‘It’s fine. Maybe your sister can come and decorate my place. God knows it needs it,’ he said.
‘Maybe, I can ask her if you want,’ said Violetta, unsure if he was serious or not.
The doctor shook his head. ‘No, no, it’s fine really,’ he said, going back into his professional persona.
Violetta wondered if he was nervous for some reason. ‘Jeff isn’t it?’ She asked.
He nodded, ‘Yup.’
Violetta felt out of place suddenly. In her skin tight black jeans, her purple singlet and black fake fur bomber. She felt like an extra fromAlmost Famous, with her heavy eye makeup and a gold snake bangle pushed up high on her toned arm. The doctor was so serious in his blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the mid forearm. He had nice forearms, she noted. She also noted no wedding ring.
He moved the screen away from the machines. ‘I don’t think we can have this covering these,’ he said apologetically.
‘That’s OK,’ she said. ‘It’s my sister Grace, she’s in denial. Thinks if she can put things behind beautiful screens or hang art then the ugliness won’t show.’
Violetta wondered why she was being so candid with him and felt disloyal to Grace.
‘She has amazing taste in everything though,’ she added, wishing she could stop talking so much. He probably already thought she was an absolute airhead.
‘Can we chat outside of this room?’ he asked.
Violetta nodded and followed him to the airless room that she was beginning to hate the sight of.
‘Things haven’t improved as we would have liked,’ he said carefully.
Violetta sat up straight in her chair.
‘Your mom’s had a massive cerebral bleed and the brain is very swollen. I’ll wait but if things don’t improve then I suggest surgery.’
Violetta’s hands had flown over her mouth. ‘Surgery?’
‘Yes, I’m afraid that is an option at this stage, but we will be cautious.’ He leaned forward in the chair. ‘I am trying to be as conservative as possible but I have to be mindful, we can’t pretend that surgery isn’t our last option.’
‘When do you think that would be likely to happen?’ Violetta asked, trying not to cry.
‘We’ll wait for a few days, as I said, but I will contact you all if that happens. I will get the nurse to get all your contact details and I will give you my cell number if you have any questions. Please know you can call me at any time. The brain is a mysterious organ and I know it’s often hard for a patient’s family to comprehend. Your mother looks fine on the outside but she is very, very sick,’ he said in a kind voice.
Violetta had felt herself being almost mesmerised by his voice as he spoke. She looked at him closely. He could be quite handsome if he lost the cheap shirt.
His sandy hair was slightly too long and it was a bad haircut. He had a nice face, good skin and green eyes. And he was in good shape; maybe a runner, she thought, looking at his long legs in his blue pants. She noticed a black belt and brown shoes. Number one fashion mistake of men, and then caught herself. What the hell was she thinking? Checking out the doctor while he spoke of brain surgery? Jesus, she was awful. She crossed her arms and looked down at her boots.
Jeff stood up. ‘Call me anytime,’ he reminded her as he left.
‘Mom,’ she later whispered in Birdie’s ear. ‘You have an excellent doctor. Terrible dresser, but I think I can help there.’
And she wondered if she had imagined the flicker at the corner of her mother’s mouth.
•
Was the daughter checking him out, he wondered as he went back to the nurses’ station. He saw his favourite nurse filling in forms. ‘Hey Leticia,’ he said. She knew all the gossip about the de Santoval sisters.
‘Hmm?’ She looked up.
‘Do you think I dress well?’ he asked.
‘Oh honey!’ she laughed uproariously. ‘You are the worst dresser we have ever seen in this hospital.’
‘Really?’ Jeff felt affronted.
