Max’s eyes narrowed and Martha hastened to add, “I said I would tell you to get in touch.”
Max’s brow cleared and he snorted, “She probably was hoping I’d cop it and she’d have a chance at inheriting everything.”
“Yes sir,” Martha said obediently.
Max looked around the room, his frown returning.
“I have some things for you in the car, your robe, slippers, laptop, some flowers to brighten the room and your throw rug for the floor,” Martha said seeing the frown. Max nodded his approval.
“Great, bring them in. Especially the laptop,” he said.
Martha nodded and left as Max lay back.
*****
“Hey gra, how are you?” Christine called as she heard her grandmother come in. She looked at the clock tick tick ticking away in the hall. Ten pm. Late even by her grandmother’s standards. That Mr. Lestrange worked her too hard.
“I’m good, how are you?” Martha replied.
“Wonderful. We got a new intern at work today. Eager to please, good looking…I hate him,” Christine replied.
Martha laughed shaking her head. “What am I going to do with you Chris?”
“Stop calling me by a boy’s name?” Christine asked. “Anyway, why are you home so late? Another dinner party?”
Martha stopped massaging her feet to look up at Christine in surprise. “Mr. Lestrange is in the hospital Chris, show some compassion.”
“What? What happened?” Christine asked moving to help her grandmother with her other shoe.
“The doctors say it's some kind of infection. I don’t have the details. I’m not kin,” Martha said.
Christine snorted, “You’re as much kin as any that man has.”
Martha did not disagree.
“So…? Is he gonna be okay or are you out of a job?”
Martha glared at her. “You are so unfeeling at times girl.”
“I’m not…I just…I don’t think Max appreciates you as much as he should,” she said.
Martha smiled. “Girl you know nothing. Now go get me a cuppa tea and stop bitchin,” she said making Christine laugh as she went.
*****
Strings had been pulled and Dr. Benson had been given a temporary pass to treat his patient, Max Lestrange in the hospital. The tests were back and Dr. Schofield and Dr. Benson stood before him to explain the results.
“Your blood work showed elevated levels of white blood cells which would seem to indicate an infection. We did differential testing to narrow down the source of the infection and we’re pretty sure it's some form of prostatitis. We still need to do further tests, including a biopsy, to narrow down the possibilities,” Dr. Benson said.
r /> “Biopsy…isn’t that to find cancer?” Max asked concentrating on making his face impassive.
“Yes. It's just to cover all bases. You’re thirty eight years old and that’s still below the high risk age for prostate cancer but we can’t ignore the possibility,” Dr. Schofield replied.
Max studied them and then nodded. “Okay then…when?”
“Tomorrow morning,” Dr. Schofield said.
“What does it entail?” Max asked tensing just a little bit.