Categories > Original > Drama > Separation
December 01, 1977
"Hi guys."
"What on earth is that?" Senator Kalahearn demanded, pointing at the little monitor Dr. Xerxes was still fiddling with.
“A little something to monitor your son’s brain activity,” the tall doctor replied, his British accent making his words crisp and business-like. “It was originally to keep track of any visions he may have had while he was asleep, but now that he’s awake and unable to speak due to an excessive amount of plastic and wiring, I though this might be a bit more suitable.”
“Pretty cool, huh?” The little green letters scrolled past on the black screen as Ray gave a small smile. His expression faded, however, at the sight of his parent’s faces.
“Sir,” the Senator began, his countenance matching the stoniness in his voice, “unhook that contraption from my son. I will not have you putting words in his mouth.”
“WTF, Dad?!”
Fortunately neither of his parents were fluent in net-speak.
“Senator, I am trying to restore a means of communication to your son…” Dr. Xerxes began, but was interrupted.
“I do not want anyone making decisions for my son. We’re his parents; we will decide what is best.”
"..."
Things did not improve from there.
Although Xerxes’ teleprompter was more than reliable as far as translating thought into words, Ray’s parents refused to dignify it as such. Therefore, conversations with them were needlessly difficult and extremely tedious, their inquiries limited to those that could be given a "yes" or "no" response. Dr. Karl believed Ray was mentally competent to make his own decisions, but that didn’t stop the Kalahearn’s for making a good deal of decisions for him. Because Ray had not cited power of attorney, his parents automatically ceded any authority he might have had.
Visitors were turned away, cards and gifts returned unopened. Dr. Karl was nearly ousted from his position as Ray’s physician, though Dr. Xerxes saved them the trouble and cordially showed himself out before the Senator had a chance to defame him. Dr. Xerxes didn’t believe in dealing with the “small-minded”, as he put it. Ray was beginning to feel the same way. It nearly came to blows when the guys tried to visit while his parents were still in the room. To be fair, it had started out civil enough, but things had soon escalated and it had taken five orderlies- two for his father and three for Alex- to break up the aborted fist-fight. Ray couldn’t be sure who had “started” it, but it didn’t matter. After that the guys were banned- at his father’s demand- from the hospital grounds unless they were in need of treatment themselves. Ray had to smile every time one of them sneaked in after visiting hours with a black eye or a dislocated finger or some other minor injury that would have ordinarily been treated at home. However, his parents soon found out about that and put a stop to it as well. When Misty tried to visit, his mother had nearly fainted. The episode ended with a two-hour lecture on the virtues of marrying within the church and the necessity of chastity until marriage. Limited to grunts and groans, Ray had no way of telling his scandalized parents that he had barely held hands with Misty let alone anything more serious. Even if he had been able to enlighten them, it was unlikely, he reflected, that he would be believed.
No guests, no phone calls, no email, no letters, no nothing. Unless it came from east of the Rockies, nothing made it into Ray’s room. Thus cut off from the only family he’d had for the last ten years, the family he’d left behind began to wear him down. If he hadn’t been playing vigilante, none of this would have happened. It was all the fault of those no-good friends of his, deluding him like this. A poor, sick child, that’s what he was, he needed help, needed his family to take care of him. He’d be all alone out here, no one to help him, to look out for him. He’d only be a burden, would impoverish himself with no way to work and so many medical bills. He hadn’t had a vision for ages, perhaps he’d out-grown it; perhaps the unclean spirit had left him through his near-death experience. It was a second chance, a gift from God, an opportunity to start over and do things right. He owed it to his family to come home. His sisters and grandparents had been worried sick, not to mention all his old friends. He wasn’t going to fight crime any more; he couldn’t possibly, why he’d be lucky if he could ever learn to walk again. There was nothing for him out here, it would be better to come home. They were simply aching to have him safe with his family again.
It was hard to bear up against their continual, relentless talking. It wasn’t persuading so much as brow-beating, though they did it with kind words and a gentle tone that left him practically in tears. What worried him most was the one thing they might possibly be right about; that his powers might be gone. He hadn’t had a vision or even a terribly significant dream since the accident. Dr. Tima had assured him that it was far too early to tell. As badly damaged as his body had been, he was still recovering physically and could not expect his abilities to manifest until his body was done pulling itself back together. The knowledge gave him some comfort, but he couldn’t shake the nagging worry that he might be normal again. Without his powers, what was he but just another human being? He’d be of no use or interest to anybody, certainly not anyone out here. How could he stand being the only one in the house left to stay home while the others went out to save the day? How would Misty feel about him now?
He never got to ask her. Although his teeth had resettled in their sockets and his jaw was mobile again, Ray didn’t get to say much in his defense. Dr. Karl counseled against his making the trip back East. No one was sure how well the Rainbow would react to the pressure changes of a cross-country flight, and Ray’s morale had taken an appalling nose-dive. Movement shaky at best, still unable to stand or walk on his own, he didn’t even get to say goodbye to his friends and second family. A brief glance from the other side of airline security was all he got before being wheeled into the cabin. His only consolation was that Dr. Karl had promised to meet him at the rehab facility back East. One familiar face, at least, would be there waiting for him.
"Hi guys."
"What on earth is that?" Senator Kalahearn demanded, pointing at the little monitor Dr. Xerxes was still fiddling with.
“A little something to monitor your son’s brain activity,” the tall doctor replied, his British accent making his words crisp and business-like. “It was originally to keep track of any visions he may have had while he was asleep, but now that he’s awake and unable to speak due to an excessive amount of plastic and wiring, I though this might be a bit more suitable.”
“Pretty cool, huh?” The little green letters scrolled past on the black screen as Ray gave a small smile. His expression faded, however, at the sight of his parent’s faces.
“Sir,” the Senator began, his countenance matching the stoniness in his voice, “unhook that contraption from my son. I will not have you putting words in his mouth.”
“WTF, Dad?!”
Fortunately neither of his parents were fluent in net-speak.
“Senator, I am trying to restore a means of communication to your son…” Dr. Xerxes began, but was interrupted.
“I do not want anyone making decisions for my son. We’re his parents; we will decide what is best.”
"..."
Things did not improve from there.
Although Xerxes’ teleprompter was more than reliable as far as translating thought into words, Ray’s parents refused to dignify it as such. Therefore, conversations with them were needlessly difficult and extremely tedious, their inquiries limited to those that could be given a "yes" or "no" response. Dr. Karl believed Ray was mentally competent to make his own decisions, but that didn’t stop the Kalahearn’s for making a good deal of decisions for him. Because Ray had not cited power of attorney, his parents automatically ceded any authority he might have had.
Visitors were turned away, cards and gifts returned unopened. Dr. Karl was nearly ousted from his position as Ray’s physician, though Dr. Xerxes saved them the trouble and cordially showed himself out before the Senator had a chance to defame him. Dr. Xerxes didn’t believe in dealing with the “small-minded”, as he put it. Ray was beginning to feel the same way. It nearly came to blows when the guys tried to visit while his parents were still in the room. To be fair, it had started out civil enough, but things had soon escalated and it had taken five orderlies- two for his father and three for Alex- to break up the aborted fist-fight. Ray couldn’t be sure who had “started” it, but it didn’t matter. After that the guys were banned- at his father’s demand- from the hospital grounds unless they were in need of treatment themselves. Ray had to smile every time one of them sneaked in after visiting hours with a black eye or a dislocated finger or some other minor injury that would have ordinarily been treated at home. However, his parents soon found out about that and put a stop to it as well. When Misty tried to visit, his mother had nearly fainted. The episode ended with a two-hour lecture on the virtues of marrying within the church and the necessity of chastity until marriage. Limited to grunts and groans, Ray had no way of telling his scandalized parents that he had barely held hands with Misty let alone anything more serious. Even if he had been able to enlighten them, it was unlikely, he reflected, that he would be believed.
No guests, no phone calls, no email, no letters, no nothing. Unless it came from east of the Rockies, nothing made it into Ray’s room. Thus cut off from the only family he’d had for the last ten years, the family he’d left behind began to wear him down. If he hadn’t been playing vigilante, none of this would have happened. It was all the fault of those no-good friends of his, deluding him like this. A poor, sick child, that’s what he was, he needed help, needed his family to take care of him. He’d be all alone out here, no one to help him, to look out for him. He’d only be a burden, would impoverish himself with no way to work and so many medical bills. He hadn’t had a vision for ages, perhaps he’d out-grown it; perhaps the unclean spirit had left him through his near-death experience. It was a second chance, a gift from God, an opportunity to start over and do things right. He owed it to his family to come home. His sisters and grandparents had been worried sick, not to mention all his old friends. He wasn’t going to fight crime any more; he couldn’t possibly, why he’d be lucky if he could ever learn to walk again. There was nothing for him out here, it would be better to come home. They were simply aching to have him safe with his family again.
It was hard to bear up against their continual, relentless talking. It wasn’t persuading so much as brow-beating, though they did it with kind words and a gentle tone that left him practically in tears. What worried him most was the one thing they might possibly be right about; that his powers might be gone. He hadn’t had a vision or even a terribly significant dream since the accident. Dr. Tima had assured him that it was far too early to tell. As badly damaged as his body had been, he was still recovering physically and could not expect his abilities to manifest until his body was done pulling itself back together. The knowledge gave him some comfort, but he couldn’t shake the nagging worry that he might be normal again. Without his powers, what was he but just another human being? He’d be of no use or interest to anybody, certainly not anyone out here. How could he stand being the only one in the house left to stay home while the others went out to save the day? How would Misty feel about him now?
He never got to ask her. Although his teeth had resettled in their sockets and his jaw was mobile again, Ray didn’t get to say much in his defense. Dr. Karl counseled against his making the trip back East. No one was sure how well the Rainbow would react to the pressure changes of a cross-country flight, and Ray’s morale had taken an appalling nose-dive. Movement shaky at best, still unable to stand or walk on his own, he didn’t even get to say goodbye to his friends and second family. A brief glance from the other side of airline security was all he got before being wheeled into the cabin. His only consolation was that Dr. Karl had promised to meet him at the rehab facility back East. One familiar face, at least, would be there waiting for him.
Sign up to rate and review this story