"Yes, you are right. It is about Autumn." Anthony answered as a frown descended upon his face. With Autumn's due date drawing closer, Anthony began looking for a drug that would completely cure her disease. He had tested countless Chinese and western medicine, referred to many medical books and finally found two kinds of medicine which would prove helpful.
One was Chinese medicine while the other was western medicine, but...
"What has happened? Why don't you speak out your trouble openly?" Arthur added as he got more nervous by the second,"Is there any problem in the medicine for Autumn's treatment?"
"Yes," Anthony said with embarrassment,"I have referred to all the Chinese medical books and found a kind of medicine to cure Autumn's disease, but it works very slowly and Autumn will take three years to completely recover."
Arthur let out a sigh and said,"Well, Autumn looks normal now and is much better than her earlier state. Now she won't lose her control as long as she isn't irritated, but her character has been changed. She has two pole opposite moods; either she gets too indecisive or too kind. That is totally different from who she was, I fear with each passing day she is changing into someone different from our dear lovely Autumn."
"Yes. This medicine is known to change one's nature and behavior." Anthony sighed and added,"I have written to my teacher from abroad and he knows about another western medicine which can cure Autumn's disease with just one pill."
Then he gave a bitter smile and said to Arthur,"The reason why I came here today is to discuss with you whether we should share this piece of information with Autumn and let her choose the medicine she wants to go with or not."
"Is there even a need to have a discussion about this? I mean the choice seems obvious. Of course it's better to use the western medicine." Arthur added,"Now that we have found a kind of medicine that can cure her disease in one go, so why should we think about the Chinese medicine which would take so many years and alter her character?"
Anthony was speechless while Arthur realized that it seemed too good to be true and hesitantly asked,"Does this western medicine have some counter effect?"
"Yes, it does." In fact, Anthony wouldn't have come here to discuss matters with Arthur if the medicine was safe and clear cut the right option. Anthony took a heavy breath and answered,"This medicine can completely cure Autumn's disease effectively. But among the ten subjects that were tested with this medicine, nine lost their memories soon after that. Therefore I'm very concerned and have to consult you about this pressing matter. The odds here with the western medicine are very slim."
Arthur folded his hands and paced around the study room anxiously. He felt so hurt and helpless that being a sophisticated and world renowned doctor, even he couldn't find the cure for his granddaughter's disease.
There were only two kinds of medicine for her disease and both had adverse affects which could impair her lifelong. One was slow to take effect while the other would leave severe after effects. Both of them were not the best and safe option.
"So... what is the third option, if we decide to abandon the first two cures?" Arthur asked Anthony hoping for some better way out of this mess.
Anthony shook his head and answered,"I have read all books and material available about this disease and consulted many experts worldwide. It seems that only the two kinds of medicine can cure her disease irrespective of the side-effects."
Arthur sighed out of disappointment and exclaimed,"This is all my fault to begin with, I did not take care of her carefully. How could I let something like this to happen with my blood?"
"It's not your fault, Grandpa Arthur. Please don't think that way." Anthony said to Arthur,"I hope you can decide whether to tell Autumn about this or not."
Autumn was a married woman and was going to give birth to babies soon. How could she lose all her memories at such a crucial time? Would Charles agree for her to take the medicine at the cost of her forgetting everything?
Ultimately it was a life altering decision and it had to be Autumn who had to make a decision.
"I think we shouldn't tell Autumn about this right now. There will come a time, because she has to make this decision herself." Arthur said with concern. Autumn would give birth to the babies within the next few months. It was better to tell her about this after the childbirth. Then Arthur would ask her to make a decision.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Apple of My Eye