Natural Order

5

Lisa sits alone in a waiting room next to a water cooler. Magazines are placed methodically around the room. The room has a synthetic feel to it. It feels staged. The pictures on the walls are of ponies and farms. There is a fake ficus tree in one corner, adding to the showroom of lifelessness. Lisa picks up a book from the coffee table and flips it open about half-way through. Immediately she is aghast. It's a picture of what looks like a mutilated vagina. She turns the page and sees mutated embryos and fetuses. She slams the book shut. She realizes it's a medical book. This is of no consolation. She throws it back on the table and takes another magazine with a vegan enchilada on the cover.

A slender woman in a traditional nurses outfit. She could have walked out of the 70's. She has her hands behind her back walking up to Lisa. She hovers over her. "The doctor will see you now," she says. The nurse points to a door with a severely mangled hand accentuated with a very nice Rolex timepiece. Lisa looks at the hand and then the watch.

"Christmas bonus?" she says.

"Something like that."

Nurse Nancy shuffles Lisa down the hall. Any cheeriness of the clinic was bottlenecked in the waiting room. The back of the clinic becomes drab and depressing. Dr. Wade's office is at the end of the hall. Lisa walks in the office and Dr. Wade is looking out the window with his digital recorder in his hand. When he sees Lisa he puts it down and walks over to greet her.

"Your tests came back fine. Please have a seat. How is Jack?"

"He is still a little jumpy. I am lucky to keep him in school after the incident."

"Is he still having the dreams?"

"Yes, they don't seem to get any better."

Dr. Wade taps his desk for a moment.

"I don't need to explain how important it is that he maintains his medication schedule."

"I know, and so does he."

"He has been through a lot with his condition. The dreams will subside," he assures.

Dr. Wade prepares to get up by putting both hands on the desk as if to end the consultation, but Lisa continues.

"He seemed scared when I mentioned I was coming to see you. Is there something I should know?"

Dr. Wade sits back and looks over his glasses as if preparing to say something profound.

"Yes," he says.

Lisa perks up.

"Boys don't like doctors," He says.

Lisa smiles a little.

"It's just- I worked so hard to get him. With all the testing and fertilization treatments, and..."

Dr. Wade leans forward and warmly smiles.

"I know, I was there."

"Of course without your help I wouldn't have my Jack. I just came so close to losing him before." She starts to mist up.

"He will be fine."

"You don't think that the fertilization treatments are the reason for his problems, do you?"

Dr. Wade takes a moment. He knows now sensitivity is required, which doesn't come easy for him.

"No, everything we did was standard. The only thing in question is the effectiveness of the medication. That's why it's important he stays on schedule."

"Could he relapse?" Lisa states the elephant in the room.

"It's highly unlikely."

Lisa, nods, wipes her eyes and gathers herself. If she could, she would suck the tears back in through her eyes. She doesn't like to show weakness. She looks back before leaving.