Chapter 136

• The doctor, still resembling a beached whale more than a medical professional, stared up at me with desperate, pleading eyes. "Mr. Thorne, please, enlighten me! What exactly transpired here? Did…did Brenda offer you a complimentary cup of shut-the-hell-up with your medical consultation?"
• "Doctor…" I paused, letting the word hang in the air. Sometimes, a little dramatic timing works wonders. "I've been standing here, politely asking for a doctor's appointment for my mother, who, as you can see, is not exactly the picture of robust health."
• The doctor's gaze darted to my mother, still clutching my arm like it was a life raft. He winced. Clearly, 'robust' wasn't a word that sprang to mind.