Book 2 - Part 4: Binding Evil - Chapter Two
Dr. Lambert’s Office
Monday – June 11th – 9:45 a.m.
“Lieutenant Baker, I can tell you we have made remarkable advances in medicine and human anatomy. Decades ago, it was pretty much a wooden arm or leg with no give, or nothing at all. Then came the flexible flesh-like prosthesis which aided patients to walk much easier, but even that was uncomfortable and burdensome.
In the last eight to ten years, modern science allows us to attach an arm or leg with synthetic nerve endings. These are first attached to the remaining nerve endings in the portion of your son’s remaining thigh. In essence, your son would have the equivalent of a bionic leg. Once the nerve endings are attached to the thigh, they are then reattached to specific area of component sections in the upper part of his new leg, and then strapped on to insure a snug, but not overly tight fit.
“The component acts like a reader and assesses the neural movement of your son’s thigh and acts accordingly as if it were really his leg.
“Once he has gained full use of it without any awkwardness, general about four to six months; anyone other than those who are close to him would never know his leg isn’t real. As he grows and matures, a replacement leg would be available for him. The components in the computer sensors will act like a springboard when he walks, whereby he will not have any awkwardness or limp. He won’t be able to run but walking as if we were using two real legs won’t be a problem for him.”
“This is all well and good, Dr. Lambert, but I live on a cop’s salary. I don’t have the kind of money I think you’re talking about to chunk down for something like this. Don’t get me wrong, I will do what I can for my son; but you’re talking thousands of dollars here.”
"In truth, Lieutenant Baker, with surgery, the bionic leg and therapy, about $300,000.
“But I’m sure the bank in town would graciously give you a loan, especially with your record and background.”
“Maybe. It will be something I will have to look in to.”
“You may want to check quickly, then.”
“Why is that?”
“The nerve endings in your son’s thigh will recede within the next ten to fourteen days and will no longer be available for use for what I described. By this, I mean the nerve endings will die.
“But with the apparatus attached, it will continually send out what we refer to as reminders, or electrical stimuli to keep the nerve endings functioning as he grows.
“In truth, Lieutenant Baker, you really have less than two weeks to decide. We can go bionic or with a regular prosthesis.”
Baker realized at once it was all or nothing for Stevie. She wanted him to have the best opportunity possible. She thanked Dr. Lambert and left.
Going out to her car, to drive to the bank and see if in fact the bank would give her a loan; her cell phone rang.
“Baker here.”
“Is this Janis Baker?”
“Yes. Who’s calling?”
“My name is Daniel Watson. I’m an insurance agent for All-State.”
“Sorry. I don’t need insurance.”
She was about to close the call.
“No, please, wait one moment. I’m not calling to sell you insurance, Ms. Baker.”
“Then just why are you calling, Mr. Watson?”
“Our office only just received word, yesterday, of your friend’s death,” Daniel wasn’t sure enough to say ex-husband, “and he left behind an insurance policy in three names in the event of his death. One, was a Donald Jensen, whom I understand is also deceased. Would that be correct?”
“Yes. Could you please hurry this along?”
“Sorry. The other two beneficiaries are namely you, in the amount of one million, and also, a Steven Aiden Baker in the amount of five million dollars. But it also states….”
Baker was stunned. She didn’t catch on to Donald’s last name right away, but then she knew Mark well enough that in matters such as these, he never thought small.
“…. that you will oversee the financial estate of Steven Aiden Baker until he graduates from high school, and or he decides to go to college, which upon graduation, the remaining funds would revert over to him completely and fully.”
“Daniel Watson, correct?
“Let me ask you, Daniel; how long would it take to set up the transfer or wiring of the money into my account?”
“Hardly anytime at all. We can fax the necessary paperwork to you that is required by law, whereby you will have to show proof of identification, and say, within thirty days, everything would be in order.”
“Is there a way I can get an advance from my portion, say within the next few days?” She explained why.
Once she was off the phone, she called Dr. Lambert post haste. She had two words for her.
“Do it.”
Not only would Stevie’s financial and educational future be assured, but also his physical well-being.
She was certain from where Mark was now; he heard her simple words.
“Thank you, Mark, for looking out for him.”
Those first few days in the hospital were rough ones for Stevie. He was still healing from the injuries he sustained, and he had no choice but to miss his father’s funeral, and Donald’s as well.
Under the medication given to him every night before bedtime would take effect, he and his mom would talk and talk. Stevie, always asking the how and whys of everything. Baker would do her best to give the best answers she could. Those answers that were hard to put into words but had to be said.
Monday – June 18th – 10:00 a.m.
The time and day finally arrived. After listening to Dr. Lambert tell Stevie the procedure that was going to happen, he was in an operating room with a nervous mother in the wings.
Ed was by her side, and stayed close to her the entire time, and throughout the rest of that morning into early afternoon, other officers, and members of her team, and Captain Todd, dropped by with well wishes. Even the new Bishop, Father Larry Millen, stopped by to say a prayer.
By 1:55, Dr. Lambert stepped into the waiting room and gave Baker the news she wanted to hear. The surgery was a success, and the nerve endings took hold of the wiring connected to his new leg.
The next step was plenty of rest, and then therapy.
Everything came in steps. One at a time.
By the end of June, Stevie was coming home to Baker’s townhouse; her home, which was now every bit as much his, for as long as he wanted to stay.
One of Stevie’s first comments when he left the hospital was, “Some guys wear glasses, and we call them four eyes. Me? I have one real fake leg and a pair of crutches. What do they call me? Table leg?”
Baker hugged him to her side.
“No, Bub. They call that being a man.”
As they were leaving the hospital, Stevie asked to see their gravesites.
Since Mark and Donald were buried in McCandless, she took a drive to the memorial.
For the better part of an hour, a mother, and her son, sat by a headstone and talked.
And they cried.
July 6th
The Beginning
July brought on the therapy. Relearning how to walk with his new leg.
The biggest problem was getting the neural nerve endings to respond properly when he moved forward or backward and side-to-side. Sitting down or standing wasn’t much of a problem, and neither was lying down to sleep or getting up.
Both Dr. Lambert, and Stevie’s physical therapist, Mrs. Arlene Robertson told Baker and Stevie the same thing.
“It’s quite all right to detach the micro-wiring from the leg. Especially in the beginning so it doesn’t feel so cumbersome or awkward.”
Stevie refused removing it other than taking showers.
“The way I see it, mom, the only way I’ll ever get the hang of it, is to just keep it on and use it as normally as I can. Other than taking it off to shower or clean the sweat build up to keep my thigh clean, I’m wearing it all the time.”
Of course, Baker wasn’t always close by him as she still had a job to do. She also has a relationship she had yet to explain to Stevie. A full, to half-time relationship with Ed Manning.
But considering with what happened, things were quiet and without further incident, and she knew, eventually, Stevie would have to know.
Wednesday – August 22nd – 3:35 p.m.
“Mom. Earth calling mom? Yoo-hoo, mom!”
His words brought her back to the half-eaten foot-long hot dog.
“Sorry, bub. I was in the zone for a bit.”
No longer hungry, she slipped the remainder of her lunch in a bag, grabbed up everything else, stepped out of the car and walked over to a trash can and dumped the contents inside. Then she retraced her steps back into the car, turned the engine over, and they were on their way home.
“Hey, mom?”
“Yes.”
“Today’s the twenty-second, right?”
“Last I checked. Why? Oh wait, I remember. You wanted to go to Sallie’s Emporium this afternoon.”
“Yeah! That cool writer, Edward Carter is there, autographing his new book. You did remember to bring my copy of his book with us, didn’t you?”
“Yes. It’s on the back seat.”
Stevie turned and saw the hardback cover facing him. ‘The Devil in Shadows’.
“Sweet. He writes some of the best horror stuff, ever.”
Baker just shook her head and continued west another two blocks before turning on the corner at Ralston and Mackay. Sallie’s was the first building around the corner on the right.