Break

Chapter 9

They're still curled together in bed when Kenn arrives just before 9am, having also found a receptionist who was a little lenient with the visiting hours. Emma follows him into Courtney's room, telling them that she had arranged the doctor, ward supervisor and a patient advocate to attend at 9:15, and then stepping out to give them time to prepare.

"How much am I going to be part of the conversation? Or would it be better if I let you two talk as like... concerned boyfriend and Dad?" Courtney asks, after they settle on what they want to say, fiddling with a thread at the pocket of the loose sweatpants she's wearing as she sits up on the bed.

"I think as much as you want to be, Court," Kenn tells her, Shayne nodding from his own chair just beside her bed.

"It's your care, Court, you have absolutely every right to demand more clarity and direction yourself. We're just here to back you up," he adds, Courtney sighing in response and glancing up at them.

"I don't wanna seem weak and immature but I think I might panic and not be able to say what I want to," she admits, hesitant.

"That's not weak or immature. And we're here to help out if you need, okay?" Shayne reminds her, hand reaching out to softly grip the thigh of her uninjured leg. She nods gently, falling into an anxiously-charged silence until 9:15.

Emma is the first to step into the room, immediately followed by two others they don't recognise, and finally, Courtney's doctor. Shayne and Kenn both stand from their seats, postures guarded as they stand beside Courtney's bed. She glances between the people that have entered, trying to mask her own nerves.

"Hey guys, so this is our ward manager, Mark," Emma starts, indicating towards the unfamiliar man, before moving to the others, "and Julia, one of our patient advocates, and you already know Dr McLaren. And for Mark and Julia – this is Courtney Miller, her partner Shayne Topp, and father Kenn Miller."

"Good to meet you, Courtney," the ward manager steps forward, smiling politely at them, "and Kenn and Shayne."

"Likewise," Kenn answers, flat, with an acknowledging nod. Shayne merely nods, as Courtney continues trying to keep her face neutral.

"Now, Emma had indicated – Emma, you're welcome to go if you'd like-" Julia starts, quickly cut off.

"Emma can stay," Courtney speaks up, immediately, nodding decisively.

"I have been involved with Courtney's care since she arrived in this ward, I believe my insight would be beneficial," Emma agrees, her own tone firm. The ward manager gives an agreeing nod.

"Oh, okay then," Julia mumbles, before continuing, "so, Emma indicated that there were some concerns raised with aspects of Courtney's care, and that there are some further concerns that have again arisen since?"

"There is, yes, quite substantially," Kenn speaks, when Courtney doesn't immediately, before glancing to his side to silently ask who should continue. Courtney tilts her head sideways, towards Shayne.

"Courtney was, as were we, pretty disappointed with the way Dr McLaren was interacting with her. He's been very dismissive and abrupt, and a huge part of that was that he was placing a heavy emphasis on the possibility of personality change and suggesting she was irrationally upset or aggressive, but doing so in response to extremely rational and normal things like being frustrated by her injuries, in pain, or normal anxiety," Shayne confirms.

"Respectfully, Mr. Topp, I am not sure what Courtney has told you, and her own memory of the testing phase after she woke up is likely unreliable, but you were not there. Courtney was extremely aggressive, irrational and uncontrollable in the hours after waking up-"