Mindbend

The moment Adam’s plane landed at Ke

“So she hasn’t been done yet?” said Adam.

“Not yet, but she’s been called for the OR. Dr. Vandermer is almost ready for her.”

Adam fumbled with his coins and dialed the Julian Clinic a third time, this time asking to have Dr. Vandermer paged. An OR nurse picked up and said the doctor was unavailable, but should be done with his current case in thirty minutes.

With renewed panic, Adam called the lawyer that Harvey had recommended, Emmet Redford. Shouting that it was a life-or-death situation, he finally got put through. As briefly as possible, Adam told the lawyer that his wife was going to have an abortion and that he wanted to stop her.

“There’s not much you can do, my friend,” said Mr. Redford. “According to the Supreme Court, a husband ca

“That’s incredible,” said Adam. “It’s my child, too. Isn’t there anything you can do?”

“Well, I might be able to delay it.”

“Do it!” shouted Adam. “Whatever you can!”

“Give me her name and all the particulars,” said Mr. Redford.

Adam did so as quickly as he could.

“When is she scheduled to have the abortion?” asked Mr. Redford.

“In thirty minutes or so,” said Adam desperately.

“Thirty minutes! What do you expect me to do in half an hour?”

“I’ve got to go,” said Adam. “She’s at the Julian Clinic. There’s no time to lose.”

Adam dropped the phone and ran through the terminal to the taxi stand. Leaping into the first cab in line, he yelled for the driver to take him to the Julian Clinic.

“You got money?” the cabbie asked, eyeing Adam’s casual dress.

Adam pulled out his twenty, hoping it would be enough. Satisfied, the man put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb.

Je

“Why don’t you go back to the lounge?” suggested Je

Mrs. Carson glanced at her daughter, undecided as to what she should do.

“Please,” said Je

Relenting, Mrs. Carson bent down, kissed Je

“OK,” said the nurse, emerging from the treatment room. “We’re all ready for you.” She released the brake on the gurney and pushed Je

Two nurses were waiting. As they moved her to the table, one said, “It will all be over very soon, and you’ll be able to forget the whole episode.”

As she lay back, Je

The door to the corridor opened, and Dr. Vandermer came in, dressed in a surgical scrub suit. Je

“How are you doing?” he asked.

“OK, I guess,” said Je

Je

“You’ll just feel a little sting now,” said Dr. Vandermer flatly. With a deft jab he slipped the needle beneath Je

Closing her eyes, Je

The cab ride from Ke

Interrupting the girls chatting at the reception desk, he demanded to know where Vandermer was operating.

“He’s performing an abortion on my wife,” he gasped.

“Pregnancy terminations are done on the sixth floor, but…”

Adam didn’t wait for her to finish. He ducked into an elevator just as the doors were closing, ignoring the receptionist who yelled after him that he was not allowed to go to six unaccompanied.

When the elevator stopped, Adam got out and made for the double doors at the end of the hall marked “Treatment Rooms.” As he passed the nurses’ station, he noticed the elaborate antique furniture and wondered what the Julian was trying to prove.

One of the nurses yelled for him to stop, but Adam kept ru

Adam crossed the hall and tried another door.

“Exactly what do you think you are doing?” asked a nurse with a German accent.

Adam rudely shoved the woman aside. He saw Dr. Vandermer bending over the table. He was holding a hypodermic whose needle sparkled under the overhead light.

“Je

Je

“OK, OK,” said Adam. “You’ve made your point. You’re stronger than I am. Now kindly let me go.”

“Adam Schonberg?” said Dr. Vandermer. Until he’d heard Adam’s voice, he’d thought they were dealing with a psychotic stranger. “What are you doing here? Je

“Please don’t go ahead with the procedure. There’s something I must tell you.”

As if suddenly remembering the orderlies, Dr. Vandermer tapped the nearest on the shoulder and said, “I know this man. You can let go of him.” He undid his mask and let it fall on his chest.

The orderlies released Adam as the door to the corridor opened and a number of clinic staff members peered in to see what was happening.

“Everything is under control,” said Dr. Vandermer. Addressing the orderlies, he said, “Why don’t you two wait outside.”

As soon as they left, he guided Adam to a small anteroom, promising Je

As soon as the door was closed, Adam blurted out, “I managed to get on one of the Arolen cruises.”

Dr. Vandermer stared at him as if just noticing the jeans and St. Thomas tee shirt for the first time. If he knew what Adam was talking about, he gave no indication.

“I’m happy you got to go,” was all he said. “We can compare notes later. Right now I need to take care of your wife. Why don’t you go down to the lounge and wait for me? I won’t be long.”