“Can you tell me where Claire is?”
“She’s with Stefan. They’re doing my daily treatment overview.”
At the news she’s with him, my stomach turns. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. Well, that’s not true. She’s sad. She cried last night. I can tell. Her eyes were bloodshot when she came to me this morning. She said it must be allergies, but I’m in a hypo-allergenic facility, so I know better.”
“Carlos, you must know that worries me. I love her very much.”
“She’s easy to love. Even though I’m only fifteen, I think I love her, too.”
My heart swells hearing the unmistakable fondness in his voice I’ve heard hundreds of times from our patients. Claire has won him over. “Is she safe?”
“Don’t worry, Dr. Delicious, I’ve got her back. She’s always safe with me. Nothing will happen to her.”
“How’d you know about Dr. Delicious?”
“I assumed it was you in her phone.”
“You have her phone?” Hope springs that we can finally trace her location.
“I found it, but no use in tracing. My brother has made this place a fortress and disabled all tracking.”
“Can you tell me where you are?”
“I can’t.” There’s an apologetic weakness in his tone.
“How are you, Carlos?”
“I’m better since Claire started taking care of me. I’m doing treatments every morning, and she’s making me move immediately. The afternoons are rough.”
Reflexively, I slip into doctor mode, knowing what his body is going through. “This is an intense treatment plan. Have you been sick?”
His silence is my answer. “How bad is it?” I press him.
“Stefan is with me at night. When I get sick, he’s right here. It hasn’t been too bad.”
If they’re following the plan I outlined in my notes, the worst is coming. “Carlos, I think you need to be prepared. This is a highly severe therapy. You’re going to have some rough times ahead.”
“That’s what Claire said.”
I don’t think of the consequences; the thought comes out of my mouth before I can stop it. “Bring me to you. I can help. I’m trained in this.”
There’s a banging in the kitchen followed by low rumblings, and I know everyone is not only listening but unhappy with my volunteering.
“You’d do that for me?”
“Of course, I would, your illness is important to me, but I’m not going to lie. I need to see Claire.”
“I made her laugh today,” he offers.
“She loves to laugh.”
“I tried to teach her how to play chess.”
I chuckle. “How’d that go?”
“She was awful, but my brother came in and played, so she could understand.”