Over the rest of his time off, Jake spent as much time with Delilah as he could. He was the missing half of his soul and he’d known since he left Chicago to go to Boston for medical school. He was glad to finally have her back in his life and to feel whole again. She kept him from being too serious all the time. But, if he needed to focus on the research that he was doing for his proposition for the project he wanted to head up, then she left him to his work.
The last week of his month off, Jake started making his phone calls to set up the interviews. Several of them wanted to interview him on the phone alone. Most of those did not make it on to his short list to attend to second interview with. When he spoke to a Chief of Neurology that wanted to actually meet him face to face he wrote down the name, phone number and hospital the chief worked at.
Then he called the VA. He was sure that speaking to the Director of Veterans’ Affairs on the phone would be a feat all on its own, but to actually get a face to face meeting with him would be close to impossible. He was have to show the man he was dedicated to his research.
When he called that fateful Thursday afternoon, he was uncertain as to what to expect. “Department of Veterans’ Affairs. How may I direct your call?” a sweet female voice said when the line picked up.
“Hello. My name is Dr. Jacob Draiman. I received a certified email from the Director about the possibility of working for the Department.”
“What is your field of expertise, Dr. Draiman?” the woman asked.
“Neurology.”
There was silence on the other end for a few moments, then she spoke again. “Just a moment, Dr. Draiman, and I’ll transfer you.” The line went dead for a brief moment, immediately following was the sound of Muszak, shit they called classical. It might have been Handel, but he couldn’t be sure. Hell, for all her knew it was Hayden.
The phone picked up again. “The Director of Veterans’ Affairs, Director Harrison, speaking”, a velvety tenor said.
“Good morning, Director Harrison. Dr. Draiman responding to your request.”
“Ah, yes, Dr. J. Micah Draiman. I was wondering when you were going to call.”
“I’m sorry it took so long, Director. I’ve been trying to sort my thoughts out and get some research for my project done before I called.”
“Ah, yes, your experiment on traumatic brain injury. What were you thinking with that anyway? What’s your answer?”
“Stem cells, Mr. Director. I’m just not sure how yet. If you want my research, then I need your help to make it happen.”
“When can I meet with you?”
“Depending on whether you want me to fly out to Washington or if you want to fly out here to meet with me.”
“I can fly out there. I try to stay pretty flexible for things like this. Your research interests me. If you can make this work, you’re looking at a possible Nobel Prize, Doctor.”
“I’m aware of that. I could care less about it. I’m doing it to make life easier for someone who’s suffered from something like this. I want to see them able to return to a normal life instead of one that’s full of nothing but tribulation the trauma occurs.”
“Spoken like a man who’s passionate about his work”, the Director said. “What would your conditions be for coming to work for my department?”
“Free reign over the research, a decent team, and the ability to stay close to my family.”
“Most of which lives in Colorado, correct?”
“Yes, Director.”
“Let’s meet face to face and I’ll bargain with you then.”
“I’m sorry, Director. Those terms are non- negotiable.”
“Sticking by your guns, I respect that, doctor. Let’s meet and we’ll talk.”
“You’re not going to budge me on my conditions, Director. You can try again and keep getting nowhere, or you can just stop while you’re ahead. I’m sure my Pre- Med Alma Mater would love the research to take place in their Neurology department.”
“You drive a hard bargain there, Dr. Draiman. Ok, I still want to meet you face to face. You seem like an interesting young man. Is there any way I might be able to meet your family?”
“I’ll have to run that past my parents. My father likes to stay away from government officials as much as possible since the Utopian Occupation.”
“Well, I’ll call you before I come out. It should give you a chance to convince your family to meet with me.”
“I look forward to your call, Director Harrison. Good day to you.”
“And to you, Dr, Draiman.”
---------------
“NO”, David said, plain as day when Jake mentioned the Director of Veterans’ Affairs meeting with the family.
“Dad, I understand your hesitance, but you have to keep in mind that he’s going to be coming to the house any way to meet with me.”
“You want to borrow my office for the meeting?”
“It would be nice to have a nice office to hold the meeting in.”
“Consider it done. But, I still don’t want to meet with that slime ball politician. It’s going to be bad enough having him under my roof.”
“And he might be giving me a job, Dad, as well as a place to do my research.”’
“That’s all fine and good, Jacob, but I don’t want to meet with him just so that he can tell me what a great guy you are and how your research is going to change lives. I already know all that.”
---------------
“No, Jacob”, his mother said just as adamantly as his father had.
“Mom..”
“You have my answer, Jacob Micah. I don’t mind him being under my roof, but I’ll be damned if he sits at my table and tells me lies or things I already know.”
“You sound just like Dad”, he said.
“As I should. We’ve been together for 24 years, Jacob.”
“Mom, this is a great opportunity for me to impress the Director.”
“Then impress him with your charm, Jacob.”
---------------
“I can’t get either of them to agree to it, baby”, he told Delilah that evening as he took a shower.
She sat on the sink and talked to him. “Well, maybe you should just do it their way, then. Have the meeting in your father’s office, but don’t have him anywhere else in the house. If he should bump into someone accidentally, then I’m sure your family will be cordial to the man, but don’t force him down their throats.”
He peaked out of the door to the shower stall. “You’re brilliant, you know that?”
She giggled. “No.”
“You’re brilliant, baby.”
She blushed for him, ducking her head so that she could try to hide the pinkness in her cheeks. “Thank you.”
He turned off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist before stepping out. “Why are you hiding your face from me?”
“I’m embarrassed”, she giggled.
“About what?”
“I’m not used to the attention you give me. No one’s ever called me brilliant.”
He lifted her chin with a hand underneath it so that he could meet her eyes. “Hey, I don’t know who put that doubt in your eyes, but it wasn’t me. You’re a very intelligent young woman and I love you.”
She blinked a few times, and tears filled her eyes. He pulled her against his chest and let her cry out her uncertainty. She’s never been told she was beautiful until Jacob said it to her. She’d never been told she was pretty until Jacob said it to her. She’d never been told she was ugly, but it was implied. Until her Jakey. She’d never met anyone so sincere. And so, she clung to him and cried out her hurt and pain; finally allowing herself to give him all of her. He finally had her heart, body, mind, and soul.
No comments:
Post a Comment