Robin Cook - Terminal

“Fine,” Claire said enthusiastically.

As Sean climbed the stairs behind her he wondered if he’d overestimated his endurance. He was almost asleep on his feet.

At the door to his apartment, he awkwardly fumbled with the keys, trying to get the right one in the lock. When he finally turned the bolt, he opened the door and groped for the light. Just as his fingers touched the switch, there was a violent cry. When he saw who was waiting for him, his blood ran cold.

“Easy now!” Dr. Mason said to the two ambulance attendants. They were using a special stretcher to lift Helen Cabot from the Lear jet that had brought her to Miami. “Watch the steps!”

Dr. Mason was still dressed in his tuxedo. Margaret Richmond had called just as the party was ending to say that Helen Cabot was about to land. Without a second’s hesitation, Dr. Mason had jumped into his Jaguar.

As gently as possible the paramedics eased Helen into the ambulance. Dr. Mason climbed in after the gravely ill woman.

“Are you comfortable?” he asked.

Helen nodded. The trip had been a strain. The heavy medication had not completely controlled her seizures. On top of that they’d hit bad turbulence over Washington, D.C.

“I’m glad to be here,” she said, smiling weakly. Dr. Mason gripped her arm reassuringly, then got out of the ambulance and faced her parents, who had followed the stretcher from the jet. Together they decided that Mrs. Cabot would ride in the ambulance while John Cabot would ride with Dr. Mason.

Dr. Mason followed the ambulance from the airport.

“I’m touched that you came to meet us,” Cabot said. “From the look of your clothes I’m afraid we have interrupted your evening.”

“It was actually very good timing,” Mason said. “Do you know Howard Pace?”

“The aircraft magnate?” John Cabot asked.

“None other,” Dr. Mason said. “Mr. Pace has made a generous donation to the Forbes Center, and we were having a small celebration. But the affair was winding down when you called.”

“Still, your concern is reassuring,” John Cabot said. “So many doctors are distracted by their own agendas. They are more interested in themselves than the patients. My daughter’s illness has been an eye-opening experience.”

“Unfortunately your complaints are all too common,” Dr. Mason said. “But at Forbes it’s the patient who counts. We would do even more if we weren’t so strapped for funds. Since government began limiting grants, we’ve had to struggle.”

“If you can help my daughter I’ll be happy to contribute to your capital needs.”

“We will do everything in our power to help her.”

“Tell me,” Cabot said. “What do you think her chances are? I’d like to know the truth.”

“The possibility of a full recovery is excellent,” Dr. Mason said. “We’ve had remarkable luck with Helen’s type of tumor, but we must start treatment immediately. I tried to expedite her transfer, but your doctors in Boston seemed reluctant to release her.”

“You know the doctors in Boston. If there’s another test available, they want to do it. Then, of course, they want to repeat it.”

“We tried to talk them out of biopsying the tumor,” Dr. Mason said. “We can now make the diagnosis of medulloblastoma with an enhanced MRI. But they wouldn’t listen. You see we have to biopsy it regardless of whether they did or not. We have to grow some of her tumor cells in tissue culture. It’s an integral part of the treatment.”

“When can it be done?” John Cabot asked.

“The sooner the better,” Dr. Mason said.

“But you didn’t have to scream,” Sean said. He was still shaking from the fright he’d experienced when he’d flipped on the light switch.

“I didn’t scream,” Janet said. “I yelled ‘surprise.’ Needless to say, I’m not sure who was more surprised, me, you, or that woman.”

“That woman works for the Forbes Cancer Center,” Sean said. “I’ve told you a dozen times. She’s in their public relations department. She was assigned to deal with me.”

“And dealing with you means coming back to your apartment after ten at night?” Janet asked with scorn. “Don’t patronize me. I can’t believe this. You haven’t even been here twenty-four hours and you have a woman coming to your apartment.”

“I didn’t want to invite her in,” Sean said. “But it was awkward. She’d brought me here this afternoon, then took me to a Forbes function tonight. When we pulled up outside for her to get her car, I thought I’d try to be hospitable. I offered her a beer. I’d already told her I was exhausted. Hell, you’re usually complaining about my lack of social graces.”

“It seems strangely convenient for you to gain some manners just in time to bestow them on a young, attractive female,” Janet fumed. “I don’t think my being skeptical is unreasonable.”

“Well, you’re making more of this than it deserves,” Sean said. “How did you get in here, anyway?”

“They gave me the apartment two doors down,” Janet said. “And you left your sliding door open.”

“Why are they letting you stay here?”

“Because I’ve been hired by the Forbes Cancer Center,” Janet said. “That’s part of the surprise. I’m going to work here.”

For the second time that evening, Janet had Sean stunned. “Work here?” he repeated as if he hadn’t heard correctly. “What are you talking about?”

“I called the Forbes hospital,” Janet said. “They have an active nurses’ recruitment program. They hired me on the spot. They, in turn, called the Florida Board of Nursing and arranged for a temporary 120-day endorsement so I can practice while the paperwork is being completed for my Florida nursing license.”

“What about your job at Boston Memorial?” Sean asked.

“No problem,” Janet said. “They gave me an immediate leave of absence. One of the benefits of being in nursing these days is that we are in demand. We get to call the shots about our terms of employment more than most employees.”

“Well, this is all very interesting,” Sean said. For the moment that was all he could think of to say.

“So we’ll still be working at the same institution.”

“Did you ever think that maybe you should have discussed this idea with me?” Sean asked.

“I couldn’t,” Janet said. “You were on the road.”

“What about before I left?” Sean asked. “Or you could have waited until I’d arrived. I think we should have talked about this.”

“Well, that’s the whole point,” Janet said.

“What do you mean?”

“I came here so we can talk,” Janet said. “I think this is a perfect opportunity for us to talk about us. In Boston you’re so involved with school and your research. Here your schedule will undoubtedly be lighter. We’ll have the time we never had in Boston.”

Sean pushed off the couch and walked over to the open slider. He was at a loss for words. This whole episode of coming to Florida was working out terribly. “How’d you get here?” he asked.

“I flew down and rented a car,” Janet said.

“So nothing’s irreversible?” Sean said.

“If you think you can just send me home, think again,” Janet said, an edge returning to her voice. “This is probably the first time in my life I’ve gone out on a limb for something I think is important.” She still sounded angry, but Sean sensed she could also be on the verge of tears. “Maybe we’re not important in your scheme of things...”

Sean interrupted her. “It isn’t that at all. The problem is, I don’t know whether I’m staying.”

Janet’s mouth dropped open. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

Sean came back to the couch and sat down. He looked into Janet’s hazel eyes as he told her about his disturbing reception at the Center with half the people being hospitable, the other half rude. Most importantly, he told her that Dr. Mason and Dr. Levy were balking at allowing him to work on the medulloblastoma protocol.