"Mrs. Joyce...look I understand how difficult it is for you to accept but ...after examining and confirming this again and again... I'm sure there is no mistake.... it's possible that the accident and near death experience that your daughter and my patient Ms. Avery Joyce, had caused her to be depressed and that depression later turned into a hallucination of sort. She ...she can see, hear and interact with this person. A man that only exists in her imagination...." Miss Brooke tried to explain the situation to Mrs Joyce in as gentle a way as possible. Mrs Joyce clearly was having a hard time accepting the news. Her eyes had become red and swollen as she cried quietly.
" My poor little girl.....why?" Mrs Joyce mumbled as she sat on the sofa in Miss Brooke's office. Beside her sat her younger daughter, Alina Joyce, though younger she looked like the spitting image of her older sister Avery, just colder. Her dark brown curly hair falling softly over her shoulder as she comforted her.
" So, Doctor Brooke....how could her condition be improved?" She questioned in a calm and somewhat cold tone, clearly her personality did not took after her mother, who is more warm and soft in nature.
" Ah .... I will first tell you my observations and explain to you the reason behind my diagnosis so you will be able to better understand her condition and how to administer her treatment plan in future." Miss Brooke said as she handed a document to Alina, as Mrs Joyce seemed to be unable to participate in this consultation at the moment.
"Well, I have been observing her for close to 3 months now, at first I thought her mental condition is improving but when I paid more attention to her I observed that she'd always stop by and look at a patch of roses. That's normal maybe she like that patch , very normal, yes?" She paused as she looked at Alina and handed Mrs Joyce a pack of wet wipes and placed a cup of chamomile tea in front of each of them.
" On one of her visit about 3 months ago, she suddenly behaved differently her indifferent gaze changed to curiosity and from that day on her behaviour changed. I also observed her more carefully...." Miss Brooke explained to them the observations she had made when observing Avery and all the overt and covert examinations she had conducted to reach to this conclusion.
Then she proceeded to explain the possible treatment plan, including regular councelling session and the medications that may be used along with the councelling.
" The difficulty lies with the patient....we cannot force her to go through with the treatment otherwise she may not co-operate with the treatment. Her condition is such that it would really affect her negatively and may even worsen her condition. It's be like...like we are denying her reality." She explained and patiently waited for a response from the two ladies sitting on the sofa.
Alina looked like she was still carefully processing the information as she looked through the document Miss Brooke had handed her earlier.
Mrs. Joyce looked a little miserable as she cried silently. Trying to control her tears, the cup of tea long forgotten.
" But... I don't get it...my baby was doing just fine and ...now..." Mrs Joyce tried to refute the truth, still trying deny it till the end. I mean who'd want to believe that their child had 'gone mad'.
Miss Brooke sighed, having expected such a response. She looked down at her wrist watch once before pursing her lips in a straight line as if making a decision she spoke " Mrs Joyce...wanna see it for yourself....we can discuss the rest after we come back."
Alina looked at Miss Brooke, who was looking at Mrs Joyce' s tear soaked face with a very soft and warm, almost comforting look in her eyes.
" Yes" she answered for her mother.
____________________________________
It was a very beautiful evening weather, soft breeze blowing.
The streets looked as busy as always even in this fine weather.
Every person in their own hurry. Some rushing to go home others rushing to their appointments , everyone busy with their own thing, going their own way on this busy Street.
On this busy and bustling street, out side a bakery were standing Miss Brooke along with the two ladies of the Joyce family. The front of the bakery was on the cutesy side with ' Tea Garden ' written in a very cute medieval, english fairy tail style. It really looked like a Victorian style greenhouse on the outside.
As soon as they entered, the sweet aroma of various confectionery along with a slightly bitter notes of the coffee surrounded them. This was a very popular cafe near the vicinity of the hospital. It had veen there even before the hospital was built and the surrounding stores were just established. The rumour had it that this cafe was actually a green house, then it was purchased by the current owner's father at a cheap price as at that time this place was not very popular. Then the current owner turned this place into a two story cafe.
As the three entered they wanted to look for the familiar face, they heard one of the worker who happened to be close to them say " that...that person...is she alright? She's been talking to air for a while now..."
" Yes! Isn't she weird, every time she comes here she's always talking to air and even sticks an empty sticky note every time before leaving ... "
Hearing them talk, Miss Brooke immediately looked in the direction they were ' discreetly ' throwing glances at and sure enough she saw Avery. She was laughing so happily a the moment.
Alina along with her mother also happened to hear the two workers talk and followed the direction where Miss Brooke was looking. They immediately saw her there. Happily enjoying a pastry on the table in front of her were two cups of coffee, one almost consumed and the other still full to the brim.
" Ugh. ..She always orders ywo cup but never touches the other" grumbled one of the two workers.
Mrs Joyce wanted to get angry with them for talking like that but she knew she couldn't just lose her temper on strangers like that.