Fenton.”
“I just got back from my first visit,” Dr. Radburn answered, “He decided that I needed to be put to work immediately. Then he introduced me to some of the dangerous patents and I ended up singing one of them to sleep, which put me to sleep. I didn’t wake up until four this afternoon, when he handed me my schedule and told me to get to work.”
“Do you think he suspects anything?” Mr. Masters asked.
“I think he doesn’t want to give up his position,” Dr. Radburn answered.
“What is your schedule?” Mr. Masters asked.
“Eight to five Monday to Saturday with the possibility of more hours,” Dr. Radburn answered.
“Is there anything else?” Mr. Masters asked.
“Mina Tate is a patient there,” Dr. Radburn answered, “I saw her. She is catatonic, but it shouldn’t be too hard to snap her out of it. She will need extensive retraining if you want her back.”
“We want her back,” Mr. Masters said, “Get a copy of her file for us and we’ll figure out what it will take.”
“I will,” Dr. Radburn said.
“Report in on Sunday,” Mr. Masters said.
“I will,” Dr. Radburn replied. Mr. Masters terminated the connection.
Dr. Fenton kept an eye on Dr. Radburn for the next several weeks. He watched as Dr. Radburn tried to find reasons to get at patient files and be allowed into therapy sessions. He watched as Dr. Radburn tried to avoid as much work as possible because doing everything asked of him was tiring and more than he was used to. Dr. Fenton did nothing to help Dr. Radburn and Dr. Radburn didn’t come to him for help.
June 11, 2012
It was a month into being there that Dr. Radburn was helping get the medication ready. The nurse, Maureen, was pointing out the various pills and what they were. She took down one bottle without telling what it was and put one pill into a cup with a number beside it before putting the bottle back.
“What is that one?” Dr. Radburn asked.
“That is Rose’s medication, Seraton” The nurse answered, “It is a sedative and it looks like it is running out.” The nurse made a note on her pad before reaching for the next bottle of pills. She went back to what she had been doing. Dr. Radburn had no choice but to move on, even if he wanted to investigate. Any other questions would seem suspicious.
Dr. Fenton was gathering everything he needed for his next therapy session when there came a knock on the door. He wondered if it was Dr. Radburn again with another inane question.
“Come,” Dr. Fenton kept the irritation out of his voice. The door opened and the nurse in charge of the medication stepped into the office.
“Yes?’ Dr. Fenton’s annoyance melted away.
“We are running out of Rose’s medication,” Maureen said.
“Send an order to inventory to get some more,” Dr. Fenton said.
“Okay,” Maureen said before turning and leaving the office. Dr. Fenton finished gathering everything he needed before leaving.
It was five in the evening when there came another knock on Dr. Fenton’s door. This time he knew it wasn’t Dr. Radburn to ask questions. Dr. Radburn had gone home half an hour ago after getting upset at Dr. Fenton for not being invited to join the therapy sessions.
“Come in,” Dr. Fenton called. The door opened and the accountant, James, stepped into the office. He closed the door behind him before stepping up to the desk.
“I need to discuss a request I received this afternoon,” James said, holding up the file he was carrying.
“Okay,” Dr. Fenton said as he put down his pen and gave James his full attention.
“Inventory sent me a request to purchase more medication for Rose,” James said.
“I am aware of that request,” Dr. Fenton said, “Maureen brought it to me and I said to send the request to inventory. What is the problem with it?”
“The fund that was set up for Rose is running low,” James answered, “There is enough for food and other such for the next month, but not enough for anything else. I checked with Maureen and she said that there is about three weeks of medication left. What would you like me to do?”
“Give me a few days to think about it,” Dr. Fenton said, “I’ll figure it out and get back to you.”
“Very well,” James said, “The request will sit on my desk until you have made your decision.”
Dr. Fenton nodded and James left the office. Once the door closed, Dr. Fenton went back to his work. He worked for fifteen more minutes before giving up for the moment. He got up and left his office. Dr. Fenton went down to where the patient rooms were. No one disturbed him as he went along the hallway. He reached Rose’s room and stopped to look in the window. Rose was lying on her bed with her eyes closed. She was likely to have just gotten to sleep.
Dr. Fenton left her alone and headed back to his office. She probably didn’t remember enough to help him anyway.
June 14, 2012
Dr. Fenton had the files he needed set out on the table in the therapy room and was reviewing the notes from his last therapy session when there was a knock on the door. He glanced at his watch. It was too early for it to be his next appointment.
“Yes?” Dr. Fenton called. The door opened and Maureen was standing there.
“Dr. Radburn is making a nuisance of himself,” Maureen said, “What should I do?”
“Send him in here,” Dr. Fenton answered, “I will keep him out of your hair.”
“Thank you,” Maureen said. She left the door open when she headed out. Dr. Fenton straightened the stack of files, but otherwise stayed where he was.
Two minutes later, Dr. Radburn arrived and entered the room.
“You asked to see me,” Dr. Radburn said.
“Yes,” Dr. Fenton replied, “You are making a nuisance of yourself and that is making everyone else’s job harder. I am sure you have other things to do with your time.”
“I am just trying to do the jobs that you gave me,” Dr. Radburn said.
“Then sit on the chair against the far wall and keep your mouth shut,” Dr. Fenton said, “If you speak, you will find yourself cleaning up after the severe cases for a month.”
Dr. Radburn winced at the threat before going and sitting down in the chair already set up. Dr. Fenton went back to reading through his notes.
It was half an hour later that there was a timid knock at the door. Dr. Fenton looked up to see Rose in the doorway.
“Come in,” Dr. Fenton said. Rose stepped into the room and went to the chair on the other side of the table from Dr. Fenton. She sat down in the chair and set her hands on the table. Then she realized that they were shaking, so she moved them to her lap. Her eyes were much clearer than normal and she looked at Dr. Fenton’s face rather than her hands or the table.
“How are you today?” Dr. Fenton asked.
Rose shrugged.
“How are the roses?” Dr. Fenton asked.
Rose smiled briefly then it disappeared.
“Are you taking your medication as you are supposed to?” Dr. Fenton asked.
Rose shook her head as she looked down at her hands.
“You need to take your medication,” Dr. Fenton said, “Without it you end up back in a padded room and you don’t like that. You don’t like what happens when you don’t take your medication. Will you go back on it?”
Rose nodded.
“Good,” Dr. Fenton said, “Is there anything you would like to talk about?”
Rose shook her head.
“Then we’ll talk again in a couple days,” Dr. Fenton said.
Rose got up and went to the door. There she stopped and looked back at Dr. Fenton.
“Yes?” Dr. Fenton asked.
“Has he come for me yet?” Rose’s voice was like a child’s.
“No, he hasn’t come for you,” Dr. Fenton answered.
Rose nodded and then left.
Five minutes of quiet gave Dr. Fenton time to write several notes down before Dr. Radburn interrupted hi
m.
“Who is she waiting for?” Dr. Radburn asked.
“I don’t know,” Dr. Fenton answered, “He dropped her off and hasn’t been back. She asks about him occasionally, but there isn’t much we can tell her.”
Dr. Radburn was quiet and didn’t interrupt again.
June 18, 2012
Dr. Fenton was staring at the file and ignoring Dr. Radburn as they waited for Rose to arrive for her appointment. Dr. Fenton would have denied Dr. Radburn entry to the therapy sessions, but there was pressure from the board of directors to let Dr. Radburn take them over completely and Dr. Fenton cared too much about the patients to do that to them. So Dr. Radburn was allowed to sit in.
Rose knocked on the door to the room.
“Come in,” Dr. Fenton said. Rose entered and sat down in the chair across from him. She looked at her hands folded in front of her on the table and nothing else. Her hands didn’t shake today.
“Good afternoon, Rose,” Dr. Fenton said, “How are you today?”
Rose didn’t respond or look up.
“How are your roses doing?” Dr. Fenton asked.
Rose glanced at him, but didn’t respond. Her eyes were a lot less clear today.
“Is there anything you want to talk about?” Dr. Fenton asked.
Rose didn’t respond or look up at him.
“Perhaps another time,” Dr. Fenton said. Rose got to her feet and left the room.
“Based on what I have seen of Rose it might be better if she was not given any more medication,” Dr. Radburn said, “She seems to be better off the medication than on.”
“When Rose is off her medication she gets violent,” Dr. Fenton said, “Her medication is merely a sedative to keep her calm. Her violent behaviour puts her in danger as well