That's What I Thought Too

William and Leslie came in holding a shirt.

"Want to see the hottest selling jersey in major league baseball?"

The showed me a Rangers jersey with my name and number on it.

"I didn't realize I had a jersey in the gift shop."

"Until 10 pm last night you didn't. We've got orders for over ten thousand of them. You would not believe the number of flowers you've received."

"William, can you do me a favor? Would you have someone take a picture of each of them, put that picture with the card, and then have the flowers distributed to all of the other patients in the hospital. I doubt it's possible to send thank you cards, so I'll have a website guy I know make a collage of all of the pictures and cards."

"Will do Brent. Nice touch. Do you think you can work with Ryan and Nolan today?"

"Yes. That would be a nice break from all of these reporters."

The hospital gave me a private office to work with Ryan and Nolan. Stan was watching as I worked with the kids.

"Brent, would you mind if we put some brain activity monitors on the kids while you work with them?"

"I don't think it matters. What are you proposing to hook up?"

"It's called an Electroencephalography, EEG. It's the measurement of the electrical activity of the brain by recording from electrodes placed on the scalp. The EEG is capable of detecting changes in electrical activity in the brain on a millisecond-level. It is one of the few techniques available that has such high temporal resolution."

"Do it. The more we know, the more it might help find a universal solution."

After a short break, I continued working with both. They were to the stage where they didn't always need my mental influence, if only once in a while.

+ + + +

Tuesday morning I kept working on Jolene and Paula. I had morning wood again. I thought 'Suck cock' over and over. They were too busy to surrender.

On Tuesday afternoon, after morning surgery, there were about a dozen people in my room. I'd given so many interviews it was getting very annoying. At first I didn't notice her. She slipped in when someone left. The hospital was limiting the number of people in my room at any time. I don't remember what question I was answering when I recognized her. She was wearing my Rangers jersey.

"Steph?"

"Hey sweetie, long time."

"Everybody else out. I'll talk to you later."

When we were alone "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"A friend works for the BBC. See, I have a press pass. Long story short. I couldn't wait any longer."

"What do you mean? I don't understand."

"Your awesome hit is an international sensation. You are the heartthrob of millions of women. If I didn't try to win you back now I might never get the chance."

"But you're married."

"No. Do you remember that subway bombing back in April?"

"Yeah, one of my former cricket teammates died."

"My husband also died. I have my two kids and there's no reason we can't pick up where we left off. I tried to talk to you about it earlier but things never seemed to work out. At least think about it. Please?"

I thought 'Blink'. She did. I smiled.

"How about I promise to consider it."

There were tears trickling down "Okay. Please say yes. I've never stopped loving you."

"Where are your kids? How old are they now?"

"They're one and three. My parents flew down to meet me. The kids are at their hotel. Can you still do it?"

"Yeah, I made you blink earlier. That's a good thing. My benefactor wouldn't be very pleased with my work if that went away."

Steph held up some British newspapers. I was a hometown hero to them. 'Mr. Double teaches the yanks how it's done'. 'All is forgiven, come back home'. The picture on the stories looked like a cricket player wearing a Ranger's uniform.

"I'll understand if you don't want me. I just had to try."

"Come here. Cuddle for a bit."

A bit was interrupted thirty minutes later when the nurses came in for their hourly torture session.

"Come back tomorrow. I need some time."

I wanted her. I just didn't know if this was a good idea. I'd ask the smartest person I knew, but something told me that that deck was stacked.

The local news station did an interview which would be played at some point during game one. It aired during one of the pitching changes. The Rangers lost game one.

Leslie had opted to stay with Ryan and Nolan. She joined me shortly after the game.

"Brent, tomorrow night we are going to have a camera set up in your room. They will cut in and interview you before the game. William wants you to throw out the first pitch for game three on Friday. Over one hundred thousand of your jerseys have been sold worldwide. Your cricket jersey is sold out too. You're up to sixteen hundred sprays of flowers you've received."

"Thanks for the update. I'm anxious to get out of here. We're making good progress on both Ryan and Nolan. Pretty soon we'll be teaching them to respond to their own snap."

With tears leaking down her face "Thank you Brent."

+ + + +

I awoke Wednesday morning to a most pleasant feeling. It felt like my cock was getting a warm bath. When I pried my eyelids open I saw Paula sucking my cock. She was good. I didn't last long and then she cleaned me with her tongue.

"Anytime you want more you just call me honey."

She wiggled her boobs and ass as she left my room.

Around ten Stan Edwards shooed everyone out.

"Brent, let me show you something."

He produced some of those scan charts.

"These are the scans of those kids you were working with the other day."

"I'll bite. These mean nothing to me."

"Look at lines three through six. How similar do you think they are?"

"Very similar. Looks like one of them stopped working. What's the point?"

"Let me show you a video. Count the number of probes on the kids."

"I see six. You have six lines of activity."

"Keep watching."

Nolan scratched his head and one of the probes dangled in midair. Other than that I didn't spot any other odd behavior.

"What did I miss?"

"Did you see the probe come off?"

"I did. So?"

"Look again at the scans. Tell me where the probe fell off."

Line four went from full inch squiggles to about an eighth of an inch squiggles. I pointed to that spot.

"So tell me Brent. How is it that all of the probes continued to work? Granted the fourth probe is different but it isn't flat lined. How do you explain that? How is it that you can use your Snap therapy and no one can duplicate your results? How is it that you are sitting between your kids and that brain scan monitor and the dangling probe mimics what the kids are thinking?"

I simply raised my eyebrows and shrugged my shoulders.

"How do you do it? Those brain scans of yours, that I thought were suspect, really are aren't they?"

"Doc, can this wait until the World Series is over?"

"I don't think so Brent. I need answers."

"If I give you a small something, can we postpone the witch-hunt until the Series is over?"

After pondering a bit "Alright, what do you propose."

"I think the nurse named Jolene is on duty. Bring her in and have her stand next to me but watching you. While you are getting her I'm going to write you two notes. Read the first one then watch her face. When I say 'Done' read the second note."

Stan left and returned with Jolene. She seemed amused. I handed Stan the notes. He read the one marked #1.

I thought 'Blink' waited a few seconds and repeated it four more times.

"Done" I announced.

"Thank you nurse. Please leave."

The first note said 'count the number of times she blinks'. The second note said 'five'.

"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! What else could it be? Tell me more."

"A deal is a deal doc. After the Series I'll tell you more. I'm using it for a good cause. Don't go doing something stupid."

"We have to figure out how to replicate what you are doing."

"I'd love that. I feel like such a heel when I turn down some parents. I've said too much. After the Series."

+ + + +

After working with Ryan and Nolan they rolled me back to my room. Leslie was waiting for me again.

"You have a visitor. I've told the hospital to keep the press on a regular schedule. She's the one you cleared the room for yesterday. Can I show her in?"

"Please. Thank you."

Steph walked in "Hi sweetie. How are you doing?"

"Better. What a circus. I assume you are taking some vacation from your job?"

"Yes and no. I work for a think tank. I can work on the road as long as I attend the web conferences."

"I need a really smart person to handle my affairs. I don't know her availability. These next two weeks are going to be hectic."

"If you are offering me a job, I accept. How about us?"

"This is tough Steph. The only way I'd be willing to do this is if your kids won't blink. I don't think I should try to raise kids that can't think for themselves. If you want to bring them by we can find out."

"I have to bring them by. I want you back."

"How about you watch the game with me tonight? Bring the kids."

+ + + +

Wednesday night was fun. Their play by play announcer, Joe, did the live cut-in. They had me wear my Rangers button up shirt, unbuttoned so my chest was showing. My full length leg cast proudly displayed. Thankfully they agreed to remove the IV and disconnect the other monitors.

"Five four three two one" and they pointed at me.

"Brent, how are you feeling?"

"Like I ran into a brick wall at full speed. Thanks for having me on Joe."

"That cast looks like it might slow you down. What's the prognosis for you?"

"The whitecoats don't think I'll ever play again. Too much damage to ever fully perform at this level. Never say never though. I have no regrets."

"Well Brent, if you retire now you'll have a four hundred batting average and an eleven hundred slugging percentage. Maybe we should start calling you Mr. Four Hundred."

After another minute of back and forth scripted sound bites "Enjoy the game Brent."

"Thanks Joe. Go Rangers!"

The lights dimmed. The production honcho gave the imaginary throat slash "Good job people."

Once the television broadcast throng left my room, Steph and her kids, Alvin and Caitlyn, shuffled in. I'd never seen such a forlorn look. Steph was terrified at the possible outcome. She gave me a hug and planted herself next to my good leg. The kids were fascinated by the hospital equipment.

"Now or after the game Steph?"

"I don't give a squat about the game. Let's get it over."

"Alright Steph, you place a child near me and then go stand by the door."

Each of her kids sat on the edge of my bed, one at a time. Neither of them blinked. I really didn't think they would as I was thinking 'FOCUS!'

I decided that I wanted Steph and I'd have to figure out how to deal with her kids. I can always tell Steph that it must show up when kids are older. I didn't know if they would blink. I didn't want to know. I wanted Steph back.

"Steph, I'm willing to try again if you are."

She was smothering me with hugs and kisses when Stan dropped by to check up on me.

"Stan this is Steph. She's my closest friend, confidant, and significant other. She knows things you only wish you knew."

Steph looked at me with a shocked expression.

"He knows Steph. Not as much as you, but he's a smart cookie and figured out that there's more to me than my book cover."

"Nice to meet you Steph" as they shook hands.

Steph spoke softly with him. He pulled a few nurses in and Alvin and Caitlyn went on a tour with the nurses. Steph pulled a cart in front of the door to block anyone from entering.

"Stan says you are able to continue your favorite bachelor activity."

Steph wiggled out of her shorts and my cock responded immediately. She made sure I didn't remove my earbuds. After carefully working my cock into her hot wet pussy, she bounced up and down for just a few minutes before I shot my load. With a few medicated wipes she cleaned me up and kissed me deeply.

"I've missed you so much."

Steph left my room and returned with her kids.

While the Rangers were changing pitchers, in the seventh, Snap therapy got quite a boost. An abbreviated version of the two minute local news story, about Emma and Roger, was shown to the millions of people tuned in to watch the game.

It was a very emotional few minutes. We settled down to watch the game. The eighth inning wasn't over when Stan Edwards entered my room.

"Brent, we have a problem. Our switchboard has been swamped with people wanting to get in touch with you. That piece about your Snap therapy program has exposed your talent to a very wide audience. You have a visitor who immediately drove down here to talk with you. What would you like me to tell them?"

"Can you put them in that room where you monitored the kids the other day? Hook up the scanner. Steph will help me with this."

Albert Johnson was nine years old and had been incommunicado since shortly after his fourth birthday. The nurses hooked up the brain scan machine. If Albert didn't blink, I wanted the blame placed on some scientific machine. When Albert blinked, and responded to 'CHOOSE', I had my oldest patient yet.

Once we were back in my room I gave my uneducated opinion.

"Stan, if you want to get involved, here's what I think. The pattern seems to be that these kids start slipping into this abyss when they turn four. I think that it might be something that chemicals can fix. Perhaps these kids have too much or too little of one or more enzymes in their blood. Almost certainly a combination of multiple enzymes. One would have been too easy to spot. To me this seems like a liver and or kidney problem since it takes four years to make the cocktail toxic to these kids. I can provide you with dozens of kids you can test. Another aspect to pursue would be finding the DNA marker that causes whatever this is. Many of these kids have younger siblings. Capture their blood now and if they slip later you can recheck. How's that for uneducated babble?"

Stan had the look of a soldier on a mission "I'll get started in the morning. Get me contact info."

I'd seen that look in Steph's eyes more than a few times. She was already searching the internet.

We lost game two.

In the morning I learned that my Snap therapy email account had maxed out its inbox. I didn't even know that was possible. There were over two hundred new flowers in the hospital hallways.

Steph invited Stan into my room.

"The think tank I work for allows us to open new projects. I've been approved to research 'Loane's disease'. We'll have access to Watson. We need to have about fifty DNA samples of normal children and a similar quantity from those with Loane's disease. I think that should be sufficient to identify the DNA marker. Watson is that good."

Stan jumped in "I've been in touch with your London associate and she's busy contacting the parents for both DNA swabs and blood samples. About a third of them have younger siblings. About the same amount have older siblings which don't have Loane's disease. I'm testing them too! I've put my assistant on contacting all of those who flooded our switchboard last night. I don't know how many you'd like to see personally but at least we know how to reach them."

+ + + +

I was discharged on Thursday. My apartment wasn't suitable for my condition so I rented a ground level hotel room. The paparazzi tracked my every move. I worked again with Ryan and Nolan.

Steph left her kids with her parents and we enjoyed morning and afternoon sex. She helped me get ready for the press conferences.

Friday night was a mixture of emotions. Throwing out the first pitch, and the cheering crowd, was an unforgettable thrill. Steph and I watched the game from William's private box. The network broadcast found three instances of parents holding up 'Help us Brent' signs showing a small child. Steph brushed the tear from my face "It's okay sweetie. You can only do so much."

We lost games three and four and our season was over.

+ + + +

Stan was on the phone early Sunday morning.

"Brent, the Series is over. When can we meet?"

"Steph and I are headed out for brunch. How about noon at your hospital office?"

"I'll be there."

It only took about twenty minutes to bring Stan up to speed. He listened to my reasoning behind Snap therapy and was filling up his legal pad at a remarkable rate. Steph pulled out the copious notes she had taken when she first discovered my condition. The two of them were talking a mile a minute and I did my best to try to follow their conversation.

"Stan, I would appreciate it if what you know about me doesn't leave this room. I see no positive outcome to others knowing about what afflicts me."

"Agreed. I would love to try to electronically mimic what you are doing. Perhaps if we record and analyze your brain waves we could test it on one of your students."

"I'm game."

+ + + +

It only took three months to identify the offending DNA. On strand fifteen, what should have been CGAT was CGGT. Steph and Stan had heated discussions about how to use this information. They really don't like each other and feud constantly. Steph felt that we should keep it under wraps until we had a solution. Why burden a parent with the knowledge that their child was headed into this abyss?

They reached a compromise. Siblings would be tested and, if they had the suspect DNA marker, blood would be drawn and saved. The parents would be kept in the dark.

Time moved quite slowly. I had several dozen on my waitlist and twice that number who weren't candidates. I was working with four at a time. Ryan and Nolan graduated and I banked my four million dollar bonus. The new endorsements were quite profitable.

I was a regular on the talk show circuit for the first few weeks after the Series but things quieted down rather quickly.

We had no success in any way, shape, or form trying to electronically mimic my ability.

+ + + +

A month after the Series ended, Steph and I were married in a ceremony attended by family along with William and Leslie.

In spite of having good intentions and high hopes, research into Loane's disease moved at a snail's pace. Steph and Stan were able to identify three enzymes and proteins which were likely the cause of the disorder. One was much higher than normal and the other two had become almost non-existent.

I secretly tested Alvin and Caitlyn and both failed to blink. Sex with Steph was as good as I remembered. Offers for sex, from the appreciative mothers and occasional groupies, were easy for me to decline.

Snap Therapy settled into an office in Dallas. Steph bounced back and forth to London. I wasn't sure about being a father figure but I truly enjoy it.

+ + + +

Attempts to rebalance those enzymes proved unsuccessful. We knew what was wrong but couldn't figure out what was needed to restore normality. Seven years went by before we were introduced to a remarkable young lady.

Pernilla Evers provided the breakthrough. She was approaching her fourth birthday and had started to display the same symptoms her brother Craig displayed two years earlier. Dr. Evers had been in touch with Stan Edwards on several occasions since Craig slid into his incommunicado state. Unlike others, Dr. Evers had been drawing blood from his daughter, Pernilla, every month. Since their family had a history of diabetes, Dr. Evers started Pernilla on a daily regimen of Apple Cider Vinegar. His personal observation was that Pernilla, who had reached the point of struggling to communicate, returned to a somewhat normal existence and has not resumed her slide into the incommunicado state.

Rather than risking the loss or damage of the blood vials, Steph and Stan flew to Denmark to meet with Dr. Evers and his family. What they discovered was the Pernilla's blood pH had changed from borderline extreme alkaline to borderline extreme acidic. As it became acidic, the three enzymes started their transformation.