“How many times do I have to say? I’m not crazy!” A nurse looks overwhelmed with one of the patients. Various pills, vitamins, and fruits were scattered on the floor. So did the tray of breakfast that had just arrived.
“Maria, what’s wrong?” Michele’s voice managed to make the people in the room turn their heads in unison.
“Doctor, it’s nothing. Mr. Nick just doesn’t want to eat breakfast and medicine,” Maria explained while Nick just snorted, looked at Michele with anger, then looked away.
“Maria, another patient needs you.”
“Okay!” The nurse in the white hijab picked up all the things that were scattered on the floor deftly, and immediately left the room, leaving two adult men staring at each other.
“Sir ….”
“Don’t try to move your feet! You’re just like everyone in the mental hospital, and all those cops.”
“What do you mean, Sir?” Michele knit his blonde brows together. Feeling stupid for not knowing Nick’s real condition.
“Don’t act stupid! I know, all of you rotten conspiracy! Jess, where’s Jess? Where is my wife, Jerk?” Nick suddenly walked over to Michele and squeezed the collar of his coat.
“Calm down, calm down! How am I going to talk if you are like this?” Letting go of a glare, Nick lowered his hand. The man took a position by sitting on the chair beside the bed. After all, his sanity was still intact despite the ‘crazy’ status that people put him on.
“Calm down! Is that Jess, you mean the woman who came here with me at that time?” Michele sat on the edge of the bed to create a comfortable interaction.
“You think I’m so crazy that I don’t recognize my own wife?” Nick’s rising voice was accompanied by the sound of the table slamming. Michele was surprised by the commotion that was created. As a psychiatrist, he is required to be patient, and act like family.
“Patience, your wife is safe with me. No one dared to bother her, much less to touch her or hurt her.”
“Where?”
“Where?” Nick repeated his question even louder.
“It’s in the apartment.” Hesitating, Michele took out his cell phone and made a call with Jess.
“Hello, Michelle! What’s up?” Through the loudspeaker, Nick could clearly hear Jess’ voice from the other side.
“What are you doing?” asked Michele, his eyes never leaving Nick.
“Doing sport. Michele, why are you suddenly acting like that?”
“It’s okay, I was just worried about you.”
“I’m fine.”
“Alright, take good care of yourself. Call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you, see you!” The phone line was cut off instantly. “Are you still doubting me?” asked Michele, still looking at Nick seriously. Trying to read the changes in the emotions of the man in front of him. The clear liquid that pooled in his eyes along with the stiff curve of his lips on Nick made the man who works as a psychiatrist even more provoked to know everything.
“Mr. Nick, don’t think I’m like the people you mean. Trust me, I’m on the path of truth. Think of me as your friend. Feel free to share your feelings.” Michele’s words were immediately greeted with laughter by Nick.
“Believe what you say? Aren’t the police also on the path of truth? If that’s the case, people like you should give me a heavy reward. I want to see what human civilization will look like now and in the future if the seats of the higher-ups are occupied by hypocrites like you.” A pair of Michele’s ears tried to listen carefully to Nick’s words.
Again, his brain must be alert to digest information that is still incomplete. Michele did need it in order to take further action. Sighing, the thirty-nine-year-old doctor said, “Mr. Nick, really ….”
“Go!” cut off Nick.
“But ….”
“GO!”
“Okay, if there’s anything, come meet me.” Nick snorted without looking at Michele, who had started to raise his feet.
In the study, Michele analyzed Nick Erhan’s data. There it was written that the patient had severe hallucinations and was positive for consuming excessive alcohol and illegal drugs. The man who was once famous in his time was transferred from the Menc mental hospital because he had a bad track record that traumatized health workers. Nick Erhan is considered a criminal and dangerous mental patient.
“I saw honesty in that man. I had to find out if he really had a relationship with Jeselyn. This case is quite complicated. As soon as possible, I need to get information about the rape that happened to the nurse named Janette.”
“Find information about Janette, I’ll send her job details and money soon.” Only one sentence came out when the phone was pressed against his ear. Next, it landed on the table.
Michele’s brain didn’t stop thinking even though his body was already in the apartment. Frowning on the laptop screen, he did not find the much identity or photo of Nick Erhan’s wife there. The search engine only displays the name, namely Jessyca Amora and her job. Maybe someone deleted it already.
“Jessy or Jess? Could it be Jessyca Amora’s nickname? That means .…” Turning off the laptop, and deciding to leave the room, the doctor walked towards the pool, saw Jess drying herself on the edge of the pool. Looks like the woman there are in a good mood. Good opportunity to extract the necessary information.
“Jesselyn.”
“Hey, Michele! You just got home?” Jess asked, she grabbed a glass of lemon tea, then landed her ass on the lounge chair.
“Yes! Today, Mr. Nick needs more attention.” The woman stopped sipping her drink, pretending to keep herself busy with the towel around her neck.
“Jesselyn!” called Michele, looking at the pool, which was illuminated by the white lights.
“Yes!”
“I want to ask you something.”
“Ask? What?”
“I often hear you say Nick’s name in your sleep. Have you started remembering anything?” Jess coughed, Michele swiftly handed a bottle of mineral water that was already on the table.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m okay!”
“I don’t know either, Miche! My mouth likes to spontaneously call him.” Biting her lip, Jess finally spoke.
“Is the Nick you dreamed of the same Nick you saw in the hospital?”
“I never saw his face, but ….” Silent, Michele waited for her next words.
“Nick over there, looks familiar.” Jess’ face clouded over, the next minute she was moaning as she clutched the side of her head.
“Jeselyn, are you sick?”
“My head hurts, Michele!”
“Come on, I’ll help you to the room.” Jess didn’t make a sound, she obeyed Michele.
“I’m sorry, Jesselyn. I should have let you change first before chatting.”
“No problem. Now I have to change clothes and go to sleep.”
“I’ll make you a hot drink.”
“No need, I just want to go straight to sleep.” Michelle smiled shyly. There was a sense of regret when he saw the mysterious woman in pain. However, he had no other choice.
At 12. 12 midnight, Michele’s efforts to extract information at a large cost have paid off. A doctor’s colleague reported that the post-mortem result of a nurse named Janette did not show any signs of sexual harassment. Only bruises on the back from being hit by a hard object. That means Nick did not commit rape as the parties concerned said. Although the news about Janette’s mental breakdown was true.
“Who dares to manipulate this kind of thing? This has never even happened before.” Michele took off his glasses before finally burying himself in the thick blanket.
Before he could close his eyes, he suddenly heard a shriek from Jess’ room. Checking the cctv, the woman who appeared on the monitor was screaming with her eyes closed. The man ran quickly. Entered Jess’ room with his spare key.
“Jesselyn!” Michele patted Jess’ cheek which was already wet with sweat.
“Dev!” Jess woke up gasping for air.
“Jeselyn, did you have a bad dream?” Instantly, the woman burst into Michele’s arms.
“Michele, I saw again the young man who carried me up to the front of the cathedral. That building … Miche, I almost fell. The veiled man pushed me. I remember, it happened before I fainted.”
“Calm down, Jeselyn.” The man who was only wearing an undershirt loosened Jess’ grip.
“Are you sure? You don’t think it was just a bad dream?”
“I don’t think it’s a dream because I haven’t fully fallen asleep yet.”
“If that’s the case, great! Gradually, you gain your memories.” Jess took in the air greedily. Hoping what the man she was hugging said was a good sign.
“So, who are you calling Dev?” Gulped, shaking her head was the only thing Jess could do because to her, all the clues were still unclear.