Character Study 5 Dr/ William StewartWise doctor who is in love with someone they shouldn't be
Dr. William Stewart looked at his wife across the dining room table. She didn't even look like the girl he married thirty years ago. She didn't even behave like her.
He looked at the ring on his finger and he felt it tighten. He knew it was just psychological but it felt real enough. He flexed his hand and the ring let go of its grip.
"Darling, are we accepting the Bensons invitation or not?" The silver haired woman asked from the other side of the table.
"What?" He looked up and realized she had been speaking to him.
"The Benson's are having an anniversary party. Shall I accept the invitation?" She asked again.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. I have a patient on my mind." He lied. "Accept it. They always make a great deal of fuss about these things."
"It wouldn't hurt if we made a fuss about our anniversary too. Its next month."
"I know. Plan something fussy." He smiled halfheartedly.
"If I didn't know better I would think you're having an affair. As it is, I know you have no time for such nonsense. Are you having an affair?"
He watched her as she folded her napkin. "Maybe I should."
"What? With who?" She demanded.
"With the girl I married. That is if she still exists. I haven't seen her for a long time."
"I'm right here. Why are you talking such nonsense? Are you having a stroke? Should I call Donald to come look at you?"
"I'm not having a stroke so there is no need to call our son. You've changed so much. I miss the girl you were. Whatever happened to her?"
"She grew up."
"So that girl is just a ghost…. a memory?"
His wife sighed. "What has gotten into you?"
He shook his head. "I'm just getting old. I still love that girl but as you said she grew up and now there is only a stranger where she once was."
"You don't love me anymore?" She blinked with surprise. "Is that what you're telling me?"
"I don't know what I'm saying." He rubbed his temple. His head was starting to pound. "I think I need to lie down."
"Yes. I think you do." She got up from the table. "I'm calling Donald. Maybe he can give you something to keep you from spouting nonsense."
He nodded and got up from the table. He took the stairs up to their room and laid down on tbe bed. He took a photo from the night table and looked at it.
Their wedding photo. Her golden blonde hair was full of curls under the traditional veil. He remembered his mother in law had insisted on a church wedding. He looked at himself in the photo. He didn't recognize the young man looking back at him.
"Donald is on his way." She said as she walked into the room. She sat down on the edge of the bed and took the photo from him. "We can't live in the past. Things change. People change. The best we can do is move along with the times and make the best of it."
"We have been doing that for decades. Aren't you tired of being someone else? I am. We were not born into the privileged life we have now. We lived in a one room flat while I was in training. Donald didn't even have a cot when he was born. You put him in a dresser drawer. We were happy with our lives then."
"We were young and silly. We thought love was all we needed."
"Isn't it? Do we really need the big house and the posh friends? Cant we go back to living in a one room flat and being happy just with our love?"
"I remember it less romantic than you do. Bills to pay. Leaking pipes. Loud neighbors with even louder children." She reached out and took his hand in hers. "If you weren't happy why have you waited until now to say something?"
"I don't know. I thought I didn't have a right to complain." He rubbed his temple again. The ponding was turning into a pain. "I'm just tired of pretending to be this proper gentleman. All I want to do is play in the sea with that girl, the one I married. He pointed to the photo. Have a ninety nine and collect seashells."
She sighed. "Sounds nice. Maybe next month, we can go on holiday instead of having that fussy party."
"I want to go now. Dorothy, we need to go now." He pleaded with her.
She frowned. "You'll need cover and I need to book a room."
"Somewhere cheap." He smiled. "We can go as soon as the arrangements are made."
She nodded. "Rest. I'll wait downstairs for Donald. I'll tell him about our plans. Maybe he can cover for you."
"Yes. Maybe he can." He closed his eyes. The pain started to subside a little.
She kissed him on the cheek and left him to rest.
A little while later Dorothy opened the front door for Donald.
"Mum, what's wrong? You said Dad was acting strangely." Donald put his medical bag on the table by the door and took off his coat. "What are his symptoms?"
"He didn't say but he was going on about when we were younger and how happy we were. He wasnt making sense. I left him to rest upstairs." She took his coat.
Donald grabbed his bag and went upstairs. He opened the bedroom door and found his father on the bed with his eyes closed.
"Dad?" Donald walked up to the bed when he got no response. He shook his father by the shoulder. "Dad?"
William opened his eyes and looked at his son. "I'm tired."
"Do you have any other symptoms?" Donald checked his pulse.
"I have a headache. I need a holiday. Would you be my cover?"
"Sure. When are you leaving?" Donald asked.
"As soon as you mother books a room. I'm getting too old. I need to….. I don't know what I need."
Donald smiled. "I'll tell Mum to book that room. I'm prescribing a holiday of a week or two. I will cover your patients until you come back. Now for that headache." Donald looked at his fathers eyes. He didn't see anything wrong. "You need sleep. Call me in the morning if its not better."
William nodded and closed his eyes.
Donald went downstairs. His mother was waiting for him. "He needs a holiday. He said to tell you to book a room."
"Is that all he needs?" She asked as she handed him his coat.
"Yes." Donald kissed her cheek. "Don't worry. He's fine. He has a headache so let him rest for a while. Bring him some sweet tea in a few hours. If he isn't feeling better or feels worse, call me."
She nodded. "Thank you."
Three hours later, Dorothy walked into the bedroom with tea and toast on a tray. She sat it on the dressing table and went to wake William up. She touched him and he was cold then she realized he wasn't breathing.
She rushed out into the hall to use the phone. She dialed Donald's number.
After a ring or two he answered. "Hello?"
"He's dead. Donald, your father is dead. I just came upstairs to check on him and he's cold and not breathing."
"I'll be right there." The line clicked.
Dorothy dropped the phone reciever and crumpled to the floor.
Donald arrived a few minutes later. He came up stairs and helped his mother to her feet. "Mum, go downstairs and wait for me there."
She shook her head. "No. I'm staying here."
"Fine." He hung up the phone then went to check on his father. A few seconds later he came out of the room and picked up the phone.
"I have to call the police. There will be an inquiry because its a sudden death." Donald explained. "They will need to ask some questions. I'll stay with you."
"He said he missed us. The younger us. That's why he wanted to go on holiday. He wanted to go to the sea like we did when we were young."
"I remember those trips." Donald smiled. "Always a happy time."
Dorothy nodded and started to sob.
Donald held her and let her cry. He had to have missed something when he looked in on his father earlier. Was it a stroke? Aneurism? He should have seen something. Why didn't he see something?
William's spirit watched his family feeling guilty and in tears. He couldn't help them now. He was dead. He turned and walked into the light.
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