Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 The Estate (C)2003 d.  edwards/san francisco

   Chapter 4

   The next morning found her sitting up in bed, her cast being replaced
with a more flexible splint, and most of the tubes were now gone.  The
bruises on her back, neck and shoulders were still tender, but the pain
meds made them tolerable.  Across from her, next to the bed sat an older
woman, in her mid 40's, dressed neatly in a soft grey suit jacket and
modest dark wool skirt.  She sat quietly, her hands in her lap holding a
cup of tea, the steam rising slowly in the morning sunlight that crossed
the room.  Elena shifted uncomfortably.  The woman smiled and introduced
herself.

   "My name is Dr.  Collins, I heard a little about you from Delores, the
nurse that's taking care of you.  She felt you needed some help in certain
areas of your relationship with your husband.'' Elena flushed with
embarrassment, not able to keep her eyes raised to even deny the words. 
''Dr.  Collins....'' she began.

   "Please, if we're going to do any talking, please call me Martha." she
leaned in and extended her hand to touch Elena's wrist.  Looking up, Elena
noticed for the first time that Martha's eyes were pale blue, almost grey,
each pupil surrounded with a dark amber ring.  Staring into those eyes and
without knowing why, she took a deep breath and started to talk, hesitating
with discomfort.

   "It wasn't an accident", she confessed, "I said something wrong that
started him off and the next thing I know I'm in here".  Martha took her
hand in comfort.  " And this has happened before, I believe.  Is that
right?" Elena's eyes teared up and spilled over.  She nodded a sad
agreement.  Martha pressed her hand firmly, saying nothing, waiting for
Elena to collect herself.

   "I'm not going to ask you why it happens, and I don't really want to
know for how long this has been going on.  Once is too much, in my
opinion." Elena nodded.  "What's most important right now is whether or not
you'd like your relationship with your husband to change", she said firmly.
" If you can think about that answer while you're getting better then
perhaps we can be of some help to you".

   "Whose 'we', the hospital?", Elena asked, getting a smile from Martha.
She leaned in, giving Elena's nose a hint of fresh mint and some delicate
perfume, '' I'll tell you more about who we are when you make a decision",
she said quietly.  She straightened and stood up, patting Elena's hand,
"You just work on getting yourself back to full strength.  Delores will let
me know your decision.  Just remember to take your time and consider
carefully, and to ask Delores if you've any questions.''

   "OK", said Elena uncertainly, pausing.  ''And my husband?''

   ''I think your leaving him out of this decision was correct,'' Martha
said, catching Elena's eyes and holding them.  ''He would never willingly
give up all the control he has, would he?'' she asked.

   "No, he wouldn't ", said Elena, frowning, recalling their last meeting.
The doctor smiled to see her anger returning.  Under Delores' quiet therapy
Elena was getting her feet back on the ground, and Martha was impressed
with her quick recovery, showing her some of Elena's hidden strengths.

   '' You have two days, 48 hours, to think it over.'' she said, putting on
her jacket and walking to the door.  '' Please don't hesitate to ask me or
Delores if you've any questions or doubts, OK?'' Elena smiled suddenly,
giving Martha the answer she was looking for.

   ''Excellent,'' she said, smiling back.  ''I'll send documents over
tomorrow.''

   Chapter 5

   The next morning found Delores sitting on Elena's bed, adjusting an
arrangement of flowers next to her bed, a cheerful sunlight spreading
bright reflections around them.

   ''It was so nice of Dr.  Collins to send these", Elena said, pleased at
the color and scent of the orchids.  She looked down at the documents
surrounding her, then back up at the nurse sitting next to her.

   "She knows exactly what she's doing", Delores replied assuringly, "I
know it's a big step for the both of you, and change is always difficult'',
she said, sorting through a large stack of papers spread across the bed,
"It's that first step that's the hardest.  I think your husband will come
around to agreeing with you once you both settle into your new quarters.''
Elena smiled, her resolve somehow making her shoulders relax and softening
her features.  "He didn't even ask how I was", she sighed, "Didn't even
seem to care, just wanted to know if I'd told any one the truth", her pen
scratching her final signature across the last page.  "I'll have Martha
make the arrangements to pick up the papers and our
new........um.....patient.", Delores said, tucking the last page into an
envelope.  Elena looked up, slightly anxious.  "You really believe this is
the best way to do this?", she asked, searching Delores' face closely.  The
nurse smiled gently and reached to brush her hand across Elena's frown, "It
will seem strange at first, but remember, this is a chance for both of you
to make a meaningful change in your relationship.  It will be much more
difficult for John but we both know it's the only option for him at this
point.  The process will take time and you won't be able to see him for
quite a while, but you'll me amazed at the results and I know you're going
to love the estate."

   Chapter 6

   John woke up slowly, his head unusually heavy on the pillow, his arms
and legs folded oddly.  Must have been a real whopper last night...damn!  I
can't even move my arms or roll over........  He strained his arms and
legs, now waking up more to realize he wasn't in his own bed.  Glancing
down he saw both arms pinned by cuffs attached to a sturdy belt at his
waist, his legs folded flat to the bed, with a thick 4" strap binding his
ankles together at an angle that kept his legs apart.  He struggled slowly
to raise his head, alarmed at how weak he felt, and looked around at his
new surroundings.  His bed was just a bit larger than he was, with raised
railings on both sides.  It was sitting in the center of a fairly large
room, much the size of a suite.  An overhead examination light and some
cabinets lined a nearby wall to one side, and there were curtains drawn on
what must have been windows on the other side, the glow under them
suggesting it was daytime.  Looking to his right he saw a solid looking
door and a window along side it with curtains drawn also.  Squirming around
against his restraints he craned his neck and looking behind him saw a
small kitchen area and several other pieces of furniture he didn't
recognize spread about a large carpeted area.

   Huh.....?  Confused and beginning to get angry, John tried working his
wrists loose but the restraints on his wrists were much to tight to even
slide a few inches.  Looking down at his body he was then shocked to
discover most of his clothing was unbuttoned and unzipped.  Looking more
closely he saw that every button was actually missing, neatly snipped off,
he figured.  Must have been a hell of a fight.....they got me in a looney
bin, no sharp objects, hmmm., He grimaced, shaking his head, his confusion
starting to grow.  Picking his head up he looked more closely at his bed
and noticed it was lined with a short steel railing, not much higher than a
foot, with long padded bumpers tied to each.  He tried raising his head
further, only to have his shoulders checked by a sharp pull of a strap
attached to the back of his shoulders.  Now his initial panic was slowly
replaced with anger frustrated by his total immobility.  He then checked
the rest of his body noticing his hands and knuckle were not scraped
up...hmm, not a fight, the car then.....  was it an accident?, he did a
mental check of his face and neck, his hands again bought up short by the
cuffs, no soreness.......  Before he could continue further, the door swept
open to reveal a nurse, backlit by the hall lights behind her.  The
suddenness of the light blinded him and he unsuccessfully tried to raise
his hands, squinting against the glare.

   "How are we this morning, little man", the woman asked in a cheerful
voice, "Ready to start the day?".  She stepped up along side the bed and
into John's view.  Delores!  John recalled their last meeting.  His anger
surged.  "Jeeezus Christ, what the hell happened, get me outta....." She
startled him to silence with a sharp "Shhh!" only to anger him further, his
hands and legs now snapping against their restraints, rocking the bed as he
struggled to work his hands free.

   "I said GET ME OUTTA THI-----", the sudden sharp smack to his face
snapping his jaw shut and throwing him back onto the mattress.  Grabbing
his jaw firmly she scolded him, "First lesson, no talking......ever" , she
said firmly, shaking her head no quite strongly, "You don't speak, you
don't question, you don't even hesitate to do what I tell you to do, is
that clear?  Just nod your head for now".  John opened his mouth,
struggling to sit back up "Lis......"

   "STOP", she barked, firmly pushing him back down, "No words, none....or
I'll punish".  John shrugged off her hand, this time pulling himself nearly
upright and yelled, "Git off me you stupid bitch, I want to see who ever's
in charge here, RIGHT NOW, got it?  I've got rights and---"

   "OK, punish it is," she smiled, lowering the railing, quickly leaning
over John and again forcing him onto his back with her chest as her hands
did something behind him.  Suddenly face to face with her shut his mouth as
he heard a click and discovered his back was now pinned firmly to the bed.