn't just say the words.

Dr. Patterson and Nurse Michelle looked at eachother. The smile was gone from Dr. Patterson's face, replaced with a frown. Nurse Michelle looked like she was about to cry. Dr. Patterson visibly sighed, preparing to do his bad news voice. Ted had seen him do it a million times, telling people a loved one died or they had an incurable disease, or yes you have the clap.

“You don't remember what happened?”

“What are you talking about?” The last thing he remembered was going over to Betty’s for a house call. He was about to get down and dirty when he must have fallen asleep and had that terrible dream. But how did he wake up here? The sharp pain destroying his brain didn’t help his thought process.

Dr. Patterson didn’t answer, not wanting to go on. Nurse Michelle elbowed him to get him jump started.

“Your wife. She shot you and the girl you were making a house call on. She then turned the gun on herself. I’m afraid that she’s dead.”

Ted stared at them like they just told him flying squirrels came from Pluto. They were telling him his nightmare had been real. Agatha then killed herself. He had been married to her for almost eight years. They had met in Toronto when they were in their twenties. Back then Ted had been struggling with his studies, trying to get a medical degree. His marks were too low to hold onto his scholarship. That is when he met Agatha. Life saving Agatha. She had paid his tuition, and Ted studied like he never studied before. He then cheated on his final exam.

They had been through so much together since then. He couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t believe his luck! He had been looking to get out of their marriage for years, but was worried that a divorce would negatively affect his practice. Now the old ball and chain offed herself! He would kiss her if he hadn’t stopped doing that two years ago, and that she was now dead. He was a free man.

Patterson and Michelle must have been wondering what was going through his mind, as Ted just sat there staring at them while he processed the information they just gave him.

“The poor man. He’s in shock.” Michelle clasped her hands together against her ample bosom, giving Ted a look like he was a lost puppy.

Patterson frowned at her, no doubt disliking the pretty Nurse’s attention to his rival, Ted thought.

“How long have I been under?”

Patterson frowned again. Ted thought it was more for Michelle’s benefit then him, he and Patterson were not on friendly terms.