The Appariton Man - Part Thirty - Two

Chapter Eight- Part Thirty Two #1

"Can I help you sir?," the old bird asked as Doctor Harvey stood patiently waiting for her to finish her phone call.2

The call itself seemed of no importance whatsoever. He had not meant to eves drop of her conversation, but it was a little hard standing so close to a motor mouth like her, and the shocking things that were coming out of her mouth, had absolutely no relevance to hospitals or patients at all.3

Ignoring her blatant ignorance, from her attempt to completely ignore him moments before, he nodded, smiling sharply at her.4

"Well I hope that you might be able to help me, I am here to see a patient, by the name of Christopher Chadstone."5

The old bird raised her eyebrows, opening her eyes as if she had just now seen a ghost.6

"Yes, yes I know him, the young boy who arrived her yesterday, the coma one, poor kid, I heard from the grape vine that he lost his Grandmother, poor old soul, they couldn't do anything to save her, though it didn't help that the paramedic wanted to prove himself worthy of his girlfriends love, bastard went to far didn't he, if she didn't have collapsed lungs then, well her lungs would be totally crushed by him, stupid guy should loose his job."7

Doctor Harvey grew impatient, trying so hard to ignore what she had just said, but it played on his mind until he cracked. The old woman and there need to gossip, even about the most tragic of things, like the loss of his Mother, it burned him so deep in his heart for her to act like this was some office affair, there was no emotion in her soul, no remorse, just gossip.8

"What happened?,' he asked, placing his hands impatiently on her desk, fighting the urge to slap the stupid look of her face, he could see were Christopher's impatience had come from.9

She looked around the room, as if to make sure that no one was being a brown noser, and leaned forward, cupping her hands around her mouth.10

"Paramedic pushed her to hard, she was already dead, he just wanted to make sure she didn't have a chance, were all sure of it, the mans a twisted soul he is, took officer stone two attempts before he actually let go of her chest, he wouldn't even stop even when his partner was screaming at him, he apparently just kept pumping her.11

Doctor Harveys stomach lurched, he clutched it tight, feeling the acid swirling up his throat, the image of the man killing his Mother, floating through his brain, making him feel angered and deeply repulsed to the state he could almost throw up. He swallowed the vomit back, this was not the time to be violently ill, he had a son to take care of, he would just have top push those deadly thoughts out of his head for the time being.12

"Can I please see Christopher," he gritted through his teeth, trying to hold back from breaking down completely, trying so hard to be strong. He clutched his heart, feeling the acid settle down back into his stomach.13

"May I ask who you are sir, safety reasons of course?"14

He nodded, taking another deep breath, the taste of disgust in his mouth.15

" I am Doctor Connor Harvey, from H.P psychiatrist, I also happen to be Christopher's biological father."16

The old bird lowered her eyebrows, the sick, ignorant smile being wiped clean of her face, as she suddenly realized exactly who he was. Both to the deceased woman and his son.17

Embarrassed, she straightened her skirt, keeping her head down, facing the floor as to not look him in the eyes.18

"Why don't you take a seat Mr Harvey, and I will go and see if I can find Doctor Courtney for you."19

He nodded taking a seat next to the reception desk, holding his head in his hand as he slid into the cold, depressing plastic chairs, the sickly smell of antiseptic lingering up his nose.