We Are The Cure : The Plague Doctor's Tale.

Chapter 19

Rosalynn looked at Doctor surprised. Initially she didn't believe him but soon she realised that it could have been possible taking into consideration Doctor's bizarre behaviour and reactions. 

"Just to be clear, none taught you how to feel and express emotions?" She asked to be sure whether she understood him correctly.

"Actually yes. Emotions are unnecessary while treating the sick, even distracting at times. My father has always been saying a true Doctor should know no emotions." Doctor was looking at his own hands in gloves.

"That's terrible!" Rosalynn looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. 

"Not exactly. It is helpful. You do not feel pity nor sympathy nor sadness, whatever these emotions are. The only emotions you feel is emptiness or anger when somebody do something they are not expected to do." He emphasised his last words looking in Rosalynn's direction. 

"So you already know anger and calmness if I can call emptiness like that. Do you recognise any other emotions? Maybe astonishment or curiosity?"

"Darling, I am fully aware of the presence of various emotions which people are expected to experience. What I mean is that I do not... I am unable to name what I feel or why am I experiencing certain states and why my body and mind react in a particular way." He scratched his neck. "All I can tell are my physical symptoms like the squeezing in my chest or this weird feeling of tickling in my stomach or sudden pain in-" He didn't even finish the sentence when Rosalynn suddenly clung to him in a tight embrace. 

Doctor was in such shock that his body completely stopped obeying him and his mind went completely blank. He could feel her warm fast breath on his shirt and wet tears. Initially he wanted to back away from her but somehow he couldn't force himself to do that. For no particular reason he kept in mind to not hit her with his beak.

After few moments spent like that in silence Rosalynn released the embrace ad moved away from him. Doctor noticed her tears so he wiped them away.

"I told you you should rest with your broken ribs. How that even happen?" Suddenly he remind himself that he didn't even ask her about that.

"It doesn't matter right now. Besides, it's not the chest. I'm just...so moved. Tell me, what are you feeling right now?" By the movement of his head it was visible that Doctor was still somehow confused. 

"Hmm. I am not quite sure but this tickling again. And the feeling of empty mind but at the same time it is packed with contradicting thoughts." Rosalynn blushed and Doctor helped her to lie down again. 

"What kind of thoughts?" She asked carefully after a while of silence. Doctor was about to give an answer but the knocking to the door interrupted their conversation.

Doctor stood up and opened the door. It was Giovanni who was knocking.

"Hello, Doctor." He greeted him taking off his rounded hat. "I hope I am not interrupting any of your morning activities."

"Oh, no, you are not. Come in. Me and Rosalynn were just talking." Doctor moved out of the way and invited him in. Rosalynn on the other hand felt a little hurt hearing these words but soon she realised Doctor wasn't aware of his own feelings so she can't blame him for that. At least nobody taught him how to name them. 

"Rosalynn?" Giovanni's dark eyes gleamed in surprise when he heard her name. When he enetered the room and looked at her, he frowned. "What is she doing in your room, Doctor?"

"This room does not belong only to me. We are sharing it-"

"With a woman? In one room?" He looked at Doctor and then at Rosalynn and then at Doctor again.

"Is it something bad?" Rosalynn asked.

"Taking that you are still lying in bed and Doctor slept here with you. Yes, it may appear a little bit inappropriate-"

"I do not see what you consider inappropriate in this situation." Doctor tilted his head to the left. "Rosalynn was staying in bed due to the pain in her rib cage and I was sleeping on the chair." This explanation made no big difference to confused Giovanni.

"I see. Anyway, I've come here to ask you, Doctor." He looked at him. "Would you consider to accompany me during shopping for apothecary supplies? I would like to learn for you as much as I can."

"As far as I remember I have not given you an answer for your question yet." If it wasn't for the mask, both Rosalynn and Giovanni could have seen him frowning. Instead they saw him crossing his arms. 

"I know, I know. I'm sorry for being overbearing and impatient." The entire glow in his eyes faded. Seeing him unhappy Rosalynn decided to help him a bit.

"Doctor." She tried to get his attention. "Actually, don't we need to restock our pharmaceuticals as well?" 

"I don't think so, Rosalynn."

"But in Castleton we used almost all of them, don't you remember?" Doctor thought for a while, counted something on his fingers and then slowly nodded.

"Hmm. Perhaps you are right. Fine, let us go. But first, I need to apply an ointment on your ribs." Doctor came closer to her and lifted his blouse a bit. Giovanni blushed so hard he had to leave the room with quiet I will wait outside. "Will it be fine for you to get up and walk?"

"I think so." She slowly got up and made few steps forward. "It doesn't hurt that badly when I walk." She moved her arms and made a wry face. "But I can't lift my arms."

"Don't strain yourself. Do you need any help with your clothes?" If Giovanni would be here, he would have definitely blushed, and so did Rosalynn which is why she shook her head and ask him out of the room. 

She took off her current clothes and worn her green dress again. If only she weren't sleeping in that newly bought clothes... She decided to leave the crumpled clothes on the bed and hoped the material would straighten itself. She also brushed her hair and changed the headscarf. 

...

The three of them were walking the street when they bumped into a man in his sixties. Assessing by his look it was very hard to tell what was his occupation. Wearing a tartan skirt and a cotton shirt he just looked as every Scotsman. He recognised Doctor immediately and started a small talk. 

"Doctor Rae? Is that really you? " The man asked in Scottish.

"It depends on of which Doctor Rae are we talking about." Doctor answered also in Scottish.

"Doctor George Rae." 

"That's my father."

"Oh, so you must be his son Joseph, aye?" Doctor nodded and their continued their talk for a little longer. Rosalynn was standing there visibly confused as she couldn't understand what they were talking about but Giovanni knew a little bit of Scottish and was trying to translate for her. Both of them were surprised to know Doctor's first name.