Sneak Peeks of Salvation

“I know I’m not your doctor anymore,” he explained, “but I think maybe it might be a good idea for you to see someone.” Lucy pulled a face and Daniel couldn’t blame her; he knew it was the last thing she probably wanted.

“I don’t need to,” she stated quietly. Daniel sighed, he knew Lucy could be incredibly stubborn, but he hoped she would listen to him, just this once.

“Lucy…” he began wearily, “I think you’ve been thinking…we’ve been thinking that because you’re now free and out of the institute that you are completely fine, when the truth is, everything that’s happened, it’s affected you.” Lucy opened and closed her mouth for a few moments. Daniel gave her the time he knew she needed to process.

“Then let’s talk about it,” she offered, “me and you.” Daniel shook his head.

“Lucy, I’m more than happy to talk about anything with you,” he explained, “but I can’t be your psychiatrist as well as your boyfriend…not anymore.”

“Good afternoon, my name is Dr. John Parker. I am on the senior leadership team for the Medical Association of America,” he said sternly, “I’ll be chairing this meeting today. Can you state your name for the record please?” He gave Daniel a piercing stare to indicate that he should answer quickly.

“Daniel James Robertson,” he replied, trying not to feel intimidated. Dr. Parker nodded and made a note on the piece of paper in front of him.

“Do you understand why this meeting has been called” he queried, “Why the panel is looking at removing your licence?” Daniel looked towards Elijah, who had told him to say very little, but he couldn’t ignore a direct question.

“Yes, I’m aware.” He could tell from the expression on the faces of the majority of the panel members, that they were less than impressed with his actions, and he couldn’t blame them in the least. If he had been sat on the panel and another doctor had done what he had done, he would think them a failure and a complete fool. It was amazing how much his perception had changed given the situation he now found himself in.

“Do you deny that you had an inappropriate relationship with Miss Boragas while she was your patient?” asked the chairman. Daniel shook his head, he was many things, but he did not like to think of himself as a liar.

“No,” he confirmed. The look of disgust on several panel members’ faces made Daniel cringe slightly. He had known it was the wrong thing to do, but it had felt so right at the time…still felt right when it was just him and Lucy. It was only when around others, it was harder to justify.

“So, let’s hear it then?” insisted Lucy, “Let’s hear why you gave me up the minute I was born. No wait…more importantly, let’s hear about, when I came to you wanting to know why, wanting to know you…you flat out rejected me.” Lucy knew she was being blunt, but so had Amanda been when she had chucked Lucy out of her office all those years ago. Either she was prepared to give answers, or she wasn’t, but until she did, there could be no progress between them.

There was a long pause as Amanda lowered her face to the floor in shame. Lucy stood up from the table, thinking that she would probably never get anywhere with this woman. Amanda reached out and grabbed Lucy’s hand with her own.

“No please!” she pleaded. Lucy sighed but did not sit.

“You don’t owe me anything,” stated Lucy bluntly, “you’re not my mother.” As much as Lucy wanted the truth, she wouldn’t allow this woman to hold her to ransom for it. Amanda stood up slowly, looking rather defeated.

“Touché,” she said quietly. “Look, the reason I reacted so badly when I saw you is that you reminded me of a really dark time in my life.” Lucy tried not to feel offended by her words, but it was difficult to hear that she was part of a dark period in somebody else’s life. Almost as if she was filled with a darkness she couldn’t rid herself of.

“When you made a bad choice,” proposed Lucy bitterly, “and just wanted to walk away and bury it.”

“I have news on the body, and…” He trailed off, then turned towards Lucy. “I thought you might want to know.” Lucy braced herself; she wasn’t sure how much more unexpected news she could take.

“What?” she asked, “What is it?” Elijah put his hand on her shoulder as she exchanged worrying glances with Daniel.

“Max,” he began, “your friend from the institute…” Lucy interrupted him, unable to comprehend what he was talking about.

“What?” she exclaimed, “He’s involved?” Elijah quickly shook his head, seemingly realising his mistake.

“No,” he said sheepishly, “this is unrelated.”

“Huh?”

“Max tried to take his own life,” Explained Elijah sadly. “He’s currently in Memorial Hospital.” Lucy gasped, she felt Daniel put his arm around her as her heart sank to the pit of her stomach; she had let Max down.

Daniel’s mother’s expression shifted suddenly. Her eyebrows furrowed, she scrunched her face as though angry, but there was also fear in her eyes.

“Oh Jesus!” she snapped, “I take it he’s told you what a great mother I’ve been then?” She withdrew a cigarette from her bag and lit it, before taking a drag. Lucy was not sure how Daniel would feel about somebody smoking in his apartment but opted not to say anything. “So how does it feel to be dating the one and only saint Daniel?” said Daniel’s mother sarcastically. Lucy took a deep breath to steady her nerves and anger.

“I love your son,” she explained, “he’s helped me to turn my life around in a short space of time.” Daniel’s mother blinked and then stared at Lucy for a moment, before a look of realisation crossed her face.

“Please tell me he wasn’t your doctor?” she asked. She laughed slightly to indicate she was half joking, but then caught sight of Lucy’s expression. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me?” she snapped. Lucy was about to respond when she heard the door open and saw Daniel walk into the living room. He smiled at Lucy then his expression changed as he fell on the familiar face of his mother.

“What are they?” cried Lucy into his t-shirt. Daniel glanced at the bed again and studied the insects carefully before replying.

“I think they’re fire ants,” he said. “They aren’t usually that dangerous.”

“I know,” said Lucy, “I…”

Suddenly Lucy realised that breathing had become very difficult. Daniel seemed to notice something was wrong and put his hands on either side of her shoulders.

“Lucy, breathe,” instructed Daniel. “Are you having a panic attack?” Lucy shook her head; It didn’t feel like a panic attack; it felt like something else.

“I…” stuttered Lucy. She suddenly felt the room spin around her and clutched at Daniel for support. Then suddenly she felt her legs collapse and everything faded to black.

I want her to know what’s coming, I want her to be consumed by fear and driven mad by not knowing when I’m going to strike next. If not for her; I wouldn’t be this way, I wouldn’t have thrown my life away on a cocktail of drugs and hanging out with bad people. If not for Lucy Boragas, I would be a better man, instead of the monster I have become.

She shivered as she looked around, pulling her jacket closer around her body. That was when she heard them; the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind her. She quickly whipped her head round and saw no one. Then suddenly the footsteps stopped, and Lucy began to feel incredibly stupid. Why hadn’t she just invited Amanda to her apartment instead of exposing herself to Alex out in the open like this?

She took a deep breath and continued walking, increasing her pace a little while trying to mentally reassure herself. Then she heard footsteps again, this time she did not turn around. She was about to turn the corner on to the street leading to her apartment when suddenly she heard someone whisper her name.

“Lucy.”

Lucy ran as fast as she could; she was under no illusion now that someone was following her, and that someone was probably Alex. The footsteps increased their pace behind her, and she knew someone was giving chase. She turned while running to see if she could get a glimpse of who it was and suddenly collided with something hard that sent her sprawling on to the concrete floor.