by Linda Hanna
Cora sat in silence as diesel fumes of a passing Valley Metro Bus permeated the car. The noxious smell and sight of the Phoenix bus was a reminder of yesterday’s harrowing experience. She retrieved a tissue from the outer pocket of her purse and lifted it to cover her nose against the unpleasant odor.
He ran his finger down the list of doctors names and slowly recited, “Ma-jors...Mel-cher...Moore...here it is. Dr. Jefferson Morgan.” He peered at his wife. “He’s a neurologist. What a coincidence, his office is even on this very street.” He pointed north. “Seems it’s only a few blocks that way.”
Her resolve slipped another degree. Cora was about to hyperventilate. She drew a long, deep breath and slowly released it. A mixed bag of emotions, ranging from curiosity to outright alarm swelled within her. She simply couldn’t wrap her mind around the bizarre lunch with all the confusion and onlookers. The waiter and the owner both knew her, but she couldn’t place them. To top it all off was Ed’s firm accusation of her extramarital affair. And now, they were about to come face to face with Dr. Casanova himself.
Cora licked her dry lips, and silently prayed, Heavenly Father, I’ve ignored You and don’t deserve Your protection, but please hold my hand through this.
A comforting voice answered from within, I’ve promised to go before you, Cora. I’ll make the crooked ways straight. Put your hand in Mine.
She’d taken a step closer to God, and closed her eyes in an attempt to embrace His promise.
“It must be up here on the right.” Ed turned his signal on. “Well, there’s the sign.”
When they arrived at the medical building, Ed pulled their car into the parking garage. He immediately grabbed the first available spot, turned off the engine, and bowed his head. “We’re unsure of the outcome, Lord, but we’re placing it in Your hands. Have Your way and use it for the glory of Your kingdom. Amen.”
Ed’s car door closed with a jarring thump, and brought Cora out of her daunting thoughts. He helped her from the car and then held her close. They walked in silence and a lump formed in Cora’s throat as she contemplated what might be in store for them.
****
They noticed the roster of the medical staff, and looked for Dr. Morgan’s floor. Cora also found the name of Herschel Keith.
“There, Dr. Keith. He’s the one I saw yesterday.”
Ed was perplexed as he pushed the button for the elevator and nodded. “Yeah, I saw it.” Cora hadn’t recognized the very building she was in the previous day and yet, hadn’t forgotten the doctor’s name. Was this inconsistency a part of Alzheimer’s? His stomach knotted. Had the tension and trauma of the last few weeks caused the onset of the disease to accelerate? She seemed to forget actual events, and even people in her life.
Once they reached the right floor, Cora whispered, “I need to stop in the ladies’ room for a minute and gather my thoughts. This is all happening too fast.”
Ed understood since he fought his own battle with Satan’s trap of doubts. However, he did see Cora with Dr. Morgan at the Pegasi. The next few minutes with the doctor would test their marriage. “While you powder your nose, I’ll go on down to Morgan’s office and tell them we’d like to have a word with him. Just don’t take too long? They might fit us in between patients.”
He entered the crowded waiting room. The pleasant receptionist looked up from her computer screen as he confidently walked to the window. “I wonder if it’s possible to speak briefly with Dr. Morgan? I understand he’s a busy man, but it’s imperative that we see him. I promise it won’t take long.”
“It might be a few minutes, sir. Fortunately, we had a cancellation. May I tell him your name and the nature of your visit?”
“The name is Timms, Ed Timms.” He paused. Being a celebrity did have its perks. “We’re here to speak with him on a very personal matter. We’ll wait over here.”
He turned and found two empty seats next to a middle-aged man with curly red hair. The man had a gnome-like appearance and was dressed in bright plaid walking shorts. His pale legs were stretched out and ankles crossed. This drew attention to his over-sized, light blue athletic shoes and black socks. He nodded as Ed sat down.
The eccentric man’s eyes widened as he eagerly sat up straight. He wiped his hand on his rumpled shirt, and then held it out. “Squeak Flannigan, here. I heard you tell Betty your name is Ed Timms. I know who you are.” His Mickey Mouse voice sounded like an adolescent. “I’m a big fan of yours. Folks are always telling me I should be a pro golfer like Steady Eddie. Our styles are so similar.” He poked Ed in the ribs. “Once my carpal tunnel heals, I’ll give you a run for your money.”
Ed stared slack-jawed, and wished he hadn’t been so quick to stress his famous name to the receptionist. “Thank you. Always nice to meet a fan.” With Cora’s problems on his mind, the last thing he wanted to do was to become entangled in a petty conversation. The man had pink shoelaces, for crying out loud. Ed picked up a Golf Digest from the table in front of him, and rolled it into a tight cylinder. The rusty-haired man rambled on about his triumphs on the links.
A few minutes later, Cora walked into the waiting room and searched for him. Ed stood to get her attention as the receptionist peered out the office window and waved at her.
“Hey hon,” she called to Cora, “I’m glad you’re feeling well enough to be out. You sure gave us quite a scare yesterday. Dr. Jeff’s with a patient. I’ll let him know you’re here.”
Ed and Cora exchanged glances. His eyebrows rose as he stared at his wife. Cora had been so adamant about not knowing Dr. Morgan. How could he believe her version of the story now? Pushing his doubts aside and trusting her wasn’t getting any easier now that the receptionist knew her, too.
A glazed look of discouragement spread over Cora’s face as she took a well-worn magazine from the rack. Ed moved over so she could be a buffer between him and his flamboyant fan. She sat between the two, and pulled on Ed’s arm. “That lady knows me, too. I feel like a Ping-Pong ball bouncing around the Twilight Zone.”
Ed took her hand and kissed it reassuringly. The possibility of Alzheimer’s had become a painful reality, and he was determined to be strong and supportive. “Everything will be fine. It’ll be over soon and we can go home.” He wished he had more faith in those words.
Soft giggles came from behind the window at the front desk. Ed noticed Dr. Morgan’s staff witnessed their romantic exchange.
“So, is this the wife?” Squeak nodded to Cora. “She’s quite a looker, Steady.” He grabbed her hand and juicily kissed her palm. “They call me Squeak. I’ve seen you here before. What’s your name, Doll?”
She pulled her hand away. “Hello, Mr. Squeak, I’m Mrs. Steady.”
“Ooh, a sense of humor. I like that in a dame.” The high-pitched voice rang out. “Hey Doll, you got an available sister?”
She turned to Ed’s Technicolor fan and gave an icy reply. “I don’t have any sisters.”
Mercifully, the nurse called, “Mr. Flannigan.”
“Oh no,” he whined. “I’ve gotta go, just when we were getting to know each other.” He licked two fingers and reached into his shirt pocket. “Here’s my card, Steady. Squeak Flannigan, used car salesman. If you ever need new wheels, I’m your man.” Squeak stood and vigorously shook his idol’s hand. “Gimme a call, buddy, and we’ll play a few rounds.” He winked at Cora, and turned to follow the nurse.
Ed shook his head, relieved to see the man leave the waiting room and disappear down the hallway. He leaned over to Cora, and whispered, “We’re broadening our Twilight Zone, Toots. In a single afternoon, we’ve gone from a cheeky Greek to a squeaky geek.”
His lighthearted comment brought unexpected snorts of laughter from Cora. Ed matched her, snort for snort. The onlookers exchanged glances and the waiting room erupted in laughter.
Nearly a half hour had passed as Ed feigned interest in the dog-eared pages of Golf Digest and Cora flipped through a nine-month-old Ladies’ Day. The waiting room had thin
ned out considerably.
Finally, a nurse called to them. “I’ll take you to Dr. Jeff’s office.”
“Thank you.” Ed helped Cora stand, and hand-in-hand, the two of them followed the petite young lady back to the doctor’s private office.
“He’ll be with you in just a minute.” With a sly grin and a giggle, the nurse quietly closed the door.
Ed glanced around the physician’s highly polished retreat, and tried to envisage the man from the objects displayed in his office. His numerous diplomas and certificates told of his impressive educational background. Together, they studied the neatly framed document from Harvard School of Medicine.
They settled into the wing-backed chairs to await the doctor’s arrival. Tension mounted at every little noise outside the door. Cora gulped. “Think it’s too late to join the Witness Protection Program?”
Ed reached over and softly brushed his fingers against her cheek. “Won’t be long now,” he said. “We’re going to face this thing together, whatever it is.” Once again he wrestled with his anger. Was he prepared to confront the man who wanted his wife? Another thought hit him. Or was the good doctor taking advantage of her illness to get to her wealth? In either case, it would be good to get to the bottom of it.
The dignified-looking Jefferson Morgan, with a neatly trimmed salt and pepper beard, entered the room. A maroon necktie added a splash of color against the stark white of the handsome physician’s shirt and medical coat. “Mr. Timms?” He stretched out his hand in formal greeting. “Wait, aren’t you Steady Eddie, the golf pro?” His eyes reflected the admiration of a true sports fan.
Ed got to his feet and reluctantly stepped closer to his wife’s supposed Lothario. “Yes, I am.” He glanced over at Cora, concealed behind the wing of her chair.
“Well, this is a real pleasure,” the doctor said. “My nurses said there was a big surprise waiting in my office. I never would’ve guessed it was you.” He pumped Ed’s hand. “Dad and I used to watch your tournaments all the time. Please sit down. Now, what can I do for you?”
Ed chose to remain standing. “We hope you can answer some questions.” He nodded in the direction of his wife, who timidly peeked from behind her cushioned refuge.
Morgan’s gaze followed the older man’s stare. The chair’s oxblood leather upholstery creaked as Cora slowly stood and faced him.
As he took a deep breath, Ed waited for his world to crash down around him.
The neurologist stared in shock. “What on earth are you doing here, Mom?” He quickly closed the gap between them.
15
“Mom?” Ed and Cora asked in unison.
The twinkle in Dr. Morgan’s hazel eyes disappeared as he took a closer look. “Wait just a minute.” A confused expression filled his face. “You’re not my mother.”
The trio stood dumbfounded as impeding stillness swept through the room.
Jefferson Morgan motioned for them to take their seats. Without a word he walked over to the bookshelf, removed a framed photograph and handed it to Cora.
She stared at the photograph and gasped. Her mind reeled. How could this be? She looked into Dr. Morgan’s face, her eyes pleaded for some kind of explanation. “I don’t understand. How did you get this?”
Ed reached over and took it from her trembling hands. “Oh, my.”
The young physician perched on the corner of his desk. “That, folks, is a picture of my mother, Emily Morgan.”
“This is your mother?” Cora snatched it back from her husband’s hold. “Look, Ed. This could be me in the picture, but it’s his mother. She really looks like me, do you see a resemblance?” Cora could hardly catch her breath. “We have the same blue eyes and a dimple in our left cheek.”
Had they stumbled onto a blood relative? A cousin, maybe?
Ed strained to get a better view of the photo gripped tightly in his wife’s hands. He straightened in his chair. “Cora and I had a very confusing lunch at the Pegasi Café today.”
“I’ll bet everyone thought she was Mom, right?”
“You guessed it. Cora said she’d never been there before, but the waiter knew exactly what she was going to order. He said she goes there all the time with a doctor. So, I persuaded him to give me your name. When the owner of the restaurant claimed to be a good friend, too, I knew we had to get to the bottom of this mess.”
“Mom’s made friends with several people at the Pegasi. We make a point to meet there every week. It’s become our little tradition.”
A hearty smile stretched across Ed’s face. “Well, it’s all beginning to make sense, now, isn’t it, Toots?”
She tenderly traced the image in the photograph with her fingertips.
Dr. Morgan smiled. “Mrs. Timms, were you adopted?”
Ed gently nudged her elbow. “Cora?”
She looked at him. “What? I’m sorry...now, what did you say?”
“The doctor asked if you were adopted.” He shared a grin with Morgan.
Too emotional to do more than nod, Cora handed the picture to Ed. She rummaged through her purse and pulled out a tissue to wipe her eyes. Her puzzled mind raced to make some kind of connection with the woman in the picture.
The doctor rose from the corner of his desk. He knelt down and gently placed his hand on hers. “How old were you when you were placed?”
“I was about two at the time, maybe a little older.”
“My mother was adopted at the age of two and a half. How old are you, Mrs. Timms?”
She told him.
“Your birthday is April tenth, right?” An infectious smile lifted the corners of his mouth. He clasped her hands in his. “That’s Mom’s birthday, too. You’re identical twins.”
She searched the doctor’s features. “Twins?” The impact of the discovery hit Cora full force. Her hand flew to her mouth and tears ran freely. She jumped to her feet. “Did you hear that, Ed? He said I’m a twin.”
“Yeah, this is something you’d expect to see in a schmaltzy soap opera.”
“Even so.” She shook his shoulders. “The point is, I have a sister, Emily, and she’s my identical twin.”
Ed’s eyes brimmed as he stood and embraced her, then twirled her around. “God is so good.”
Cora nodded and cried into his shirt. She turned to her nephew, who now stood by his desk. “After all these years, I found my family. So, where is she? When can I meet her?”
Dr. Morgan gave a hearty chuckle. “I’m pretty busy right now, but maybe we can arrange something for this weekend.”
Her spine stiffened. “What?” She plopped into her chair. Did he actually expect her to wait? This was wrong on so many levels.
“Fair warning, Doc. I’m afraid this weekend isn’t going to be soon enough for my wife.” Amusement crinkled the corners of Ed’s mouth. “So, unless your mom lives in outer Timbuktu, Cora will insist on seeing her today.”
The doctor smiled and took his seat at the desk. “Good news. No air travel for you.”
“That’s good news, then tell me”—Cora tilted her head—”Exactly how far away is she?”
“Mom lives only an hour from here, however she’s staying at my house here in Phoenix until she’s feeling better.”
Cora tensed as she grasped the rolled arm of the wing-backed chair. “What’s wrong with her? Please tell me it’s nothing serious.”
A concerned moan escaped Ed’s mouth. He sat down and patted her arm as they waited for the doctor’s reply.
“Mom recently found out she has angina. She had an episode yesterday while we were having lunch together.”
Ed leaned forward. “At the Pegasi?”
“Yes,” Dr. Morgan acknowledged. “The nitroglycerin pill she takes for the angina helps, but it gives her a severe headache. I took her to my house right away and my wife—”
“Oh, no.” Cora interrupted. “I hope she’s all right.”
Dr. Morgan nodded and continued, “The headaches only last about an hour or so. My wife takes very
good care of her. June said Mom was quite perky this morning and feeling like her old mischievous self.”
Ed smiled. “You’ve cleared up another point for me. When I saw Cora leaving the Pegasi yesterday in the arms of another man, it was actually you and your mother.” His ears brightened. “I should’ve known there was a logical explanation.” He reached over to take her hand. “I made an idiot of myself, embarrassed you, and ruined a perfectly good lunch.”
“Oh Ed, think of the scene we made at the Pegasi. What must all those people think? I can just see the Inquirer headlines now: Pro-Golfer’s wife caught playing a round.”
“Will you forgive me, Toots?”
“Well, I suppose. You tried to believe in me even when there were no answers. I’m so thankful you stood by me long enough to figure it out. Some men wouldn’t have. But, Ed dear, don’t forget, you do owe me a souvlaki dinner.”
Her mind grew more at ease since they discovered the disturbing experiences she endured were due to a simple mistaken identity. Was the fear of Alzheimer’s disease unfounded, too?
Casually, the doctor glanced at his Rolex. “I really hate to break this off, but I’ve got patients waiting for my attention.” He rolled the executive chair away from his desk, which indicated the end of their impromptu meeting. “Why don’t you leave your phone number so Mom can contact you later this afternoon?”
“Dr. Morgan, I can’t wait to see my sister.” The word was foreign to her lips, yet the sound of it thrilled her. Joy bubbled in her soul. Sister. She wasn’t about to let the doctor go before they found out where Emily was.
He reached for her small hands and gently pulled her up into his strong embrace. “Please call me Jeff.” He smiled. “Of course you want to see her right away. What was I thinking? She’ll be just as thrilled to see you. I’ll call June to see if they’re home. She can prepare Mom so it won’t be such a huge shock. I have a couple things that need my attention first, so it’ll take a few minutes. Take a seat in the waiting room and I’ll get back with you as soon as possible.” The young doctor grabbed a notepad and wrote his home address and telephone number.