The Lobotomist's Wife(30)
Robert had left the room momentarily and returned with his camera to take a photo. Ruth worried that the snap of the flash would wake her, but she slumbered deeply.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be checking on her hourly.” Nurse Riley ushered them out of the room. “Now go and let the young lady rest!”
Ruth, Robert, and Edward walked quietly from the room and straight to Charles’s office.
“Hayden—we’ve done it!”
“Is the surgery finished?” Charles looked up at the three eager faces in the doorway.
“It is. And I believe it was a terrific success. She is already awake and speaking, and reports that she is happy!” Robert began to applaud himself and his team.
“Excellent work, gentlemen. Ruth, I trust that you will keep a close watch on the patient’s recovery over the next few weeks and keep me well apprised.” Charles smiled at her. “Very exciting day, congratulations to all.”
“Of course, sir. Thank you.” Ruth waved her arm, indicating that they should move toward her office, where they shut the door.
“We’ve done it!” Robert leapt onto her desk gleefully. “We’ve done it!”
“Congratulations, Robert. Very promising initial results.” Edward’s response was, as usual, more measured. Ruth sensed a small note of relief in his voice.
“We must, of course, observe her over the next few weeks, but I don’t think it is too soon to call this a brilliant success!” Robert jumped down, grabbing Ruth’s face in his hands and kissing her excitedly on the lips. He then turned to Edward, who was awkwardly looking over his notes, and gave him a generous pat on the back, which somehow morphed into the three of them in the center of the room laughing in a gleeful scrum at their incredible accomplishment.
Chapter Fourteen
“Now, Robert, even if he provokes you, you know you cannot speak about lobotomy tonight, right? And, Edward, you will step in if necessary?” Ruth tapped her foot nervously as the taxi took them to her parents’ for their annual holiday dinner. She had put off seeing them as long as possible, but this was the last weekend before Bernard and Helen went south for the winter. Unfortunately, the hospital’s final board meeting of the year would be on Monday, which meant they would see her father before Charles could present their findings.
Robert had convinced both Ruth and Charles that they couldn’t discern the full implications of the new procedure until they had a full data set. Moniz had performed twenty leucotomies in his first study, so they set that number as their goal as well. They had been working feverishly in the two months since their first surgery and had finally reached their target, collated their data, and deemed the procedure a success. They had also finished a paper that they would submit to the Medical Society of the County of New York after the presentation to the board. But tonight, they needed to behave as if nothing was about to happen and that made Ruth worry.
The evening started off in its typical fashion with Bernard still in his study and Helen holding court. Fortunately, for once, Ruth found the topic of conversation of interest.
“Mrs. Emeraldine, I was really impressed with the cubism and abstract expressionism show at the Museum of Modern Art. Robert said you were involved with that exhibit?” Edward asked deferentially.
“Indeed, I was! As you know, I quite appreciate the arts and I do believe it is so important to embrace the currents of contemporary masters. Fortunately, a few of my more forward-thinking friends agree, and I assembled a dedicated committee to fund the show. Mr. Barr, the curator, is rather a genius, and together, we were able to offer the public a truly spectacular exhibition.”
“It really was, Mother. Robert and I particularly appreciated the parallels drawn between cubism and African art—”
“Yes, it was an impressively avant-garde experience in every way,” Robert added.
“Well, the New York Times agreed, they described it as ‘a thousand thrills to the minute, and not a single footnote.’” Helen sat taller, preening like a peacock, seemingly enjoying the unusually engaged conversation centered around her. “You know, Edward, if you had told me when you were attending, I could have arranged to have one or another of the eligible young daughters of the Metropolitan Club’s membership accompany you. There are so many lovely girls looking for husbands right now.”
Ruth watched Edward’s ears turn red and could feel Robert’s gaze imploring her to get her father, so they could get on with the evening.
“I am sure Edward can find his own dates, Mother.” Ruth prickled as she stood, smoothed her skirt, and crossed the room to look down the hallway. “It is getting late. Might you go see what is holding up Father?”
“Oh, Ruth. You know your father operates at his own pace. If you are in such a rush, perhaps you can go retrieve him from the study yourself?”
“Yes, darling, why don’t you go get your father? We do have so much to discuss with him this evening!”
Ruth shot Robert a look of warning. They decidedly did not have anything special to discuss.
She made her way down the hallway, feeling as always like that intrusive little girl about to get scolded as she tentatively knocked on the door. “Father, we are all in the library waiting for you.” She heard the rustling of pages, the closing of a book. Her thumping heart vibrated through her body as she stood still, waiting. Listening. Feet shuffled. A glass clinked. Liquid poured. Was he getting himself a drink?