The Woman Behind the Glass Wall

by DB Jones

  “Deal.” Teddy smiled, turned to Anna and winked. “My sister is one strong lady.”

  “Indeed,” Anna said with a big smile.

  Jacob sat at the kitchen counter waiting for Frank to go over the last minute changes on the renovation when his father entered the room. “Good morning, Son. This is a big day for you, isn’t it?”

  “You mean that we’re finally going to start the renovations?”

  “Yes, that and your patient is having the tests. You must be thrilled.”

  “I am. I’m crossing my fingers that my patient won’t back out. Making a choice to have the surgery is a brave decision for her. When I was at her place and tried to have her wheel out on her balcony, she refused. She was genuinely terrified. She has other hurdles to overcome, but I think her fear is the big one.”

  His dad put his hands on his hips. “Then how is she going to leave her place for the tests?”

  “Her brother is bringing her. He’s the one that convinced her to go ahead with this and promised he would be by her side the entire time.”

  “He’s not going to interfere with your work, is he?”

  “Not at all. She has a great deal of faith and trust in him. He wants this for her as much as I do.”

  “Good to know. When do the tests begin?”

  “Her brother is bringing her to the hospital at 9:00 a.m.”

  Senior looked at his watch. “That doesn’t give you much time. What are you waiting for?”

  “Frank will be here in a minute to start on the demolition of my old room, and I want to run some changes by him. I’ll be out of here in ten minutes.”

  “I’ll bet you’d like to be here to see that happen.”

  “I’d rather come home and have everything already done, but we both know that’s not going to happen. If you have any changes you want in your room, now’s the time to discuss them with Frank. Whatever, you want is fine with me.”

  “I like what you showed me. I have a breakfast date this morning, so I’ll be out of Frank’s hair too. I’m sure he doesn’t need an old man getting in his way,” Senior chuckled as he reached for the coffee pot.

  “Dad, you’re not old. Stop it!”

  “Okay, older.”

  There was a knock on the door. “I think that’s Frank.”

  Jacob welcomed him into the kitchen. “Coffee, Frank?”

  “I brought my own, but thanks. How are you doing, David? I guess you’re excited about this new arrangement.”

  “Arrangement?”

  “The design you two agreed on.”

  “Oh, that. I love it. I have an appointment, so I’ll let you two talk. See you later, Son.”

  “Have a great morning, Dad.”

  “Bye, David.”

  Jacob waited until his father closed the front door. “Frank, I have an appointment too, but wanted to run over a few things in the master bathroom with you.”

  “I think I know. You want assistive devices that don’t look like they are, right?”

  Jacob cocked his head. “Yeah. You know how proud Dad is.”

  “I do. He’ll never know. If he asks me, I’ll tell him they’re the latest upgrades for all new homes.”

  “That sounds good. Do you have any questions before I leave?”

  Frank looked around at the room, and then down at the plans. “Nope, I’m good.”

  “Thanks for taking this on.”

  “My pleasure.”

  Jacob grabbed his briefcase and headed out the door. He was ahead of schedule but wanted to get there early to make sure everything was ready for Sydney. This was one patient he knew he had only one chance with and he wanted it all to go right.

  Sydney finished her breakfast on the balcony with Anna and Teddy. In all the years she lived there, she never once ventured out. Fear filled her at the very thought of it, but today felt different. She wasn’t relaxed, and the fear was there, but having her brother and Anna nearby was everything.

  She looked at her watch. “Well, it’s almost time.” Her body quivered. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  Teddy smiled at her. “How do you feel?”

  “Petrified.”

  “I think that’s to be expected, but you can do this.”

  Sydney shook her head. “Yep! I have a few more things to do in my room, and then we can leave.”

  “Do you want me to come too?” Anna asked cautiously.

  “Of course. This is a big thing for you, too.”

  Anna smiled as she watched Sydney wheel her chair back into her bedroom. When she closed the door, Anna turned to Teddy. “I think I’m as nervous as she is, but don’t tell her.”

  Teddy wrapped his arms around Anna. “I think she knows.”

  Anna wanted to melt into his comforting embrace. “You do?”

  He leaned back and smiled at her. “You know she does. You’ve been on this journey with her for many years.”

  “I just want her to have a happy and normal life, to have friends, go for walks in the park and fall in love…yes, fall in love. She was never going to meet anyone inside these walls.”

  Teddy gently held Anna at arm's length. “What about you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What about you getting out with friends, walking in the park, and falling in love?”

  “I haven’t thought about it.” She turned away from him. “I’ve got to get ready.”

  Teddy watched Anna walk to the back of the apartment and close her bedroom door.

  Anna sat down on the edge of her bed and stared out the window. Fall in love? A tear ran down her cheek. She wiped away the tear then went to the closet to change clothes.

  Sydney wheeled close to the bedroom window facing the park. “Could this be the answer? Could I be walking around the park, maybe meet someone and fall in love? It’s hard for me to allow my dreams to carry me there yet until I know I can.”

  She washed her face, brushed her teeth and sat in front of the mirror staring at her limp torso formed by the wheelchair from years of sitting at a forty-five-degree angle. “I would love to put on a dress and swirl around in front of this mirror someday. Do I dare dream it can happen?”

  “Hey, Sis. We’ve got to get going soon,” Teddy hollered through her bedroom door.

  “I’m almost ready,” she hollered back at him.

  She pinched her cheeks, ran her brush through her long blond hair one more time, took in a big breath, swung her chair around and wheeled to the door.

  Anna came out wearing pale-blue Capris, and a blue and white checked shirt with her black hair pulled back in a small ponytail.

  Teddy smiled at both of them. “You ladies look amazing, now let’s get this show on the road.”

  “Let’s do this,” Sydney added.

  Teddy reached for the back of his sister’s chair and wheeled her out the front door to the elevator. “We are doing this, and I am so proud of you, Syd.”

  Anna exhaled. “Me too.”

  “Me three,” Sydney chuckled.

  Jacob arrived at the hospital early to make sure everything was ready and on time, knowing this was his only chance. He paced his office in the hospital while waiting for her arrival. “I don’t know why her case is more important than any of my other cases, but it is. There’s something about this one, and it’s not that I think her condition can be reversed. Damn, I wish I knew why.”

  Maria knocked on his office door. “Doctor Thornhill, your patient is here.”

  Jacob put on his white lab coat, ran his fingers through his sandy blond hair, grabbed Sydney’s files and headed out to greet her.

  Teddy was standing on one side of the wheelchair with Anna on the other. “I see the whole team is here,” he said as he reached for Sydney’s hand.

  “I couldn’t do this without them.”

  “Are you ready?”

  Sydney could feel her heart rate increase. Her neck was throbbing, and her hands began to perspire. She rubbed her hands together, took a deep
breath and smiled up at Jacob. “We’d better do this now before I faint.”

  “You’re going to be fine. This is my nurse Maria. She’ll be assisting you through the process.”

  “You won’t be there?”

  “Not during the testing. But as soon as you’re done, Maria will bring you to my office, and we’ll review the findings.”

  “You mean we’ll know something today?”

  Jacob smiled, patted Sydney on the shoulder and then nodded his head. “We will.”

  Sydney turned to Teddy and Anna. “Don’t leave.”

  Teddy looked up at Jacob then back down at his sister. “Anna and I will wait right here.”

  Jacob smiled at Teddy. “It won’t be too long. You might want to get some coffee or something to eat from the cafeteria. It’s on the second floor.” As he escorted Sydney from the room, he quickly turned and mouthed, “Thank you,” to Teddy.

  Maria wheeled Sydney down the long hall. Jacob was at her side. Just as she and Maria were about to enter the room, she turned to Jacob. “Doctor Thornhill?”

  “Yes?”

  “Will you do me a favor?”

  “If I can, of course.”

  “When you find out the results, I want you to tell me first. I don’t want my family to know if things don’t look good.”

  “It’s a promise, but I want you to think positive about this.” He knelt down next to her wheelchair. “Sydney, I wouldn’t be putting you through this if I didn’t believe that there is a strong chance. I need you to believe too.”

  “I want to, Doctor T…”

  “Doctor T?” he laughed.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just nervous.”

  “No. I like it. Are you ready?”

  She grabbed his arm. “Yes.”

  He smiled at her then stood. “Maria, take care of her.”

  “Yes, Doctor.”

  Sydney locked eyes with Jacob until the doors closed behind her. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably. There were two assistants in the room and a radiologist technician that would be administering the MRI. They helped Sydney onto the table, and the technician began to explain the process “Miss Parker, you’re going to do fine. You’re going to receive a contrast solution through this IV to allow the MRI machine to see your brain more clearly.”

  “Doctor Thornhill explained all that to me. It’s so you can see my blood vessels.”

  “Correct. The test will take about thirty to sixty minutes. You may hear the MRI scanner making loud banging noises, but don’t be alarmed.

  Maria took Sydney’s hand. “This will be the longest test. From here the others will be a piece of cake. I know you’re nervous but try and relax. Focus on something you love, something you enjoy, anything to take your mind off of the tests. It’s not painful, just long. Doctor Thornhill told me you were a strong woman, so I know you can do this.”

  “Are you going to be here?”

  “I sure am. I’ll be sitting behind the screen.”

  “Have you ever had one of these before?”

  “I have, and I was nervous too at first. However, I put on the eye masks and eventually dozed off.”

  Sydney squeezed Maria’s hand. “Thank you.”

  Maria nodded at the technician, and the testing began.

  Teddy and Anna watched as Maria and Jacob wheeled Sydney down the hall. Anna grabbed Teddy’s arm. “I hope she’s going to be okay.”

  He turned to her. “Anna, my sister is blessed to have you in her life. She’s going to be fine. Remember, she has one of the top Neurologist in the country with her.”

  She smiled and released her grip on him. “Yeah, you're right. I’ve been praying this time she’ll have good news. I don’t know what Syd will do if this doesn’t happen. It’s her last hope.”

  “Hope, yes. I don’t think the good doctor would have asked for this if he didn’t believe Syd has a strong chance of walking again.”

  “I hope you’re right. I sure could use that coffee about now, how about you?”

  Teddy smiled and wrapped Anna’s hand around his arm. “I could use some too.”

  Forty-five minutes passed and still no word. Anna began twisting her hands and pacing the cafeteria. “What’s taking so long?”

  “You’re going to make me nervous with your pacing. MRIs can take a long time. Doctor Thornhill wants to cover all the bases so he can make a thorough diagnosis. Not to mention Syd’s other tests.”

  “I know, but I’m going nuts.”

  Teddy chuckled. “Going nuts?”

  Anna smacked him on the back. “Stop.”

  “Anna, sit down for a minute, I want to talk to you about something.”

  “Now, you’re making me nervous. What is it?”

  “You and I know that my sister has an unnatural fear of going outside, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I suggested she see my hypnotist. My doctor helped me a great deal with problems I had. I think he can help Syd with her fears. You’ve lived with her most of her life. Has she revealed anything to you about what is holding her back?”

  “I have to admit, I’ve often wondered about what happened that brought on this fear of the outside. Sydney never talks about it. I think it has something to do with the accident, but she can’t remember anything about what happened that night. Lately, she’s becoming more curious. I think it’s why she wanted you here. This thing with the doctor has triggered flashes, but nothing concrete.”

  “Yes, we’ve talked about it. I shared with Syd what I remembered and what Momma and Dad told me never to say. However, they’re gone now, and Sydney has a right to know.”

  “I just hope what she learns doesn’t set her back further.”

  Teddy reached across the table and took Anna’s hand. “That’s the last thing I want for her, but she’s not going to rest until she has answers.”

  Anna cupped her head in her hands. “That’s for sure. Your sister is head-strong and a bit stubborn at times.”

  Teddy laughed. “Syd is that.” He took another sip of his coffee.

  Anna sat staring out the window, praying for a positive outcome.

  “Mr. Parker?”

  “Yes?”

  “Your sister wants to see you both.”

  Sydney listened to the rhythmic sounds of the MRI machine and focused on visions of her imaginary friends in the park. Mrs. Farmer feeding the cats, Maddy and Josh meeting under the gazebo for lunch and Trent racing around the track. She finally drifted off to sleep.

  “Miss Parker.”

  She was startled by the sound of Maria’s voice. She opened her eyes to see Maria smiling at her. “Wasn’t too bad now, was it?”

  Sydney reached for Maria’s hand. “Not too bad. Is it over?”

  The technician approached the table. “It is. You’re ready to get down. Mark and James will help you into your chair. I believe they are waiting for you down in X-ray.”

  Sydney’s pulse began to beat hard again. “Maria, do you know anything?”

  Maria shook her head. “No. Besides, they couldn’t discuss it with me anyway. But as soon as we finish the other tests, I’ll take you back to Doctor Thornhill. He’ll have the answers for you then.”

  “I’m about to jump out of my skin. I’ve never been this anxious, or fearful.”

  “Nothing to be fearful about. Doctor Thornhill is the best in his field. If he thinks you have a chance…well, let’s just say you’re in good hands.”

  “Thanks for the encouragement.”

  “Miss Parker, there is always hope, and with the advancements in medicine these days, almost anything is possible. Now, let’s get you through the other tests.”

  “I’m ready.”

  Maria wheeled Sydney into X-ray, and another technician took numerous pictures of Sydney’s spine. “That’s all, Miss Parker. You’re done.”

  “You mean that all the tests are complete?”

  Maria helped Sydney back into the wheelchair. “Yes. Now I’ll take you to the
doctor’s office. You did great. See, no big deal.”

  “Easy for you to say. You were hiding behind the screen,” Sydney chuckled.

  “I guess you’re right.”

  Sydney anxiously sat as Maria wheeled her down the hall to the elevator and then down another hall to Jacob’s office.

  Maria knocked on the door, and Jacob stood to greet them. “Now, that wasn’t too bad, was it?”

  Maria interjected. “Miss Parker fell asleep during the MRI.”

  Jacob bellowed out a hard laugh. “Not many fall asleep.” He looked up at Maria and nodded. She left the room closing the door behind her.

  Sydney wasted no time. “Well?”

  Jacob walked back around to his desk, sat down and pulled out the results of her tests.

  “Mr. Parker?”

  “Yes?”

  “Your sister wants to see you both.”

  Anna grabbed Teddy’s hand, and they hurriedly followed the nurse to Doctor Thornhill’s office. “Oh, Teddy what if she gets bad news?”

  “Let’s not think the worse.” If Syd gets bad news, I don’t know what I’ll do. I pray it’s good.

  Walking down the hall seemed so much longer than before, and every step felt like it was in slow motion. They followed the nurse into the elevator and pushed the button to the fourth floor several times before the doors finally closed.

  Sweat ran down Teddy’s back, and his hands started to shake. He tried hiding it from Anna. She put her hand on his arm. “She’s going to be fine.”

  “Of course, she is. It’s just hot in here.”

  Anna raised one eyebrow. “Okay.”

  The doors opened to another long hallway. Finally, the nurse knocked on the doctor’s office door.

  “Come in.”

  Teddy slowly opened the door. Sydney was sitting in front of the desk, but when she turned to him her face was full of tears. His heart sank.

  Jacob pulled up two chairs next to Sydney. Teddy sat next to her with Anna at his side. He couldn’t speak. All he could see was his sister in tears. He swallowed hard and tried forcing a smile.

  “Your sister wanted you both in here for the results. I’ve already gone over them with her, but she wanted me to tell you what we found.”

  Teddy reached over and took his sister’s hand, and then looked up at Jacob. “And?”