Once Found: The Pocket Watch Chronicles

by Ceci Giltenan

  “Who are you?” her father asked.

  Gabe stood, but didn’t let go of Elizabeth’s hand. “Good evening, sir. I’m Dr. Gabriel Soldani.”

  “I remember you. You went to medical school with Elizabeth. You were the only friend she introduced us to the day she graduated,” said Elizabeth’s mother.

  “Yes, we’re friends. It’s nice to see you again. We weren’t sure you’d be able to get here before morning.”

  “As soon as the storm stopped, we flew by helicopter,” explained Mrs. Quinn.

  Dr. Quinn frowned. “Don’t you think it is a bit unseemly for a doctor in this hospital to be sitting holding my daughter’s hand while she sleeps?”

  The conversation was evidently penetrating Elizabeth’s slumber. She blinked and looked around as if trying to get her bearings.

  “I’m a pediatrician, Dr. Quinn. I am only here as a friend.”

  “Well, we’re here now. You can leave,” said Dr. Quinn.

  Wide awake now, Elizabeth’s jaw dropped. “No!” she said vehemently, reestablishing her death grip on his hand. “I don’t want him to leave. Who are you anyway?”

  “I’m your father, Elizabeth. We are going to have you transferred to Hopkins. We’ll go by helicopter tonight.”

  Elizabeth couldn’t have looked more shocked. “You’re my father? I…I…I want to stay here.” She looked scared.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll come with us to Baltimore.”

  She turned terror-filled eyes to Gabe. “I don’t want to do that.” She glanced again at her father before asking Gabe, “Is what Dr. Levi said true? Do they need my permission to do this?”

  “Yes, but Elizabeth, your parents are worried about you. Your father is on staff at Hopkins, so I’m sure he would be more comfortable with you there.”

  “But they need my permission?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I don’t give it. I want to stay here.” She looked at her father. “Please don’t ask this of me. I don’t know you yet.”

  “You don’t know anyone,” said her father.

  “I know Gabe.”

  “Darling, we know your memory is foggy, but we only want what’s best for you,” said her mother.

  “Is there something at this place…this Hopkins…that is certain to bring my memory back?”

  Her father stood, clenching his jaw but her mother said, “Of course not, but it is a stellar hospital in Baltimore, close to home.”

  “I thought I lived in a place called Cincinnati.”

  “You do, but our home, your childhood home, is in Baltimore.”

  “Then, forgive me, but it seems it isn’t necessarily what’s best for me. I know it might be more convenient for you—”

  “Elizabeth, you are being exceedingly thoughtless. You know I have a busy surgical schedule. Your mother has important clients. Why would you choose to make things difficult?”

  Elizabeth visibly recoiled as if she had been struck. “I’m sorry.”

  Gabe had remained silent during this exchange. It wasn’t his place to interfere, but his heart fell when he heard her apologize and appear to capitulate. He reckoned this conversation was very like the heated discussion she had appeared to have with them after graduation.

  Her father nodded. “I’m glad you see things our way. This is for the best. I’ll make arrangements to have you transferred immediately.”

  Just like that, she was going to be gone from his life again.

  She shook her head. “No. You misunderstand me. I’m sorry that my choice to stay here will make things difficult. But you have no idea what I’m going through. Everything is strange enough already. I don’t know anyone there, and I don’t remember you.”

  “As I said before, you don’t know anyone here, either,” countered her father.

  “I know Gabe. I know we were friends—close friends. I have fleeting memories of him and a deep sense that he is important to me. I understand you have things you must do. Don’t feel as if you need to stay here with me.”

  Gabe was speechless.

  Her mother sat on the bed beside her. “My darling, it will really be better if you come to Baltimore. However, if it would make you more comfortable to delay moving a little, I’ll arrange to stay for a day or two.”

  Her father frowned. “No, Charlotte. She has profound amnesia and is not mentally capable of making this choice. I will see that she has a psychiatric assessment and then we will move her to Hopkins. I’ll call Howard Jacobs and have him put me in touch with the chief of psychiatry here.”

  “James, I’m sure when she’s had some time, she’ll come around.”

  “She’ll have tonight. Considering how late it is on a Sunday evening, I expect it will take until tomorrow anyway. I’ll get us a suite at the Fitzwilliam.” He strode out of the room without another word.

  Tears filled Elizabeth’s eyes. “Can he do that, Gabe?”

  “If he believes you aren’t mentally capable of making a decision, he can attempt to have you declared incompetent. But he can only take the decision out of your hands if another doctor determines that you aren’t able to make sound choices.”

  She blinked, clearly trying not to cry, but her lower lip trembled. “He must hate me.”

  “No, Elizabeth,” said her mother. “Your dad doesn’t hate you. He just thinks this is best and, really, it is.”

  The tears finally spilled down Elizabeth’s cheeks. “He thinks it’s best to make me so unhappy? He thinks it’s best to move me from the only place where I know anyone?”

  “He doesn’t see it that way. He just wants you in his hospital, where he can—”

  “—control me?”

  “Elizabeth, that isn’t fair. We’re your parents. You make your own decisions. We are only advising you on what is prudent. Surely, you understand that.”

  “If I make my own decisions, then I should be able to make this one.”

  Elizabeth’s mother patted Elizabeth’s hand. “No one is going anywhere tonight anyway. Rest and perhaps you’ll feel differently in the morning.” Her mother kissed her forehead and left the room.

  Elizabeth watched her leave and then started to sob.

  “Oh, sweetheart, please don’t cry.” Gabe didn’t know what to do, so he instinctively lifted her into his arms and sat on the recliner, cradling her on his lap and against his chest.

  “I—never—cry,” she said between sobs. But she wrapped her arms around him, continuing to weep.

  He whispered soft soothing words, trying to quiet her sobs.

  A nurse came into the room. “Goodness, what’s the matter?”

  Elizabeth continued to cry, so Gabe explained. “Her parents were here.”

  “Did she recognize them?”

  “No.”

  “Is that why she’s upset?”

  “No. Her father is on staff at Johns Hopkins. He wants her transferred there, and she doesn’t want to go.”

  “Well, she’s an adult, she doesn’t have to go, and you shouldn’t push her into it.”

  “I’m not the one pushing her. When she told them she wanted to stay here, her father said he would have her evaluated by psych and declared incompetent.”

  “No.” The nurse’s tone was incredulous. She sat on the bed and rested a hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder. “Dr. Quinn, don’t let this upset you. A lot of things have to happen before anyone can make you do anything.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “And, Elizabeth, if your father gets his way, I’ll go to Baltimore to be with you there.”

  He felt the tension leave her body. “You will?”

  “Of course. I know you’re afraid. I won’t leave you.”

  She sighed and rested her head against his chest.

  The nurse smiled. “Try to calm down a little now. I’ll be back in a few minutes to take some vitals. Are you having any pain?”

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “Then I’ll bring some pain medicine
too.”

  She nodded again. “I don’t like the way it makes me feel, but I am hurting a lot.”

  When the nurse left, Elizabeth snuggled against Gabe’s chest again. He rested his cheek on the top of her head, content just to hold her.

  “I wish I could sleep here.”

  Gabe chuckled. “So do I, but it’s probably better if we tuck you into bed.”

  “Can you stay here all night?”

  “Yes. I’ll stay right here in this chair.”

  “Thank you, Gabe.”

  ~ * ~

  Elsie’s disappointment in the callous way Elizabeth’s parents—particularly her father—treated her was shattering. But as she regained control, it occurred to her that the ability to make her own choices was a heady power, so much so that the threat of losing that right steeled her determination to prevent anyone from taking it from her.

  Chapter 7

  The twenty-first century was loud and scary in many ways, but it didn’t take long for Elsie to appreciate some modern marvels. The first being a little chamber called a bathroom. She had been introduced to it the previous evening when she needed to relieve herself. There were no pots to empty into cesspits. It wasn’t even like a garderobe. The toilet was filled with water and everything was flushed away with the push of a lever. A wash basin was attached to the wall, and levers there caused warm water to pour out of a spout.

  That was also when she saw her reflection for the first time. Elizabeth was shorter than Elsie had been. She had warm brown eyes and short, wavy, brown hair. It would have shocked her had she not already seen so many women in this time with short hair. Elizabeth had an ample bosom, a slightly rounded tummy, and curvy hips. Elsie smiled, thinking her body very attractive—at least men in her own time would find it so. Her face, on the other hand, was a bit of a mess. There was a scrape above her left eye and some ugly bruises, but they would go away with time.

  Just after Elsie had awakened that morning, to her surprise, a breakfast tray was delivered. If she ate at all, her morning meal consisted of bread or a bannock and either broth or cheese. This tray had some foods she recognized. There were two pancakes, which were like bannocks but very soft and in the twenty-first century, eaten drenched in syrup. There was also bacon, cooked until it was crispy. She had never eaten bacon in the morning before. She seemed to amuse Gabe with her questions about everything else.

  The large, curved, yellow thing was a fruit called a banana. “Try it, but don’t be surprised if you don’t like that one,” said Gabe. “It is a little green, and you like very ripe bananas.”

  She tasted it and made a face. “You’re right. I don’t like it. How did you know?”

  He chuckled. “Because I like them green. You used to buy bananas, and I’d irritate you by eating them before they got ripe enough for your tastes.”

  She smiled, “You can have this one. And please eat one of these pancakes, I can’t manage them both.”

  He gave her a warm smile. “We’ve done this before. You like pancakes, but you’d only ever eat one and they are usually served in a stack of two or three or more. I have never minded finishing your pancakes.”

  The tray also held a container of milk that was nothing like the milk in her time, and a container of orange juice. It was very tasty. But the thing that surprised her most was the cup of hot black liquid Gabe called coffee. The aroma was wonderful. She started to take a sip, but Gabe stopped her.

  “You like milk or cream in your coffee.” He poured some of the milk in.

  She tasted it in awe. “This is…this is…delicious.”

  Gabe laughed. “You’ve loved coffee as long as I’ve known you. It sustained you through medical school.”

  “Is it very good for you? Does one drink it instead of eating?”

  “You don’t drink it instead of eating—or you shouldn’t—that isn’t what I meant by sustain. Coffee has something in it called caffeine. It is a stimulant.” At her frown he said, “Having a cup of coffee when you’re tired perks you up for a while. In medical school, we had a lot to do and didn’t get as much sleep as we should have. We drank a lot of coffee.”

  “Do you want some of this?”

  “No, thank you. You enjoy it and I’ll get a cup later.”

  After breakfast, a nurse checked her vitals. Gabe had explained what they were yesterday. The nurse also removed the little tube in her arm that had been capped yesterday.

  “I’m going to wrap that splint and have a nursing assistant help you shower.”

  “Shower?”

  “Wash up,” the nurse said by way of explanation. “Dr. Soldani, you can take a break for a while.”

  Elsie started to protest, but Gabe said, “You’ll want privacy. I won’t be gone long. I think I’ll have a shower, too.” She frowned, but he added, “There’s a coffee shop in the lobby that makes a great mocha. It’s a flavored coffee that you love. I’ll bring you one.”

  “Okay.” She was still worried that her parents might return before Gabe did, but she was determined to be brave.

  The hot shower was one of the most wonderful things Elsie had ever experienced. She never could have imagined how heavenly it would feel to have delightfully warm water sluicing over her body. It soothed her aches. The blow dryer was marvelous, too. Her hair was completely dry and fluffy in a few minutes.

  Finally, dressed in a fresh gown, she returned to bed. The head of the bed was raised so that she was in a semi-sitting position. She closed her eyes and dozed a little. The whole experience had been very relaxing.

  She rested until someone entered the room. Opening her eyes, she expected to see Gabe, but it was a man she didn’t know. He wasn’t dressed in scrubs. She was immediately wary.

  He smiled. “Hello, Elizabeth.”

  “Hello,” she said tentatively. “Who are you?”

  He smiled warmly. “My name is David Sinclair, and I’m a friend. A very good friend.”

  She shook her head slowly, wishing Gabe were here. “I don’t remember you.”

  “That’s okay. I didn’t think you would.”

  “Where do I know you from? I don’t live here. I live in a place called Cincinnati, and it’s far away.”

  He nodded. “That’s right. I live in Cincinnati too, and until a couple of days ago, I was your boyfriend.”

  At that moment, Gabe walked in carrying a cup in each hand. Elsie gave a sigh of relief.

  “Excuse me, who are you?” asked Gabe.

  “I’m David Sinclair.” David offered Gabe his hand.

  Gabe set down one of the cups and returned the handshake. “Dr. Gabe Soldani. Here, Elizabeth, I brought you the mocha I promised.”

  Elsie took the cup, but didn’t taste it. On seeing David, Gabe became tense and that made Elsie tense too.

  Gabe turned back to the new arrival. “If you were Elizabeth’s boyfriend until a couple of days ago, what are you doing here?”

  “Her parents called me. They told me what happened. They didn’t know Elizabeth and I had broken up on Saturday morning.”

  “Then why didn’t you fill them in?”

  “Dr. Soldani, shall we sit down and I’ll tell you what I know?”

  Gabe nodded, motioning for David to sit in the recliner as he sat in the other small chair. “So, I’ll ask again, if you and Elizabeth are no longer a couple, why did you fly here from Cincinnati this morning?”

  Fly? There it was again. She had to remember to ask about that.

  “I care about Elizabeth, but in the short time we dated I learned a few things that I didn’t think would ever change. Elizabeth drives herself harder than anyone I know. After a while, I came to believe it was out of some need to please her parents. She aced the hardest courses in prep school, and was always first in her class. But these were simply her parents’ expectations. I know you went to medical school with her, so you know she graduated as valedictorian. What you probably don’t know is that it was her third time. She was valedictorian in both high school
and college. Her parents didn’t even attend those ceremonies.”

  Elizabeth didn’t understand all of what that meant, but it didn’t sound good.

  Gabe put two fingers to his brow, as if he were in pain.

  David continued. “Elizabeth, I believed your constant push to excel was to gain your parents’ attention, which they didn’t seem overly anxious to give. I told you that you would never be happy as long as you relied on their approval for fulfilment, and it broke my heart watching you continue to try. You were probably even dating me because it was expected. Your mother set us up.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means I know your mother, and she suggested that I take you out on a date.”

  “But that still doesn’t explain why they called you and why you dropped everything to get here,” observed Gabe.

  “They called me for several reasons. First, they said she remembered you and she believes she loves you. I guess they thought she might remember me. I was fairly certain she wouldn’t because I don’t believe she loved me. Still, they figured if she remembered me, I could talk her into going to Baltimore.”

  “I’m not going to Baltimore,” Elsie said emphatically.

  To her surprise, David grinned. “Good girl. Although your parents don’t know this yet, the reason I came was to support that decision.”

  Gabe gaped at him. “Are you serious?”

  “Absolutely. Elizabeth, I don’t think we were meant to be together, but that doesn’t change the fact that I care very deeply for you. It’s rather ironic that it took losing your memory for you to stand up to them. I firmly believe that had you not, had you simply been injured, you would be in Baltimore this morning regardless of your feelings for Gabe. And as to that, you’ve mentioned him to me in the past, but you’ve never told me what happened. I always suspected you had unresolved feelings, but had simply chalked it up as a love lost. It doesn’t surprise me that he is the only person you remember. So that’s why I came.”

  “Thank you, David.”

  “It’s my pleasure. One of the last things I said to you on Saturday was that I hoped someday you could work your way free of expectations and allow joy to enter your life. Maybe this fugue state you’re in will open the doors for that.”