Page 124 of The Sun Sister

Because I was trying to be quiet for Vanessa’s sake, I didn’t even have the pleasure of slamming the door behind me as I walked towards the nurses’ station and asked if I could see the doctor in charge.

The woman made some calls, then nodded. ‘He’s on his rounds just now, honey. He shouldn’t be too long.’

With nowhere else to go, I retreated into the restroom and sat on the tiled floor to seethe. I just couldn’t work Miles out. Last night, I’d felt so close to him; sitting there with my head on his shoulder and his arm around me had felt natural. And now this morning...I let out a howl of frustration.

I took some deep breaths to calm down, and tried to get my brain into gear without the purple haze of the initial anger. I eventually realised he was trying to tell me that if I took Vanessa on, she would need all I had to give her, perhaps for a lifetime. She wasn’t like a novelty toy that I could just pick up then drop when I’d finished with it. She was a living, breathing and seriously damaged human being...And I wasalsoa living, breathing, damaged human being...

‘Miss D’Aplièse?’ came a voice from the other side of the door.

‘Yes?’

‘Do you mind coming out for a quick chat?’

I recognised Dr Cole’s gentle voice.

‘Sure,’ I said, and opened the door to step outside.

‘Hello,’ he smiled at me. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Yeah, I’m fine. How is she?’

‘Vanessa is doing very well. Physically, anyway. She should be out of here in a couple of days and then ideally, depending on what the psych team here and then her social worker say, she’ll need to spend some time in a specialised institution that can really help her.’

‘Do you think Vanessa is...well, saveable?’

Dr Cole sighed. ‘Where there’s life, there’s always hope. I’m sure you’ve been made aware that every addict is somewhere on a spectrum. Some are lucky and get caught early on, and others, like Vanessa, are right at the end and are hardest of all to turn around. The good news is that The Ranch has begun that process, but now, she needs to continue in some form of medium- to long-term programme that she can integrate into her life when she leaves. She will need to do that in or near Manhattan. Not least because that’s where her funding is based, if her social worker can get her state care extended.’

‘I can help if necessary, Dr Cole.’

‘And that’s more than generous of you, ma’am, but the State has got the dollars to fund the help she needs. It’s a case of working through the red tape and having a strong arm on your side. There’s a lot of misappropriation and corruption in the various government departments, but your friend Miles seems to know what he’s doing there. Anyway,’ he smiled, ‘it’s good of you to take an interest in Vanessa and be prepared to help her.’

‘Well, I was given help myself not so long ago,’ I said. ‘Please keep her here for as long as she needs. You have my cell number, don’t you?’

‘It’s on the records, yes. And now, you must excuse me, I’ve got to get round to see other patients. Goodbye.’

He nodded at me and walked away, and I went back into my ‘office’ in the restroom and dialled Mariam’s number.

‘Hello, Electra. How is your friend?’ Mariam asked me before I’d said a word.

‘Oh, she’s out of danger now, thanks. Actually, I was just wondering if you could look at flights back to New York for me?’

‘For when?’

‘Tomorrow morning if possible. I was coming out Thursday anyway as you know, so it’s only a day earlier.’

There was a slight pause on the line.

‘Okay. Are we talking by private jet here?’

‘Probably.’ I thought about the crowd of paps that were apparently stationed outside the hospital.

‘What time would suit?’

‘I don’t know, around noon? That will get me in for about ten p.m.’

‘No problem. I...Are you sure you don’t want me to fly down and accompany you back, Electra?’

‘I have flown alone before, Mariam, and I’m not sick or anything. Besides, it’s a long way for you to come.’