Days' End (12 page)

“So I spent the next couple months as a waitress at a diner near my house just to keep busy,” continued Jacqueline. “The rest, as they say, is history.”

Nysa didn’t reply. She just sat at the foot of the bed absorbing what she had just been told.

“Thanks for listening Nysa, but I think I’d like to get some rest now. You look like you could use some, too.”

Nysa glanced at her watch. It was now almost 7 A.M. “Are you sure you don’t want me to wait until you fall asleep?”

“No thanks, I’m fine. Thank you again. I feel a lot better.”

Nysa hugged Jacqueline and went back to her room to catch some shut-eye herself. She fell asleep almost instantly.

April 28,

Outside Castle Rock, CO

The rest of April tried everyone’s nerves. The loss of the embryo had taken the wind out of more than one person’s sails and everyone skulked around the labs aimlessly. For the lab staff, there wasn’t much else to be done at this stage with the exception of the production and care of additional embryos. Dr. Phipps continued to work tirelessly in the identification of the most promising specimens. The others passed the time washing already clean beakers, running already analyzed scenarios on the computers, and attempting to keep busy in the down time.

When Jacqueline’s body was again ready for another attempt at implantation, the excitement and giddiness returned. She had had a shorter menstrual cycle than anticipated so there was a bit of a rush for preparation. As the technicians raced around the labs and the medical personnel prepared the rooms, Jacqueline was once again escorted to the medical facilities to await the arrival of Dr. Phipps and, hopefully, her future child. The procedure went well, and no problems arose, but Jacqueline was asked to stay in the medical suite overnight for observation.

Nysa stepped out of the elevator on level B-4, the medical floor, and made her way past the nurses’ station toward Jacqueline’s room. As she turned the corner, a light fixture above her inexplicably exploded, showering Nysa with glass. She wasn’t injured but was a bit shaken by the experience. She brushed off the broken glass as a nurse called a technician to test the fixture for any problems and replace the light bulb. This was the second time a light fixture had burst and there was obviously some sort of short or surge happening in the system that needed to be addressed.

Nysa stepped cautiously through the shards and continued down the hall. She entered the room and sat down on the end of the bed, crossing her legs and facing Jacqueline. In Nysa’s opinion, the room was much larger than necessary. A full-sized couch sat opposite the door, a television positioned so that both the patient and her guest would be able to see it. A collection of computers and monitors lined the wall behind the bed and a small rolling stool stood abandoned in the corner.

The young woman looked tired but alert. Her hair was a bit out of place and makeup nearly gone from the long day she had had. Her gown was crumpled and open in the back, but Jacqueline seemed not to notice or care. Modesty apparently was not high on her priority list at the moment. Nysa noticed that Jacqueline kept glancing over at the monitors. She looked nervous. She sat fidgeting with her hair and chewing on her bottom lip.

“How are you feeling?” Nysa asked.

“Fine,” answered Jacqueline. “But then again I felt fine last time, too.”

“Try not to think about last time. I know it’s hard, but the less stress you put on your mind and body, the better the chance of success.”

“I know, I’ll try. Thanks for coming. You know, you’re the only person in this whole place who has come to visit me. Pretty sad, huh? We’re all trying to be a part of something special but still don’t take the time to know anything about one another. We’ve been here, what, three months, and you’re the only person I know. And quite honestly, I don’t know much more than your name.” Nysa flinched at the observation. “What are you doing here? What’s your role in this grand scheme? Let’s hear the life and times of Dr. Nysa Knight.”

“Since you need some rest, I can help put you to sleep if you’d like.”

Jacqueline laughed. “Go on, let’s hear it. If it’s too boring, I promise I’ll go to sleep for you.”

Nysa rolled her eyes. She adjusted herself on the end of the bed and got comfortable. She told Jacqueline about growing up just outside Los Angeles. During her childhood, she had lived across the street from an orange grove. She had fond memories of the smell of orange blossoms as she ran through the trees playing hide and seek with friends. She had spent many an afternoon in those groves, running and laughing, throwing oranges at her older brother, having them thrown back harder.

There was a small shed at the back of the grove. Although she realized later on that it was for taxidermy, she and her brother had been convinced that it was the home of a werewolf. The various bones of small animals gave them all the proof they needed. This conclusion had been confirmed by many of the older kids in their neighborhood. Each told tales of how they had seen the werewolf wandering amongst the trees carrying small animals in its powerful jaws. Their descriptions of the werewolf had differed, leading Nysa and her brother to the conclusion that there were multiple animals.

How many nights had she stood in front of her bedroom window with her brother, straining to catch a glimpse of the creature? On evenings when they felt especially daring, they stood out in front of the house and opened their brand new pack of grape Bubblicious gum, which they had heard attracted the beast. They lingered in the yard chomping away, alert for the first signs of a werewolf so they could retreat back into the safety of their home. While they obviously had never spotted the werewolf, Nysa and her brother continued their commitment to the cause, purchasing grape gum at every opportunity. Their mother had even commented on their lack of variety at one point. What did she know?

Those innocent times had ended when she was ten years old. Nysa’s parents and brother had died in a car accident on the way home from a baseball game. Her brother had been selected for the All-Star team, and they had won their first game. While driving home, her father swerved in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid hitting a dog and drove off the side of the road into a canyon. According to the doctors, their deaths had been swift and painless. Nysa had not been with them as she had come down with a case of the flu and stayed home with a babysitter.

For years, she was consumed with survivor’s guilt. She went to live with her aunt and uncle and had gone through endless sessions with a therapist to work through her feelings. It had taken some time, but she had slowly moved on and had adjusted to her new environment. She was going to a new school, had made new friends, and was enjoying being a teenager.

As she progressed in high school, she realized her calling. She began taking the proper electives—A.P. Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Chemistry—to prepare her for a career in the medical field. This focus on her studies did not allow much time for extra-curricular activities, but she managed to maintain a few close friends that she hung out with on a regular basis. Nysa told Jacqueline of her acceptance to Stanford and career at UCLA.

While Nysa was discussing her undergraduate studies, Jacqueline appeared to lose a bit of interest put perked up as Nysa detailed her graduate work at UCLA, especially the coursework that had involved actual hospital work. Jacqueline interrupted periodically to ask questions about how Nysa felt about the things that she saw and how she thought it had affected her. After having to give some excruciating details about the injuries and illnesses she had seen, Nysa was able to wrap it up. “And as you say, the rest is history. Now get some rest. I’ll check on you later.” She stood up, stretched, and tucked the young woman into bed, much like a mother and her child.

The next day Nysa returned to the medical floor and escorted Jacqueline back to her room. They sat in the living room, watching chick-flicks and chatting. Nysa talked about Alastair and how horribly she missed him. She told Jacqueline about the party where they had met. Nysa revealed that she had indeed seen the bagpipes but had wanted to speak with Alastair so badly that she had sat down on them to catch his eye. Although it hadn’t gone quite how she had planned it in her mind, the end goal had been achieved.

She told Jacqueline about the box of letters she had left for him and her hope that he was enjoying them. Nysa even told her about the pictures she’d taken and left for him. Jacqueline was impressed at her boldness. Nysa wondered aloud if Alastair missed her as much as she did him. Jacqueline listened intently.

“I hope I can have that some day,” Jacqueline said. “I’ve never really been in love. I had a couple of boyfriends before the thing with my dad, but nothing serious. We’d hold hands and sometimes kiss, but it was really because I thought that’s what everyone did, not because I had any strong feelings for them. They were both cute guys, nice, but nothing like what I see when you talk about Alastair. You light up when you talk about him. What’s it like to be in love?”

“It’s the most wonderful feeling on earth. I’ve heard that ‘love adds a bright tomorrow, subtracts my bitter past, multiplies my happiness, and divides my burdening sorrow.’ I’m not quite sure where that came from, but I like it. Alastair helps me through my hard times, and when I have a good day I want to share it with him. Everything is sweeter when I share it with him, or less bitter, depending on the circumstances.”

“Must be nice,” Jacqueline interjected, sitting back with a sullen look on her face.

“I’m sure you’ll find someone who will be your Prince Charming. You just need to give it time. Just keep plugging along and have some fun. It usually happens when you least expect it. My advice is to never say ‘no’ to a first date. You may be surprised at how different someone can be outside of certain settings. Take work for example. Someone may be stuffy and dry at work, but fun and exciting if you can get him out of a suit and into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Come to think of it, just the out-of-the-suit part would probably do the trick.” Nysa winked at Jacqueline and the younger woman giggled. “But seriously, just let it happen and it will.”

“Thank you,” Jacqueline said and leaned back in her chair. Nysa followed suit and they finished watching You’ve Got Mail in silence.

After the movie, Nysa returned to her room and climbed into bed. The romantic comedy, while funny, brought back memories of Alastair and made her miss him all the more. Her mind drifted back to one of the last nights they’d spent together. She fell asleep thinking of that night and relived it in her dreams.

After a busy day at the labs, Nysa hurried home get ready to go out to dinner and an AA meeting with Alastair. She normally didn’t go to meetings with him, but he was a speaker tonight and wanted her to be there. Moving quickly, she pulled off her work outfit and, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, decided to change out of her current undergarments and into something a bit more sexy. After digging through her drawers, she decided on a matching pink bra and thong set. She hoped Alastair would be able to appreciate how good she looked in them later on in the evening. Nysa then ran back to her closet and picked out a nice summer dress and sandals to wear. She loved living in Southern California where she could get away with that type of outfit during the middle of winter. Alastair arrived just as she put her shoes on and they headed out for dinner at Benihana’s in the Valley before going to Alastair’s meeting in Woodland Hills.

Nysa watched him as he made his way through the room, saying hello to his friends, and introducing himself to the newcomers. He always looked so handsome. Not that he was model good-looking, but certainly on that side of average. He had a strong jaw and sharp features, but mostly it was the way he carried himself. He now stood speaking with a man Nysa had never seen before, a man who towered over him physically, but Nysa couldn’t help but notice Alastair dominated the scene. His persona made him larger than life. She watched how animated he was in his discussion, pointing, gesturing, and leaning toward and away from his companion. She could see that whatever Alastair was saying was getting through. The stranger was nodding in agreement and smiling. The conversation finally ended and Alastair continued his rounds, pausing briefly and smiling at her when he realized she was watching him. She smiled and waved, impressed with his confidence. Alastair would have been fairly plain had it not been for his quick smile and even quicker wit. That’s what had attracted her to him. Despite the problems that grew with alcoholism, he was a very confident, self-assured man. He knew when a joke was appropriate and when it wasn’t. People seemed to be unconsciously attracted to him. Not in a sexual way; they just seemed to gravitate to him. He had a knack for making people feel good about themselves. His blue eyes were penetrating and his quick smile was disarming. Nysa felt it was simply impossible to dislike him.

At break, she went outside with everybody. She had a cup of coffee, as did everyone, but she passed on the cigarettes. She’d been smoking too much recently and her lungs felt congested. She mingled with the familiar faces, pausing to say hi to Bryan, Alastair’s sponsor, and making sure to take a moment to introduce herself to the newcomers and welcome them to the meeting. There was plenty of chatter and laughing as she wandered around saying hello. When everyone headed back inside to listen to the guest speakers, the patio was covered in more smoke than the field at the Battle of Gettysburg.

His story was inspiring as she knew it would be. He spoke of the nights of blacking out, not knowing what he had done or where he had been the previous evening. He told of his nights in jail, his DUIs, having to get friends to bail him out, to drive him to and from work when his license was suspended. He was forthcoming about his bedwetting when he was really plastered. Nysa was always shocked when she heard him tell anyone of these occurrences. Then he shared his story of recovery and the incredible cravings he had overcome. As he spoke, she noticed that he made eye contact with each of the newcomers that had introduced themselves at the beginning of the meeting. It was as if he were speaking only to them. A few shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, but she could see that he had their undivided attention. If he only got through to one, she knew he would be satisfied, but she felt he might get two or three with this one.