No Escape

It wasn’t until the morning of her second day confined at Lakeview that she was moved out of the observation room due to her “outburst” at Hoffritz. Mindy wouldn’t be able to visit until the weekend, though the two had spoken by telephone. Mindy had spoken with a lawyer who seemed promising. Her name was Ashlyn Sharp. Since Shania could only make phone calls and not receive them, the lawyer had instructed Mindy to have Shania call her to set up a time for a free consultation in which she’d visit her at the hospital. After a day of going through the usual routine of group therapy and other group activities that made Shania feel as if she were at a summer activities camp for children, she settled comfortably in her bed, which was closest to the door. She pulled the tray that was on wheels across her bed so she could do some word search puzzles in a magazine she’d gotten from the lounge. She had just found the first word when Bianca, her roommate, entered the room. “How’d the visit go?” Shania asked her. “Not so good,” answered the cute, twenty-nine-year-old Chinese girl. “I think we’re going to end up divorced. We’re just not on the same wavelength in life. He wants what I don’t want, and I want what he doesn’t want.” She sat on the edge of her bed facing Shania. “Sometimes that happens,” said Shania. “But this is the second man I’ve been with that won’t allow me to have children,” Bianca said with frustration. “Did he say he wanted kids when you first got together?” Bianca nodded. “Yes, he did.” Shania was thoughtful for a moment. “With how many men out there don’t seem to want kids, it’s a wonder there are so many people in the world.” “That’s because a lot of men think from below the belt only. Mine just happens to be one of the few to insist on bringing the rubbers to bed with us. He won’t let me use anything like the pill because he doesn’t trust me to take it properly.” “Would you?” “Yeah, I would. I wouldn’t want to, but I would,” said Bianca. “There’d be no sense in trying to have a family with someone who didn’t want one.” Shania nodded with understanding. “I agree that that’s something both people involved should agree on and not just one.” “He tells me I’m spoiled and selfish.” “Wanting a child with your boyfriend or husband isn’t spoiled or selfish.” “That’s what I thought, but it’s okay. I’ll have kids someday. I just don’t think it will be with the man I married. Do you think you’ll ever want to have kids of your own?” Bianca asked. Shania thought about it, then said, “I don’t think so.” “Why not?” “I guess I’d only end up feeling overwhelmed by such a tremendous responsibility and expense. Kids are nice, but I was really cut out to be a career person. It just isn’t going to be at Miss Daly’s medical coding business.” “Are you going to call that lawyer tomorrow?” Shania nodded. “First chance I get.” “What doctor were you assigned to?” “Doctor Joganic.” Bianca nodded. “You didn’t think it’d be the good doc himself now, did you?” Bianca chuckled, then turned serious again. “I’m just glad he’s not my doctor, from what you’ve told me about him. He sounds like a real wacko, and I have no reason to doubt you about that. You seem so sane compared to most of these weirdoes in here.” “So do you,” Shania smiled. “I’d never know you had a breakdown.” Bianca shrugged. “Guess it all just got too much for me. Between my husband’s dictatorship, my mom dying, and then my best friend being diagnosed with terminal cancer, it just had a cumulative effect on me.” Shania listened intently. If anything, it helped to take her mind off her own troubles, though she knew she couldn’t do anything to help Bianca other than just be her sounding board. Finally, she said, “A woman doesn’t need to be with a guy or married to one to raise kids, Bianca. Ever consider getting a guy that you know for sure will run from responsibility, and letting them impregnate you before they take off?” Bianca laughed. “Maybe I should give that some thought. Meanwhile, I know I’m young and that I still have plenty of time left.” “It’s time for Group, ladies,” said a staff member, poking her head in the doorway. Shania looked at Bianca with confusion. “Group? At this time?” Bianca nodded. “I hate to break it to you, but every Friday night, one of the shrinks heads a meeting and asks us if we feel we’re being treated well or if we have any gripes, and it’s usually spearheaded by guess who?” Shania’s eyebrows raised. “Well, if it’s who I think it is, I bet I could come up with a few gripes of my own.” “I’ll bet you could,” Bianca said with a knowing smile. Group, like most events, was held in the lounge. Shania entered the room to find Hoffritz speaking with a patient. His eyes made contact with Shania’s, but only for a nanosecond. She and Bianca found seats in the back of the room. The ward held approximately forty patients, and the crowded room was alive with the buzz of chatter. A young staff member named Sue came in and ordered everyone to be seated and silent before taking a seat along with Hoffritz, facing the group. Shania sat quietly as various concerns were addressed, mainly over visiting and smoking issues, with some complaining of too much group activity and not enough one-on-one attention. One man even complained about the food, the only thing Shania found to be satisfactory about the facility. Another woman complained, “I’m sick of having to be woken up at 7 AM every morning just to discuss things with everyone else that should be discussed in private with either Lauren or my shrink. Then I have to do silly things all day, like draw pictures and close my eyes so I can imagine I’m alone on some deserted island like the relaxation therapist has us do.” Hoffritz smiled. “That it?” he asked, obviously not taking the woman too seriously. After listening to a few more concerns and complaints, Shania felt it was time to voice a complaint of her own. “I’ve got a complaint,” she said, standing up. Hoffritz instantly took on a knowing and disapproving expression as Sue assumed one of curiosity. The other patients turned in their chairs to face her. “I have a serious problem when my greedy, evil co-worker… niece of the good doc here… uses him to have me committed under false pretenses because I got the promotion she wanted. And furthermore…” “That’s enough, Miss McCarthy,” Hoffritz said sternly. Sue continued to stare at Shania, unsure of what to make of what she’d just heard, while Bianca tried to cover a smile of amusement over the way Shania was putting Hoffritz on the spot, obviously embarrassing him. “Oh, is it?” Shania boldly continued. “We’ll see about that when my lawyer contacts you.” Hoffritz stood up fast. “Leave,” he demanded. “No problem,” Shania said, heading for the door. “I couldn’t stand to see your face any longer anyway. Makes me sick!” “Out!” Hoffritz shouted, face red as an apple. Shania stormed down the long corridor to where her room was located in the middle of the long I. She threw herself on her bed and cried. All she had ever wanted in life was someone to love her and a job that paid the bills. Was that too much to ask for?