“Have you come to any conclusion about Marino’s missing brain?” asked Denise, bringing Martin back to the present.
“No,” said Philips. “But Mannerheim must have been responsible in some way.”
They were waiting for the elevator beneath a huge, gaudy chandelier. The carpet was burnt orange with interlocking gold circles.
“Are you going to do anything about it?”
“I don’t know what I can do. I sure wouldn’t mind finding out why it was removed.”
The nicest aspect of Philips’ apartment was the view of the river and the graceful curve of the bridge. Otherwise it was very unremarkable. Philips had moved suddenly. He’d rented the apartment by telephone and had hired a rental firm to furnish it And that’s what he got-furniture: a couch; a couple of end tables; a coffee table; a couple of chairs for the living room; a dinette set; and a bed with matching side table for the bedroom. It wasn’t much, but it was only temporary. The fact that Philips had been living there for four years didn’t occur to him.
Martin was not a drinker but tonight he wanted to relax so he splashed some scotch over ice. To be polite he held the bottle up for Denise but she shook her head as he’d expected. She only drank wine or an occasional gin and tonic, and certainly not while she was on call. Instead she got herself a tall glass of orange juice from the refrigerator.
In the living room Denise listened to Martin’s chatter, hoping that he’d burn himself out quickly. She was not interested in talking about research or missing brains. She was remembering his admission of affection. The possibility of his being serious excited her and it allowed her to admit her own feelings.
“Life can be amazing,” Martin was saying. “In a single day it can take such wonderful twists.”
“What are you referring to?” Denise asked, hoping he was going to talk about their relationship.
“Yesterday, I had no idea we were so close to producing the X-ray reading program. If things go…”
Exasperated, she got up and pulled him to his feet and began pulling at his shirttails telling him that he should relax and forget the hospital. She looked up into his bemused face with a teasing smile, so that no matter what happened it wouldn’t be awkward.
Philips agreed that he was wound up and said he’d feel better if he took a quick shower. It wasn’t quite what she had in mind, but he encouraged her to come into the bathroom and keep him company. She watched him through the shower glass, which was frosted on one side and beveled on the other. The image of Philips’ naked body was fractured and softened in a curiously erotic way as he twisted and turned under the jet of water.
Denise sipped her orange juice while Martin tried to carry on a conversation over the din of the water. She couldn’t hear a word, which she thought was just as well. At the moment she preferred watching rather than listening. Affection welled up inside of her, filling her with warmth.
Finished, Martin turned off the water and, grabbing his towel, stepped out of the shower. To Denise’s disgust he was still talking about computers and doctors. Annoyed, she snatched the towel and began to dry his back. When she was finished she turned him back around.
“Do me a favor,” she said as if she were angry, “and shut up.” Then she grabbed his hand, and pulled him out of the bathroom. Confused at her sudden outburst, Philips allowed himself to be led into the darkened bedroom. There in full view of the silent river and the dramatic bridge, Denise threw her arms around his neck and passionately kissed him.
Martin responded instantly. But before he could even undress Denise, her beeper filled the room with its insistent sound. For a moment they just held each other, postponing the inevitable, and enjoying their closeness. Without saying it, they both knew that their relationship had reached a new plateau.
It was 2:40 A.M. when a city ambulance pulled into the receiving area of the Medical Center. There were already two similar ambulances parked there, and the new one backed up between them until its bumper thumped the rubber guard. The engine choked and died before the driver and the passenger alighted from the cab. With their heads bowed against the steady April rain, they trotted back and leaped up on the platform. The thinner of the two swung open the rear door of the ambulance. The other more muscular man reached in and pulled out an empty stretcher. Unlike the other ambulances this one was not bringing an emergency. It had come to pick up a patient. Not an uncommon occurrence.