Secondary Impact

by Barbara Ebel

  Penny nodded as she stood at the end of the bed. “Dr. Tilson is putting it mildly,” she said. “Think how annoyed and bored you are now about being here. Can you imagine staying here for at least another month or two?”

  “Right now, I’d rather be studying in a library for final exams than laying here,” David said.

  “We understand,” Danny said. “Yet that wouldn’t be possible either because of your daily seizures, which I am so sorry to see you go through.”

  “So what do you have in mind, Dr. Tilson?” Floyd asked.

  “I took it upon myself to brainstorm and develop a new system with the help of an engineer and neuroscientist.”

  “In essence,” Peggy interjected, “Dr. Tilson has been living in the lab for the last few weeks on your account.”

  Floyd’s jaw dropped and Tara’s eyes grew wider as David leaned forward, waiting on Danny’s next words.

  Danny waved off Peggy’s remark. “It’s become apparent that our next step forward is surgery, David. But rather than monitoring your epilepsy with the old methods we’d usually implement, I’d like to do the operation to implant a wireless system. That’s what I’ve been working on.”

  “Wireless?” David asked, then thought a second. “Like going from a dial-up email connection to a wireless network?”

  “Exactly,” Danny said.

  “Wow! How cool is that?”

  “Wait a minute,” Floyd said. “This sounds like pure science fiction. I don’t want our son being a guinea pig for a technique meant for human beings living in the twenty-fourth century.”

  “Dad, advancements are already here like robotics and artificial intelligence. Technology isn’t taking baby steps like when you were growing up; it is making exponential quantum-leaps.”

  “Including cloning and genetic engineering,” Danny added.

  “And GPS in cars,” Tara said. “And what about smart phones? They are ridiculous.”

  Floyd frowned. “I just don’t know about this.”

  “I’m not here to pressure you,” Danny said. “I’ll give you plenty of time to decide after I explain more. First of all, if my method doesn’t succeed, we’ll have to go back to the old system. But there are multiple advantages of this new plan such as a reduced risk of infection and the ability to easily extend the monitoring time. We’ll be able to more precisely identify the area of your brain causing the epilepsy and, of course, it’s wireless so you can go home. Obviously, no matter which method we use, once we discover the area of your brain responsible, then I’ll have to go back in to remove it.”

  Floyd’s shoulders sagged as he went over to his wife to reassure her. She tilted her head up to look at him but didn’t say a word.

  “Have you told Annabel about this?” David asked.

  “No. I will … if you’d like me to.”

  “I guess you or I can tell her later.

  He looked at his parents. “I want to try this,” he said as he let go of his mother’s hand. “Dr. Tilson, when can you do the surgery and where do I sign?”

  Chapter 20

  Rachel thought about it the rest of the day and couldn’t come up with a reason not to ask for a transfer over to the main OR’s GU or urology room; she had nothing to lose by asking and perhaps a lot to gain if her request was granted. Maybe helping in that subspecialty would be easier than what she was already doing. And on top of it, her court-ordered volunteer work was completed. She’d even been able to call in sick two times and not have it count as a strike against her.

  She waited around after her shift until the head nurse went back to her office where she’d be free of OR distractions. “May I come in for a moment?” Rachel asked after rapping on the open door.

  “Sure,” the snowy-haired woman said. “Have a seat, Rachel.”

  “Thanks. I won’t take up much of your time. I have a quick question but, believe me, I’m happy in the outpatient facility. I’m only wondering if I could have a change of pace, temporarily or permanently. Perhaps a transfer to the main OR’s urology room?”

  The woman leaned back. “You’re a good tech. I like to keep people happy. It’s okay with me. I have enough part-timers backed up that would like more hours.”

  “Thank you very much. Can we arrange it?”

  “I’m quite swamped. Why don’t you go over there and talk to staff. Tell them it’s okay by me.”

  Rachel went straight over through the long connecting first-floor hallway and made inquiries at the front desk of the OR. She followed the nurse in charge of personnel into the lounge, introduced herself, and expressed her desire to work in the cysto room. “The outpatient facility has nurses waiting in line for more work, so they would be happy to relocate one of us,” she said.

  The head nurse looked Rachel up and down. “Robert has been in that room for ten years and he’s sick and tired of it. We’ll be happy to oblige you. If they can really spare you in outpatient, start on Monday and you can work under Robert’s supervision for a week.”

  “Appreciate it,” Rachel said. Even though they would have to go through the trouble of training her into the position, she wouldn’t be giving them longevity back in the job. They didn’t even know, she thought, how foolish they were being.

  -----

  Danny left the ICU after talking with the Bells and put David on the OR schedule for Monday. Although he could still possibly join Sara at home for dinner, he contemplated driving over to campus and talking to Annabel. It might be better for him to personally tell her the latest update about David.

  He stopped in the doctor’s lounge, sat down, and pulled out his cell phone. After dialing and leaving a voice mail that he was headed that way, he left. She must still be ignoring me, he thought. How can his relationship with her be so messed up?

  Driving onto the college grounds, he felt twangs of sadness and yearning for his own past history on the school campus. Little did he know it then that life would never be that carefree again. Even though school work had been difficult, the experience of living among people his own age was unsurpassed by any. Other than eating and studying, playing with teens who lived all around him day after day had been special. And this campus had its own beauty. He used to love sitting on a bench alongside one of the paths where big oaks, poplars, and walnut trees lining the walkways and stately mixed architectural-style buildings were set further back. The scattering of water fountains and sculptures added to the serenity.

  He drove down a long street, turned right and moved slowly over speed bumps. Turning into the second parking lot, he got out, stood against his Lexus and texted Annabel. I’m on campus and I’m coming into your dorm. Don’t you want to hear about David?

  Watching students pass in the lot and across green lawns, he waited for a reply. A student on a bike with a light backpack came to a stop and gave Danny a nod.

  “I’m Annabel Tilson’s father,” he said as the youth locked his bike with a chain. “If you’re going in the dorm, can I follow?”

  “I know Annabel. Sure,” he answered.

  Danny followed and the teen entered his key card to the main door. “The lounge is straight ahead,” he said, then headed to the other side of the building.

  The lounge was empty but the TV was on. Danny took out his cell phone and texted again. “I’m in the dorm lounge. I’ll wait here about fifteen minutes, then I’m heading home. Hope to see you.”

  Annabel was at the snack bar above the cafeteria when Danny’s first message came. She headed over to the dorm, curious about what her father would say about David. Maybe there had been a change in his condition though she didn’t look forward to a one-on-one with Danny.

  The second text came after she reached the dorm and she walked straight to where her father was sitting. He was an odd sight; an older man with blue pants and a crisp white-collared shirt where normally there would be twenty-year-olds with ear buds or text books.

  Her face soured when she sat in an oversized leather chair, Danny at the end o
f a matching couch. “Hello,” she mumbled.

  “Glad to see you,” Danny said. “I took a chance I’d catch you.”

  “We’ll, I’m here. I’m not out tonight like other students who are dating. Some Friday nights I spend in the hospital visiting David.”

  “I just came from there. I talked to David and his parents about taking him to the OR next week.”

  “To put in that insane equipment you told me about?”

  “There’s been a modification to it.”

  “Yeah, like when hell freezes over. Did he decide to go under the knife?”

  Danny dropped the smile he’d worn when she sat down. “Yes, I’m implanting the electrodes on Monday.”

  “Well, thanks for telling me. I’ll make sure I get over there. I’ll see if I can cut any classes; otherwise, I’ll come over after I finish.” She leaned forward and her tone held a finality to the conversation so Danny didn’t feel he had an opportunity to tell her about the work he’d been doing.

  Two students walked in and noisily started a game of pool on the right side of the room. Annabel looked over and acknowledged both of them.

  “I guess I’ll head home,” Danny said. “I’ll tell your mother you said hello. I know she’ll ask me … how are you doing with your class load?”

  “Fine. Pretty good. I’m going to get into medical school even if it kills me.”

  “Don’t let that happen, sweetheart. Nothing is worth that sacrifice. And if there’s anything I can do, just holler.”

  He got up and walked out of the lounge. She followed him but veered off up the staircase to her room.

  -----

  Since it was almost eight o’clock when Danny left the campus parking lot, he called ahead to Sara, letting her know he was on his way home.

  “I’m upstairs with Casey and Mary,” Sara said. “Come say hello.”

  “I’m tired but, since tomorrow is a free Saturday and I can get up later, I’ll be there.”

  “In your dreams,” she said. “Julia is already down for the count. Since when can you sleep in with someone who’s less than four years old around?”

  Danny laughed. “Dakota isn’t exactly a late sleeper either.”

  “Well, there you go.”

  He slowly drove down their long street where a man and his dog were running and one couple was taking a walk. Lawns had greened up during the last month and, as he pulled into their double driveway, he felt happy to leave the hectic day behind and grateful to feast his eyes on the large house and expansive lot.

  Dakota gave him a robust greeting when he opened the unlocked front door. He let the dog out and walked with him around the lawn. The Chessie was at his heels when he went back inside.

  “Hey, everybody,” Danny said cheerfully, “I’m home.”

  “Aren’t you chipper after such a long day,” Casey said. Standing at the kitchen island, he nodded at a bottle of wine and a pitcher of iced tea. “What’s your pleasure?”

  “I’ll have what you’re having.” He went into the family room, kissed Sara, and went over to his sister and pecked her on the cheek.

  “How was your day?” Sara asked.

  “Besides the usual, I talked with David Bell and his parents late today about my hardware invention and he’s going to the OR on Monday for surgery. Then I went to see Annabel and give her an update. But it was only a partial update.”

  “You went over to campus?” Sara asked.

  “I did.”

  “What kind of reception did you get?” Mary asked.

  “Chilly, like a refrigerator.”

  “Sounds like progress,” Casey said, handing Danny a glass of white wine. “At least you didn’t say cold as ice.”

  “Precisely,” Danny said and sat next to Sara. He slipped off his shoes and put his feet on the coffee table. “Is Nancy downstairs?”

  “She is,” Sara said. “And Julia’s fast asleep.”

  “And how was your day?” Danny asked Sara. “Is that principal still hanging around your classroom?”

  “What’s this I hear?” Mary asked.

  “Danny’s just egging me on,” Sara said. “The principal spends more time visiting me than he should, that’s all. I’m kind of flattered but Danny knows he’s safe.”

  “It’s true,” he said, squeezing her hand. “If I were in his shoes, I’d be doing the same thing.”

  Looking over at Mary and her growing belly, Danny raised his glass. “I want to make a toast that baby Tilson-Hamilton keeps growing and maturing as healthy as can be.”

  Casey slid his legs off the ottoman and moved forward in the roomy leather chair. He raised his glass while Mary and Sara did the same. “In that case,” he said, “we have to make it a double toast.”

  “Then you mean a quadruple toast since there’s four of us,” Sara said.

  “No, Danny said baby Tilson-Hamilton,” Casey responded.

  Danny looked quizzical as Casey and Mary both smiled.

  “Am I missing something here?” Sara asked.

  “I think what Casey is toasting to is more than one Tilson-Hamilton.”

  Sara gulped. “Twins?”

  Mary rubbed her belly and nodded. Danny put his glass down and got up while Casey did the same. Elated, the two of them gave each other a shoulder grip and then Danny leaned over and gave Mary a hug.

  Sara continued sitting and had to fight back the tears. “This is the second best news after the initial news that you were pregnant,” she said slowly.

  “Congratulations to you, too, Aunt Sara and Uncle Danny,” Casey said.

  “We have the easy job,” Sara said.

  Mary switched her rubbing to counter-clockwise. “However … even though two will be a big treat, it’ll mean double the work.”

  “We’re a family,” Danny said. “We’ll do whatever it takes.”

  -----

  Danny and Sara checked on Nancy and Julia when they went downstairs. At their daughter’s door, the two adults glanced at each other and smiled; Nancy had fallen asleep, curled up on her side. When they looked in on Julia, Dakota trotted across the carpet and sniffed at her, then turned as if telling them she was okay.

  They went to their bedroom and began to undress. “They are going to make the best parents,” Sara said while unbuttoning her blouse. “And this is phenomenal. Is there any history of twins in your family?”

  “Not that I’m aware of,” Danny replied after thinking back to grandparents and great-uncles and aunts.

  “It is so exciting,” he said, “but I’m going to worry every day until Mary gets near the end of the third trimester or past the time they would be born too premature.”

  “She’ll take good care of herself and we’ll be monitoring her, too. And Casey, well, he’ll be like her guardian angel protector like he always is for this family. Like you say, although no one talks about it, he was a caretaker of that brother of his. What a loss that was for him.”

  Danny’s expression crumpled and he sat down heavily on the bed. “It didn’t happen the way you think it did.”

  “What?”

  “Tommy’s death.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Dakota nuzzled Danny’s hands, lying motionless on his lap. He put one hand on the dog’s head and rubbed.

  “When I was older, Mom told me the whole story. No one was to know. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton kept the incident quiet but, one day, Elizabeth finally confided in Mom. I guess Casey was spending so much time at our house that she just wanted Mom to know. Later after Tommy died, she even managed to get a job. Besides her migraine headaches, she had to keep busier to divert her sadness.”

  Sara continued to stand on the side of Dakota and stare at Danny. Afraid of what he was going to divulge, she brought her hands up to her mouth.

  “Anyway,” Danny said, “Tommy didn’t die from his cystic fibrosis nor was he hospitalized for it when Casey was staying with us at the time of his death.” He stopped and had to take a deep breath. “
That morning, Casey and Tommy were playing outside. As usual case, in essence, Casey was minding his younger brother. While Casey left the front of the house chasing after a cat in harm’s way, Tommy went out into the street and got hit by a car.”

  Sara sank into the bed and Dakota sat in front of Danny. “How awful,” she said. “Why was the story changed?”

  Danny glanced at her, his eyes narrowing. “Mrs. Hamilton realized the constant responsibility Casey had babysitting his younger brother. And he took it seriously. She knew Casey had run off being a Good Samaritan and hadn’t been with Tommy. She also knew that, if Casey knew the truth, he’d believe that his brother got hit by a car because he’d left him and he’d never forgive himself his entire life.

  Sara slowly nodded with understanding, her eyes becoming moist. “Are you absolutely sure it’s something you should never tell him?”

  “Absolutely. I never told him and Mary doesn’t know either. That’s the way it will be. What good would that information do for Casey except give him tremendous heartache and guilt?”

  Sara took his hand. “You’re right. And I think your mom made the correct decision to just tell you. And you have my word, I’ll never repeat it.”

  “Thanks. I feel better that you know. Now you understand things better.”

  “That’s an understatement. The both of you are remarkable.”

  Chapter 21

  Another first day at a different work situation, Rachel thought. Transferring over to the cysto room from the outpatient facility wasn’t such a big move but she did stop to consider that she was the queen of job hopping. Yet companies and hospitals had no loyalty for their employees so why should she show any allegiance to them?