A Teachers Principle

Chapter Six

A Teachers Principle: Chapter Six

      A sneer spread across the hard-cut features of the man's face. “To see my brother of course.”

      “To see your brother?” I scoffed. “You haven't talked to him in over three years, Darrell!”

      “It's Uncle Darrell to you, missy.” He smiled, beaming his perfectly white teeth. Crows-feet formed in the corners of each of his eyes with his tan skin.

      “What do you want? More money? Well sorry, we're fresh out of that.” I snapped at him sarcastically.

      “No...” He shuffled his feet awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Wow, this is embarrassing. Is he going to wake up soon?”

      My cheeks burned with anger as I glared at him. “He's in a fucking coma you asshole. Maybe if you showed your face once in a while, you would know that!” My hands were clenched into fists at my side.

      “Oh.” He glanced at his brother with remorse. He pulled a chair up next to the bed, hunkering down into it. “What happened?”

      Stepping around him, I pressed the nurse call button. “You know what, I don't have time for this. You don't care anyway. You haven't visited us nor have you tried to contact us in the past thirty-six months! You are not welcome here until you return the three thousand dollars you owe my father, do you understand?”

      “But I–”

      “Get out!” I growled.

      Bridget came rushing in the room, her clipboard clasped to her chest. “Is something wrong?” She checked all the monitors, finding nothing changed.

      “Yes, I want this man removed from this room. He is not welcome to the visitation rights of my father.”

      “There will be some forms that have to be filled out by each party as well as a picture taken of him.” She nodded towards Darrell.

      “And if I do not obliged?” Darrell inquired.

      She shrugged. “Other actions may be necessary. I'll get the forms right away.” She turned and walked out of the room. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared daggers at my uncle.

      He stood up; his hands shoved down into the depths of his pockets. He walked over to the window. He spoke quietly, almost to where I couldn't hear him. “You'll have the money within the week. I'll need an address to drop of the cash. It'll be the full amount. No payments needed.”

      My eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What are you going to do? Steal the money?”

      He looked horrified by the idea. “No, of course not!”

      “Whatever. You have my number I believe, so just give me a call.”

      “Alright. It was nice to see you, Evelyn.” He nodded his head in my direction before exiting the room. He marched his suit clad form out, his head bowed down.

      Bridget came back in, handing me the paperwork. She looked around for my uncle, before turning to look at me confused. “Where did he go?”

      “He left.” I flipped through the papers, frowning at how many there were. “I have to fill out all of these just to sat I don't want that man in this room?”

      “Unfortunately, yes.” She patted my shoulder softly, a small smile on her lips. “My shifts almost over. I'll come back and check on your father before I leave, alright? Now go home, Evelyn, your father doesn't seem like he's going to change any time soon, but if something does happen, we'll call you.”

       I blew out an annoyed breath. My bangs fluttered out at the sudden rush of air that was sent upwards. “Alright. Thanks, Bridget.” I hugged her quickly.

      The halls were quiet as I walked through them. Only the faint sounds of monitors beeping could be heard. The waiting room was filled with the family and friends of other patients. Some were sleeping, while others were reading magazines or watching the TV.

      Around the corner of the hall I could hear murmurs and what sounded like a little girl crying. As I grew closer, I noticed the jabber seemed to sound angry and tinted with annoyance. My feet slowed on their own. I stopped at the corner, straining my hearing to listen to what the people were saying.

      “What do you mean? You said this time it would work!” A man said in a angry hush.

      “Well, I never said for sure.” The other said in a wobbly voice. “Her body didn’t take to the medicine. She had an allergic reaction that caused her to have mixed seizures.”

      “Mixed seizures? So she had more than one.”

      “Precisely. A mixed seizure is commonly a generalized and partial seizure that occurs in the same patient. Hers particularly were hard to detect because they were similar. Your mother had a complex partial seizure and an absence seizure. The first one she endured just the symptom of a blank stare with no awareness of it. After, she had no remembrance of the seizure. The absence seizure is one that generates a disturbance in her consciousness or awareness per-say. She was unresponsive for several seconds. A very short period of time.”

      “What happens now?”

      “Her only other option is to try another treatment. The treatment however is under study still, there is high risk. We don’t fully know the side effects or even whether the medicine will work.”

      I peeked around the corner, trying to see who was talking. My eyes widened in shock and my heart pounded in my chest. It was Corey and little Annie May. They were thankfully facing the doctor, their backs to me.

      Slinking back, I pressed the button for the elevator. It binged before the metal doors opened. I stepped in quickly, pressing the ground floor button.

      His mother has cancer.