Love For Hire

“Right this way, Your Majesty,” the nurse at the desk said as she led him and Brutus into Dr. Horton’s office. “Please take a seat,” he reached around until he felt the chair. Sitting down, he told Brutus to lay down, and he did so at Nicholas’ feet. He heard the nurse’s footsteps as she left the room, and then he heard Dr. Horton come into the room.

“Your Majesty,” He heard the doctor’s voice. “How are you feeling?”

“Same as always.”

“Have you been eating?”

“Yes,” not that it made him feel any better. It had been five days since he’d seen Dr. Horton, and he had been violently ill every day along with terrible headaches, cramping in both his stomach and muscles.

“Good to hear. Well, I scheduled the ultrasound for a week from Monday.”

“That is not why I am here.”

“Oh, then why are you here?” Dr. Horton asked with interest.

“My eye,” he said. “There has to be something, anything we can do to restore my vision. I have heard that sometimes an organ transplant can help the blind see.”

“Well, yes, that is true.”

“Then let’s do that.”

Nicholas. There is nothing wrong with your eyes. The organ itself is fine and healthy. The problem is the large tumour pressing on your optic nerve. So long as that tumour exists, you will not see. And as it

“Then, cut it out.”

in your brain has rendered it inoperable. I cannot

do. There is always something. How do you treat

was quiet, at the doctor thought. “Well, if you are willing, we can try chemotherapy. With radiation treatment, it might be possible to shrink the tumour, and if we can make it small

try that,”

must warn you there are side effects. Such

“I am already fatigued.”

Nicholas shrugged. He already suffered that daily. “Digestive problems, dry or sore throat or mouth, cough or shortness of breath,

sure it is going to be miserable,” Nicholas said. “When do

***

at the table. Matthew was trying not to smile. Nicholas had just told the whole family at dinner that he had gone and agreed to chemotherapy in an attempt to reduce the tumour in his brain that

side effects and how Nicholas would weather them. Personally, Matthew was giddy about the whole idea. The chemotherapy would mask the side effects of the poison he was slipping his brother. He was already showing symptoms, but as anticipated, the blame was placed

sharing a drink with Nicholas after dinner each night. They talked about the future and how Nicholas was feeling. It was all a trick giving Matthew the opportunity to poison his brother’s bourbon. After drinks, Nicholas would retire to his room, and so would Matthew. His room was right next to his brothers, and listening to

radiation treatments, the tumour might shrink and relieve the pressure on my optic nerve. I might get my