Page 65 of Corkscrew You
“Deserves a double dead arm,” I mutter back.
Then the cavalry arrives, in the form of Izzy and Ava, who adore Petra, but – obviously – don’t have the same pathetic reaction to her presence.
“Dad’s just coming,” Ava announces. “He’s still pretty weak but he wanted to see you.”
“Looking forward to seeing him, too,” says JP.
“I’ll make coffee,” says Mom, whose agitation is clear to all.
“I’ll help,” says Izzy, meaning she’ll keep an eye on Mom.
It occurs to me that our whole family is on constant alert, our fight or flight modes engaged practically 24/7. No wonder we’re all a little frayed around the edges.
And here comes the cause. My father enters the room, and I observe a flicker of alarm cross JP’s face. He’s used to hale and hearty Mitch Durant, his not-so-old and seriously fit friend, full of vigour and strong opinions. The guy who walks in looks grey and ill, like the sap has been drained from him.
Guarantee his opinions are still at full strength, though. Proof of which we’re no doubt about to witness.
“Mitch.”
JP first and then Petra step forward to embrace Dad.
Ava pulls up an armchair for Dad, so he can sit close to his visitors, who take a seat on the sofa. The rest of us arrange ourselves in the background, out of politeness and a wish to monitor the conversation. Max offers Ava the other comfortable chair, but she shakes her head and perches on its arm instead. All the better to leap into the fray. When it comes to fight or flight, Ava only understands the former.
There’s a bit of preliminary chat, mostly initiated by Petra. Danny and I exchange a look as she praises Max yetagain,while the object of her attention remains gallingly indifferent.
Then JP cuts to the chase.
“So what’s the deal, Mitch? I hear you’ve been reluctant to get treatment.”
Dad doesn’t bother casting an accusatory glance at his loose-lipped family. He’s focused on his latest adversary, JP.
“Depends on what you mean by treatment,” he says. “Plenty of non-invasive, natural ways to repair the heart.”
“Proven to work?” JP’s not holding back.
“Not byyourdoctors, perhaps,” counters Dad. “But there’s sound evidence nonetheless.”
He leans forward, holds up his fingers to tick off the points.
“CoQ10 reenergizes every single cell in the heart and can actuallyremoldits size and shape. You can supplement that with a regular tonic of cayenne pepper and hawthorn berry, and with B vitamins. Heavy metal chelators, such as cilantro and chlorella, can reduce the risk of a coronary event. Proteolytic enzymes clean out the blood and repair damage to epicardial tissue, and so canreverseheart damage.”
Ava’s head slumps for a second, and I sympathize. We’ve heard all this before. It still sounds like horseshit.
“What about the arrhythmia?” JP persists.
“A device can regulate the heartbeat,” says Dad. “But it doesn’t treat the underlyinghealthof the heart. You sortthatout, and the other issues go away.”
“Mitch.” Petra chimes in with her husky honeyed voice. “Don’t you think the risk is too high? Your beautiful familyneedyou.”
Again, Dad doesn’t look our way. I imagine he’s aware that his beautiful family’s primary wish right now is to beat some sense into him.
“I appreciate their concern,” he says tightly. “But this ismylife andmyhealth. I don’t interfere with the way they live, and I expect the same courtesy in return.”
“Dad, youruledour childhood with a rod of iron!” Ava can’t help herself. “It was your way or the freakinghighway!”
She has Mitch’s attention now. And he’s not happy.
“You were children, who needed guidance and focus,” he says. “As adults, you now have all the freedom in the world.”
