Grave Decisions

By P.A. Pursley

Dr. Styne is a loving husband, respected doctor, and trusted colleague. He has saved numerous lives during his medical career, and has been recognized as a genius among his peers. His ideal life takes a sudden turn when an inattentive driver causes an accident that lands his beloved wife in a coma. Dr. Frank N. Styne must now find a viable corpse in which to transfer his wife’s consciousness before death claims her. When an unwanted visitor arrives, Dr. Styne must now unravel a problem he did not foresee. He will soon find out just how good a doctor he truly is.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Dec 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781489739476

P.A. Pursley

P.A. Pursley resides in Aubrey, Texas with her two dogs. She loves participating in the annual NaNoWriMo writing challenge with her daughters. Her days are filled with God, reading, music, movies, exercising, teaching about essential oils, and talking to her friends overseas. Her vacation time is spent cruising the high seas.

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Copyright © 2021 P.A. Pursley.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-3948-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-3947-6 (e)

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 12/01/2021

CONTENTS

PART I

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

PART II

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

PART III

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Epilogue

Dedicated to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who showed us that death is not the final doorway.

And to my late husband, Ackley, who taught me how to live.

I’m grateful to be crying

I’m crying over you

I’m lucky that we love so good

It has to hurt this bad

I’m happy to be sad

Ben Platt happy to be sad

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.

Song of Songs 8:6 (NASB)

PART I

The Doctor

Rain beat down as the dark figure of a man made his way up the steep composition shingle-topped roof. While attempting to shield his eyes from the driving force of the water and the blinding lightning, he placed the copper pole against the jack pipe and tied it as taught as his gloved hands would allow.

Slowly he turned to head down the water-slicked roof when his foot slipped. His back thudded against the house covering, and he started to slide down the steep grade. The edge of the gutter came upon him fast as he put his foot out to stop himself. The metal gutter shifted when the weight of his body hit. The flimsy metal held until he could maneuver himself to the ladder still leaning against the house allowing him to shimmy his way down to the first rung.

His heart pounded in his chest as he tried to breathe through his mouth without letting in too much rain. Water puddled on the ground and soaked his tennis shoes when he descended and stepped into the grass, right into water up to his ankles; too much water in too short a time. The ground couldn’t soak it up fast enough.

Groaning, he felt the cold water saturate his shoes and socks. Anxious to get the copper pole in place, he never thought about how slippery the bottom of tennis shoes could be on a pebble-covered roof. All he remembered from the casual conversation with the electrician was that he had to wear rubber-soled shoes when working with electricity.

Stamping his feet in an attempt to get as much water off as he could before entering the house, he realized his actions were in vain. Leaving watery footprints all over the floor, Frank headed down into the basement from the back door of the old house.

Grabbing a towel from the linen closet, the rain-soaked doctor ran downstairs into the dark cold of the cellar. The only light coming into the unfinished part of the basement were the flashes of light that nature spread across the sky and the florescent lighting from the finished inner room.

With only the sounds of the thunderstorm and his squeaky tennis shoes, the six-foot tall physician walked to the doorway of the inner room and stood looking inside.

Laying on the table was the naked body of a woman. His heart beat against his ribs thinking about what he hoped would happen. Just as he was about to enter the room, the lighting overhead blinked out.

Cursing, Frank ran to the other side of the basement to flip the switch of the large generator. Before he could turn on the 10,000-watt back-up power, there was a simultaneous sudden crack of thunder and flash of lightning.

His hands flew over his head as if trying to protect himself when he realized what had happened. It happened. What he needed to happen.

Rushing to the doorway, he watched as the final trace amounts of electricity buzzed over the woman’s prone body following the wire leads attached to her limbs, head, and torso.

In the dark of the room, the power surge crawled over the wires like bugs trying to find a place to hide. As if the last crack of nature was the final note, the storm ceased outside.

He waited a moment before turning back to the generator and flipping the power switch. The generator came to life and filled the inner room with light. A second later, the sounds of beeps and blips filled the room as the monitors attached to the woman’s body came to life telling Frank that the heart inside the woman’s body was starting to beat.

Beep. Beep. Beep. It was music to his ears.

Checking the heart monitor again to make sure he wasn’t imagining things, his eyes welled with tears as he watched the supple body of the woman slowly start to pink as the blood began to course, once again, through her veins.

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CHAPTER 1

We’re out of eggs. I’m gonna run to the store real quick. Elizabeth leaned over Frank as the sun poured orange morning light into the room. Her hair brushed his face as she kissed his forehead.

Mmm. Stay in bed with me, Frank said groggily as he reached over and gently pulled on Elizabeth’s arm trying to coax her to join him back in their bed.

She giggled and touched his face with her free arm. Do you want an omelet, or do you want me to stay in bed with you? You told me last night you wanted some breakfast which means going to the store. Have you changed your mind? she whispered to him.

He felt her warm breath on his skin, and he had to think about which was the more powerful urge, food or sex.

No, he moaned as he let go of her arm. Relenting to the demands of the day. He had an early morning brainstorming session with his research colleagues regarding their recent clinical trials presentation to the Board of Directors of the American Medical Association.

Thanks a lot. I feel very special, Elizabeth said as she straightened up and slung her purse over her shoulder.

He cracked a single eye open at her and knew that even if he had chosen sex, Elizabeth’s mind would have been on the things he needed to accomplish today. His loving wife was always looking out for his best interests and the interests of the world that benefited from his work.

I love you, he said in an apologetic attempt to get back into her good graces.

She smiled at him and leaned over once again, I love you truly, she said.

He grinned broadly, I love you madly.

I love you deeply, she finished and gave him a kiss to match their word play.

It was something they had been doing since he had been in medical school. Eighteen years later, they still played at it. Truly, madly, deeply. That was the quintessential display of their truly, madly, and deep love for each other. After all the years together, they have never tired of each other.

I will be right back, Elizabeth said as she straightened up and headed out their bedroom door.

Frank lay in the bed another five minutes before deciding it was time to get up and act like a live human being.

Steam filled the bathroom as Frank realized he had forgotten to turn on the overhead fan so the steam could vent. Elizabeth had gotten into the habit of coming into the shower and flipping the switch for him.

Hot water poured over his toned body. They had only been married a couple of years when they started trying to have children. She had put them both on a strict eating and fitness routine so they could be healthy for the baby. After months of trying, they finally saw a fertility doctor who informed them that Frank’s reproductive cell count was too low for them to conceive. They talked about adoption, but decided they wanted a child of their own. Sixteen years have passed, and they had not done anything more about it. But the fitness lifestyle stayed.

With his shower done, he dressed in a pair of khakis, dress shirt, and dress shoes before making his way downstairs. Chimes came from the grandmother clock sitting on the mantle sounding the half hour. Glancing at his watch, he realized Elizabeth had been gone for almost forty-five minutes. That was more than enough time to run to the store and make breakfast.

Noise flooded the living room as he turned on MSNBC. Placing the remote back onto the coffee table, he sat down while at the same time picking up the book that lay just a foot away from where he sat.

It was Elizabeth’s leather-bound copy of The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe with gilded edges that had become faded with use. Poe was her favorite author and the book was always within reach.

Letting the book fall open on the soft leather sofa, it opened at the bookmark Elizabeth had placed to keep her reading spot.

I was a child and she was a child

In this kingdom by the sea,

But we loved with a love that was more than love

I and my Annabel Lee –

With a love that the winged seraphs of Heaven

Coveted her and me.

Smiling, he remembered Elizabeth telling him it was her favorite because the love part of the tragic poem reminded her of them.

Leaving the book open to the poem, he decided he better at least get the coffee started.

Moving from the living room into the kitchen, the landline rang just as Frank passed the old phone hanging on the wall.

Hello? he answered as he wondered who would be calling so early in the morning.

Mr. Styne? a young female voice came through the line.

Dr. Styne, he corrected out of habit.

"I’m sorry. Doctor Styne. Is your wife Elizabeth Styne?"

Yes. The thought of coffee was suddenly the furthest from his mind.

This is Maggie. I’m a nurse at St. Paul Memorial Hospital.

Yes?

Doctor, you wife was brought into the emergency room. She’s been in a car accident.

Beth? he asked subconsciously using the name he only used with her in the bedroom. Is she okay? he gripped the phone tighter as his adrenal cortex released hormones into his body.

She is alive. She was brought in and went immediately into surgery. I’m sorry, we couldn’t wait. Time was of the essence. You understand, doctor.

Who is the surgeon? he asked as he reached over and grabbed his car keys from the key holder on the wall.

Dr. Cox, she replied.

Okay. You tell him I will be there as soon as possible, Frank spoke sternly into the phone before slamming it back into its cradle.

Grabbing his jacket from the coat rack, he headed out the back door of the kitchen that joined with the garage. Hitting the button near the door, the garage door started to move as it automatically opened. Frank slid in behind the steering wheel and started the car before quickly shifting the gears into reverse.

When the door was opened sufficiently enough, he backed down the drive, a car swerved to miss him and honked as they passed. He slammed on the brakes to keep from hitting the other car.

Charlie, their neighbor across the street, was outside of his house on his porch as his small dog went for its morning constitutional. Charlie looked up at the passing motorists as they honked.

Frank took a second and hit the remote button to close the garage door before peeling out of the driveway, slamming the car into drive, and racing down the street passing the car he almost hit going in the same direction.

His brain was going in several directions at once. Urgency demanded he get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Safety wanted him to stop at every stop sign and red light. He followed the rules of the road as loosely as he could without being pulled over by a cop.

Five miles of road passed under the tires of the car. Questions swirled around his mind as trees, houses, stores, and sky whizzed by him.

***

Ripples of voices carried across the large dining hall as small groups of doctors, scientists, and benefactors engaged in conversations concerning their presence at the award ceremony. Floor-length evening gowns, salon-treated updos, and black tuxedos moved about the room while others sat at white linen-clad tables drinking wine, whisky, and water from cut-crystal glasses.

Lights twinkled from large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling causing diamonds, precious gems, and cut gold jewelry to glitter as hands moved carrying food across plates and into waiting mouths.

At the front of the room stood a platform stage with steps on either side leading up to its height. Long tables sat end to end making one continuous seating arrangement for the guest of honor and his family along with the master of ceremonies.

It was an exciting evening for the one who would be receiving the attention due him for his accomplishment. And for someone as keen-minded, precision oriented, and authoritative as Dr. Styne, it was an award well deserved.

Honey, they’re ready for you, Elizabeth said, placing a hand gently on his arm to get his attention.

Dr. Styne’s conversation was cut short as he turned and nodded his response to Elizabeth. He leaned down and kissed her before turning on his heel and headed toward the front of the banquet hall.

Elizabeth followed him in her ecru colored dress that reached to the floor and hugged her in all the right places. It was one of Frank’s favorites because it reminded him of the simple dress she wore on their wedding day. It was similar in length and huggability, but that was all. As much as her wedding gown had been inexpensive and subdued, the evening gown was that much more expensive and glamorous.

Arriving at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the top of the stage, Frank waited for Elizabeth to ascend them first, stealing a glance of her still shapely buttocks as it moved beneath the gown.

Frank, Elizabeth spoke under her breath, I do not think that is appropriate here.

Nobody’s watching, Frank said always amazed that she knew he was watching her walk. Even after eighteen years of marriage, he still felt the stirrings of desire between his legs as he followed her.

Ladies and gentlemen, the master of ceremonies began as the small clusters of people that were still standing around started to make their way to their seats. His voice rang through the hall as he began. It’s my privilege to introduce our guest of honor tonight. The MC glanced down at his note card on the podium. "He’s won the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting two years running for his published works, Death: A Thing of the Past and Eternity: Closer Than You Think, both published in JAMA. He’s also won the Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award for his medical research in human longevity. He paused to scan the room. I don’t think I need to remind the brilliant minds gathered here that to obtain just one of these awards in one’s lifetime is considered a major accomplishment, but our honoree will now be the recipient of two prestigious medical awards. We are proud to bestow upon Dr. Frank Styne the Lasker Award for his medical breakthrough in sustaining the cognitive synapses of rabbits in biomedic chips. I quote from his paper Eternity: Closer Than You Think, ‘We’ve been taught in religious circles spanning the globe that eternity comes after death. After this fragile body surrenders its soul inside to be whisked away on angel’s wings to the heavens. But I ask, why can’t we have eternity here on Earth? Why can’t we live to see our great, great, great grandchildren grow up? Why must we be satisfied with the few years Mother Nature has given to us in these broken-down bodies? With continued support and research, I believe eternity is closer than we think.’ Ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Franklin Nathaniel Styne. The MC had to raise his voice as the clapping started before he could finish saying Frank’s name. Congratulations, doctor!" The MC shouted in Frank’s ear to be heard above the applause as Styne shook