The Bitter Taste

Chapter 35: Thomas

"People with Schizophrenia get ECT two to three times a week for two to four weeks. They probably also get psychotherapy and take medicine under a psychiatrist's care." said Ms.Vanderbilt, as they sat on the wooden benches before a room. Jane supposed that it was little Thomas's room - Ms.Vanderbilt's younger brother.

"I see." said Jane. "Where is he now?"

"According to the Psychiatrists, he's undergoing shock therapy right now. It's due time." she replied, softness evident in her voice. "He's... going to get well soon. I really hope."

"Of course! People say that schizophrenia is a curable disease. I doubt that your brother's recovery will fail." Jane exclaimed, her eyes twinkling with hope. Somehow, she wanted her ecstatic behavior to reach Ms.Vanderbilt, and infect her with a contagious smile.

"While some may say that, another fruitful half say otherwise." The baron's daughter said, her voice cracking slightly. "In which I am beginning to believe."

"But why?" Jane asked.

"Jane... Thomas has been confined in this very hospital for longer than he could remember. He never went out, never got a chance to take a glimpse of the outside world, has never made friends other than the diseased patients, cooked, played, enjoyed different kinds of food, walked in a library, played the piano, toy trains, nor toy soldiers... he has never lived." Ms.Vanderbilt said, slowly feeling her breathing begin to go ragged. "And... I don't know how long he has left to withstand such torture. If I could, then I would eagerly change lives with him, but then again... I feel like- like I would rather die."

Before Jane sat a crumbling woman, on the verge of bursting out with tears, and she knew nothing of what to do. The young brunette felt pain, so much that at one point of her life, she had been convinced she was crazy, but now that she had just witnessed the real effects of such illnesses, she could never go back to question her own sanity. Jane was more happy now than she was yesterday, and the provincial decided that she would let it stay that way for the rest of the days.

As calm as her hands deemed possible, Jane caressed Ms.Vanderbilt's shoulder, which eventually evolved to a hug. "I understand..." Jane whispered.

Meanwhile, the Earl sat and watched as the two women consoled each other equally. He himself gradually got lost in the moment and began to rethink about Mr.Barnett. It was a rather strange occurrence, since he knew - they knew - how much lesser Mr.Chichester thought of the Barnetts despite the efforts they gave in trying to reform him. He had to admit that for a long while, he had considered the Barnetts, especially Mr.Barnett, merely a hindrance to his own life goals, or most explicitly, an interruption that he assumed they had no bloody care thereof. But, strange enough, he had noticed that the next following days seemed to go by quicker than it had been, as if the whims of time were playing with his thoughts and emotions, making him cling to the sort of tie he had with his mentor. They did take care of him after all.

"How awful." he mused to himself, but the sinking feeling he had tugging at his heartstrings told no lie. And he knew that.

The Earl's hand crawled underneath his overcoat, and reached out for a book that Mr.Barnett had given him to read. During one of the days of his teachings, Mr.Barnett had lent Henry a thick book with the title imprinted on it in bold black ink, "Jane Eyre". It was during those lessons that he discussed about morality when it came to love, and chose this classic as a good example because it exposed such meanings in a brighter, and broader perspective. Ever since then, the Earl kept it. Or rather, he hid it, because of the fact that he secretly did not want to return it. Thus, each time Mr.Barnett would ask him about the novel's whereabouts, he would always reply with, "I lost it."