Robin Cook - Godplayer

Pushing her way through the other guests, Cassi saw Thomas standing in front of the buffet, his face flushed with anger, a number of broken plates at his feet. Staring at him in horrified surprise was George Sherman, a drink in one hand and a carrot stick in the other.

As Cassi watched, George reached out and patted Thomas’s shoulder with the carrot, saying, “Thomas, you’re mistaken.”

Thomas knocked George’s arm away with a vicious snap of his wrist. “Don’t touch me! And don’t ever touch my wife. Understand?” He jabbed a threatening finger into George’s face.

“Thomas?” said George helplessly.

Cassi ran between the two men. “What is the matter with you, Thomas?” she said, grabbing his jacket. “Control yourself!”

“Control myself,” he repeated, turning toward her. “I think that applies more to you than me.”

With a final sneer, he shook himself from Cassi’s grasp and headed for the front door. Ballantine, who’d been in the kitchen, followed, calling his name.

Cassi apologized quickly to George and moved toward the door, her head bent to avoid the curious stares.

Thomas meanwhile had found his coat and was saying angrily to Ballantine, “I’m terribly sorry about all this, but learning that one of your colleagues is having an affair with your wife is hard to take.”

“I, I can’t believe that,” said Ballantine. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” said Thomas. He turned to open the door as Cassi ran up and caught his arm.

“Thomas, what are you doing?” she said, fighting tears.

Thomas didn’t answer. Buttoning his coat, he turned to leave.

“Thomas, talk to me. What happened?”

Thomas yanked his arm away from Cassi with such force she almost fell to the ground. She hesitated as he opened the door and stormed outside.

Cassi caught up to him at the bottom of the steps.

“Thomas, if you’re going to leave, then I’m coming. Let me get my coat.”

Thomas stopped short. “I don’t want you with me. Why don’t you just stay here and enjoy your affair!”

Confused, Cassi watched him walk away. “My affair? This is your affair. I didn’t want to come tonight!”

Thomas didn’t respond. Cassi gathered up the skirt of her long dress and ran after him. By the time she reached the Porsche she was shaking violently, but she didn’t know whether it was from fear or the cold.

“Why are you acting this way?” she sobbed.

“I might be a lot of things, but I’m not stupid,” snapped Thomas, slamming the car door against her. The engine started with a roar.

“Thomas, Thomas,” called Cassi, beating against the window with one hand and trying to open the door with the other. Thomas ignored her and backed up quickly. If Cassi had not stepped back, letting go of the car, she would have been pulled down. Staring mutely, she watched the Porsche roar down the long driveway.

Mortified, she turned back to the house. Perhaps she could hide in one of the upstairs rooms until she could get a cab. When she reached the foyer, she was relieved to see the guests were again busy drinking and laughing. Only George and Dr. Ballantine were waiting at the door.

“I’m so sorry,” Cassi said uneasily.

“Don’t be sorry,” said Dr. Ballantine. “I understand George has had a little talk with you. We are concerned about Thomas and think he’s overworking. We have plans that will lighten his load, but he’s been so upset lately that we haven’t had the opportunity to discuss it with him.”

Ballantine exchanged glances with George.

“That’s right,” agreed George. “I think this unfortunate episode tonight just underlines what we’re saying.”

Cassi was too upset and confused to respond.

“George also mentioned,” said Ballantine, “that he gave you my private extension at the hospital. I’ll be happy to see you any time you want, Cassi. In fact, why don’t you stop by my office tomorrow?”

“Now, would you like to rejoin the party?” asked Ballantine, “or would you rather one of my boys drove you home?”

“I’d like to go home,” said Cassi, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Fine,” said Ballantine. “Just a moment.” He turned and mounted the stairs to the second floor.

“I am sorry,” said Cassi to George when they were alone. “I don’t know what got into Thomas.”

George shook his head. “Cassi, if he knew how I really felt about you, he’d have every reason to be jealous. Now smile. I was just paying you a compliment.” He stood, gazing fondly at her until Ballantine’s son brought the car around.

Cassi didn’t know what to expect when she turned the key in her front door. She was surprised to see a light in the living room. If Thomas was home and not in the hospital, she assumed he would be locked in his study. Nervously, she walked through the hall straightening her hair as best as she could.

But it was her mother-in-law, not Thomas, who was waiting for her.

Patricia was seated in a wingback chair, her face lost in the shadowy light of a single floorlamp. Upstairs, Cassi heard a toilet flush.

For a long time neither woman spoke. Then Patricia stiffly stood up, her shoulders bowed as if under a heavy weight. Her face was drawn, accentuating the lines around her mouth. She walked directly up to Cassi and looked her in the eye.

Cassi held her ground.

“I’m shocked,” she said at last. “How could you have done this? Maybe if he weren’t my only child it wouldn’t hurt so much.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” demanded Cassi.

“And to pick one of Thomas’s colleagues,” Patricia went on, ignoring the younger woman. “A man who has been steadily trying to erode his position. If you wanted an affair, why not a stranger?”

“I’m not having an affair,” said Cassi desperately. “This is absurd. Oh God, Thomas is not himself.”

She watched her mother-in-law for some sign of understanding, but Patricia stood rigidly looking at her daughter-in-law with a mixture of sadness and anger.

Cassi stretched her arms toward the woman. “Please,” she pleaded. “Thomas is in trouble. Won’t you help?”

Patricia remained unresponsive.

Letting her arms fall to her sides, Cassi watched as Patricia walked haltingly to the door. She seemed to have aged ten years since Cassi had last seen her. If only she’d listen. But Cassi realized at last that Patricia would rather break her heart over a lie than deal with the more frightening truth of Thomas’s addiction. As much as Patricia criticized Thomas, Cassi knew that she could never conceive of the possibility of something significantly wrong with her son.

Cassi remained in the semidarkness of the living room for a long time after she heard the front door close. She’d cried more tears in the last forty-eight hours than she had for the previous twenty years. How could Thomas possibly believe she was having an affair? The idea was preposterous.

With heavy steps she finally ascended the stairs to find Thomas. There was no way she could just go to bed. She had to try to speak to him. For a moment she hesitated outside the study. Then she knocked softly.

There was no answer.

She knocked again, louder. When there was still no reply, she tried the door. It was locked. Determined to talk with him, she walked to the guest room and entered the study through the connecting bathroom.

He was sitting immobile in his easy chair, staring straight ahead, his eyes unfocused. If he heard Cassi, his expression did not change. A slight smile lifted the corners of his mouth. Even after Cassi knelt down and pressed his hand to her cheek, he did not move.

“Thomas,” she called softly.

Thomas finally looked down at her.