Men and women, balancing piles of gifts in their arms, passed us in the hallway.
“When will my uncle be back?”
“Your uncle has a summit in Hong Kong. He encourages you to get comfortable and enjoy the palace!” Rudolf called back.
“What!” I stopped and closed my eyes in frustration. Great. Just perfect. “He claimed he wanted me to come here so I could get to know him.”
“I’m sure you will. Your doctor is meeting us in your room. He will explain everything,” Enzo said.
“I don’t need a doctor.” I didn’t, and then I remembered the meal at the diner and Bollard mentioning experts to help find a cure for my grandmother. I wasn’t happy, but this might be one thing my uncle did right. “What kind of specialist is the doctor?”
“Doctor Tivoli is the premier doctor, the most coveted in the nation. A real superstar. Nothing but the best for the Merrics.”
Merrics? There was that name again.
“Oh yes. What a legacy! There is a whole fleet of professionals handling you. Chefs, massage therapist, a florist, a trainer—but only if you want one. Oh, your stylists.” His voice rose an octave. “You’ll love your stylists. Twins! So talented. My, you are in remarkable shape; not muscular, but curvy in a fun way. Freddie’s people must have had fun getting your measurements. You’re like a muse.”
As he said this, I pulled my sweatshirt down nervously. I didn’t particularly care for my figure all that much. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t exactly love it either. I didn’t fit into the categories that people had in high school. I was too soft to be skinny, too small to be heavy, too short to be tall, not short enough to be short, not muscular enough to be athletic. I was in-between in an awkward way, and no one had ever compared me to a muse.
Enzo stepped ahead of me and then turned to look me up and down. “All your clothes are Frederickson. Freddie, that is.” He stopped and fanned himself. “Wait ‘til you meet him. A total catch and a gentleman. Too bad for me but great for you. Anyway, the clothes—”
“Yeah, about that. I didn’t even bring anything to wear, and I lost my phone somewhere. I need to call my parents.”
Enzo’s eyes got real big real fast. “I’ll get right on it.”
Rudolf waited for us in the hallway. He stood next to an old man in a white lab coat and brown bow tie. He had the look of a seasoned doctor. The man examined a bear carving with an admiring and strange sadness.
“It is an honor to serve you, and may I reassure you, we will do everything in our power to keep you happy and safe during this time,” Rudolf said, and he bowed a goodbye.
Enzo backed down the hallway. “I will see if I can locate your phone.”
And as fast as they had swarmed, the crowd dissipated, and I was alone with the doctor.
“It is nice to meet you. My name is Doctor Daniel Tivoli, but my patients call me Doc.” He offered me his hand to shake.
“Waverly Wilson.”
He opened my door. “Come, Waverly, there is much to discuss.”
The doctor pointed at two high-back chairs by the unlit fireplace. Masses of colorfully wrapped gifts cluttered the table and overflowed onto the floor, and I navigated to a chair, careful not to kick or step on the boxes. The name tags all said Waverly. Like I wanted gifts at a time like this.
The doctor joined me after a moment and pulled a black ring box out of his pocket, identical to the one the marble woman had held, and he placed it on the table between us.
I knew Grandma’s symptoms better than anyone else, and I wanted to meet with an expert, but I wasn’t ready for this. Considering the shock of waking up in this mansion and the fact my uncle had abandoned me, this was the last thing on my mind. I didn’t want to do this, but perhaps I’d find the cure and be home for supper and never, ever accept a dinner invitation from Bollard again. I didn’t know when an opportunity like this would come again, so I put on my game face and got down to business. “What kind of specialist are you?”
He thought for a moment and chuckled before answering. “Sorry, not the question I was expecting. I’m a Merric specialist.”
“Merric; who or what are the Merrics? I’ve heard that name a lot this morning.”
Doc picked up the ring box between us and flipped it a few times in his hands. “What did your uncle tell you concerning all this?”
“Nothing about this place. Only that he was inviting me to get to know him and that I would have the opportunity to talk to a specialist, I assume you.” I pointed towards him and he nodded. I continued, “I thought I’d have more time to prepare.” I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands and then added, “Okay. I just need a moment to collect my thoughts. I know my grandmother’s symptoms, and I have done a great deal of research.”
“I trust you do. I will get to your grandmother in a moment. My foremost concern is you.”
“Me? I’m fine.” And I was, as far as I could tell.
Doc smiled. “Yes, of course, you are. Yes, you are fine, but I believe your uncle has left out a few key details about this trip.”
I looked around. I didn’t have a clue. I nervously pushed my snarled curls behind my ears. “You have a point. I don’t even know where we are.”
“Boston.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. I could handle Boston much better than say, Romania. I could
