by T A Ford
He couldn’t. He glared at the doctor. He wanted nothing more than to grab him by his pencil neck and snap it. Maura forced him to turn his head and look at her. “Rodney, please. You know Dina isn’t well. Let the doctors help her. Cue messed her up. We have to let them help her.”
Tears streamed down his face. “I promised her they wouldn’t do this to her. She isn’t crazy.”
“Come on, come on,” she said and pulled him out of his sister’s hospital room to the hall. The moment they were in the hall she hugged him. He felt some of his fear lessen when she hugged him. And then his shame and guilt over his actions came down with crushing force. He broke. Maura kept him standing as he cried and clung to her.
“It’s my fault. You’re right. It’s all on me. I should have been here. I shouldn’t have left her. You were right about me. You were right!”
“No. I wasn’t.” She made him lift his face and held it in her hands. “You only did what you could to give her the life you knew she needed. You are always there for her. So be here for her now.”
“Why did you come back?” he sniffed and stepped back. “I thought you hated me?”
“I lost a man that loved me Rodney. I hurt Tyrone by sleeping with you. I had to deal with that. I’m here for you both. Not because of anything I want with you. But because Dina needs us to help her. I had to come.”
He wiped his eyes with his hands and leaned against the wall. She was right. He counted down his anxiety to get his emotions under control. He looked at Maura and felt another deep sense of loss. Sheila was making threats. She said she’d report him to the police. He ignored all her texts. He spent every waking minute at the hospital. It was all he could do. Rodney sat down in the chair next to him. He dropped his head into his hands and leaned forward. He had run from the responsibility of Dina since his father died and his mother was admitted into a mental hospital. He used money and comfort to cover his guilt. But he never really tried to understand her. Maybe the doctors were right. Maybe she had his mother’s illness. How the fuck would he know?
“Rodney?” Maura said. “Rodney, look up.”
He lifted his face from his hands. At first he looked at Maura. Maura was looking down the hall. His head turned. Two officers and three men in dark suits approached. Sheila had made good on her threats.
“Fuck,” he sighed.
The man a step ahead of the group spoke first. “Rodney Tyrell Erickson, you are under arrest for failure to appear to a federal court summons, on charges of securities fraud. You have the right to remain silent—” The agent nodded for the handcuffs to be put on Rodney.
Maura stepped back, looking at him with panic in her eyes.
“My attorney is William Jacobs. He’s out of East Cobb. Call him. Maura! Stay with her! Don’t leave her. Please! Call my attorney—” he yelled back at her as he was forced to leave with the agents.
DINA OPENED HER EYES to the sound of someone entering the room. She felt so sluggish she could barely move her head. It was how she was now. She’d been in hospital for a week. Day after day she felt numb and sluggish. She had to be fed and helped to the bathroom. She could do nothing but retire to bed and sleep.
Maura didn’t seem to notice she was awake. She entered the room with a shopping bag. Dina blinked at her visitor. She moved her hand. The past week was a swirl of confusion. There were times she was awake. Times when she was aware of the presence of others. But most times she languished in an in between state.
“Dina?” Maura said. “You awake sweetie?”
“Doc?” she asked.
“The doctor will come soon,” Maura said. “How do you feel?”
Dina tried to lift her wrists but could not. She looked down at her restraints. They were on her wrists and feet. “Why am I tied? Where is Rodney?”
“It’s a long story, the doctor will be in later today to explain it to you.”
“Doc?” she said. “Cue?”
“Oh? Oh no, Dina. Cue... uhm... he’s not here.”
“He’s alive?” Dina asked.
Maura touched her face. “Yes sweetie, he’s fine. You’re the one that was hurt. Do you remember what you did?”
“I tried to stop them from fighting. Rodney was going to kill him. I had to find a way to make them stop hurting each other.”
“You nearly killed yourself. Everyone was afraid for you. We were all so worried,” Maura said.
“Please un-cuff my wrists. Please. It’s scary. I’m not crazy Maura. I just need to see Doc. And then we can explain our love to Rodney. I can fix this. I can. Please?”
“Shhh,” Maura said. “Don’t get upset.”
“I can’t,” Dina panted. She found it difficult to breathe lying on her back. She tried to raise herself, but the strain brought so much pain and exhaustion she dropped back down. “Call Doc. Tell him I’m awake. Please!”
“I brought you some clothes,” Maura said. “When the doctor comes and explains everything, we’ll get you dressed. And then they are going to move you. Physically, you’re well. You’re much better. We just got to stay strong, mentally.”
“What?” Dina eyes stretched. “Where are they taking me?”
“To a place that can help you. Dr. Robinson said it’s one of the best. He’s going to make sure that you get better.”
“I can’t. I have a job. And it’s going to be Christmas. Doc is taking me to meet his family. I have packing to do. Jack needs his visit to the vet. I have to go home.”
“Dina, you stabbed yourself in the chest. We have to make sure you’re okay.”
“No. Tell Rodney I’m sorry we lied to him. Let me explain it to him. He promised me he wouldn’t do this ever. I can’t go to that place. Like they did my mama. She went crazy in there. She never came out.” Dina began to sob. “I saw it Maura, I saw her go crazy. She killed herself. Please don’t send me there. Please.... I’m begging. Please.”
Maura hugged her the best she could. She kissed her brow. “Trust me. I am going to be there with you. I am going to make sure that you get out of there fast. But you have to trust me.”
“Doc! Call Cue. Dooooocccccc! Where is he? Call him. He knows what to do Maura! Dooooc!” she screamed for him as loud as she could. Maura did everything to calm her, but soon the nurses came. They also tried to calm her, but Dina wouldn’t trust them. She wanted freedom. She’d claw their eyes out to get it.
“I’M SORRY. I’M SORRY. I just don’t understand any of this,” Maura wept. Dina’s head turned to the right. She wasn’t asleep, she wasn’t awake. She was somewhere in between. She could barely move or speak. She could only watch and listen.
“It’s okay. It’s part of it,” Dr. Robinson said. “We have to get her moved to Clearview. It is the best behavioral therapy clinic in the country. It’s for her own good. Do you know how we can get in touch with her brother?”
“I called his attorney. I think he can get him to sign over the papers you asked for. I’m just a friend. I want to help her, but this might be too much for her. Is there a way she can come home with me. To recover?” she sniffed.
“Not in the state she is now. We’ll need conservatorship.”
Dina eyes stretched. She knew plenty about the word ‘conservatorship’. Dina pleaded with her eyes for Maura to look her way, but Maura was equally distressed as she paced the floor. If there was any hope, it would be Maura. Nothing she heard made sense. Cue was gone but alive. Rodney in jail? How did any of it happen.
“She’s awake!” Maura gasped. She walked over and smiled down at her. “It’s okay. You are going to be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”
Dina blinked and tears slipped down her cheeks. She felt dead inside. The doctor and Maura left. She was alone. Dina closed her eyes. She relaxed and tried to focus her energy to her limbs. If she could move her hands and feet she could possibly shake free of the paralysis. But nothing happened. She wanted to scream. She knew her mouth was open, but nothing escaped. She couldn’t even speak.
What h
ad she done to deserve this?
It was her worst nightmare materialized.
Where was Doc?
Where was her brother?
4
Chapter Nineteen
Redemption Song
Cue turned over to his back. Something wet and sticky squished underneath him. It had been three and half weeks since his fight with Rodney, since Dina had taken the knife to her chest. Once again, Jack was barking. He opened his eyes. The ceiling was so far above, the shadows in his home prevented him from seeing it clearly. Before he shut down mentally and physically, he tried taking Jack out for walks, but it was harder each day, with his drinking and blackouts. He and Jack were trapped. So, Jackie-boy had been forced to do the unthinkable more than once.
Then he heard it. A different sound over Jack’s barking. A buzzer. It was his door buzzer.
Cue frowned. No one visited. He had transferred his patients. He gave Molly a severance and let her go. He told his mother he had to take a trip. He would miss Christmas. Mentally, he was done. Without Dina, he was going insane. He’d drained his accounts. The building manager left a notice on the door saying that he’d have to vacate. They took her from him. Shut him out of her life. He had nothing.
The buzzer rang.
Whoever it was knew he was inside. Jack stood at the door barking ferociously. Did Jackie-boy eat today? His visitor should be wary. There was no hope for them. Of course, Cue had the training to know the mental sickness he was suffering. He knew the ways to combat it. But he didn’t want to. If she was in hell, then he should be too. He couldn’t even get up to answer the door.
“Cue? I know you’re in there! Please! It’s Maura. Remember me? Please! Open up!”
Cue sat upright too abrupt. His head swam and dizziness blurred his vision. Maura? Why would she come? He pushed himself up from the floor. The apartment was littered with the packaging from the Doordash-delivery meals he’d been living on. A half-eaten quesadilla was stuck to his back and had to be peeled off. He knocked over empty bottles of liquor as he made his way to the door.
“Dr. Walsh? Cue? I need to talk to you! Please! It’s about Dina!” Maura pressed the buzzer so hard Jack began to growl. Cue grabbed his pooch by the collar and took him to the bedroom and closed the door. Jack continued to snarl and bark. He walked in the darkness to the door. His electricity had been shut off a week ago. He opened the door, if for no reason other than to stop the incessant buzz of the doorbell.
Maura looked up at him in shock.
“Are you sick?” she asked.
He didn’t bother to answer. He turned and walked back through his million-dollar penthouse that didn’t belong to him and started to move clothes and garbage to make a place less vile for a visit. She stood there with her hand to her nose, seeking to block out the smell. She looked around in disgust.
“I would offer you something to drink but I don’t have anything. Why are you here?”
“What happened? To you? And what is that smell?” she gagged.
“Dog shit, dog piss, dog vomit, garbage and a backed-up toilet. Me? I’m good ol’ Cue. Never been better.” He only went to the cabinet for a garbage bag to pretend that he cared about the state of things. He really didn’t.
“I tried your office, they told me you were on leave. I’ve called every number Rodney had for you. His lawyer was the one that told me that the owner of the building has served to evict you.”
“So, you’re here to give Rodney the news? To help him gloat? Tell him he won. I’ll be out of Atlanta in a few days.”
“No! You asshole. I’m here for Dina! Remember her?” Maura said.
Cue looked over to her.
“Do I remember? Take a look around you. This is all because I can’t stop remembering. My memory is good sweetheart. You were the one at the hospital working to get me kicked out. Remember that?”
Maura’s bottom lip quivered. “That was a mistake.”
“No. It was the right move. Glad you did it. Woke me the hell up,” Cue mumbled.
“She needs your help,” Maura pleaded.
“I have no way to help her. You have no idea what I’m dealing with,” Cue sad.
“I don’t care,” she said. “You hear me? I. Don’t. Care. Since you started her on this path, her life has completely come apart. They have her in a facility like the one they put her mother in. They have her on drugs. She’s a zombie. Catatonic on most days, or just talking nonsense on others. That doctor you put in charge of her has entered her into some trial study. He’s abusing her worse than anything you ever did.”
“What?” Cue frowned. “Abuse?”
“He’s convinced the courts that she’s dangerous. I’m cut off. That means she has no one.”
“What is Rodney doing?”
“Rodney is in jail. I can only talk to him through his lawyer. It’s a federal case, he got involved in some crazy Ponzi investment scheme. It’s all over the news. Hello!”
Cue looked to the television he hadn’t turned on in weeks and then to her. His fogged mind was beginning to clear. “Ponzi?”
“They believe he was involved in selling unregistered investments. I don’t even know what that means. What I do know is that he signed her over to the care of that fucking doctor. And now I am afraid for her. You got her into this. She trusted you. She loved you, you fucking asshole. Do something to help her!”
“I’m the asshole? What about you!”
“What?” she took a step back.
“You have been meddling and interfering since the day you found out I love her.”
Maura rolled her eyes “Oh, please...”
“Shut up! Shut you fucking mouth! That’s right love. I love her. Everything I did for her was out of love. Can you say the same?” Cue shouted at her.
“I would never hurt Dina. Ever!”
“You called Rodney knowing damn well what this would do. You had them kick me out of the fucking hospital. Told them about our affair. Why? So you could be his main woman again? You that fucking desperate? Was all of your meddling to protect Dina or just to ride Rodney’s dick?”
She slapped him so hard it sobered him. She burst into tears. “You are disgusting. Evil!”
“I shouldn’t have said that,” he mumbled.
“Fuck you asshole! Okay? I was wrong to do what I did but so were you. And now she has no one. You want to attack me fine. But you have to help her. You fucking asshole!”
He sighed. He put his face in his hands. He let go another deep sigh and looked at her with a clearer mind. “How do you know that he has her on different medicine?”
“Rodney’s attorney has been able to get updates. He said the doctor still believes she’s suicidal. That he is recommending a long-term plan for her. He says the doctor thinks her hallucinations and talking to herself means she could be schizophrenic.”
Cue dropped his elbows on the counter and lowered his head into his hands. He should have done something from the start. They forced him out. He let them win, by believing in the worst in himself. However, from the very start this wasn’t about his practice or debts to Rodney. This was about love. His love for the only woman that made him feel something real again. He let her go because he was weak. Not anymore. They can’t have her. They won’t win. Robinson, Rodney, Maura, Bridget all of them that doubted him were wrong. Dina believed in him. Dina needed him.
“I need all the information the attorney has from Dr. Robinson. Everything. And I need you to call this person.” He walked over to the drawer and removed the notepad and pen. “Tell them you are a relative and need to speak to Director Rahul Singh. He is the one in charge. Get an emergency appointment for a visit exactly five days from now. The director can you get in front of a judge even faster to reverse the conservatorship order after you provide him the evidence to support your claim. Make sure you have Rodney’s attorney with you, and make sure he understands that your next stop is Channel 46 news.”
“What evidence?”
&nbs
p; “I’ll work on that,” he ripped off the sheet of paper he’d been writing on. “Write down the attorney contact information for me to send the evidence to.” He handed over the paper he’d scribbled on, and the pad and pen.
“Five days is too long,” she said, jotting down the instructions he had given her.
“I’ll have her out of there in the next forty-eight hours.”
“How much should I tell this Singh person?” she asked.
“Everything you know about me and Dina. How we met, what she told you. What happened here when she had her breakdown. I want you to report me to the director as well as Robinson. In the meantime, have Rodney’s attorney go to the courts ahead of you visiting Singh. If the request for a review is already underway, he can’t turn down the meeting. When the authorities get involve and issue a warrant for my arrest, you let me know. I’ll bring her to you only then.”
“Bring her to me? From where?”
“Dina is in there because of what Rodney and I did. I can’t undo the past. To fix the present, I have to give them something that Dina can’t. A defense. Me.”
“What will happen to you? If we do it this way?”
“It’s illegal in Georgia for a psychiatrist to have a sexual relationship with a patient. I’ll be arrested. I’ll lose my license, and if I can prove that Dr. Robinson mismanaged her case, he will suffer the same consequences.”
“There has to be another way. Right? This doctor is out of control. We can expose him.”
“She doesn’t have time for that. We need to get to her now. We’ll see if Robinson does anything when I remove her. I wondered why he never reported me when he found out about Dina and I. He’s legally bound to do so. We aren’t friends. Why risk it? Now I know. He wanted this outcome. If he reports that I’ve taken her from Clearview, then he has to expose his treatment of her. He’s not going to do that.”
“But why? And why Dina?”
“He’s had a trial study that was losing funding. He’s been looking for new patients. I never thought Dina was on his radar, or even a candidate. I think he’s taken advantage of what happened here to force her into the study. With her family history he can make these links he wants to behavioral science. And since Dina isn’t suffering from the psychosis he claims she is, he can credit her ‘recovery’ to his treatment. If he doesn’t fry her brain in the process.”