A Five-Minute Life

Dr. Chen smiled. “Rather, she’s misplaced it. We’re going to help her get it back.”

Holy shit, I thought. Hold on, Thea. They’re coming. They’re coming to get you out.

Dr. Chen’s next words confirmed it.

“Therefore, I believe she would be an ideal candidate for the procedure Dr. Bernard Milton is performing at the Sydney Medical Foundation.”

“What kind of procedure?” Delia said.

“Dr. Milton has developed a treatment involving stem cell surgery combined with a powerful binding agent that allows patients with this specific memory loss to repair the mechanism for recall so that memories—new and old—can be accessed.”

As the words hovered in the air, Rita reached under the table to give my hand a squeeze.

“Dr. Milton has already begun a trial of patients,” Dr. Chen continued. “They’re a few weeks ahead of us but their results, so far, have been encouraging. Though the risks are not inconsequential.”

“What risks?” I asked, drawing everyone’s eye.

“Are we talking open brain surgery?” Delia asked, giving me a sharp look to remind me Thea was her concern, not mine.

Dr. Chen shook her head. “The surgery is a minimally invasive endoscopic, endonasal procedure, which also involves stem cell extraction from the pelvic bone and cerebrospinal fluid…” She waved her hands. “We are getting ahead of ourselves. There are preliminary tests that need to be done to ensure Thea is a proper candidate. Dr. Milton will want to fly in to perform them and the procedure himself. With your consent,” she said to Delia.

A quiet descended over the room.

“You’re saying this procedure might restore Thea’s memory,” Delia said slowly.

“It’s a possibility, yes.”

“All of her memories? From her life before the accident?”

“Correct.”

Delia’s glance flickered to each of us, watching her. Waiting. Holding our breath.

“And if it works…”

“If it works, Ms. Hughes,” Dr. Chen said, “this treatment will bring Thea back to life.”

Chapter 18

Jim

“I’d like to be alone with Dr. Chen,” Delia said. “I have questions.”

“Of course,” Anna said.

“Thank you, Jim,” Dr. Chen said as we headed out. “Your information was particularly helpful.”

I nodded, feeling Delia’s eyes on me.

In the break room, Rita gave me a hug, her eyes shining. “You did this. Everything good that’s going to happen for Thea is because of you.”

I slipped out of Rita’s embrace. “That’s not true.”

“It is true, and you need to own it,” she said.

“All right, I agree it’s very exciting news,” Anna said, “but we still have work to do.”

The importance of Dr. Chen’s words sank in. I tried to imagine how Thea would be, out of her prison. Talking to her for longer than a few minutes. Her calling me Jimmy with the kind eyes. Her remembering me…