Ascent, p.11
Ascent, page 11
part #2 of The Lit Series Series
The call was undertaken leaving him slightly embarrassed. They already knew, having been given the information by his very involved future mother-in-law. Turning to the computer he eyed his schedule. New client, 75-minute session. The name was red. They were in the waiting area. Niles did like a punctual client.
Gathering his thoughts, he left the room. Not much more of Elenore Jameson’s treatment order to go. He was still unsure what he would recommend, things being as they were. There was a lot more work required in their future time together. Distracted as he pondered this, he became aware of a lively conversation in the waiting room. His receptionist Kay was talking to a gentleman who leaned casually over her desk.
“Excuse me Dr Gardiner. Your client is here,” she smiled bashfully.
The man was dressed in a striking charcoal black suit with the jacket opened revealing a white sweater. He was tall, fit and lean with a handsome face and an immaculately groomed, short beard. His piercing dark brown eyes sat heavily under a strong brow. The new client smiled confidently as he offered a large hand that Niles grasped. Niles was intrigued by his energy.
“Thank you Kay,” Niles said as the two men shook hands.
“Mika. Mika Hexum. It's a pleasure.” The gentleman spoke in a calm, confident voice.
Focusing his attention on the man before him, Niles smiled, “Niles Gardiner, please, come through.”
“Thank you Kay, for your charming hospitality,” Mika said smoothy, following Niles down the hall to his office. “Thank you for seeing me,” Mika said warmly as they entered the office. “I understand my first referral was lost in e-space!”
“Yes,” Niles chuckled whilst maintaining his professional demeanour. He gestured for Mika to sit, collected his iPad from the desk and sat down opposite him. “It does happen from time to time. I had a previous email address, and some referral sources still use the former unfortunately. My apologies.”
Mika smiled and sat with his legs loosely crossed and hands relaxed as they rested calmly on the arms of the large leather chair.
Sensing his new client was ready, Niles smiled warmly, “So tell me, Mika, what brings you here today?”
Mika sat quietly for a moment. He shifted uncomfortably. Niles noticed his hands beginning to tap the arms of his chair.
“I would say it's overdue,” he replied. “I am having problems and I am feeling a little in over my head. Possibly, more than a little.”
Niles settled back and placed his notebook on his lap. His new client instantly reposed.
“So Mika, in these first sessions, I would like to find out a little more about you. A little broad perhaps and then we can, together…”
“I like your cat,” Mika interrupted. “I've never had one.”
Baffled, Niles opened his mouth to speak, giving an awkward yet friendly “Excuse me?”
Without a word, Mika gestured with his head over Niles’ shoulder and with a quick glance, Niles understood. “Oh, that's my fiancé’s cat.”
The picture was at least three metres away. A small brown spot on the lap of his fiancé who was also quite small in the modest sized photo on the polished, wooden cabinet opposite Mika.
“I thought it would be,” Mika smiled again. “The wedding is soon I imagine.”
Niles noticed Mika delivered these grins with precision timing. They were disarming: friendly but purposeful. Mika’s social graces were extremely charismatic and clever, serving well as tools of control. Niles mused that even though he considered himself immune to such manipulation, Mika had redirected him with ease.
“Yes,” Niles replied. “Three months to be exact.”
“My congratulations” Mika gave a small nod. “A big affair?”
Niles would usually not encourage this, however, he found himself responding. “Not as small as I would like. Not as grand as she would favour… so hopefully just the right size.”
“Well played.”
“Yes well, you have to control the grandeur of these events, don't you?” Niles quickly changed the subject. “Are you married Mika?”
“Me?”
“Yes you” Niles chuckled. “This is about you.”
“Oh… no. No, no. Never been married. Never had the inkling and besides, then I would be expected to breed. The world is just not ready for more of… me,” he grinned.
“Oh come now, I doubt that would be so bad?” Niles bantered. His new client was now self-effacing. The man was a social master.
“Not at all, perhaps just a social conscience” Mika jibed. “God forbid!”
“Doing your bit for humanity?”
“One can only try,” Mika shrugged jokingly. “Perhaps I could find myself a partner… man or woman. If it came with a functioning womb, I would provide her cats to compensate and thereby attempt to quelch that maternal urge a little.”
The last comment, as sarcastic as this was, came cloaked with the same warm smile. This potentially offensive jibe was incongruent with its delivery. Had he disclosed his bisexuality? Unsure. Niles knew the cat comment was aimed at him but chose not to acknowledge it. He had a feeling that that was what his new client was looking for.
“So back to you,” Niles said with an air of authority, although he was surprised that this didn't come as naturally as it usually did. Was he intimidated by this man?
“You said lately that things haven't been going so well for you. Are there any aspects that you would feel comfortable talking about today?”
Mika lowered his head and for the first time since they met, he broke eye contact and sighed heavily. Waiting for a response, Niles remained quiet.
“I have lost a friend, Dr. Gardiner,” Mika sighed deeply, his eyes meeting Niles once more. “It's been very hard.”
Niles nodded empathetically, grateful he had something to discuss. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you” Mika nodded. His eyes drifted around the room with just the right amount of emotional wandering. A beautiful performance thought Niles to himself - a masterclass.
“It's been very hard. I find myself going over conversations… moments. The last time I spoke to him. All those thoughts. I don't know where to start, or how to feel.”
“Do you mind if I ask what happened?”
Mika shook his head. Niles sensed a building tension. Tension in his clients he was used to, but no, this tension was building inside himself. He didn’t know why, and it bothered him that he couldn’t put a finger on a brewing suspicion. It had no discernible origin.
“No-one knows,” Mika shrugged. “No-one knows what happened. It's a mystery and it makes no sense.”
Placing his pen down, Niles leant back and nodded, giving the client room to speak. “That sounds very hard.”
“It has been.”
“Can I ask when your friend passed away?” Niles asked. To his surprise Mika looked amused. Without another word Niles felt embarrassed.
Mika shook his head smiling awkwardly, “Passed away? No. He didn't pass away. I said I lost him. He isn't dead.”
“Oh, beg your pardon. I assumed that you meant…”
“Dr Gardiner,” Mika chuckled, rubbing his legs. “I'm surprised that someone like you would assume…”
There was no mistake, Mika had wanted Niles to fall into this trap. This handsome man, with social graces and charm, possessed an incredible ability to purposefully manipulate. Niles steeled himself. He would not show his discomfort no matter how much chagrin this banter caused him. He would shut it down. He would tell Mika that he didn't think they were suited and recommend another poor therapist.
“I apologise Dr,” Mika replied as if reading the Nile’s mind. “I have had a rough few weeks and I am being a bit of an ass. I apologise.”
Niles straightened up in his chair, attempting to relax his posture for someone, he was sure, was watching him as closely as he was watching them.
“I understand that Mika, but for me to be able to help you this relationship cannot be combative. You need to be able to speak to me openly. So far, I feel that hasn't been easy for you. You should ask yourself two things. Firstly, am I the right one to give you help and secondly, are you ready to accept it.”
Mika nodded enthusiastically, “yes and yes. No doubt.”
They both fell silent. Mika looked for the moment to be subdued. However, Niles had witnessed this level of manipulation before. He would approach it with a cautious regard.
“So, shall we speak about your friend? Seems a good place to start.”
“Please,” Mika replied. “He was one of my best friends. Like a brother to me. You see, I don't have many friends. I blame myself for that. I can be a challenging character. But he was.”
“When did you first meet… Sorry, I didn't get his name?” Niles settled back into his chair.
“I didn't say it,” he smiled. “Will, his name is Will.”
Niles was shocked into silence and froze. He knew that Mika, this stranger, would see past his game face to his absolute bewilderment. Coincidence? A friend called Will? Not Will Mason, just Will. Possible yet highly improbable. Was it calculated that Mika moved between past and present tense when referring to him? Given the complicated wordplay thus far - this was likely. The other scenario, that Will Mason’s ‘friend’ was here for a reason. Now that was much more likely.
Sam staggered into the bathroom. Ellie left? She had left him? He had been woken by the Child dancing idiotically with her human teddy bear in front of his face. This was followed by a panic attack as he felt something gripping his head. He had smacked the earphones onto the floor before jumping up and finding various toiletries raining down around him. The window was wide open, and it was freezing. He was so confused. His phone alarm then went off, startling him even further. By that point his adrenaline was so high that he could taste metal in his mouth.
“Jesus Ellie,” he muttered.
The Child was now on the ceiling above him. Her teddyman hung from her arm like a sick pendulum raining down globules of saliva from the gaping, rasping hole in its face. Rubbing his eyes, he took a moment to steady himself. Today he would meet Chelamah again. Then he would meet others. He was a mess and he needed to shower. Gathering up the toiletries he staggered into the bathroom.
Chaos reigned in the bathroom. Voices, singing, screaming, all whilst he could see the ridiculous silhouette of a dancing child through the shower curtain. He scrubbed his body painfully hard. Cleaning her off himself. Clean up this dirty, depressed person into a semblance of something human before she tore him completely down. He needed that old Sam back.
Wrapped in a towel, he opened the bathroom door and ran into the still icy sitting room. His dirty, stained clothes were strewn about the floor. He wouldn't wear them. They smelt. With a quick thought, he remembered Ellie. She wore oversized clothes. She wore completely non-descript black garments that were neither stylish nor gender specific. They would have to do for now. He turned to her bedroom door but stopped short before opening it. Confused, he wiped the water from his eyes. Attached to the door, right at a well thought out eye level, was a piece of small yellow paper. Written on it, in clear capital letters was:
DO NOT WEAR MY CLOTHES.
E x
Joshua eyed the meal placed next to him. He woke up as the nurse and the doctor, with the funny teeth, entered. When they left, he thought he had time to reach for his coat, but then this man with brown skin came in carrying a tray. He placed it on the wheeled table next to the bed. The food was curiously covered with plastic lids and looked strange. The man took a long time to leave. Josh had one thing on his mind. He needed to get to his coat that sat beside him in the big plastic bag.
During the night, he tried to get it. He stretched the tube that came from his arm and leaned right over the rails of the bed. He had then been startled by movement and voices. Some were people, but the growling and the sudden sweeping movements that cast fleeting shadows on the curtains around him were the stupid dog. He tried, but sadly, he hadn’t realised how short his arms really were. Stupid dog and stupid short arms. A nurse then came in and told him off. Well, kind of. He told him he would hurt himself and not to do it again.
With an effortless click, the man lowered the bedrail. He rolled the small table above the bed and tightly onto Josh’s lap.
“There you go my small friend. Leave a jelly for you” he smiled. “You must eat, yes? Get better fast.”
Joshua held his breath, willing the man to leave. “Thank you.”
“If you do not eat you will not get big and strong.” He shook his finger. “Look at me? You think I get this big without eating?”
Unsure what to say, Joshua shook his head, “No.”
The man smiled kindly “If you do not like the horrible soup… you eat dessert, yes?” He winked as if it was a secret just between the two of them.
Joshua liked this man. He was kind and funny. He felt himself smile back before he felt a big hand being placed on his sore head and ruffle his hair.
The man left and Josh watched the swaying curtain. He was a nice man, friendly. He made jokes and liked dessert. More importantly, he had left the bedrail down. Josh pushed the table to the side. He looked down at the floor. Nothing would stop him now. The annoying tube was still gathered in his bed, but he had enough room. Pulling the sheets off, he was greeted with his very colourful legs. The bruises were still there but the cuts were all covered with special sticky bandages.
Wriggling his toes, he spun his legs off the mattress. With a small slide, his feet landed on the cold, hard floor. Steadying himself, he looked behind him. The tube was long enough. He could make it. He stumbled forward to the chair. He dove in hands first, pulling at the big jacket inside and into its pocket. His hands searched furiously. It wasn't there. His heart sank, tears sprung to his eyes as his searching became hopeless. He had waited all night.
Dismayed, he pulled his hands out and looked down at the ragged jacket in front of him. Where had it gone? It was then that he heard vibrating. It was there. Diving into the bag again his hands reached under the jacket, pulling the phone from the bottom of the bag. It was wrapped in a smaller bag, but it was back in his hands. Suddenly he became suspicious, darting back to the bed nearly tripping on his long white gown. Jumping back onto the mattress he kicked the table behind him. Sitting bolt upright he pulled the sheet up and held his phone between his thighs. He had it.
They would see him and take the phone. He couldn't let that happen. He would be patient and calm. He would wait until everyone was gone, though he felt that didn't happen here. The phone vibrated, just once before he tore the bag away. He threw the sheets over his head and lay down. They wouldn't see him now.
The phone still looked new. The long black charging cord would no doubt be in the special inside pocket. It made him so happy. Ignoring the nineteen missed calls he hit the call button. He had never had a phone before but knew, 3% battery was not good. He hit Ellie’s name and waited.
Headphones in, Ellie slinked down the stairs of the bus onto the footpath. Across the road was the second hospital of her scouting tour this morning. One more to go. The bus left quickly as Ellie pulled the hood of her jacket over her hair. Staring at the unfriendly, dull building in front she realised that, dressed as she was, she must have looked rather suspicious. Like Sam waiting conspicuously at her apartment door. Awkward and lost. Her phone rang
“Oh my god,” she gasped in relief. She slammed it to her ear. “Where are you?”
“Ellie…” a small whisper replied. “Ellie it's me, Josh.”
“I know. Where are you? I've been looking everywhere.”
“I'm in a hospital.”
“OK, do you know which one?”
There was a pause, she could almost hear Josh thinking.
“There's a big red ambulance sign when I came in.”
“OK that doesn’t help me,” Ellie sighed. “Look around. Can you see anything? Any sign?”
She waited for a moment, listening to the rustling of sheets and Josh’s ‘thinking’.
“Hmmm…” he muttered, “Hmmm… they have jelly.”
“OK. OK.” She had an idea. “Look at your arm.”
“I can't, they put a bandage on it!”
“The other arm, the hand. Is there a label on your hand?”
Josh was confused, what was she talking about, a label on his hand? Sure enough, pulling the phone from his ear he stared in amazement at the white band wrapped around his wrist. How did that get there?
“Josh?” Ellie called, “Josh?”
“Yeah there's a thing on me,” he said surprised. “I don't know who put it there but...”
“Now look at it, what does it say?”
“Ummm,” There was a rustling. “It says 09854 and then… Joshua Fielding.”
Fighting back frustration, Ellie sighed. She had worn these tags many times before, she knew what was on them. “Above that. It has a hospital name, above your name can you see it?”
Some more rustling followed by a confused sigh. “It says someone else's name too!”
“What name? What does it say?”
“Ummm…I can't read properly because it's dark. It says… oh,” he stopped.
“Josh, I really need the name,” Ellie begged. “Just read it.”
Puzzled, Josh replied “Margaret McCull… something. I’m not sure. I don't know who she is.”
Damn. The hospital Ellie had been at 25 minutes ago. Staring hopelessly at the wrong location in front of her she turned to scan the bus timetable.
