IC - Day 5 - Sins of the Father

[Mephistophilis]

He shrugs, 'Maybe your doctor friend knows something? He may be taking them to him, non?'

Léon leads Laurent back through the maze of hospital corridors to the ward where Marise is being treated. They don't see any sign of the man with the x-rays. As they walk, Léon explains he's the x-ray technician but the doctors will be doing the interpreting of the x-ray films.

Laurent can see through the small window that Dr Clermont is alone in the room with Marise. Léon hangs back at the end of the ward, 'This is not my place, mon amie.'

Dr Clermont seems to be examining Marise. He has a strange looking implement, it's like an old ear trumpet but narrower. He has the wide end pressed against her belly with his ear against the narrow end.

[Mr. Handy]

Laurent watches carefully. He's not sure what the device is, but it seems to be something the doctor uses to listen to the baby. It could be something like a stethoscope.

[Mephistophilis]

Dr Clermont continues to move the instrument around, listening, and occasionally shaking his head. He doesn't seem to notice Laurent but after a few minutes of watching through the window he feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns to see that Léon has gone, and the round shape of Dr Beliard is standing behind him with a friendly if slightly sad look on his face. 'What are you doing lurking out here?' he asks.

OOC:   Yep - it's a Pinard stethoscope

[Mr. Handy]

"I was worried about Marise," says Laurent. "How is she doing, Doctor?"

[Mephistophilis]

Dr Beliard just gives Laurent that sad look again, 'Let us talk to Louis, non?' and he leads him into the room.

Marise remains immobile, asleep, or unconscious. The only movement the shallow rising and falling of her chest. Dr Clermont looks up as they come into the room. 'Edouard, Laurent,' he nods. Dr Clermont looks tired, his face is drawn. The years beginning to show on the old man who seems stooped and moves more slowly and painfully than Laurent ever remembers.

'You saw the...?'

'Oui, and I can hear it as well,' he hold up the stethoscope.

'How far do you think? Thirty two?'

'At least. She is a slim girl. I wouldn't be surprised if it was thirty eight even. How could I have not seen it?'

Dr Beliard comes forward and places his hands on Marice's bare abdomen. Laurent feels an involuntary surge of...disgust, or jealousy. The doctor presses hard into the flesh, probing with his hands.

'Oui, oui, nearly term...'

'But it is killing her, you can see that?'

'Oui, of course. But there are...considerations, you understand that?'

'I do - but look at her Edouard!'

The two doctors continue back and forth, talking as if Laurent isn't even there. He can't understand half of what they're saying. They seem to have some kind of conflict about what to do for Marise.

[Mr. Handy]

"Are you going to do a Caesarian section?" asks Laurent. "How can this be? She wasn't even showing on the way here."

[Mephistophilis]

Dr Beliard frowns but Dr Clermont stops their discussions and gives Laurent a wan smile as if he's just realised he was there.

'Oui, well, you shouldn't have to know about such things at your age but young girls can hide these things when they need to.' Shaking his head and wiping his brow he mutters, 'I should have realised sooner. I asked her, but she denied it...' He trails off.

'But it is a little more complicated than that is it not, mon amie?'

'The pregnancy, it is obviously causing Marise harm - I've seen it many times before although...well, not quite like this...'

'Oui, but this is St Joseph, not Paris, you know we cannot just...'

'But it is killing her Edouard! If she is at term that would be...acceptable?'

'It is not me - it is the church! At term, yes, it would be acceptable. But we do not know how far this foetus is - we do not have any facilities for premature births here - if it were to get out...!'

The two men restart their arguing. At core it seems that Dr Clermont wants to perform a caesarian-section and believes this will help Marise while Dr Beliard is afraid that the baby will not survive and it will be considered he has carried out an abortion - something that is very much against the law in St Joseph.

[Mr. Handy]

"If it's at least 32 weeks, and possibly 38, then the baby can survive," says Laurent. "Whereas, if Marise dies, you'd have to deliver the baby anyway to try to save it. I don't want her to die. I think we can save both of them. Is there any way to determine how close to term she is? Can we ask her?"

[Mephistophilis]

Dr Clermont shakes his head sadly, 'Marise hasn't regained consciousness since we've been here Laurent,' he looks meaningfully at Dr Beliard, 'You are right that the baby has a good chance of surviving...' he shakes his head again, 'But it does not look good for Marise whatever we do...'

'The decision is finely balanced!' snaps Dr Beliard, his urbane exterior dropping for a second to reveal a degree of irritation and perhaps even fear.

OOC:   If Laurent wants to persuade them for one approach or another you could roll for it.

[Mr. Handy]

"Her only chance is a Caesarian section," says Laurent. "If you don't, she'll die for certain. The baby has the same chance of surviving either way. Please, save Marise!"

Roll to convince them (human die only):
1d6

[Mephistophilis]

Dr Clermont looks long and hard at Dr Beliard, holding out his hands in an open, imploring gesture. The other doctor mutters in irritation, 'You do not understand what you are asking of me, of my hospital!'

He walks away from the bed, pacing to the window and looking outside. He turns and looks back at Laurent's pleading expression. 'We can take her to the operating theatre, get a better look at what is going on. That is all I can promise.'

'Thank you Edouard, I...'

Dr Beliard grunts and marches past Laurent, out of the room. Brushing past him roughly.

'I must prepare for surgery,' says Dr Clermont. 'If there is anything you wish to say to Marise I suggest you do it now before it is...well, I suggest you do it now,' and he exits the room as well, leaving Laurent alone with Marise.

[Mr. Handy]

Laurent kneels beside the bed and clasps Marise's hand. "Marise, I love you," he says. "I don't know if you can hear me, but I hope you can. I should have said it sooner. You have a wonderful future ahead of you, so please stay alive. I know things seem awful, but there is a way through. If you don't want to marry the baby's father, I'll marry you and claim the baby as my own. I pray to God that you survive, and that He makes you healthy again."

[Mephistophilis]

Despite Laurent's impassioned outpouring of emotion there is no change in Marise's shallow, ragged breathing. Her eyes remain closed and there is no sign that she has heard him or responded to his voice...perhaps, maybe, the slightest movement in her hand, the weakest of squeezes? Laurent doesn't know whether he is just deluding himself. But he feels nothing more and is still kneeling there beside the bed, holding Marise's limp hand tightly as the orderlies arrive and wheel her off to theatre.

He stands in the doorway and watches her go, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Anxiety certainly, but something more. Dread.

OOC:   Moving here.