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When Cassadines Fall
Second Opinion
Lucky and Nik wander in Laura's house down in Carolina before collapsing on the front porch. The temperature difference makes it comfortable to be outside for people adjusted to upstate New York. The ice storm the day before had given way to a warm front. Even now at night the temperature was near to 50. Lulu is racked out in her room. Jax is in the spare room. The Cassadine pilot is in a nearby hotel. The house is within easy walking distance of the hospital.
Lucky frowns as he stares out at the ocean. "What the hell are we going to do?"
"You're asking me?" Nik replies tersely.
"I'm no pro... I have about as much experience reading her as you do... but I get the feeling Gramma Lesley isn't as positive as she is playing for us... about Mom I mean."
"Agreed. Her talking about going back into the convelescent center to rehabilitate. She sounds as if Laura isn't going to be there to assist."
"Or that Mom is going to need more help than she is!" Lucky gets up and starts pacing. "You saw her, Nik... What do you think?"
"I don't know what to think! IF you took away all the machines it would look like she was sleeping except for the fact she should have woken up by now and she hasn't! She's breathing on her own... She reacts to stimuli whatever the hell that is! She just won't wake up!"
"A damn amoeba will react to stimuli. You poke it; it goes the other direction."
"What do we know about this Dr Manheim? And this hospital... it's not even a regional hospital. It's a community hospital-- a glorified clinic. If we were back in Port Charles or at least in an urban area.... Carolina has some of the best doctors in the country but they are on the other side of the state... over in Raleigh-Durham, in their so called brain triangle."
"So we need a second opinion."
"We need to get straight answers from the doctor we have but yes, I want a second opinion... and a third." Nik agrees rising to his feet. "I need to walk. I'm going to go down to the police station. Will you stay here..."
"Yeah, I'll stay with Lulu. I want to call Elizabeth anyway." Lucky rises to go inside the house.
Nik starts walking in the direction of town. He gets as far as the park when he sits down on a bench and pulls out his cell phone.
Maddy stares out the window of the study, her cell phone pressed to her ear as Nik updates her on what is going on down in Carolina. The snow glistens in the street lights. Small flakes drift in the narrow beams of light on their way down to join the others. She lets Nik just talk until he gets to the part about Lesley going to a convelescent home.
"NO! You can't let that happen, Niknik.... Yes, I know that your grandmother isn't Granny Martine." She replies impatiently. "I also know those places are warehouses where people are stuffed until they die. What kind of life is it? A thousand miles away from her family? Bring her home. Here she has family. Hell you have money you could take care of her here. Hire someone to take care of the things she needs. You said she doesn't need a nursing home. Just someone to look out for the thing she can't do. She just doesn't want to be a pain in anyone's posterior. It's just wrong! And if she does need a nursing home then up here you could visit her all the time... you, Lucky, all of her friends. It's just wrong." Maddy repeats.
"Let me talk to him." Stefan says quietly from behind Maddy.
"As long as you promise to talk sense to him." Maddy replies. Stefan nods. Maddy hands over the phone.
"Nikolas... Yes, I've been staying here until you return. Both Madeliene and Elizabeth refused to go to Wyndemere."
Maddy rolls her eyes. "I'm going to get some tea. I'll be right back. Don't let him hang up until I get a chance to talk to him."
Stefan nods but then continues his conversation with Nik. "I know I have no standing in any of this. So let me just say Lesley has already spent too much time away from her family. In hospitals and clinics. And yes, I will take responsibility for that. I think it is too much history to be repeating. Lesley didn't start getting better until she was surrounded by her family and familiar places...."
Maddy sees that he is being reasonable and leaves the study for the kitchen. Elizabeth is sitting at the kitchen table. Her sketch book is in front of her and the phone is pressed to her ear. Maddy mouths, "Lucky?" Liz nods. "Tell him to bring them home." Liz nods again and gives a thumbs up. Maddy puts the kettle on.
"Honey? Do you want me to get hold of my grandmother? Find out who is the best for the second opinion on your mom?" Liz asks Lucky. "Here in Port Charles, it's probably Dr Jones." Liz holds the phone away from her ear. Tony's history with the Spencers was not the best even before the last custody battle for Lucas. "I know the guy is a jerk, Lucky, but he's never screwed your mother over. She actually likes him." Maddy nods. Liz seems to have it in hand. She fills the enfuser with earl grey tea and puts it in the ceramic pot and grabs a couple of mugs. As soon as the kettle starts to scream she pulls it from the stovetop and fills the pot. She holds the kettle up to Elizabeth. "Hot chocolate." Liz mouths. Maddy nods and pulls out a packet of instant. Liz slams her hand on the table to get Maddy's attention and holds up two fingers. It was that kind of night. Maddy empties an additional packet into the mug and adds the water.
Stirring it up. "Here you go."
"Thanks." Liz covers the mouthpiece. "Nik is on his way to the police station."
"Right." Maddy picks up the tray to take it back into the study. "Get them to bring his sister and grandmother home. They can't stay alone while his mother is in the hospital." Liz nods agreement.
"What about your Grandmother, Lucky? How is she doing?" Liz prompts. Maddy nods and backs out of the kitchen keeping a good grip on the tray. She walks back into the study and sets the tray on the desk.
"Nikolas, I will contact the best neurological doctors here and on the continent. They will be at your disposal. What is the name of the physician there again?" Maddy hands him a pen and paper. "Yes, I'll get right on this. Here is Madeliene." Stefan hands Maddy back the phone. He goes to the other side of the room and pulls out his own cell phone and calls the hospital requesting to speak to the neuro on call.
"You feeling any better, Candy? Mr C. is on the case." Maddy laughs at his response. "And be nice to the cop. Don't get all bossy. They work for everybody not just you. Hell! There might be some law against mouthing off to a cop down there. I'm a little far away to be bailing you out. Remember this whole thing is an Act of God and not anybody's fault." Maddy's voice drops. "No, Niknik, I can't explain God's plan to you or why He let this happen. There is nothing I can say that will make this any easier. And nothing ticked me off more than the clucking neighbors telling me that He never gave me more than I could bear 'cause He cuts it pretty damn close sometimes.... You'll call me in the morning? Mr C. should have a list of names by then. Alright. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Maddy hangs up the phone and shakes her head. Screwed. The whole situation is screwed plain and simple.
She goes over to the desk and pours a mug of tea for her and for Stefan. She adds a little sugar to hers and takes him his straight. Stefan is making notes on the pad still. Still in conversation with the hospital. Finally he hangs up and takes a sip of the tea. "This is of little use until Nikolas gets a straight answer from the doctor down there." Stefan's pessimism comes through. "His grandmother is shielding him and in doing so preventing Nikolas and his brother from making needed decisions."
Maddy curls up in the chair across from him. "I am so going to remind you of that when you pull the same exact crud on Candy."
Stefan winces and sighs. "Well then in the interest of disclosure... Barbara and her husband stopped by today to see you."
"Not Nik?" Maddy frowns. "I wonder what's up with that?"
"I'm afraid I was rather... curt with them. I am still annoyed by the possibility Jack's mother is asking questions about you."
"Better his mother than yours." Maddy quips. "No offense. But all the research I have on your mother says she goes after collaterals to do the most damage. And with Mama dead and Aunt Dara already dealing with Larkin there just isn't any collaterals for her to go leveraging on me. I don't have any family left to worry about."
"Don't underestimate my mother, Madeliene."
"That's your family's deal, Mr C. Not mine. I know exactly with whom I am dealing."
Liz comes into the study carrying hot chocolate and her sketch pad. She sits down on the carpet next to the fire. She reaches over to pet Cinnamon who groans and stretches to make sure the itchy spot is just where Liz can get it. "Lucky is a man on a mission."
"What mission is that?"
"He's packing up Dr Webber's room as we speak. He would pack up Lulu's but she is asleep in it. Lucky never liked the idea of all of them being down in Carolina and this accident just cemented it. He wants them all home too."
"I'll make arrangements for Laura's house to be opened and aired." Stefan knows he is overstepping but so what.
Maddy shakes her head. "Un uh. The guys want them home. And home means here. Nik has the room and Lucky is within hollaring distance. I'll prepare the spare room on the main floor for their grandmother and the little room upstairs for his sister."
"I can take care of that; I know what Lulu likes." Liz offers.
"And I shall investigate the private nurse situation." Stefan agrees. "I'll have that list for you tomorrow in addition to the list of foremost doctors for Laura."
Maddy looks from one to the other. "I think we have it covered. The only thing left to do is sleep on it and hit it fresh in the morning."
Carly drops Lucas off back at the brownstone after making plans to go riding the next day since she is going to be in town. "Hey Mama." Carly tells Bobbie seeing her coming toward the foyer. Carly braces for whatever is going to come her way.
Bobbie takes a deep breath and exhales. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. You didn't do anything wrong. I screwed up, and I understand you are getting as sick of that as I am of Jerry telling me to sit down. I will try to do better."
"Thank you." Carly says quietly. "Apology accepted. And it's not like I haven't given you cause."
"Not recently... not that I know of. Okay-- the fundraiser but that couldn't have happened to a nicer person, and you had a lot of help."
"And that was a good cause. I mean the nurse's ball is paid for now." Carly reminds.
"Ends and Means. Sometimes you are too much like my brother."
"Oh man! Low blow! Where is Jerry? Jerry?! Mama is being mean to me again!"
"Nobody likes a snitch, Caroline." Jerry clicks off the cordless phone as he walks from the family room.
"Then I guess you don't want to know what I found out on my shopping trip with Maddy this morning. Now that girl can shop!" Carly pulls her gloves off and tosses her coat over the back of a chair. "The two of us... supermarket sweep-- we'd clean up." She takes the most comfortable chair and snuggles back in it.
Jerry smirks and takes a seat on the couch pulling Bobbie down next to him. "There are exceptions to every snitch rule. You just found one. Spill."
"Well the conversation happened to come around to the importance of Daddys." Carly pats her stomach significantly. "I asked her flat out if now that her mother's dead if she was going to go looking for her birth father."
"Oh that was blunt." Bobbie winces.
"That's the short version; I was way more subtle." Carly reassures. She looks at Jerry and shakes her head. "She said not even if she need a kidney. How did she put it... this bird is out of the nest and isn't crawling back in."
Jerry is the one to wince this time. "I can't leave it at that. I can't find out I have a daughter and not let her know."
"Jerry, we were at her eighteenth birthday. She is an adult." Bobbie reminds.
Jerry holds up the phone. "I just got off the phone with Pete. It's been a lot longer than that-- she's been emancipated for the last three years."
"I'm not saying you shouldn't tell her the truth, Jere." Carly tells him. She leans in. "Just don't try to... parent her. Offer her a kidney or something and then back off. I can do the rest. Bring you into conversations-- show how I use you. Ease her into the idea that you're a great sounding board but for goodness sake you have got to keep your family away from her or they'll spook her for sure." Carly gets up and starts putting on her gear. "I have to get home. Jason has Michael and AJ is chilling the sparkling cider."
From the landing above, Lucas steps back into the shadows.
The following morning, knowing that they were going to get answers from the doctor finally, Nik and Lucky leave Lulu at the house with Jax. They take a bag of clothes for Lesley and her car from the garage to drive to the hospital.
Lesley counts the ceiling tile for the umpteenth time when the boys arrive with a gym bag. "Oh thank goodness, I was about to pull my hair out and I didn't think I could take it a minute longer."
"Tried to find something to wear over that cast, Gramma, but..." Lucky shakes his head.
"As long as it doesn't tie up the back and expose my backside to every breeze going through I'll deal. Besides I don't think plaster of paris bras are ever going to catch on, even the electric pink ones like this one." Clutching the hospital gown at the back so that it doesn't gap to flash her grandson. "Nikky, will you get the knot on top." Nik fumbles with the top. Somehow it had gotten knotted rather than bowed. Finally it is freed. Lesley goes into the bathroom where Lucky has set the bag. Wedging the bag between her body and the sink she unzips it with some trepidation. Sure, she'd told the boys that anything was better than a hospital gown but she wasn't quite sure that was true.
Luke comes into the room carrying a large coffee. He is wearing his shades to disguise the deep bags under his eyes. "Where is Lesley?"
"Getting changed. How is mom?" Lucky asks.
"No Change." Luke says grimly. "You leave the Princess with Lurch?"
"Yeah, it's time we got some straight up answers."
Lesley winces at Lucky's comment from inside the bathroom. She looks in the mirror. She has managed to get her undergarments on. Lesley might have joked about plaster of paris bra but that was one undergarment she wasn't going to need for the next twelve weeks. Talk about support foundations! The kids had picked out a skirt with an elastic waist so she didn't have to deal with zippers or buttons. She pulls out what the boys had picked out for a top. "A t-shirt? How the hell am I going to wear a tshirt?" And then she notices that one whole side of it has been ripped out along the seam not neatly unraveled but it looks like it had been cut with a pocket knife or something. "Ah." She pulls it one handed over her head and grunts as she forces her arm through the untampered sleeve and then tugs the shirt down. Lesley looks in the mirror. Her hair was about one day away from being greasy but she was covered... mostly. "Y'all are not going to jump on the doctor the minute he walks in the door." Lesley demands as walks out of the bathroom. Lucky grins at her. "What?!"
"You said y'all. You've definitely been down here too long."
Nik comes over and checks out the outfit. "May I?" He does a quick over the hand knot to the loose ends of the tshirt. Lesley would be able to roll the knot out one handed. "It will work for now until we can get some velcro or something put along the seam."
"It works fine. Don't fuss." Lesley pushes his hands away. "Luke? How is Laura? Any change from last night?" Lesley had been in to see Laura before she'd forced back to her room.
"How the hell should I know?" Luke shakes his head. "I finally got it through their heads that I wasn't leaving her and they let me sleep in a chair in the room."
Dr Manheim comes into the room. His face is carefully blank. There were worse parts of his job but he couldn't think of them offhand. Knowing that Dr Webber will demand the raw data he brings over the print outs from the
EEG. They are time stamped: the day before, last night and then one that was just completed about twenty minutes ago. Lesley studies the data and swears. Luke and Lucky sit down their knees going boneless. Nik stands even straighter his face going blanker than the doctor's. "Mrs Spencer's condition has stabilized. She is breathing on her own and it appears that the surgery was successful in repairing the internal damage that was done by the accident."
"Then why hasn't she woken up?" Luke demands not knowing if he wants the answer.
"Because she is in a coma, Luke." Lesley says looking up from the data. "My baby is in a coma." Her chin starts to wobble and her eyes start leaking a trail of silent tears tracing down her face. She covers her eyes with her free hand and swallows a sob.
"Did your daughter have any kind of living will?" The doctor asks softly.
Luke gets angry. "What the f' are you talking about? You said she is breathing... there is no plug to pull. My wife is alive and she is going to stay that way! She will come back to us. You don't know Laura!"
"We want a second opinion." Lucky demands.
"Lucky, I'm the second opinion." Lesley wipes her face. She tells the doctor. "No, my daughter didn't have a living will. It was something we talked about but didn't put into writing. She wouldn't want to be on machines.... to have her life sustained by machines. You want to know whether or not to withhold nutrition."
"Starve her to death?! What kind of sick bastard are you?!" Luke jumps to his feet. Lucky gets between his dad and the doctor.
"When can she be moved?" Nik says quietly.
"Moved? I wouldn't recommend that." The doctor shakes his head startled by the question.
"There is nothing you can do for her. It's time for her to come home."
"Your mother just had major surgery." The doctor protests. "I said it appeared to repair the damage. If her life is to be maintained then she'll be in the hospital while she heals so she can be monitored for infection or any other complications."
"Her husband has indicated that there is no if, Doctor. My mother will be maintained. When can she be moved?" Nikolas asks again.
"A week, ten days at the earliest." The doctor motions with his hand.
"I'm staying." Luke states.
"Me too." Lesley agrees.
"No, grandmother." Nik demands. "You will be needed at home to pick out the proper facility for Laura's transfer to Port Charles. And with Luke here... Lulu will need you."
"Oh dear. Lulu." Lesley runs a hand through her hair. "Luke?"
"I'm not leaving Laura here. She's coming back to Port Charles. Whatever I have to do to make that happen. It's going to happen."
"I got to get out of here." Lucky leaves the room. He goes down to the soda machine and drops in his dollar. He gets his soda but then kicks the machine anyway. "****!"
Dr Manheim comes out of Lesley's room and passes Lucky at the machine. He stops and turns around. "I'm very sorry that I couldn't give you a better outcome."
"When can my grandmother get out of here?" Lucky changes the subject.
"Today. I'm just going to sign her release papers now."
"I want the name of the best doctor in this state. And I want him to see my mother before she leaves here."
"I'll fax all my notes and the information to him."
"No, you didn't hear me. I want him to see her."
"I can't make another doctor's schedule."
"Get on the phone. Tell him there is a plane on the way to fly him to and back. My Grandmother hasn't practiced medicine in over a decade. And I believe that you've done the best you can but you're a guts doctor not a brain one... right? I want a second opinion."