Margaret's Ark

safe in his crib before Clay killed her. At least then her son would have a chance of surviving. This was all she had left to cling to, as she watched the white lines of the highway ticking off their passage back home.

15

“Doctor Ramprakash!”

Neha stopped with an unexpected pang of happiness on hearing her name pronounced correctly. Over the past month, Bernard Meyers had made it a point to acknowledge her in the hall whenever they crossed paths. Aside from this small token of recognition, nothing else seemed to come of her participation in his dinner the month before.

She paused only briefly, pretending to note her place on the chart she carried for Mrs. Rondeau in room 316, then turned and raised an eyebrow, an expression of passive interest.

“Doctor Meyers, how are you this morning?”

Meyers walked quickly to her side and Neha fell into step. He didn't want to keep her from her destination, protocol for any ad-hoc hallway meeting. He seemed in a hurry himself, and she admired how the older man never looked winded as he whirled about the hospital.

“I won't keep you long,” he said. They turned the corner. “Just wanted to extend another invitation to you and Suresh.” Again, Neha was filled with hope, knowing that Meyers would have done some research to remember her husband's first name.

“Another dinner?” she asked lightly.

Meyers slowed as they neared the third floor nurse’s station, then stopped altogether. Obviously he wanted their conversation to be private. His face flushed, and for a moment Neha thought the man was going to ask for a date. But no, he'd mentioned Suresh, hadn’t he?

“For obvious reasons, some quite political as you'll soon understand, I hope I can count on your discretion.”

She kept her face an expressionless stone as she whispered, “Of course.”

He waved a hand casually in the air. “Oh, it's nothing too earth-shattering, honestly, only I don’t have much room at the cottage and need to be careful not to bruise anyone's feelings.”

Al ready Neha felt herself shift, mentally, into a new state of expectation. His cottage, and only a few people. She kept herself calm, breathing deeply through her nose, not wanting to seem eager. “I understand,” she said.

“Linda and I have a small place in Colorado, near Westcliffe. Mostly for skiing in the winter, mind you.” He paused a moment as two nurses came by, wheeling a woman out of 319. Drake, Neha thought automatically, x-rays and blood work. She smiled at the director, ignoring the curious glances from the nurses.

When their small section of hall was deserted again, Meyers continued. “Now and again we decide to open it for a week in the summer. Sometimes Linda organizes it herself. Taking time off from this place is problematical at best for me. But we figure, with so much hysteria around lately, it might be nice to get away for a while. Take a long weekend, just a few days.”

Neha smiled. “That sounds like a great idea. Things are only going to get weirder around town.”

Meyers nodded emphatically. “Yes. Which is why we thought we'd invite a few folks along, you and your husband included if you're interested. Perhaps for a few days early next month?”

Neha calculated the risk of her next statement before speaking. “I assume these few days would span June eighth? Even across the country, we'll be able to hear the collective sighs of relief when nothing happens.” A quick, calculated laugh. The risk paid off. Meyers’ demeanor lightened visibly. He returned her smile.

“Exactly. That's what I like about you, Doctor. You're not flustered by the madness that’s taken hold of everyone.”

She shrugged one shoulder, never taking her eyes off him. “I try not to be. And we would be honored to get away for a few days. I'll have to check with Suresh, see if he could take the time off.” She frowned suddenly. “It might be harder for me to get those days off, however, I - “

“..have nothing to fear,” Meyers interrupted. “I got you off for dinner last month; I can get you off again.” He smiled wider. One of his teeth had a silver crown. Neha hadn’t noticed that before. She replayed his last words over in her memory. Had that been a come-on? No, probably not. Still, better safer than sorry. She offered him a tempered but smoldering look. “If you could do that, I'd be in your debt, Doctor Meyers.”

“Good! Good. Well, I'll have Elizabeth get the information to you. And don't worry about airfare. We'll get that arranged on our end, once we know which specific days you can take off.” He paused. “Obviously, it would be great if you could stay at least through the eighth.”

Naturally , she thought. The man's a nervous wreck. Neha would not be surprised to find the same Bernard Meyers Support Group in Colorado as had attended dinner during the fizzled rainstorm. A half-dozen or more surrogate parents running around telling him everything was going to be all right. The suspicion that Meyers's “cottage” was most likely in the mountains, safe haven from any flood, did not escape her. She was to fly out there in order to pat his hand, coo sweet comforts in his ear.

“I wouldn't miss it for the world,” she said.

The cliche was their cue to part company, so both doctors turned in separate directions. Neha wondered where she was supposed to be at that moment, or that day. For the next hour, all she could think about was the trip.

As the afternoon waned, the distractions mounted. Memorial Day weekend would be on them in a few days, and there was the usual inventory work to be done beforehand. The holiday weekend invariably brought waves of back problems, ankle sprains, and other more bloody problems as people broke out the lawn mowers and chain saws. Lately, bursts of street fighting had been on the rise, arguments spontaneously erupting on every corner. The trip to the Meyers' place would be good not only for her future, but for her sanity. The chaos on that prophetic day would be far beyond them.

Suresh had been good about not following up on his dreams - almost too good. Following her around like a pathetic dog wanting a pat on the head. Wanting her with him more than ever, both physically and mentally. As if she owed him her undying devotion, now that he'd given up this insanity. Well, she might have to butter him up a little more now. Give him a taste of paradise. Privately, Neha knew her husband still expected the world to end in two weeks regardless of his silence, and was trying to make the most of their time together.

She would wait on acting any further. Make Suresh happy, do the trip, make an impression, get in good with Meyers, then when the issue of getting a divorce didn't seem as much of a stigma to her reputation, leave sad little Suresh behind with his devas and visions.

When her shift was over, she stopped by Elizabeth Valdecci's desk. The secretary’s office offered a comfortable waiting area for those lucky enough to make it onto the director's calendar. Elizabeth didn’t usually leave until six o'clock, so Neha assumed she'd catch her. As she took the elevator to the second floor, she wondered if Meyers had invited her to this little outing. He wouldn't leave his trusted sidekick behind. Would he?

When she arrived, Elizabeth Valdecci's desk was unoccupied. Taped to the front, hanging over the edge as if in effigy, was a legal sized envelope with the name Ramprakash in the woman’s stark handwriting. Neha pulled the envelope free, leaving the strand of tape dangling from the edge of the desk.

She held the envelope but did not open it. She knew the woman well enough to know the pre-confirmation sheet, rental car and a typewritten set of directions and recommendations on items to bring would be neatly stacked inside. The fact the Elizabeth had left the information in such an unprofessional manner made Neha uncomfortable. It was inconsistent with the woman she knew and everyone feared. Each time something like this, something out of place, happened in Neha’s world she felt another pang of fear. Not a small tug at her nerves, but true terror. These minor changes in routine set off the same thought - the world is winding down.

She walked along the corridor back towards the elevator. Elizabeth just had to leave early today. If this had happened a year ago, you wouldn't even blink. Suresh and his mind games, she thought, and silently cursed them all.