Misspent Youth

54. …IN THREES

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE HOSPITAL ROOMS that could pass itself off as a decent three-star hotel room. The furnishing and décor were new with carefully neutral colors; a band of double-glazed windows provided a pleasing view out over the broad expanse of parkland that circled the Brussels University Medical Centre. Medical modules were all built into a tall wooden bedside cabinet, with a row of small high-resolution screens on top that monitored his body. There were sensor pads stuck on most parts of him, sprouting fiber-optic cables that snaked out from under the thin bedclothes to merge with the electronics. A single intravenous drip stood guard at the head of the bed.

Physically, Jeff was perfectly comfortable. He suspected part of that sensation was due to the sedatives. But his body temperature was constant and normal now. And there were no more headaches and chest pains and muscle tremors. It had taken the medical team the best part of a day to stabilize him after the EuroAir Defence Force emergency flight delivered him to Brussels. The symptoms he displayed were relatively easy to treat and contain with conventional drugs.

The cause of the problem… that was something else altogether.

It had taken two days of tests before the delegation shuffled into his room, led by Dr. Sperber. In his stuttering broken English the good doctor had slowly explained what they’d found, the implication. He’d looked fearfully at his patient and creation as the news sunk in.

All Jeff had done was smile faintly and thank them. After all, what else was there?

At his own request, they’d left him alone after that. Annabelle had stayed, of course; beautiful, terribly young, and fragile Annabelle. She lay on the bed beside him, hardly moving for hours, just looking at him in that adoring way she had. It made him feel guilty, which was a first.

A love like hers, he reflected, was such a strange emotion, so completely beyond any form of control. Half curse, half blessing; and always so desperately unfair in the pain it inflicted.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered to her. “I wish I could undo ever meeting you. You deserve so much more. I can’t stand the idea of this hurting you. That’s what I truly hate about this, the only regret.”

She squeezed his hand in hers, bringing the fingers up to touch her cheek, smiling dreamily at the feather-light contact, the reassurance it brought. “I don’t regret it. And I would never change a single moment.”

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you. Nothing in this life, that’s for sure.”

“A million things in this life.”

The next time Dr. Sperber came in he was by himself. “How do you feel?”

“It hurts when I laugh.”

Sperber frowned in concern. “Where?”

“English sense of humor, Doc. Ever watched Fawlty Towers?”

“No. I’m afraid not.”

“I’m actually quite comfortable, thanks. I think the drugs are working.”

“That is good. We are putting together a treatment schedule for you.”

“Speaking of drugs, I’ve been taking a few nonprescription ones recently.”

“I know.” Dr. Sperber’s expression never changed. “Our analysis uncovered traces of Viagra in your blood. It was easy to find, the traces were quite large.”

“I was wondering…did that trigger this?”

“No. That is not possible.”

“Ah. Pity, really.”

That actually managed to shock Sperber. “A pity?”

“Yeah. Now that would have been true rock and roll.”

“I understand.”

“I really am feeling a lot better. I’d like to go home now, please.”

“Of course.”