The Right Life

Sedation.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> A time for letting cares float of into some
strange, foggy oblivion…most of the time.
However, not every body reacts the same way to it.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Amy Rainey’s certainly didn’t.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> She had been in a state of hysterics not
fifteen minutes ago, but now she was calm, her eyes nearly glazed over.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> As she stared at the ceiling above her, she
wasn’t even aware of Ted at her side.
Her mind wasn’t in the restful state that the doctor had hoped for – it
was more awake than it ever had been.

Well,
hello there darlin’. A male
voice sounded in her head.

Amy’s eyes
widened ever so slightly – Ted didn’t even notice. What the hell… Her
thoughts were tired, but coherent.

It’s
a shame that it took you so long to hear me.

What’s
going on? Who…who are you?

A friend,
darlin’ – I’m here to help you.

Help?

You
want your old life back – you think about it over and over and I hear it all.

I…I
don’t understand…

Nothin’
to understand. I’m here to help.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Got you this far didn’t I?

What?

I got
you down here to see Mr. Rainey. Gave
you the courage you couldn’t get on your own, even though you’ve been thinkin’
about him for so long.

You’re…in
my head?

The
voice chuckled. Sure, I s’pose
you can think of it that way. Thing is,
darlin’, I’m gettin’ restless. Now,
you’ve got some problems that need tended to, and I’ll be more than happy to…

Problems?style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I have a problem.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> A big problem!style="mso-spacerun: yes"> And I’m too damned drugged to get a word out
of my mouth.

Best
not utter a word about me, darlin’ – they might lock you up…then how would you
get Mr. Rainey back?

Mort?

That’s
right. The voice suddenly
became drier. You want the life
that you were robbed of, don’t you?
Mort as your husband? Kids
running around the house? Teddy out of
the picture?

I love
Ted!

Do
you? Funny thing, darlin’, if you love
him so much, why are your thoughts so focused on Mort, hm?style="mso-spacerun: yes"> How was I able to get you to come and find
him?

I…I
don’t know…I thought he’d understand.

An
almost hateful laugh filled her head. Understand?style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Understand? When you lost his baby, what happened? You pushed him away, darlin’, not the other way around.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> You and I both know that.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Then you ran off to Teddy, tryin’ to push Mr.
Rainey away even more. You sure are a
fickle thing, woman.

I can’t
have Mort…even if I do…w…

Yes,
you can, darlin’. I can help you get
everythin’ you want - after you heal.
You just gotta keep your mind open to me, you understand?

I
can have him back?

You
can have everythin’.

Amy shifted
in bed, a shadow of a smile forming on her face. Ted noticed this and caressed her face.

“Honey, are
you O.K.?”

Amy moaned
softly. “Wonderful.”