Beautiful Stranger – Episode 10

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EPISODE 10

“Come on, man. Think like a Surgeon. Let’s cut!” Jerry said as he dropped an envelope on the table. He bent over and flipped a Surgical Textbook open.

Emeka took a deep breath. He had never seen Jerry so enthusiastic about something and maybe that was a good sign but at the same time, someone had to be reasonable here. Jerry had just stepped out of Toni’s room with the ‘get me on my feet’ rule and he didn’t seem to be thinking straight here. All he wanted was to get her on her feet in its literary context, but that was not going to give a lasting solution. He sighed as he watched Jerry look through a book. “Bro, I think we should talk about this” Emeka said.

Jerry was engrossed in the textbook he was looking through. “Not now.”

“Jerry, I know you feel you can go all Ben Carson on her right now, but we have to be logical here. She has had epileptic seizures from her history and I don’t think we should take that chance again.” Emeka started.

Jerry closed the book. “You are not getting the point. We can cut through and remove the mass of the tumour, do you know what that will do for her?”

“That will buy her more time and in the end, you will still lose her.” Emeka replied. “I think she should start the treatment as soon as possible. Besides, it is the patient and her sister’s wish that she does Chemo and since we know it is the brain we are focusing on, we can switch to Radiotherapy for effectiveness. Don’t start putting your emotions into this thing.”

“You and I know how Radiotherapy works…I can’t watch her go through it. It is so much pain.” Jerry retorted.

“You don’t have to watch. You just have to be there for her, man. I think we shouldn’t waste any more time with these decisions. It is obvious the tumour is escalating to other parts of the system and if we keep dilly dallying about it, we would get nothing done.” Emeka replied.

Jerry shook his head. “The Director asked me what I think we should do and I think surgery is fine, I would go over to him and tell him about my decision and I would try to make Toni and Nora see reason. Besides, AEDs can be given for the seizures.”

“Jerry, you and I know that cytoreduction of the tumour is the best we would get out of this. You have seen the neoplasm, it is better to let her do radiotherapy. Besides, I think we are going to have problems gaining access to the tumour because of the size and location. It is at the skull base, man. Think. There are many possible outcomes of the surgery, we could tamper with her brain tissues, she could suffer memory loss or something worse, are you willing to take that chance?” Emeka asked.

Jerry took a deep breath and leaned against the table. Emeka was right, but he still believed he could remove as many tumour cells as possible, but he had a very slim chance because of the size and location of the tumour. He fumed as he sank into a chair. His eyes were soon wet. “I am out of ideas, bro.”

“Look, Jerry, radiation therapy will kill the tumours but won’t harm her brain tissues. Let’s take a chance on this.” Emeka replied as he took a seat beside him. “Toni is trusting you to get her back on her feet, but not for a month or two. She wants it to be forever.”

Jerry nodded. “This isn’t going to be easy for her.”

“Well, we both know it is not going to be, but she is a fighter. Let’s believe.” Emeka replied.

The door opened and the Director walked in. “What would it be?” he asked as he picked up a copy of the scan that was lying on the table. “Hmm…this is big.” He said and replaced the scan on the table. “Jerry, do you think we can cut?”

Jerry blinked. “Err…Sir, I…I was thinking-”

“-We are thinking radiotherapy would work.” Emeka said, staring at Jerry. “We can’t cut this.” He said through clenched teeth.

The Director nodded as he stared at Jerry. “I hope you know that you would be off most of her treatment.”

“No way!” Jerry objected.

Emeka took Jerry’s hand. “Man.”

Jerry blinked. “Sir, I can’t afford to be kicked off her case. You know what she means to me.”

“And it is exactly for that reason that you have to sit out of this one. I would get you tonnes of cases-”

“-I don’t want anything. I just want her.” Jerry replied, cutting in.

Emeka cleared his throat. “Sir, I think Jerry can be on the team for the Radiotherapy since we won’t be doing surgery.”

“No. I won’t bend the rule even a bit. There is a surgery in about an hour. He is the lead surgeon.”

Jerry fumed. “Sir! Don’t do this.”

“I can’t have you mixing emotions with this.” The Director replied.

Jerry clasped his hands together. “Sir, I have put my emotions aside. I am just a surgeon and her Doctor.”

“It is not so easy, Son. Sit out of this one, we’ve got it.” The Director replied and stared at Emeka. “Come with me, we need to go and prep the patient.” He said and walked out.

Jerry pulled Emeka back. “He can’t do this to me. Please beg him. Toni wants me to do this.”

Emeka blinked. “Jerry, you know how it is. You can’t. You need a right frame of mind.”

“Don’t give me that crap! You can convince him. It is not surgery.” Jerry replied angrily.

“This is why he won’t let you in on it. Cool off, man.” Emeka said and walked out.

Jerry fumed as he kicked the door.

***

Toni brushed Nora’s hair. “So, I want to draw up my will.”

Nora flipped her head over her shoulder. “What is that?”

“A will. Legal statement showing who I give my share of our family’s fortune to.” Toni replied with a smug smile.

Nora frowned. “I know what a will is, I just don’t know what you need it for right now.”

“Oh come on, Nora. You and I know that it is only necessary I do this now, besides, amendments can be carried out in the nearest future should events change.” Toni replied.

Nora took a seat opposite her. “Are we being less optimistic now? Jerry is doing everything he can and you are here throwing it all away with wanting to draw up a will.”

Toni sighed. “Nora, why are you talking like this? I want to live, but in case I don’t, I want to leaveve something behind for my foundation and stuff.”

“Are you saying I am going to collapse your foundation in the event of your death? Give me some credit, Toni.” Nora said, standing up.

Toni sighed. “I didn’t mean it that way, sis.”

“I don’t care how you meant it, but it hurts.” Nora replied.

Toni nodded. “I am sorry.”

“Yeah. I have got to take a walk.” Nora replied.

Toni sighed. “Are you for real? I said I am sorry.”

“I know you are. I just didn’t expect you to have that sort of opinion of me.” Nora replied.

Toni smiled. “Are you trying to pick up a fight with me? I promise I will be dead before you are back from your walk and you are going to carry the feeling that you fought with your sister before her death to your grave.” She concluded with a wide grin.

Nora rolled her eyes. “Don’t start guilt tripping me.”

“Oh yeah…it worked. I am sorry.” Toni said with a smile.

Nora sighed and took her seat. “Don’t start scaring me, Toni. You have to be in the right frame of mind for any treatment to be effective on you.”

“Trust me, I am motivated to live.” Toni replied.

Nora smiled. “James would be here to see you in the evening. He left early this morning.”

Toni nodded. “Hmm…that’s cool. I need to have a talk with him anyway.”

“What talk could that be?” Nora asked.

Toni shrugged. “It’s personal.”

Nora folded her arms. “Personal?”

Toni nodded. “It is important I talk to him, that’s all. Don’t be scared.”

The door opened and the Director walked in with Emeka. “Good morning, ladies.”

“Good morning, Director.” Nora greeted.

Toni stared at the door expecting it to open but it didn’t. She stared at Emeka looking for an answer.

Emeka cleared his throat. “Jerry is not coming.”

The Director stared at her. “As you understand, Doctor Jerry can’t be let in on this due to his emotional attachment to the patient.”

Nora nodded and took Toni’s hand. “Okay, so, what’s going to happen now?”

“We are going to start the radiotherapy by tomorrow. We can’t have any more surgeries as the tumour is in a delicate position of the brain. So, are you ready?” The Director asked.

Nora stared at Toni. “You ready?”

Toni nodded. “Yes. I have always been.”

Emeka smiled. “Okay. So, we would move you into a new room tonight and we can start off from there.”

“Can I see Jerry?” Toni asked.

Emeka nodded. “I’ll tell him to come.”

“No. I want to go to him.” Toni said.

The Director shrugged. “We’ll get a chair for you.” He said and walked out.

“I’ll go with him.” Nora said and walked out.

Emeka took a deep breath as he sat beside her. “I have heard a lot about you and I…I am honoured to finally meet you.”

Toni smiled. “Trust me, I am more beautiful than this. I am just allergic to Hospitals.” She said with a smile.

“Of course, you are.” Emeka said with a soft chuckle.

Toni stared at him. “Jerry is a good guy.”

Emeka nodded. “I know. He is one of the best men around. I am glad he found you.”

“Me too…”

Emeka took her hand. “Would you please not leave him?” he asked as a teardrop rolled down his eyes.

Toni gasped. “Oh…I think you are also emotional. You can’t be on this case too.” She said as she laughed.

Emeka laughed as he wiped his eyes. “You have a good laugh.”

“I know. I can’t help being a diva.” She replied.

He nodded. “You stay alive, okay?”

“I am alive.” She replied.

Nora returned with a wheelchair. “Let’s go, baby.”

Toni smiled as she got on the wheelchair.

***

Jerry sipped his cup of coffee as he stared at his wristwatch. He had a surgery in about thirty minutes. “Make this count, Jerry.”

The door opened and Toni wheeled in.

“Toni?” he gaped as he went over to her. “How did you…?”

Toni smiled. “Never mind…not like you don’t know how I got here.”

“Emeka.” He replied.

She nodded. “So…you won’t be my Doctor?”

He nodded. “Yes. I…I am sorry. I wanted to be there, but the Director won’t let me.”

“Neither would I.” she replied.

He knelt before her. “The session starts tomorrow. I will be by your side every step of the way. I promise to hold your hand throughout.”

Toni rolled her eyes. “Don’t get all mushy okay. Besides, it means you would hold one hand while Nora holds the other. How am I going to cope with two of you professing love?” she asked with a smile.

“I love you.” Jerry said.

She shrugged. “The question is, who doesn’t love me?”

“Are you going to class me with the majority?” Jerry asked with a smile.

She shook her head. “No. You make up the vast minority.”

“Vast? Minority?” Jerry asked.

She grinned. “You are everything…and much more than I wanted.”

“Oh my…I am honoured.” Jerry said as he kissed her hand.

She nodded. “You should be.”

“I have a patient who is due for surgery now.” He said, staring at his wristwatch.

She smiled. “Oh really?”

He nodded.

“Come here.” She said as she kissed his forehead. “Go save a life.”

Jerry smiled. “You got it.” He said and walked out with a smile.

Tears rolled down Toni’s eyes as the door closed after him. “God please…allow me love this man.”

***

JERRY

Who knew surgery could be fun? Tearing…sewing…tearing…sewing…fixing…smiling. I didn’t understand that it could bring me so much joy…until today. Being a surgeon is everything I have always wanted and I forgot what it was to have that dream until today. They say love can do a lot for you…much more than a lot for you. It gives life. It gives light. It gives hope. It gives much more than you have ever expected.

As I walked into the theatre with optimism, my team lit up. I had never seen them smile. It was as though I was ready to lead an army into battle and they were willing to fight with me…for the first time. Toni. It all came from her. Maybe Magic…maybe a fairy tale, but Toni is pure and true. I couldn’t ask for anything more, the gift of Toni to my life was something I couldn’t question.

And yes, my patient lived.

***

“Hey…”

Toni rolled over to see Jerry. “Hi. How was it?” she asked.

He smiled as he took his seat beside her on the bed. “Patient is fine. I am fine.”

“That’s good to know.” She replied. “I am nervous about radiotherapy. At first, I thought it was going to be chemo…but now it has a different name.” she said with a soft chuckle.

Jerry nodded. “Yeah. Radiotherapy is more effective and it is a better option.”

“So I heard.” Toni replied. “I pray I survive this.”

“You will survive it. I know that you are strong and you can go through this. I am here for you…every step of the way.”

Toni stared at him. “Would you?”

He nodded. “I am not going anywhere…you just have to promise me that you will stay.”

“That is not in my power, is it?” she asked.

He looked away.

“Do you love God, Jerry?”

Jerry shrugged. “He created us, right?”

“That’s not the question. Do you love God?” she asked.

He turned in her direction. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” she asked.

He nodded. “He doesn’t have much love for me either.”

“Why would you say so?” Toni asked as she sat up.

He stared at her. “Frankly, I have never had the best things of life except for good grades.”

“Good grades are something.” She said, cutting in.

“They didn’t save my first patient.” He replied.

She smiled. “You lose some, you win some.”

“Not your first. It is unforgivable.” He replied.

“By who?” she asked.

He stared at her. “I don’t understand.”

“By whose standard is losing your first patient unforgivable?” she asked.

He was silent.

“I know the pain hurts so much, but, we tend to take ourselves too serious and important that we forget the essence of being human.” She started. “Would saving your first patient have mattered if you went on a failure streak afterwards?”

He stared at her. “You don’t understand.”

“Make me.” She said with a smile. “Look, Jerry, we are allowed to lose, but the only thing you are not allowed to do is give up. You saved a life today because God was with you.”

“Why didn’t he save my first patient? Why did he let you have Cancer? Isn’t he God?” Jerry asked. “You talk so much about him, and it is obvious you love him…why did he let that happen to you? Why?”

Toni sniffled. “I am writing a novel. I don’t know if I would have all the time in the world to tell you who Toni was before I got Cancer…but I want you to know that there isn’t so much of a difference. I am still happy. I am still alive. I just have Cancer…and oh, I quit drinking.”

“You used to drink?” he asked.

Toni smiled. “Heavy boozer!”

He smiled faintly. “Toni, I want to understand God the way you have come to understand him, but he has to keep you alive for me to like him.” He said.

“Giving God conditions, are we?” she asked with a smile.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Let him keep you alive, then, we have a deal.”

“Ever heard of Job in the Bible?” she asked.

He nodded. “Sort of.”

“Try to read the Book of Job in the Bible. I am in no way comparing this situation to his, but that is a man that never stopped loving God. I am living proof that God cares about you and I. Talk to him. He listens, Jerry.”

Jerry blinked. “I don’t know about that…what am I going say to him?”

“First, you ask him to forgive you of your sins and give him your life. Let him be in charge of it all.” She said.

He smiled. “I think you should rest, Toni.” He said as he rose to his feet. “I have to go home to get a change of clothes and then I would be back for the night. Nora is outside. I would tell her to come in.”

Toni smiled. “You can run, but you can’t hide.”

He blew her a kiss and walked out.

***

“So, you ran away because she was telling you about God?” Mrs Aiyenugba asked as they ate.

Jerry shrugged. “Not exactly. But, I don’t understand why she is so passionate about him when clearly he isn’t about her.”

Mrs Aiyenugba dropped her spoon. “Jerry???”

“Yes! You don’t let Cancer come near someone you love…I know he is God and he can do everything. Why can’t he take it away?” he shouted.

She sat back as she watched Jerry rant.

“All I want is for her to be fine…he should know that.” He shouted as tears rolled down his face. “He doesn’t have to take her away from me. I thank him for bringing her my way, but I want to have her.” He shouted as he broke down in tears.

Mrs Aiyenugba nodded and walked over to him. “When I lost my husband, I felt God was unfair too…he knew I loved him, but God loves him more and I had to understand that.”

“Just like that? No disrespect, but you have had the best days with your husband, but God isn’t even giving me a chance with her…” He protested.

She smiled. “The best days are yet to come. As long as you live, you make the most of each day and every moment and who told you that Toni has not had the best of her days with you already?”

“Don’t try to patronize me.” He replied.

She nodded. “Not my plan to do that, but I feel you should give yourself some credit already. Every man has his purpose and duty to fulfil, and when we are done, we are done.”

“Toni can’t be done.” He replied.

She stared at him. “Jerry, talk to God. He listens.” She said and dug her spoon into the food.

***

“So James, what are your plans for Nora?” Toni asked.

James stared at her. “I like her a lot. I know we can make it work.”

“Really?” she asked.

He nodded with a smile. “Am I on the hot seat here?”

She nodded. “Yes. I love my sister and I want to be sure that I am leaving her in the right hands.”

“You are not suggesting that you are going to die, are you?” he asked.

She shrugged. “We would all die someday…or face rapture.”

“Look Toni, I know it seems I hit on you the first day we met, but-”

She raised a finger. “I don’t care about that. I want to know your intents.”

“I want to be there for Nora. I want to love her, protect her, and take care of her. I know I can do it and I want you to trust me to be able to.” He said.

“James, I have nothing against you…Nora would do this to Jerry if she were in my shoes. I wish you guys the best.” She said.

“Are you saying goodbye already?” he asked.

She sighed. “I don’t know…but for as long as I am here, I am here.”

***

“God, I know I am not a good guy. I have not been to church in a long time. I have been drinking too much and maybe a little more than too much. But, I have found a good girl and I can’t let you take her away from me. The Director already said I won’t be treating her, but I don’t believe we even treat anyone, I think you do. Please, God, can you treat Toni for me? God, I…I won’t be able to go on without her…If you knew that you won’t keep her alive, why did you bring her my way? Were you trying to tease me? God, please…I can’t do this on my own…Teach me your ways, help me to understand you and everything that happens around me. Let me love you and help me to be a better man.” Jerry said as he knelt down in his room.

“God, forgive me for all the wrong things I have said to you, but I am hurting so much and I want you to fix me. I want you to take care of Toni. I can’t do this on my own…God, please.” He cried as he slid into the floor.

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