The Client

Two Hearts

I closed the book as I looked out of the window and the sun was starting to sink. Mom, will be wanting to go soon I surmised. I took the box and put the top back on it and slid it back into the little cubby hole that hid it for so many years. But, I kept the worn blue journal I just had to know more about this client known as The Doctor. As if on cue my mother called my name "Mary, time to go." I slipped the journal in my jacket pocket so that my mother wouldn't see it and start asking unnecessary questions. This was my secret to explore.

When we got home I rushed up to my bedroom placing the little journal under my pillow and came back down for dinner. I rushed through dinner because all I could think about was my gran's next session with this Doctor. I asked to be excused to my room and my mother shook her head yes. She could tell there was something I desperately wanted to do. My gran's empathic ability passed down to my mom and I think down to me. With mom's approval I run back to my room and plop on my bed pulling the blue journal back out and returning to my gran's writing.

*
January 19, 2012

I could not block from my mind the session from the week before with the madman John Smith. I spent several hours that night trying to give him a diagnosis. I even started a new journal just for him and I don't even know why. I was sure that after this next appointment I was going to Section him and it would be the end of our encounter. Yet, I unconsciously pulled out of my desk a blue journal with a St. John's Ambulance logo embossed on it. Oddly enough I don't remember even purchasing it since I always use black leather bound journals. Those don't show dirt and will endure the extensive page flipping that I do for all of my reference work. I must have gotten it as a freebie from a seminar or something, I put the thought out of my mind. Well, I think since he is so odd why not use this odd journal to record about him.

It seemed right on the millisecond of the clock striking one the loud banging and ringing started at my door. 'Alright! I'm coming,' I yell crossing my living room hurriedly trying to get to the door to stop the dreadful sound. I get to the door and fling it open and there is the wild man with the exact same clothes. Odd I thought, maybe that is what he likes to wear on Thursday afternoons, I try to convince myself.
'Hello, Doctor Sharp,' he kissed the air on one side of my face and then the other 'that's how we still do it isn't it.'
'What are you doing,' I ducked back. 'A handshake will be sufficient from now on,' I informed him. His grin faded for just a moment and he shook his head in agreement then barged into my home heading right for my office.
'Come on Doctor Sharp you've got work to do,' as he flopped down in the chair across from my desk. Well at least he didn't prop his muddy boots on my desk I thought. Then he said 'Oh, don't worry I won't put my feet on your favorite desk anymore. Let's get down to business.'

I'm, amazed how he seemed to just read my thoughts. I sit down at my desk and pull out the file folder from the time before. 'Now Mr. Smith, I mean Doctor. You tell me you are 1207 years old, most of the time you are male because regeneration is a lottery, and you are a Time Lord,' I shake my head not believing any of the words coming out of my mouth.
'Yeah, that just about sums me up! Oh, and I've got two hearts,' he beamed 'that's the most important thing.' Here we go again, my head is spinning because I still can't tell if he thinks he's telling me the truth or he is trying to see just how far he can push me before I lose my patience. Some clients will do that and it takes great skill to not fall for their trick. Alright, well we can dismiss this delusion right off the bat, I thought.

'Doctor you know humans only have one heart don't you,' I try to say in as calm a voice as possible.
'Of course I know humans only have one heart! What do you take me for an idiot! As I said I'm a Time Lord, from Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous!"
'Okay, Doctor, we are going to prove that you are just as human as me!' I get up with a sense of purpose and walk over to one of my cabinets pulling out one of my old Littmann stethoscopes. I hadn't used it since grad school and my physiological psychology rotations. I walk up to the still grinning Doctor he stares at me knowing that what I am about to discover will change my life and it did. I leaned down to the left side of his chest and his heart was beating in a slow, steady, and rhythmic beat. 'Well, you have a perfectly normal heart,' I grin thinking I've won.

'You aren't finished yet,' he grins "Take that stethoscope to my right chest wall and move it toward the bottom of my ribcage." I comply I think why do I obey him so easily. I slowly move my stethoscope over to the right side of his chest. Slowly, because I am quite apprehensive of what the ramifications of this discovery will be. Sure enough there is another heartbeat. I pull back rather quickly taking my stethoscope off and looking at it. I switch from the diaphragm to the bell and place it back on his chest again. A slow steady heart rate, perfect no irregularities so not a genetic anomaly created by an extra malformed heart. But, those usually only occur to very sick people. This man was as fit as a fiddle. I am in a state of shock and without even asking I pull his shirt up to get a better listen as if it will make a difference. He gives the biggest grin ever as I stumble back in complete disbelief. 'This can't be,' I finally blurt out as I make my way back to my desk. How did this happen,' still in utter disbelief.

'What do you mean how did this happen? I was born that way,' the Doctor replies crossing his legs in his chair, he begins fiddling with his bowtie and that grin. Always, that grin which unnerves me because it seems he is only letting me see just the most top layer of who he really is. He seems to be testing me to see my reaction. I just sit there in stunned silence. He gets up and I don't say a word. 'How about some tea,' he asks as he tucks in his shirt walking into my kitchen. Nothing comes from my mouth because my brain is operating at about a million miles a minute. Who is this curious Doctor? Is he a human? An alien? A trick some of my colleagues are trying to pull on me? Questions upon questions pour through my mind and I don't have a clue how long I sat there in stunned silence.

The silence is broken when he returns back with two cups of tea. 'Here you go Miriam. Is it ok if I call you that,' he asks in a gentle voice almost as if he had talked in a louder tone I would shatter. I shake my head up and down because I still can't speak. 'Anyhow, just how you like it Earl Grey, no milk, two sugars, with lemon. I must say very different for a Brit," he motions to the tea. I take a drink and it is exactly how I like it.
'I'm not British,' were the first words out of my mouth. 'I'm actually from Arkansas but left when I was twelve so I didn't get much of an accent,' I looked up at him. He was drinking his tea and I'm not sure how he got ahold of Jammie Dodgers. I haven't had one in years. Again, without a word he hands the package out to me. I take one and it is so good. I enjoy my tea and snack so much I had almost forgotten about the bombshell I had just experienced.

But, his next words pull me right back into the abyss. 'So, what next,' he seems to really want to get started but I'm still flabbergasted. I start to speak but that damned timer chimed. 'Guess we will continue next week' he said standing up adjusting his bowtie.
'Uhm, yeah sure,' I stammered. He was out of the house before I could think of anything else to say. Again the vwoorp vwoorp then nothing.