I crept up the stairs towards the doctors office with my head high, its not everyday a nurse is asked to meet a new patient. I lightly knocked on the door and eagerly waited for the "Come in," of doctor Jameson. I walked into the room and I saw a woman sitting across the desk to Dr. Jameson, our psychologist. "Thank you for coming down Ms.Banta, please have a seat. this is Mrs. Anderson." Dr. Jameson said with authority. I sat beside the quietly weeping woman.
"I've got a special project for you," Jameson started, I pushed the lock of hair that always managed to fall into my face back as Dr. Jameson began. "You have the best credentials in level four and I just want to let you know we really appreciate what you do to the patients. Mrs. Anderson's son, Cooper Anderson was admitted here last spring after her younger son Blaine Anderson died." Mrs Anderson made a noise and whipped her eyes.
Dr. Jameson offered her more tissue which she declined before he continued, "now we cured Cooper from the schizophrenia, we administered a drug that stopped the alternate reality entirely. he was unable to handle his situation without the younger brother so he attempted suicide. soon as he woke up the boy was back. I have never seen anything like this myself. he is back now and we have placed him in level 4 and Mrs Anderson doesn’t want to lose another son so he will be seeing Blaine for the rest of his life."
I absorbed all that he was telling me in awe. this poor guy, I cant wait to meet him, is mind is so raw, the brother, Blaine, he has to be Coopers whole life. "What do you want me to do Dr.Jameson?" I asked.
Mrs. Anderson spoke up, "I see now that I wont win this war. I lost my husband and my baby boy in the same week. 6 months later I nearly lose Cooper. I cant live with him telling me what Blaine thinks or says because it hurts to much. but I cant live knowing he is dead either . I need him to be happy, and I don’t know being in a mental hospital will accomplish this happiness but I guess being with Blaine was enough," she started crying again. there was something off about this woman, it all seemed like regret rather then hope for her future.
"Ill do the best I can to assure that Cooper lives out his life in happily here, I promise." I told her. she looked up at me and smiled. Dr Jameson handed me a note card with 417 on it. I nodded and left the room heading upstairs.
I've never had to deal with a patient that didn’t want to be fixed. Abigail couldn’t not see her boyfriend. she would yell at him to leave her only to make up in the end. I thought about Simon, stupid bastard, following my every thought but he was working on a theorem to determine just what made people tic. I almost wished we were still dating, stupid bastard, just to hear his thoughts on my current theorem.
If you really love some one, honestly knowing there is nothing in the world with out them, in their death, you will either die with them or truly carry them with you.
I stood in front of room 417 and opened it softly, at first I didn’t see cooper but when I did...
he was beautiful, jet black hair pushed back, probably due for a hair cut, these brilliant blue eyes that reminded me of the vast ocean from the view of an island, I could easily be drowned in them. his had a broad face with sharp chiseled cheek bones. his full lips parted slightly, reviling rows of snow white teeth. I swallowed hard and gave him a smile, "Hi Cooper, my name is Olivia, I'm your new nurse."
"I'm not crazy." His first words were uttered with pure sureness. His strong bold voice didn't falter or quiver, he honestly believed he wasn't crazy.
"I never said you were," I replied softly. I closed the door and walked into the bland room. "I mean fourth floor is like the pent house of this place, three they are more neurotic and will chair bound, second floor are works in progress, hints why our doctors are all there. Then first floor... I hear their walls are padded." I smiled.
He squinted his eyes at me not sure if I was serious. "I was on the second floor," he said in a dark tone. I saw the rope burn on his neck from the suicide attempt. "Do if you’re not crazy, do you want to tell me why you're here." I asked walking to a wall to lean on.
"My mom doesn't want to deal with me, my dad doesn't want any of us and my little brother is sleeping behind me but according to some Dr. Jameson he is not real."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Is it hard?" I asked he was staring behind himself on the bed.
"Is what hard?" He asked me.
"Being the only on that can see Blaine."
"Yeah, I have to translate everything for him." Coop answered.
"Do you see anything else? " I asked.
"Olivia, I told you I wasn't crazy." He stared at me glaring into my eyes.
"Okay then. You’re not crazy," I said, “But you’re not getting out of here either.”
“I am aware of that; I honestly just don’t even care anymore.” He turned to lie on his bed.
I bit my lip and took selective steps to his bed, there was a reason Dr. Jameson wanted me to be his nurse, I sat at he end of his bed he sat up and looked truly annoyed at me. “I’ll be honest with you; I don’t think anything of my patients. maybe after a while I will prove it to you." he rolled his eyes and lied back down.
2 Months 3 days later
"Olivia, can we talk," cooper asked me just as I began to leave.
"Of course, cooper," I said taking a seat opposite him.
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked.
"At what moment in you like did you see yourself in here?" He asked.
I pondered the question a minute, "I was sitting with this guy outside of phycology hall in Illinois state college, he tried to explain a theorem of the mind he was studying. It was so entrusting I had to know more so I took the class then I took more, dropped my biology major and studied phycology. Now I'm here."
"I've been thinking a lot about moments in my life that could show that moment when Blaine attached himself to me or what ever the doc thinks. I finally pinpointed the moment. Ironically it was this time last year, I decided I wanted to be an actor. It was Sunday dinner and I was so excited to tell everyone as soon as dinner was on the table I told them. My dad sent me to duke to become a lawyer but I dropped out after 3 years so of course he brought that up and Blaine just told him I could play a lawyer. Then mom started to complain about the life styles it has and problems the simples of scandals could get out of hand. Then Blaine said like having a gay brother, in a scared voice. Dad choked on his drink and mom just stared at Blaine like he told her he killed a dozen people." He turn to his right and shrugged his shoulders to Blaine and murmured, "I'll get there."
"I had a feeling something was up with him for awhile. He asked me what I thought of gays, if I had ever had a gay friend. I knew, I just was amazed that he said it out loud. I told him he would jeopardize my acting career, and I Hollywood loved gay little brothers almost as much as I did. He smiled at me but he also took all the parental complaining from me. Mom said it was just a phase, and dad said he was disappointed in both of us. They stopped Sunday dinner after that, and all family things. But that night he told me he didn't care if mom and dad hated him as long as I didn't hate him. I never realized that I was that important to him, but I always knew he was everything and more to me. I know he isn't dead but the rest of the world is convinced otherwise."
I looked at the hopeless mess of the man in front of me. But I saw conviction in his eyes, "I'm jealous, I'm a single woman and a only child. No one has ever loved me that much." He smiled at for the first time in the 2 months he has been here he smiled at me.
I returned gleefully, "good night cooper."
"Goodnight Olivia."