Killing Tink

Ch. 9

John Ravi tapped his pencil on the desk and waited for the arguing to stop. He was never one to get riled by the temper of the crowd. Waiting had always served him well, and he was quite good at snatching what most of the people were saying, if not, at least what their feeling and intentions were.

"We can't keep her here John. She's a Jane Doe. She's someone's child, sure, but she's not going to pay the bill. Two weeks in intensive care, and now a private room and physical therapy orders for a girl who can't be touched? And you, how many hours have you logged sitting in her room?"

John waited for Dr. Silas, the hospital Chief of Staff to finish his ranting. He was always quick to jump on and off bandwagons following public opinion.

"You don't pay me anymore Rick. Other than running your outpatient psych ward I'm not your worry. And my job there hasn't suffered."

"Forget your hours. What about the hospital? What about the treatments, and room costs? And do we know a single thing about her yet?"

John looked up and took of his glasses. It was time to pull the rope.

"We know that she's been kept by someone for three years. We know that she's been starved and beaten and left for dead. We know that the public is going to be looking for a hero in this horrible story, and it could be you. Your hospital saved her life. It spent resources and manpower to literally pull her back from the jaws of death. Despite the current belief that we only care about finances and reimbursement. And then what? Does the hero turn her out in the night weighing less than a hundred pounds and with a severe case of PTSD? Is that the end of the story?"

The Chief looked around the table. Each physician present suddenly finding important things to scan on the papers scattered on the table. He cleared his throat and sipped the water from his clear plastic glass wiping off the condensation while he spoke.

"Is there any medical reason she can't be released?"

Dr. Long, cardiology spoke first.

"From a cardiac standpoint she's clear. She's hydrated and has gained ten pounds. We're comfortable with the step down, and wouldn't have an issue with a release, provided it's not taxing and that she gets some rest."

Cheryl from dietary was beside Dr. Long at the long rectangular table in the main conference room and spoke next.

"From our standpoint she's still a little way from discharge. She needs to be able to go a couple days on solid foods without vomiting. The medications are helping, but to be honest we'd like at least another ten pounds. It's a miracle she hasn't had organ failure already."

John didn't wait for anyone else, he jumped in while the ball was in his court.

"So another week and we will revisit. If nothing else, I'll take her to my clinic."

The Chief help up his hand.

"I want her in the papers. And on the news. I want the center for missing and exploited children organization involved. I want parents, an aunt, a distant neighbor, anyone who knows this girl. For God's sake John, I know you love pet cases and trauma, but this girls family has been missing her for three years. Whether she's ready to not, they deserve to know she's alive."

The Chief closed his folder and John searched his mind for anything to give him more time. She wasn't ready. She was fragile and a bombardment of family and the past could break her even more. He wasn't thinking of family, he was thinking of the broken hollow eyed girl who had cracks in every surface.

He knew dynamics. The family would arrive, they'd be kind and loving and excited. The girl would feel the pressure of wanting to put it all behind her and pretend it was time to move forward. And then the honeymoon would end, the terror and depression would start and it would lead to the destruction of all of them as anger surfaced and blame bubbled. It was a pattern he had studied hundreds of times.

He needed time; with an absence of that available, he'd have to push. There was more than one thing he needed to address with the girl.

Without another chance to speak, the meeting was ended. Banter on weekend plans and upcoming fundraising events started and John Ravi exited the room. He wasn't one to engage in social activities with his peers.

Cheryl matched his steps as he walked down the hall deep in thought.

"I don't know how much time it will buy her, or you. But she hasn't tolerated solids so...maybe I can stretch it a week or even two. Just don't turn this into another Alice. She is not your redemption. She's just a girl who got hurt. Nothing more."

He stopped walking and gave direct eye contact. His words for once were locked tight in his throat. Alice had nothing to do with this.

"Mental health is as serious as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. If only the medical community could see it, instead of just the effects of its breakdown..."

He saw her eyes glaze, Cheryl knew about mental health. Her own daughter had taken her life six years ago. He realized he was killing the messenger, when he saw the hurt and pain radiating in her face.

"Forgive me, thank you Cheryl. I appreciate your effort. I'll make the best of the time I have."

She turned quickly away from him and he did the same. He knew it was difficult for her to speak to him at all. He hadn't had time to see her daughter, and his partner had labeled the teen as depressed but without suicidal tendencies. John himself had been to wrapped up with Alice to review the case. They both had to live with that.

John felt an urge to close himself in his office and review the files of Alice, but he couldn't get caught in that web now, Hope deserved his full attention. Alice had ruined enough, this time would be different.