by Judith Lucci
She'd been hurt by the separation and divorce but knew it would have been difficult to build a life with Robert. After the divorce and her graduation from UVA law school, she'd accepted an offer from a chain of Catholic hospitals in Houston.
Alex's tenure with the Catholic hospital group had provided her with experience and practice. Her nursing background added considerable depth to her ability to determine high risks and analyze potential malpractice cases.
Alex continued to mull over Don's curious request as she looked around the glass atrium. Why did Montgomery want her to fix Robert? Her intuition nagged at her and suggested there was more than was apparent in the CEO's behavior. She made a mental note to speak with Robert soon.
As Alex entered her office suite, she noted that her secretary was late. Just as she finished checking email, her striking blonde bombshell Cajun secretary, Bridgett, almost six feet tall in red spiked heels, knocked on her door and came in.
"Happy Monday, Alex," Bridgett sang. "We've got a new unbelievable complaint for the book. You’re gonna love it."
Alex looked up and smiled as she waited patiently for Bridgett to continue her story.
Bridgett combed her long hair back with her fingers and grinned. "Well, patient's probably a nut bunny, but then what’s new? Anyway, for the purposes of our book, she's got a great story."
Bridgett was dancing with excitement, dying to tell Alex about the new patient complaint. Her blue eyes sparked with the anticipation of her newest adventure in the legal advisor's office. Bridgett loved her job, and she was good at it. She could sell ice to Eskimos in December and had prevented many lawsuits at CCMC simply by listening and being supportive of families in crises.
Alex laughed. "Is it better than the guy who came in for the penile enlargement but refused to wear his weights?"
Bridgett burst into renewed laughter again. "Unbelievable. Yeah, that thing never did work, did it? The surgery would've worked if he'd worn his weights, right. I mean, you gotta pull that old thing up and out to make it larger, right?" Bridge dissolved once again into laughter.
Alex shrugged her shoulders and grinned, "Who knows? To be honest, I don’t know much about penile implants, don’t really want to but I do believe that obeying laws of physics would have made the surgery successful.”
Bridgett, still laughing, thumbed through the book as she contemplated her answer. The Crescent City Medical Center book of The Craziest Patients Ever was a compilation of the most colorful, unusual and creative patient complaints known to the medical center. The addition of a new entry to the coveted notebook was a spectacular event made known only to a few individuals. Favorite entries to date included complaints from the penis man, another man who'd forgotten he'd agreed to have his foot amputated and complained later when he found it was missing, and the woman who had committed her husband to The Pavilion, CCMC's psychiatric facility, and later sued the hospital for negligence after she signed him out against medical advice. In addition, of course, there was the New Orleans Voodoo Queen who swore that the hospital had “taken” her magical powers after surgery. The suit was still active in city court.
Bridgett continued to string Alex along, not telling her the new story until Alex erupted into a fix of impatience.
"Tell me. Don't keep me waiting."
Bridgett hesitated a few more seconds. Finally, she began, ”Well this one is straight out of the Emergency Department…”
“Yeah, and hurry up! You never know when we’re gonna be interrupted around here,” Alex said, as she scanned the outer office furtively.
“Well,” Bridgett continued, “This man came into the ED and told the admitting clerk that he had to see a doctor right away because he couldn’t talk…”
“Who was taking for him?”
“He was talking for himself.”
Alex stared at Bridgett uncomprehending. “I don’t get this. What am I missing? How could he not talk if he was talking?”
“That’s probably a good question. Well, I guess the clerk didn’t even notice it and sent him back to see a doctor. Then they called in a throat specialist.”
“Terrific,” Alex said sarcastically, shaking her head and smiling. “We really have a bunch of rocket scientist clerks over there, don’t we?"
“Yep,” Bridgett replied, “but there is no new news there.”
Alex nodded agreement, “Then what?”
“He saw a doctor, some new guy to the CCMC ED who kept insisting to the patient that he could talk until the patient just sort of went bonkers, screaming and yelling and holding his head.”
“And then...?”
"The doctor left him alone and went out front, raging at the ED admitting clerks and then went to order a psych consult. About that time, the new throat surgeon came in and not knowing, saw the patient. Then a short time later, the nurses heard a bunch of screaming and the sounds of stuff breaking coming from the person's room. When they went to check, the patient had broken all the IV bottles and equipment he could find, pulled all of the equipment out of the wall, jumped up on the wall-mounted TV, and swung back and forth on the TV while it was still on the wall. The Price is Right was on.”
Alex looked at Bridgett, dumbfounded at the new story and at people in general. "What'd did the nurses do?"
"Called security but before they could get there, the man jumped down from swinging on the TV and ran out of the ED into the lobby where he turned all of the green plants over on the new oriental carpeting. If that wasn’t enough, he turned the water fountain machine upside down on the carpet making an enormous mud slide.”
Alex covered her mouth with her hand, “OMG, Don’s gonna have a shit-fit. He just had those carpets installed...”
“You haven’t heard the end of it yet, Alex."
Alex stared at her secretary, her eyes huge, “What else?”
Bridgett was now reporting at full capacity, her long red nails clicking against the desk. “Well, he pulled down all of the framed art in the foyer too and smashed the glass all over the marble floor.” Once again, Bridgett dissolved into peals of laughter. “I heard Don almost had a heart attack when they called him.”
“Wow. I bet he just about pooped his pants,” Alex said, thinking this must have occurred just after she had met with him.
"Probably. Anyway, the guy was apparently acting crazy and people were afraid of him and ran away. When the area was clear, he ran over to the coffee kiosk and turned all of that over too. The newly opened marble foyer now looks like a black, gritty hell.”
“And the art collection is smashed to smithereens. Good Lord, how long did it take CCMC security to get there?”
“All of this happened very quickly, probably 3 or 4 minutes at tops."
Alex smiled as Bridgett continued.
"The guy was fast! The staff is calling him the “Monkey Man” based on his ability to swing from the TV in the ED. He’s also pretty good at slinging coffee and art.” Bridgett was laughing so hard her big blonde curls were dancing and tears of mascara were streaming from her eyes. “We’ve got some great pictures from cell phones and digitals. Don is going to have a shit-fit.”
“You got that right, if he hasn’t already,” Alex said, her face amused. "It's all pretty incredible. He spent millions on that renovation.”
Bridgett looked at Alex sideways. "Well, serves him right. Maybe he should spend that money on his staff and patients.”
Alex nodded and asked, “Does Monkey Man have a regular doctor?”
Bridgett looked at Alex sheepishly, “Yep, Dr. Bonnet."
Alex raised her eyebrows and said sarcastically, "Huh, oh great. However, why? Robert’s a surgeon. Why would he have a medical patient?"
Bridgett shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, I need to see him anyway," Alex added, remembering her conversation with Don.
"I think the guy is a charity case, from the clinic where Dr. Bonnet volunteers. Al," Bridgett began and then hesitated for a moment, "There are a lot of rumo
rs about Dr. Bonnet among the nurses and the administrators. I know people aren't comfortable talking with you about him since he's your ex and all…."
"What kind of rumors?" Alex's voice was sharp, her former good mood gone. She knew Bridgett had good connections on the grapevine, particularly from her twin sister, Angela, a nurse in the operating room.
"Just that he's been irritable and unpredictable lately, and some of the nurses think he's been drinking when he makes rounds." Bridgett looked at Alex's face and was instantly sorry for repeating the rumor.
Alex's face darkened. "That’s news to me. Keep me posted about our new complaint.” Alex jerked her head toward the door, “I guess I better get to this pile of work." She tried to sound noncommittal, but Bridge could tell she was concerned.
Bridgett walked towards the outpatient surgery department and thought about the ongoing battles between Alex and Don Montgomery. She couldn't understand how someone couldn't get along with Alex. Alex was great, a regular person. She was patient, kind, and a bunch of fun. Part of Alex's beauty was she didn't know she was beautiful. Besides that, she was nice, a real down to earth person. She's not snotty like that uppity female lawyer before her. Thank goodness for that!
Bridgett hoped she hadn’t upset Alex. She felt a pang of guilt for talking to her about Dr. B. Alex is a humble person. I doubt she even thinks of herself as exceptional. She never seems to notice how people look at her when she walks into a room. She's gorgeous. If anything, Bridgett thought, my boss seems a little shy and unsure of herself. Guess it takes a long time to get over a bad marriage.
Bridgett continued to muse. Besides, losing Dr. Bonnet would be hard. He was so good-looking and kind. Her cousin told her he ran a free surgery clinic in the bayou and that he'd saved the arm of a little boy who had been bitten by an alligator. He didn’t even charge the family. He was really good to the Cajun community. Dr. Bonnet was good to everyone. Bridgett flipped her blonde hair back and decided she didn't believe the rumors about the handsome surgeon.
After Bridgett left, Alex sat at her desk and pondered her secretary's remarks about Robert. She valued her rapport with the nursing staff and was pleased that they, in spite of her law degree, still perceived her as one of them. Her relationship with them had come in handy more than once.
Alex reflected back to the times Robert had drunk more than she thought he should. She'd attributed it to the pressures of hospital life and hard work, although there were a few times when their own personal difficulties had seemed to cause bouts of heavy drinking, particularly after the miscarriages. She specifically recalled an episode concerning her refusal to quit school. It depressed her a bit to hear the rumors. Hope they're just rumors, she thought. I don't need this.
Several hours later, Alex was immersed in a slip and fall case, when Bridgett buzzed her to say that Dr. Bonnet wanted to see her.
Within moments, Robert was in her office. "Alex, how good to see you. How are things going?"
Alex looked up as she felt a blush creeping up her neck. At 42, Robert was an astonishingly attractive man. He was tall with sandy blonde hair and had the slight build of the New Orleans French population. His voice was deep and soft with a subtle Creole accent. His eyes were brown and expressive, kind eyes, she had always thought. Alex immediately stood and offered her hand.
"Robert, how good to see you. It's been a while," Alex said formally.
Robert appraised Alex critically. "It has. This hospital is so big that months go by before I see many of my colleagues. Alex, you look beautiful! New Orleans agrees with you. Tell me about your family. How are Grand and the Congressman? I read in the morning paper that he's here in New Orleans. Business?"
Alex felt a flush come over her again and she could feel the warmth as it moved all the way up and down her body. I can't believe that I'm feeling like this about seeing him. I must look like a teenybopper to him. She was breathless and a little nervous as she responded. "Yes, Granddad’s here. Some big political pow-wow, coalition-building thing with Governor Raccine, I believe. And, Grandmother's doing fine. She broke her hip last September, riding her horse. Fortunately, her fall didn't slow her down much. Still rides every day. She's still managing the family, the Washington house, and the horse farm."
In truth, Alex's grandmother, Kathryn Lee, was the strongest force in her life. Unlike her shy, reclusive daughter, she had an interminable strength, yet she was gracious and pragmatic. She had the patience of a saint and the soul of an angel. Grand had served as a role model for Alex all of her life and much of Alex's strength of character and integrity was inherited from Kathryn. Her grandfather often joked that Alex had inherited her grandmother's bad points as well. Congressman Lee insisted that both women were the most stubborn and willful women on earth.
Robert smiled and said, "I miss seeing her. She's quite the lady. How’s the Congressman?"
"The same. You know him -- still serving the conservative people of Virginia. He's actively drafting crime, drug, and immigration legislation. He’s totally opposed to Obamacare and voted against it. He’s convinced that it is going to ruin healthcare, as we know it in this country. And, of course, he has his own ideas about health reform -- and they don't, as I'm sure you can imagine, complement those of the present administration."
"I can imagine," Robert replied wryly. "I'd think our views probably wouldn't match but would serve for some lively conversation. I miss seeing them. Have you seen your grandfather yet?"
"No. He's busy tonight. We’re planning to get together tomorrow afternoon. He's taking the red-eye back to Virginia tomorrow night."
"Give him my best. Get to the farm much?"
Alex nodded as her blue eyes took on a faraway look as she visualized her grandparents' farm, "Wyndley", located half-way between Richmond and Washington D.C. in Hanover County, Virginia. After her parents had divorced when she was three years old, Alex had spent most of her childhood at Wyndley with her grandparents and her reclusive mother.
“No, I'm hoping to get up for a long weekend in April or May. Virginia's beautiful in the spring and Grand just purchased a new Arabian brood mare. Wyndley's becoming a well-known thoroughbred farm. I need to get back there more often. It grounds me and helps me sort through things and get them into perspective."
Robert nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I understand that. That's why I often go over to my summer home in Gulf Shores. I went last weekend and, as a matter of fact, I'm going this weekend for that very reason... to escape Mardi Gras. The ocean, sun, and a few nights at the Floribama bar will allow me to relax."
Alex's thoughts immediately returned to the rumors of Robert's drinking. They'd spent many evenings “wasting away “in Gulf Shores, Alabama at the coveted Floribama Lounge, the legendary home of Jimmy Buffet where very few people left alert. Of course, the Floribama was gone now, washed away by Hurricane Katrina. “Be careful.”
"Will do. By the way, Don Montgomery said you wanted to see me. What's up?"
Alex looked at him sharply, her paranoia kicking in. "That why you're here? When did you see Don?" Alex was suspicious.
"I saw him last week at a medical staff meeting. He mentioned on the way out you wanted to see me. You never called, and today my morning OR schedule was canceled, so I just came by on the chance you'd be in.”
Alex tingled with anger, and then suspicion set in. She felt ambushed. "Did Don give you any idea about why we needed to meet?" Alex's voice was distrustful.
Robert noticed the suspicious edge to Alex's voice. "No. Why? What's going on?” Noting the flush on her cheeks, his voice raised, “What! Alex, no games. We go back too far to play games with each other." His voice had a ring of concern in it.
Alex's intent was to be professional, and she chose her words carefully. "Don's concerned because we've received three complaints about you in less than six months. One will end up as a malpractice action. He thinks three complaints are too many for that period of time."
Robert just stood there and sa
id nothing.
"Besides, Don likes to micro-manage," she added apologetically.
Robert ignored Alex's dig at Don Montgomery. He scowled at her and his voice was reserved and formal. "I want to be clear here. I assume the action you're speaking of is the one where the elderly gentlemen with cancer developed a post-operative infection and died following colon surgery."
Alex nodded and Robert continued, "I warned the patient, the family, and the oncologist of this risk. He was a poor candidate because of his battered immune system and he was a sitting duck for a massive infection." Robert stopped for a moment and reflected. He shook his head sadly, thinking of the man's prolonged and painful death. "I'm not the only physician named. You should be able to defend that claim. After all, you are a UVA lawyer! What else?”
Alex flinched at Robert’s sarcasm, and her own stress began to increase as she felt her heartbeat pick up. "Let me pull the files. I can't recall the other two off the top of my head.” As she left her office, her gut tightened and the nausea began to mount. She had a sick feeling. Something's going on, she thought. What the hell is going on? He’s freaked. This isn't the confidant, brilliant and self-assured surgeon I used to know. Alex took several minutes to compose herself and review the files before returning to her office.
Robert paced in Alex’s office. As he waited for her to return, he could feel his own anxiety rising. He couldn't understand Montgomery's behavior towards him either, and, combined with the other things that were happening, he was feeling unnerved. He was constantly being bumped from the OR schedule for no good reason. Several people he'd worked with for years were acting strangely, some were actually avoiding him, and he'd been greeted frostily this morning by another surgeon. Something was definitely stewing. But what? Robert shook his head but continued to think as he felt a darkness descend upon him.
