But What If It's True?

By Paul Morrissette

When three political activists (one in the U.S.A., the others in Russia and China) receive an unauthorized manuscript on their impenetrable e-readers, the result is an international controversy that challenges the world's superpowers to work together to avoid a catastrophe.
The world's reaction to the possibility of a cooperative endeavor made by these three nations make for an engrossing story with a thought provoking conclusion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: May 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098375416

Book preview

cover.jpg

But What If It’s True?

©2021 Paul Morrissette

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

ebook ISBN: 978-1-09837-541-6

Chapter One:

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

September 16, 2036

Daniel Britten sighed with fatigue as he got out of his rental car and prepared to enter the hospice facility. He’d risen before dawn at his home in Maine and driven to Boston to catch a flight to Miami where the temperature hovered close to 100 degrees on this sultry mid-September afternoon. While he knew he’d arrived here as quickly as he could, he still couldn’t totally overcome a guilty feeling that told him he should have been here sooner.

Daniel was here to see his father who’d been living in this hospice in Fort Lauderdale for more than two months. Both he and his sister Cheryl had been here when his dad was admitted and they’d both promised that they would be back soon. Somehow, however, they had found reasons to put off a return trip. The heat and humidity were unappealing and as each week had passed, he had vowed that he would make the trip south in a few days. To be honest, Daniel knew that the weather was only a weak excuse. There was nothing important keeping him in Maine and now that he was here, he promised himself that he would stay as long as his father needed him. He didn’t blame Cheryl for having stayed away. After all, she had a husband and held a high-ranking job in the nation’s largest consumer products company. As for him, five years ago at age fifty-five, he’d taken an early retirement offer from the Boston newspaper where he’d enjoyed a long career, first as a reporter and, for his final ten years, as the Sports Editor. He left the Massachusetts capital shortly after retiring and moved to the peace and quiet of Pinetown, Maine.

That peace and quiet had been suddenly interrupted by the disturbing telephone call that had awakened him the previous evening. It hadn’t really been late, just a little after nine o’clock actually, but he’d fallen asleep while watching the Red Sox losing by five runs in the fourth inning. It was just another dismal performance in a losing season and not the first time he’d dozed off in the middle of a game

The ringing phone startled him into consciousness and he answered it with a less than friendly Hello. His phone rarely rang after dinner and he couldn’t imagine who would be calling him at this hour. A pleasant female voice said, Good evening, Mr. Britten, this is Joyce at the Desmond Hospice Center. It took a moment before he recognized what the Desmond Hospice Center was and what this call might be about. He thought he’d recovered quickly, however, and responded in a more professional tone. Yes, Joyce, how can I help you?

I’m sorry to disturb you, sir, but the staff here feels that we should make you aware that your father’s condition has taken a turn for the worse in the past few days.

George Britten, Daniel’s 86 year-old father had been admitted to the hospice center after a diagnosis of a slowly developing brain cancer. His doctors had said he wasn’t able to live on his own and George firmly insisted that he did not want to move back to New England to his daughter’s home in a Boston suburb or his son’s in Maine. He and his late wife had moved to Florida over twenty years ago and they’d never regretted the move. George had been a well-known political advisor to two former U.S. Presidents at the time of his retirement fifteen years ago, but he’d intentionally faded into obscurity and enjoyed his years out of the public eye. Sadly, his wife had passed away seven years ago, but despite losing her he’d insisted that he was content to spend the rest of his life in Florida.

His doctors had estimated that he had twelve to eighteen months to live and expressed some confidence that, with the possible exception of an occasional blackout, he would be able to enjoy his favorite pastimes of reading and stamp collecting for several months in the immediate future. And so, Cheryl had done a search for potential places where George might live comfortably and the three of them had spent two days visiting and evaluating the most promising ones. The Desmond Hospice Center was famous for not having lost a single resident during the Covid pandemic that had plagued the nation a little more than a decade ago. After thoroughly researching what was available, it was George himself who decided that this was the place where he would spend whatever time he had left.

The name of the facility made it sound like place where people went to die, but in fact it was much more than that. George was placed in a section that was actually a home for the elderly. It provided living accommodations, meals, and recreational activities for individuals who weren’t able to completely care for themselves. The plan was that he would stay in that section until his condition worsened. At the appropriate time, he’d be moved to the section for patients who truly needed the kind of care that hospices were known to provide. George understood the implications of this and had made it clear to Daniel and Cheryl that this was where he wanted to be.

Unfortunately George’s condition had worsened much more quickly than expected. Joyce informed Daniel that his father’s cancer had spread and that he’d been moved to the hospice’s Emergency Section that evening. I’m afraid he might not be with us much longer, she said, and if you want to see him while he is still able to communicate in the way you’re accustomed to, we recommend that you get here as soon as possible.

Daniel was surprised and he reacted angrily. Why wasn’t I informed of this sooner? he asked. My sister and I would have been there if we’d known there was a problem.

Your father made it clear that he didn’t want us to disturb you, Joyce calmly replied, and you must understand that this unexpected change in his condition has caught us by surprise too. While she did not say so explicitly, Daniel was left with the impression that the fact that neither his daughter nor his son had returned to visit George since his admission, might have left management of the facility with the impression that they were not too concerned about him.

Daniel was livid! Of course, he and Cheryl cared about their father. How could anyone possibly think otherwise? He knew his father well enough to be sure that he would not want anyone to call and alarm them, but surely the management of a hospice must routinely encounter patients with that attitude. Still there was nothing to be gained by complaining to this woman. Please tell my father that I’ll be there as soon as I can, he shouted as he turned his phone off.

He immediately began checking airline schedules and found that the quickest way to get to Fort Lauderdale was a flight to Miami out of Logan Airport in Boston that departed at nine o’clock the next morning. That would be followed by a relatively short drive in a rental car to the hospice.

He then called his sister and informed her of what he’d just learned. He promised he’d get back to her with an update as soon as he knew more, then went to pack a bag. He’d be getting up bright and early the next morning and knew he had better get some sleep.

* * * * *

Good afternoon, Mr. Britton.

Daniel was surprised to be greeted by name by the hospice’s receptionist. He took that as indication that he was expected and that management knew he was unhappy. He saw no reason to express his anger to this gray-haired woman, however. Good afternoon, he replied, I’m here to see my father.

Yes, I know you are and I’m certain he’ll be delighted to see you, she smiled. But first one of our doctors would like a word with you.

Daniel was about to say that he’d be happy to speak to a doctor after he saw his father, but before he could speak, the receptionist pointed behind him. And there’s Doctor Hansen now!

Daniel turned to see a short, balding man who looked to be old enough to be a resident of this facility himself extending his hand in greeting. He introduced himself and the doctor smiled, I know you’re eager to see your Dad, but first please allow me a few brief moments to fill you in on what’s been happening here. He led Daniel to a more private corner of the room. I know you were a bit upset when our staff phoned you last night, he began. I wish I’d been here so I could have called you myself and explained the situation in more detail. Still I have to say that we, the medical staff here, have been taken completely by surprise by your father’s relapse. We have never seen anything like it. I’m afraid his cancer has spread rapidly to other parts of his brain in a way that no one could have predicted. His most recent scan, taken yesterday, reveals a tumor that wasn’t visible a week ago and it is in a very sensitive part of his brain. The results of the scan were viewed for the first time early last evening and a decision to call you was immediately made. Please be assured that you were notified as soon as we knew about these developments,

B-but how is he? Daniel stammered.

I was just with him and right now he’s completely lucid, but I can’t predict how long that will last. He’ll be in and out of consciousness intermittently, so let me bring you to him now, so you can speak to him. I’ll be here to answer whatever questions you have later, but let’s get over there now.

Daniel was stunned, He wanted to ask more questions, but more importantly, he wanted was to see his father. He nodded in agreement, stood, and followed the doctor down a long hallway. When they reached his father’s room, Doctor Hansen led him in and announced, George, your son is here!

Daniel stepped around the doctor and rushed to his father’s bedside. His first impression was that he’d aged a bit in two months, but in truth he didn’t see much difference in his appearance. George smiled broadly and opened his arms wide. Daniel! It’s good to see you, he exclaimed.

And it’s great to see you, Dad! They hugged.

The conversation that followed was what you would have expected. Daniel apologized for not visiting sooner and George assured him that there was no need for apology. I’ve been fine, he insisted. There was no reason for you to be here. He went on to say that he’d been feeling a bit strange for the past few days. I kind of just lose track of where I am, he said, "but the feeling passes and I snap out of