'California native,' she said, waving an imaginary flag. 'Ventura. My family came out from Oklahoma originally. Gold Rush days. One of my great-grandmothers was part Indian-according to my aunt, that's where the hair comes from.'
She hefted the braid, then dropped it.
'Course, it's probably not true,' she said, smiling. 'Everyone wants to be Indian now. It's kind of fashionable.' She looked at me: 'Delaware. With that name you could be part Indian too.'
'There's a family myth that says so-one third of one greatgreat-grandfather. I guess what I am is a mongrel- little bit of everything.'
'Well, good for you. That makes you all-American, doesn't it?'
'Guess so,' I said, smiling. 'Was Chip ever in the service?'
'Chip?' The idea seemed to amuse her. 'No.'
'How'd the two of you meet?'
At college. I did a year at WVCC, after R.T. school. Took Soc One-oh-one and he was my teacher.'
Another look at Cassie. Still busy with the house. 'Do you want to do your techniques now?'
'It's still a little soon,' I said. 'I want her to really trust me.'
'Well...I think she does. She loves your drawings-we saved all the ones she didn't destroy.'
I smiled. 'It's still best to take it slow. And if she's not having any procedures, there's no need to rush.'
'True,' she said. 'For all that's happening here, I guess we could go home right now.'
'Do you want to?'
'I always want to. But what I really want is for her to get bette':' Cassie glanced over and Cindy lowered her voice to a whisper again: 'Those seizures really scared me, Dr. Delaware. It was like.. 'She shook her head.
'Like what?'
'Like something out of a movie. This is terrible to say, but it reminded me of The Exorcist.' She shook her head. 'I'm sure Dr. Eves will get to the bottom of whatever's going on, eventually. Right?
She said we should stay at least one more night, maybe two, for observation. It's probably for the best, anyway. Cassie's always so healthy here.'
Her eyes moistened.
'Once you do go home,' I said, 'I'd like to come out and visit.'
'Oh, sure.. 'Unasked questions flooded her face.
'In order to keep working on the rapport,' I said. 'lfI can get Cassie totally comfortable with me when she's not having procedures, I'll be in a better position to help her when she does need me.'
'Sure. That makes sense. Thank you, that's very kind. I didn't know doctors still made house calls.'
'Once in a while. We call them home visits now.'
'Oh. Well, sure, that would be great. I really appreciate your taking the time.'
'I'll call you after you're discharged and set up an appointment.
Why don't you give me your address and phone number?'
I tore a sheet out of my datebook and handed it to her along with apen.
She wrote and handed it back.
