The Shadow

Chapter 20 (Another Day)

"I cannot believe him Richard! Sometimes I think he can't do worse but he ends up surprising me with his stupidity." Stuart sipped his cola, talking to his friend just to feel a little relieved. He could not trust John's action to anybody else except for Richard and his girlfriend who happened to be sitting next to him. Astrid was cuddling a pillow as she listened for the thousandth time this day how John ended up burning this McCartney's case.

"Stuart darling, it's alright. There's nothing that can't be fixed." she spoke with her thick German accent. She had ended up staying over the night with her boyfriend in his apartment just to keep him company and help him calm down. Although the last she had not managed to succeed.

"Astrid is right Stuart. John did what he thought was right. He did not harm anyone by this action. And although it was stupid, I'll agree with you at this point, the world of science can do even without Paul's case." Richard looked between the two people sitting in front of him. Astrid nodded and took Stuart's hand in hers, caressing it lightly as the boy looked confused as can be and the disbelief in his eyes was evident. He went on anyway.

"And as if that was not enough, he won't tell his father, until he returns at least, and his mind is always back on this hideous boy."

Richard smirked as the other boy huffed in irritancy. He could not understand the reason why Stuart was so negative towards Paul. It was as if he was afraid Paul took John away from him. He saw Paul as a threat for their friendship.

"Maybe he cares about him." he shrugged as if he had just only thought about it. Such a terrible lie.

"He shouldn't." Stuart snapped, "And you are okay with John caring for a sick boy?"

"Paul is not sick Stuart. So far he is working very well and there's nothing out of the ordinary that we have to worry about. After all, he is a very nice lad indeed. I can tell you that."

"Of course. After all, you promised John to look out for McCartney. Right?"

"Stuart. You are just confused." Astrid tried but was cut off by Stuart's shouts.

"Can't you understand that John's actions can ruin our center?! If we do nothing important and we do not have even one serious case, they can close down the center. Screw the glory and our good image we would gain if we presented a good case! We and many others might lose our jobs. Doesn't this worry you?"

The room stayed silent after that. Richard considered Stuart's words. And even though he might be exaggerating mostly just because of jealousy he was kind of right. The business did not go as well as the previous years and only its good image remained.

Paul's case was the best they had had in a while. Even Stuart's father had said so. It was interesting, difficult and complicated. And the fact that their work on him was getting on well would show the other doctors' in the session their abilities and they would realize that the center was still very much active and coped with serious business. They would gain trust and fame around the whole country.

If they were proven useless, and their cases were not even that important, why not just transport many of them , fire others and close the clinic? A clinic that Dr. Lennon and Dr. Sutcliffe had put so much effort on and sacrificed their lives to see it become real. And even though he understood John very well and he would even congratulate him for his decision, he was not fond of being without a job.

He had to talk to someone. Someone who would listen and even help him out, to make a right decision. He needed to call George.

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