The Power of Poison, page 26
“No, JP. I lost her years ago, and now that I found her, I need to reach out and hold her, tell her everything that has been trapped inside my mind and heart for more than twenty years. How can you possibly think I will just let her go? I don’t want to lose her all over again.”
Tears are blocking my vision. The room looks blurry. I pull out of his embrace, the register of my voice rising, and walk across the room to escape this confrontation.
“I know you are upset, but you will put Rose in danger if it is revealed that you are her biological mother. You know this, Lily. You know what I am saying to you is true. C’est vrai?” he says, and I feel the strain in his voice as he tries to reach me.
I’m back on the couch now. Full circle around the room, spinning on my toes, shoes off. I see them nestled in the corner begging for occupation, but I ignore their plea.
“You’re right, JP. And I hate you for being right,” I bark back as I wipe away the tears slowly flowing drop by drop down my cheeks. “I know.”
“Could you not mentor her, befriend her, and let that be enough?” he asks.
His head is bowed in dismay.
“Enough? How do you make up for all the years that I wasn’t there to hold her in my arms, to dry her tears when she was frightened, to walk her to school on her first day, to mark her growth on the door frame with a pencil, to…”
“Stop, Lily. Assez. Even in your absence, Rose has thrived. Just look at where she is today. This young woman, despite all odds, is now in medical school, and from what Père Berger told us, will become a fine doctor. Perhaps the best doctor, under your watchful eye,” says JP.
I see a tear or two in his eyes. He’s not a man without feeling, but like me, needs to blunt emotion to get through life.
“Rose has your strength, your mind, your inquisitiveness, and under the loving hand of my cousin, has blossomed,” he says, taking a big sniff to clear away the congestion, and then adds, “When do you go back to teach at the medical school?”
“I have a lecture next week, and I have some cases to review with Kelley. Why?” I ask.
“My Lily, you need to be prepared for the inevitable meeting that will occur. Resiliency is part of your make-up, too. Never have I met such a woman with your courage,” JP says, taking me in his arms once again.
Yes, tomorrow is another day, and there is no present like the time.
* * *
“You’re back!” exclaims Lisa. “I didn’t know you were coming in today,” she says, popping up from her desk like a just-released spring. “Here, let me get the door for you; oh, and I stacked the mail on your desk,” she says while she unlocks my office.
“Boy, Dr. Kelley is sure going to be glad to see you. He’s been so busy with cases and students, and—”
“Sorry to interrupt, Lisa,” I say, tamping down the enthusiasm. “Would you mind? I need a little time to review my mail and gather my thoughts after the conference. And I’m a little jet-lagged, too.”
“Of course, Dr. Lily. Let me know when you want me to go over your schedule. I had to rearrange several meetings since you didn’t get back when we planned. How awful that you had such difficulty making your connections. Travel can be so unpredictable, and to think you had all these delays after your conference. I—”
“Lisa,” I interrupt once again, “Thank you, but can we catch up a little later, please?”
“Sorry. I’m just so excited to see you. Okay, I’ll pull the door shut on my way out,” says Lisa as she walks out of my office.
She really is a gem; I just need some time to readjust. When you get back on dry land after being at sea for a while, you sometimes feel as if the boat is still rocking. I feel the waves under my feet now and need to sit down so I don’t fall over. Being out at sea separates you from your solid surroundings. The farther you move away from the shore, the harder it is to have a sense of wellbeing. There have been times that I have been gone when coming back wasn’t so hard. But this time, this time it’s different. This time, Rose is also on my mind. A knock at my door. Again, dear Lisa? We really can catch up later.
“Come in,” I say.
The door opens an inch or two, and Kelley manages to stick a nose through. “Hey, so glad you are back. We weren’t expecting you for another day or so, so this is a surprise. Lisa said not to disturb you, sorry, but it’s just so good to have you back.”
“Oh, Kelley,” I say, actually surprised it’s not Lisa, “I’m just exhausted, that’s all, and I need to get through all the snail mail and email, you know,” I respond.
“I know, I know. Okay, but we’ve had some incredible cases, and there’s a new medical student who’s interested in pathology and lab medicine, and you know, that’s a rare find. I’m dying for you to meet her,” says Kelley, the enthusiasm in his voice is almost overwhelming.
I close my eyes, blocking the sound and light like I’m nursing a hangover. But it’s just the emotion.
“Thanks. But not now, Kelley. Maybe a little later in the week. I’m just so behind.”
Kelley sees my face and knows me well enough that he needs to back away. So, he does.
“See you later, Doc,” he says as he pulls the door shut, and with that, I am in silence once again.
* * *
My lecture is prepared, and I’m ready for the medical students. It’s been a week since I’ve been back and it stills feels strange. I’m a different person now. Not the same Dr. Lily Robinson I was just a few months ago. There’s a knock at the office door. Kelley and I have some cases to review.
“Hey, Doc. You ready for a couple of cases?” he asks.
“Sure, Kelley. What have you got?” I ask.
“First, we have a seventy-six-year-old man who was admitted to the medicine service, confused, dehydrated, and in metabolic acidosis. They ruled out sepsis, pneumonia, and any GI illness. When I spoke with the attending, I suggested a serum tox screen and guess what popped up?” asks Kelley.
“Salicylates?” I answer.
“Damn, you went right for it!” he exclaims. “But here’s the odd part. There is no known source for the aspirin ingestion. He doesn’t use any, and his daughter confirms that there is no aspirin in the house. So, what do you think?”
“Let’s go see him, Kelley.” And we leave the confines of my office to travel to the realm of the inpatients.
As we wait for the elevator, Kelley starts another conversation.
“I don’t think I’ve seen those shoes before,” he says, eyeing my rainbow heels.
“Oh, I picked these up during my recent travels. Like camouflage for the jungle.”
“So, Dr. Robinson, you haven’t talked much about the conference. Was it a bust or what?”
It’s the lying that I hate.
“No, Kelley, it was fine. Not as big a turnout as I expected. Some interesting new marine toxins, but that’s about it.”
Does he wonder about my subdued attitude? Residual dew from the sticky sadness that inhabits my mind.
“Here we are, room 152,” I say to Kelley as I pump the hand sanitizer and then make an introduction.
“Hello, Mr. Chen. I’m Dr. Robinson, and this is my colleague Dr. Kelley. How are you feeling today?” I ask.
I’ve already reviewed his chart in the electronic medical record, and I know he’s been getting an IV with sodium bicarbonate and dextrose. By now, we have the translator in our room who is helping us with communication. She lets me know that Mr. Chen says he is doing well.
“Can you please ask Mr. Chen what ointments or lotions he’s been using?” I ask the translator.
“Doc, I met with the team earlier, and he wasn’t taking any over-the-counter medications,” Kelley says.
I nod my head toward Kelley then turn to the interpreter, who is having a conversation with Mr. Chen. I can see him talking to her while he is rubbing each arm up and down with his hands as if he is describing massaging body lotion onto his limbs. I wait patiently for the interpreter to let me know what he is saying.
“Doctor, Mr. Chen says he uses an oil to rub onto his achy joints. He says it helps his arthritis,” she tells me.
I make a request that when she sees his daughter, to ask her to bring in the bottle, and let us know when it’s here.
“Thank you for your help,” I say, and we pump our way out of the room.
“What are you thinking?” Kelley asks me as we head back down to the lab.
“I think he has been using oil of wintergreen for his joint pain. It’s used as an analgesic. I know that they sell it in a shop down in Chinatown.”
“Oil of wintergreen?” questions Kelley.
“Yes, just one teaspoon of concentrated oil of wintergreen contains about five grams of methyl salicylate, which is equivalent to maybe seven and a half grams of aspirin. The use of topical salicylates is not uncommon, and he was probably using more than the directed amount,” I say.
“So, he was absorbing salicylates through the skin. Wow. The skin does have the largest surface area of any organ in the body, so I guess it makes sense,” says Kelley. “Good catch, Doc.”
* * *
My lecture is coming up tomorrow. Like JP said, I need to be prepared for the inevitable. Will Rose sit in the seats close to the podium, or is she one of those students that teeter on the auditorium’s topmost section? Will I be obvious if I scrutinize all the students as they walk in? Will my hesitation give me away? I can feel my foot tapping on the floor in typewriter fashion.
Another knock at the door. It’s been so hard to get things accomplished this week with all the interruptions. Lisa has gone overboard, setting up meetings to try and fill the void. I’m sure this is another one of her queries on what comes next.
“Yes, come in,” I say gently, fully prepared to let Lisa have her way and review her list with me of all things that must happen in the next two weeks.
“Um, Dr. Robinson. I’m sorry to bother you, but your assistant said it would be okay if I just said hello and set up another time to meet with you. I’ve loved your lectures, and you’re the reason I want to go into pathology. Dr. Kelley has been so helpful and…”
I look up from my writing, not hearing the rest of her speech. It takes every ounce of strength in me to keep myself bound behind my desk because every impulse in my body says leap forward and embrace what’s before me. I see her now. Beautiful long dark hair, emerald-green eyes, and a certain kindness in her voice. My heart is exposed. I can feel it in my chest, choking on the blood rushing in.
“Yes, hello. I have a minute. You are one of our medical students?” I start slowly, tiptoeing as if I were walking on rice paper.
“Oh, sorry. My name is Rose Moreau, and I’m a first-year medical student. Could I ask your assistant to set up an appointment with you for a later time?” she asks.
I’m mesmerized. I can’t take my eyes off of this young woman. My baby. And then her phone rings to break the spell.
“Oh, excuse me, Dr. Robinson. I need to take this call. It’s from overseas,” she says and stands up abruptly, heading toward my office door.
But before she crosses the threshold, I hear a gasp. A sharp pain has just pierced Rose’s being. I feel it. My instinct cannot be shut down.
“Rose, what is it? Are you all right?” I ask, trembling at our interaction.
Rose turns around and looks at me. Our eyes meet, and I can see disquiet behind her gaze. Is it sadness, is it…?
“It’s my mother,” Rose blurts out, tears welling up and clinging to the edge. “She’s awake,” Rose adds, the tears now ignoring the boundaries and spilling forth without hesitation. Rose’s face is wet with emotion.
I move in and take this stranger, yet not a stranger, in my arms to comfort her. Yes, her mother is awake. With every bone in my body.
About the Author
BJ Magnani (Dr. Barbarajean Magnani, PhD, MD, FCAP) is the author of the Dr. Lily Robinson Novels: The Queen of All Poisons (Encircle Publications, 2019), and The Power of Poison (Encircle Publications, 2021), book two in the series. Lily Robinson and the Art of Secret Poisoning, the original collection of short stories featuring the femme fatale doctor, will be re-released by Encircle Publications in 2021.
Dr. Magnani is internationally recognized for her expertise in clinical chemistry and toxicology, has been named a “Top Doctor” in Boston magazine, and was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Laboratory Medicine Professionals in the World by The Pathologist. She is currently Professor of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology (and Professor of Medicine) at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, and serves as the Chair of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Toxicology Committee. Follow BJ Magnani on Facebook.
Questions for
Book Clubs and Reading Groups
How would you describe the protagonist, Lily Robinson?
Do you feel she has a compelling voice?
How do you feel about Lily’s conflict between her Hippocratic Oath and the oath to her country?
Do you agree with Lily’s mantra that “the good of the many outweighs the good of the one”?
What characters did you identify with? Or like?
What plot twists were unexpected?
What emotions did the antagonists (Markovic and Stone) evoke in you?
The Power of Poison contains some “Easter Eggs.” Consider the following:
Alexis’ flat number is 303
Stone’s hotel room number is 12-258
Stone’s hospital room number 256
Markovic’s flat number while in South Korea is 224
Mr. Chen’s hospital room number is 152
What is the significance of each of these numbers?
See the next page for the answer.
Each of the numbers represents the Molecular Weight (MW) of a drug or toxin associated with the character. The MW is the sum of the atomic weight values of atoms in a molecule (for example, the number of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, or oxygen multiplied by each of the individual atomic weights that make up one compound.)
Here are the MWs of some of the drugs and compounds (expressed as g/mol) used in The Power of Poison:
Cocaine 303.35
Cicutoxin 258.35
Lamotrigine 256.09
Methyl salicylate 152.15
Novichok A-234 224.22
For Additional Reading on
Toxicology and Poisons:
Magnani, BJ
Lily Robinson and the Art of Secret Poisoning
nVision Press, 2011, New York, NY, 135 pages
Magnani BJ, Kwong T, McMillin G and Wu A, Editors
Clinical Toxicology Testing: A Guide for Laboratory Professionals
(Second Edition)
CAP Press, Northfield, IL, 2020, 376 pages
Kwong TC, Magnani BJ, Rosano TG, Shaw LM, Editors
The Clinical Toxicology Laboratory: Contemporary Practice of Poisoning Evaluation. (Second Edition)
AACC Press, Washington D.C., 2013, 525 pages
Magnani, BJ and Woolf, A.
“Cardiotoxic Plants” in
Critical Care Toxicology, Diagnosis and Management of the Critically Poisoned Patient
Brent J, Burkhart K, Dargan P, Hatten B, Megargane B, and Palmer R. Eds.(Second Edition) Springer International Publishing, 2017
Pages 2187-2203
George, David
Poisons, An Introduction for Forensic Investigators
CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2018, 385 pages
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BJ Magnani, The Power of Poison
