"...a young woman by the name of Stephanie Burke."
"You can't...you can't be serious?" you stuttered, feeling yourself starting to well up, not quite believing what the doctor was telling you, "My mom's dead?!"
"I'm afraid so, son," another voice suddenly spoke, and you watched as a much taller, older doctor with gray hair walked towards you and gently put a hand on your shoulder for comfort, telling you softly, "We're sorry for your loss. Truly we are. But there was really nothing we could do."
Letting out a loud whimper, you croaked, "Oh God!" before breaking into tears, not even really registering what else they had told you, the loss of your mother being in itself too great for you to deal with right now. Giving you a moment while you released this wave of emotion, feeling a great sadness deep down within your very soul, never imagining that something like this could happen to you or your family, and especially not to your mother. She had been so kind and full of life, warm and comforting with a friendly personality and an infectious sense of humor. Realizing that you would never get to speak to her again, or be told off for not cleaning your room, or for staying out too late, or even get to taste her wonderful cooking was just too horrible for words. You had only known her for less than 17 years of your life and now you would never ever see her again.
Though this wasn't strictly true was it? What was it Kerry had said, while you had been overwhelmed by this terrible news? Something about your mother being a donor and some woman called Stephanie's brain being transplanted inside her. This couldn't be real surely? Body transplants weren't real, and even if they were, someone else couldn't be your mom!
"What...what did you mean, about brain transplants and my mom's body and stuff?" you asked the doctors once you finally felt like you could speak, hoping that this was all some bad joke and looking at each of them with pleading eyes.
Stepping forward again after a moment, the tall doctor, who you were fairly sure had to be Dr. Saunder's (Kerry having mentioned his name before), tentatively answered, "Exactly what he said, Tim. I'm sorry, I really am. I know how difficult this must be to hear, especially after whats just happened, but Dr. Kerry had to make a life or death situation to save that young woman's life, and your mother really was the only suitable donor."
"So, you're saying that there is another person inside my mom's body? Another woman?"
"Another brain was transplanted into it, yes," he replied, answering as patiently as he could, "It was the only way she could have possibly survived. Her body was just too badly damaged."
"And even though the procedure is very new and revolutionary," Dr. Kerry chimed in, looking very pleased with himself as he did, "it has been 100% successful. Ms. Burke appears to be recovering remarkably. Her new synapses are all firing correctly and her reflexes are perfectly normally, indicating that she does indeed have full control of her new motor functions. It really is quite remarkable."
Although this was all extremely confusing and difficult to hear, and your head wasn't really in much of a good space for anything right now, you had to at least take solace in the fact that even in death she had helped someone; having always been a very giving and conscientious person. "I guess...I guess it's what my mom would have wanted," you said to them both, trying to get to grips with what they were telling you, "It's just strange to think that someone else is going to live out the rest of their life looking like her."
This made the doctors both pause as they looked at each other somewhat awkwardly for a moment, before Saunders eventually spoke up, fiddling somewhat nervously with his hands as he did. "Yes, well, uh...there's slightly more to it than that I'm afraid," he began, clearing his throat and glaring at his colleague, "You see this brain transplanting procedure, its, well, its really still only in the development stages and hasn't fully been tested yet, nor has it been officially sanctioned by either the hospital or the medical board. Although it was a success and saved Ms. Burke's life, if wind of any of this got out, things would get very messy indeed." Adding then, in as serious a tone as he could muster (as if trying to assuage his own guilt) he told you, "And...and not just for us either, but for everyone involved! The media attention, press intrusion, not to mention the legal ramifications of this young woman now being in your mother's body would be overwhelming, and the sacrifice your father allowed us to make to save her life would be for nothing. Do you understand?"
Though you found the fact that they had done this transplant seemingly behind everyone's back rather suspect, it had saved a life, so you could see where they were coming from, and figuring that they were going to ask for your silence, you told them, "Yeah, I guess so", not wanting to be hounded by the media (especially not after your mom had just died).
What Saunders said next however, knocked you completely for six, having been correct about the silence part but not to what exactly you would have to remain silent about. "This is why, once Ms. Burke wakes up and once she's got a handle on everything that has happened to her," Saunders continued, "we're going to request that she, along with the rest of your family, keep things quiet and go on living as if she were actually your mother - as if she were really Jennifer Connors.
"WHAT?!" you yelped, springing up from the bed, before being hit suddenly by a sharp pain in your sides and falling back down again, coughing and spluttering. Rushing quickly to your side to make sure you were okay, the two doctors told you to relax and take things slow, your body obviously not being ready yet for any kind of big movement, while you lay there struggling believe what it was they'd just told you. Eventually though, after a couple of minutes, once the pain had subsided, you managed to croak out, "You're...you're kidding right? You seriously want me to pretend that some stranger is my mom and that my real mom hasn't just died!? That's...that's insane!"
"I know it might sound like that, and I know it might appear rather insensitive and hard to accept right now, but it really is for everyone's benefit, Tim," Dr. Saunders assured you, trying to be tactful. "We really don't want you to think we are making light of your mother's passing, but I assure you, this is the only way. Nobody else can know about this procedure, so Ms. Burke has to appear to have died and your mother lived."
Looking over at Kerry then for some assistance, the shorter, balder doctor joined in, explaining that, "It will only be for the benefit of others of course. You and your family will still all know the truth. And it doesn't have to be permanent either, just as long as everyone believes she's Mrs. Connors. After things have died down, your father and her can divorce and she can go do whatever she wants with her new life."
You still weren't convinced by this however, even after the doctors explanation; it just seemed so wrong and not really something you could imagine having to actually to do.
Sensing this, Saunders then told you "I know, it's a lot for you to take in after everything that's happened, so perhaps it's best if we left you alone for a bit, to get some sleep." Before you could reply, or do pretty much anything, you watched as he then moved towards your IV drip and twisted a little nozzle, presumably giving you something to help you rest, telling you as he did, "We'll send your father in to see you in a bit, once you've had a proper rest. Then perhaps he can help you to understand why this must be done," adding just as you felt things start to become rather fuzzy, "He already agreed to it after all..."
The next thing you knew, the world suddenly dropped into darkness and you fell into a long, deep sleep, waking, God knows how long after, to find your dad sitting there by your bed...
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