2020-04-27 - Take Covid Seriously - Claire, Darcy, Sam, Milo

She walked into the Alexandra Police Department looking tired and more than a little resigned.  Her hair was in a short afro and she had what looked like a yoga scarf around her neck, pulled up to cover her nose and mouth.  Makeshift face mask.  Pausing just inside the door, it automatically swings shut before the woman is done looking around, her eyes falling on the officers around, going about their work.  Finally her eyes fall on her next door neighbor, Darcy Lynch and pauses, her face looking as if she isn’t sure HOW to look.

Darcy had spent the morning up to her eyeballs in paperwork catch up. She kept getting timed out on their automated system because well everyone was on it catching up. In her irritation she clicked and clicked and clicked until the page completely crashed and then backhanded the air in front of her laptop with a look of pure loathing for technology and bureaucracy.  She picked up her coffee cup for a mind cleansing chug and drank with her eyes closed saying a mantra in her head "I will not scream at my computer today. I will seek peace and joy. I will not fucking cave." Opening her eyes she saw her neighbour standing there looking a little lost. Darcy gave her a little nod of acknowledgement and set the cup down as she stood up. Smoothing her shirt as she walked, she approached the desk "Hi Claire. You ok? How can we help you today?"

Claire sees Darcy in what seems to be a literal fight with her computer.  She knows the police must be swamped with work, even in Alexandra.  When Darcy approaches Claire licks her lips.  “I … um ….”  she clears her throat.  “Ell … I’m assuming you’ve been hearing the coughing coming from the apartment.”  not ‘my’ apartment.  It’s always ‘the’ with Claire.  For her part, she doesn’t look feverish and certainly isn’t coughing.  Her breathing seems a bit shallow, but she is showing no obvious shortness of breath.  In other words, she had no symptoms of the coronavirus.  “Well …  it stopped … a few hours ago.  Dave hasn’t come out of his room.”  suggesting that the couple slept in separate bedrooms.  “I mean … there isn’t any sound at ALL coming from there…”  she  swallows.  “I’m .. not sure what to do.”  and clearly her first stop was not the clinic or phone to call the clinic.

Darcy was protected by a sneeze guard that the station had installed but took in this info with awareness that Claire was coming from an infected dwelling, in her building no less, and possibly an asymptomatic carrier. She looks at Claire with kindness. It wasn't her fault after all and walks to their supplies, dining a fresh mask and gloves and then sliding a set through the small pass through in the guard. "Claire....we will need to go in there." She's not sure how to word it all since she had assumed they were a couple but now wonders if they're separated or if something is off "Have you had any contact with Dave?" She takes out a pad to take notes so she can inform any team she needs to engage on going to check on this man.

Claire nods and puts on the gloves, then takes off HER mask, her face showing relief to have a real mask as opposed to the cotton and puts on the safer police issue mask.  “I understand.”  she replies and then shakes her head.  “Dave and I stopped sleeping in the same room a long time ago.  And never since we moved here.  I had my room and he had his.”  she explained.  “Since this whole thing started, I clean the house while he’s in his room.  Wiping down the counters with disinfectant or a bleach solution.”  she sighs.  “You’ve met Dave.  You know he doesn’t think this is anything to be concerned about.  He goes … went out every day to find people to talk to.  And when he got sick I told him to go to the clinic but …”  she shrugs.  “He has never listened to me.”

Darcy listened and began to understood some of the oddness of her neighbour and what she thought was her partner. She sighed heavily "I'm sorry Claire. We're also going to have to take you for testing. It sounds like you've been as careful as can be.....given the circumstances. " She looks around "I need to report this to a senior officer. I will be right back. i promise." She walks towards chief Greene's office door and either knocks or pokes her head in. "Sir...we have a situation we need to attend to..." She'll say when the door is either answered or she's noticed.

Claire nods.  She thought it would go like this.  Her eyes follow Darcy as she goes to the door and knocks.

Chief Josh Greene’s door was closed but not locked.  “Come in.”  he called and arched his brows when Darcy walked in.  He’s relaxed a lot since he became Chief when Adum Brate became mayor … or maybe he’d relaxed a lot since his granddaughter was abandoned into his care.  Either way he isn’t as scary as he used to be .. unless he’s trying to be.  Now he looks at Darcy.  “What situation?”  he asks, leaning back to listen.

Darcy was gloved and masked which was not uncommon but in this instance it was an invitation in a sense to anyone she might be teamed with to suit up as it were "I've got a woman out front. Her name is Claire. she's actually my neighbour. I suspect her estranged husband may have died from Covid in my building....they aren't close so we need to take her for testing and go check on Dave. I heard the coughing...but there's a lot of that right now. I don't think I've ever asked their surname. I'll get it now Sir."

Josh arched his brows and nodded, reaching for his own mask and gloves.  He did himself a favor in his office by not wearing them unless he had to go out.  And it sounded like he had to go out.  Standing, he adjusts his mask.  “Claire…”  he frowns slightly.  He moves closer to the door and sees the woman.  “Yea.  That’s Claire Mercier.  She teaches English at the Academy.  Vinent probably had her, but she’s a low key teacher.  The kids all seem to like her.”  he turns back to Darcy.  “I kept forgetting she was married to Dave.  She’s pretty quiet and stay at home, and Dave is …”  he shrugs.  “We need to check on him and get her tested, so …”  he strokes his beard.  “You and I can take her into the clinic.  I’ll call the Fire Department and have the EMT’s check out the apartment with two other officers.”  he nods to himself.  “We’ll decide to do once we get more of an idea what's going on.”

Darcy nods "Yes Sir. Oh I did know her last name. It's been a long....month.." She sighs "I'll walk her down the back lane route. Should I take Sam?"

Josh gives the slightest of chuckles.  More like a grunt.  “Yes … it has been a long month.”  He agrees.  “Yea.  You take Wright and keep me informed.”  he looks again towards Claire.  “I’ll get the EMT’s over there.  If he is dead, they’ll call Dr McKinney and she’ll put on her coroner hat.” and he moves back to his desk, lowers his mask and picks up the phone.

Darcy nods “Yes Sir.” Then she steps out, gives Claire a look of acknowledgement so she knows she’s not forgotten and heads to Sam’s desk “Hey Wright, we have another test escort today...let me tell you some brief details. Claire Mercier. She actually lives in my building. She and her husband are estranged but cohabitating. He was down with Covid but it sounds like she did her best to keep safe. She hasn’t heard a peep from his room though so it’s possible he’s died. There’s going to send the EMTs but you and I are with Claire.” She had barely taken a breath and now caught up on them all.

Claire sits on one of the chairs and looks down at her hands as Drcy comes out of the office and walks behind the desk to where the other police work.  She glances up, but quickly puts her eyes back on her folded hands, or her feet or someplace that wasn’t a person.

Sam is finishing up his coffee and considering a report when Darcy stops by his desk.  He listens to the brief and nods slowly.  Standing, he looks in the waiting area and sees Claire.  “Ok, I’ve seen her around the last four years I think.  Moved in after the D’Antoni’s and before you.  She’s a teacher at the Academy … but I don’t know what subject.”  he shrugs.  He doesn’t have any kids.  “OK … let's take her in?”  he puts on his mask and gloves, then moves towards the front.  “Mrs Mercier…  Im Sam Wright.  We're going to take you over to the clinic no.  Are you ready?”

Claire looks up when they approach.  “Yes.  I’m ready..”  she waits for them to lead so she can follow.

Darcy was suited up already so she grabbed a notebook and a pen just in case they needed to remember anything from the appointment. She was grateful for Sam taking the lead since it was still a bit awkward to be getting to know her neighbour this way. Darcy opens the door for Claire “After you Ma’am.” Her formality is a work habit but it feels odd here. She will keep the door held for Sam if he’s inclined to walk through and then step out and begin to walk.

Claire nodded at Darcy’s instruction and headed out of the door, stopping on the sidewalk, glancing at the fire station, and finally turning towards the clinic.  It was not far, she could see it clearly, but it felt like it was halfway across B.C.

Sam took the lead because of him and Darcy, he knew the woman the least.  In a place like Alexandra it could be hard sometimes to be as separated as the largest city cops could do.  But Darcy leads the walk itself.  Social distancing meant not much conversation being 2 meters apart.  They’ll go around the back, even if it isn’t technically an emergency and hover a bit waiting to be noticed by the doctor or one of the two nurses.

Darcy did her usual little pace until they saw her through the window and waved at Milo Greggory as he noticed her and unlocked the door. Milo was an almost albino blonde with very pale blue eyes and vampire pale skin. He was tall and thin and looked a little haunting. But he was extremely welcoming and polite

 “Hi there, come on in,” He backed right up so they could. This was a familiar scene to him now and he had the standard protective gear on all the time now.

Sam walks with them and stays as far as he can on the rather claustrophobic ER entryway.   He nods Claire through and follows her.  “Hey Milo.  This is Claire .. she’d like a test, please and thank you.”  he is always amazed at how much like Phoenix Moon Milo looks, if Phoenix lost the locs, at least.

Claire comes in and looks quickly at Milo and then down.  She says nothing, she simply waits to be told where to go and what to do. 

Milo was mild mannered and precise “Of course. Hello Claire. Please come into the first room here and have a seat.” He stays back so she can pass and looks at the officers “You are welcome, always, to support Claire.”

Darcy will nod and follow Claire. “Thank you Milo.” She glances back at Sam “Who thought we’d be regulars here a month ago?”

Claire moves into the exam room and sits.  She waits patiently, looking concerned, but not asking about her roommate/husband

Sam follows and scoffs slightly.  “Not me.”  he falls silent, but he is thinking of his brother, who he hasn’t seen in person since the day he and Darcy brought Vincent and Fiona for what turned out to be the first positive Covid-19 tests in Alexandra.

Milo comes in with the test kit and shuts the door. Everyone is wearing appropriate protection and he steps to Claire “I’m not sure you’ve seen this done, but it can be a bit uncomfortable. After we talk, I’ll need you to remove your mask for just a minute or two. I’ll try to be quick.” He picks up a chart to fill in “First, can you tell me a little bit about your exposure to the Covid-19 virus?”

Darcy nods along at Sam. It was so many things. She had agonized over Vincetn and Fiona, especially when Vincent had to mourn Giovanni from a distance. They had been in touch electronically but she could feel his pan. She suspected Sam felt the same about his brother, even though thankfully Alex was still well and safe.

Sam stands as out of the way as it is possible for him to stand.

Claire listens and nods at the instructions.  “My husband … has been sick.  Coughing … shortness of breath.  He might even have body aches, but he wouldn’t tell me if he did.”  she clears her throat.  “He doesn’t believe the coronavirus is very serious.  He won’t buy masks or gloves, so I had to fend for myself.”  she  bites her lip under her mask.   “When I’d try and disinfect, he would … say something about it.  So I started doing it when he was in his room on his computer.  I’d put on gloves and wipe or spray everything in the kitchen, living room, bathroom and my room.”

Milo frowns a little “That’s...unfortunate. So I can assume we never tested him. Is he still experiencing these symptoms?” Milo knew full well at this point that they had more sick than they had tested or treated but some had recovered.

Darcy lets out an audible sigh. She wished she had known Claire’s troubles earlier on.

Sam’s eyebrows twitched.  It was odd.  Married living separate lives in the same house.

Claire looked in Darcy’s direction, but then back at Milo.  “He’s been bad the last couple of days.  I told him he should come here.  He just shouted at me that he didn't have Covid-19.  He’s been in his room and it’s been quiet now for … hours…”

Milo looked taken aback and was stumped on what to say. He looked at Darcy and Sam.

Darcy answered his sunpoken question “The EMTs are on their way….. We just wanted to make sure Claire was...safe…”

Milo gave a slow nod “Understood. Claire, have you been experiencing any symptoms of Covid yourself?” He made some rapid notes on the chart while waiting for her answer.

Sam nodded, but said nothing.  They should hear soon, one way or another.

Claire swallowed audibly.  “No … I am terrified of every sniffle … or every time I’m a little stiff.  I’m afraid to cough, especially when I’m in class … and they’re virtual.”  she does indeed look anxious.

Darcy looked sympathetic and then looked between Claire, Milo and Sam.

Milo was very calming “That’s valid. With the news around and your exposure. It does sound like you’ve been careful.” ha tekss out the swab, still wrapped “Let’s get you some information that might...help either way. Are you ready.? Pull down your mask, tilt you head back and this is going slide in your nose…..it’s not fun...but I’ll be quick ok?” He poises to unwrap it.

Sam looks around at all of them, and then away.  He hadn’t had the test yet … but they all took their temperature before every shift and some of the cops, like Yamada and Reinhardt, took theirs an additional twice a day at home.

Claire nods and blows out a breath before she lowers her mask, tilts her head up and begins to examine the ceiling.  The only possibly telling sign of anything is, if Milo touches her neck, she will flinch.

Milo unwraps the swab and makes a suggestion “Count to sixty in your head….” He slides the swab in and back and makes sure it’s correctly aligned. He just stays in front of her face with his gloves hands but when he removes the swab he puts his hand on her neck just to steady as it comes out.

Darcy looks away. She can never watch this.

Sam is not watching.  It’s just too nerve wracking for him.

Claire does count in her head, but when Milo touches her neck, her entire body tenses and she gags as the swab is removed.  She pulls back from Milo, but then looks sheepish and sits upright again.  “Now … what?”  she whispers, looking at Milo’s shoes.

Darcy snaps her gaze back to Claire with a look of confusion. Her answer din’t match what Milo said at all. She seems like she’s about to say something and her phone buzzes in her pocket. She hears Sam’s go as well. She takes it out and looks at it and then makes eye contact with Sam.

Milo looks momentarily surprised but then non judgmental. He sees all kinds of things and people are really freaked out right now. “All done Claire. You did great.” He gets everything ready to send to the lab and then steps to the door “I’ll be back. Blow your nose if you need, there’s tissue over there…”

Sam initially missed Claire’s reaction as the swab was removed, but he looked at his phone and, his face betraying nothing, looked at Darcy who he was sure had received the same text from the EMTs.  He looks at Darcy with a raised brow.  He could tell her, as he was more detached, but Darcy could also as she knew the woman a little bit, as she had a child that Claire had taught at some point.

Claire nodded.  “Thank you, Milo.”  she replies and slides off of the table to blow her nose, which feels funny after the test.

Darcy stood up to her full height and nodded at Sam. She could do it “Claire. We’ve just received word about Dave from the EMTs He’s passed away. Is there anyone we can call for you?”

Claire looked up, the tissue still covering her nose from where she’d blown it.  She sighs heavily and lowers her hands, looking into the tissue before throwing it away, then putting her mask back into place.  “Um … he … had .. has .. three kids … in Toronto.”  she blows out a breath.  “They’re estranged … they never call him.  He calls them .. to tak politics.  Um … the numbers are probably in his phone or on his computer … he might have a phone book too.”  she sighs again and leans on the exam table.  “I guess … he never told me what he wanted if he died.  I .. don’t know … what to do.”  she swallows hard.  “He has a will, I think.  Everything goes to some political party I don’t understand.”  she closes her eyes and sniffs, but doesn’t cry.  “He didn’t think it was a big deal.  All .. overblown…”

Sam stands by as Darcy delivers the news and Claire tells them what they need to know.  He notices the lack of emotion, but doesn’t hold anything against her.  Some people got hysterical … Some showed even less emotion than Claire was showing, taking the news of a death like the news of the weather.

Darcy isn’t sure whether to offer condolences because she’s getting the impression this Dave was just a tool and didn’t blame Claire one bit for not mourning him. But it sounds like she was nevertheless left with his mess and that was regrettable “I’m sorry Claire. We’ll help if we can…”

Claire rubs at her temple and then pulls her hand away.  “Damn…”  she murmurs.  “Well… if the police could call … I mean … technically the EMT’s did find him …”  she looks awkward.  “I have no idea what he told his kids about me, but they never asked to speak to me and never passed any message through Dave, so …  maybe they’d just as soon hear it from an official.”  she begins to look around the room, rambling a bit.  “Their mother is a lesbian.  And Dave hates lesbians.  He was always telling the kids bad lesbian jokes … which had to have gotten back to his ex and her wife.  Eventually, the kids started making excuses to not come to visits …  and the calls got super polite … and .. once they hit legal adulthood and visitation stopped … I sure never saw them again … but I wasn’t really part of their visits.”  she suddenly realizes that she’s rambling.  “I’m sorry. Please .. can you call his family.”

Sam listens to the ramble and is suddenly sort of glad he never met Dave Mercier.  He wonders if it was fate that had Dave in an apartment building with at least three lesbians in it.  “We can do that, Claire.  No problem.”  he promises her.

Darcy nods along with Sam but she’s gritting her teeth. Dave hated lesbians? Well fuck him. No loss in his loss. But her job required her composure. “Of course.” was her practiced polite reply. She hoped Claire didn’t also hate lesbians though so she could make a point of being an extra nice neighbour after she had to endure being married to that waste of space.

Milo breezes back in with an astonished look on his face “Claire, you’re negative. You must have been VERY careful. Congratulations.” He has no idea of the conversation he’s walked into and feels like Santa Claus delivering this news.

Claire nods.  “Thank you both .. or whoever makes the call.  If the ex laughs or cheers or something … don’t be surprised.”  she blows out a breath.  “Dave … wasn’t like this when we got married … or he hid it until it was too late.  If I had known I never would have married such a …”  she blows out another breath as Milo comes in, sparing him that part of the conversation.  Claire hears the results and literally cries in relief.  “Thank you.” she sobs.

Sam nods and listens, learning more about Mercier.  But he doesn’t comment on Claire’s words, as he doesn’t know her.  Once she gets her results, he smiles.  “Congratulations.”  he looks at Milo.  “Could you give Claire Dr Singh’s card, please.”  That was pretty standard procedure with a family member's death.

Darcy softens. Claire just married the wrong guy. It happened. She flt compassion more than anything else. When Milo comes in with the news her heart soars for the woman. At least she got that break in all this. Although it would be good to try to find a cleaning service for Dave’s room if one existed so Claire didn’t get infected in the end.

Milo smiles at Claire and nods at Sam “Of course.” He has a stack in the drawer and hands one over “Dr. Singh is very good. There’s a woman too if you prefer a female to a male therapist. They’re both excellent. Your mental health is crucial Claire. Do you have anyone you can call for you? Relatives or friends? Neighbours even?”

Claire is breathing in relief and looks at Milo.  “A woman.”  her answer is immediate.  “No offence.”  then he asks about friends and relatives and she hesitates.  “Dave .. didn’t … encourage … friendships…”  she admits.  That answer is arguably answer enough.  Claire has no friends … at least she doesn’t think she does.  “I mean … I know people at work.  Students ...  Some parents but ….”  none of them is someone she’d call on for help.  And thinking on that, she then comes out with an odd request.  “Can I have another mask?  I …  I have to clean his room.  Thoroughly ….”

Milo nods “None taken. It’s why we have choices. And you shouldn't be cleaning that. You just tested negative…” He trails off.

Darcy interjects “No Claire. We’ll call SGDI. Don’t put yourself at any more risk. Listen, this is breeching protocol I know, but we’re neighbours. I keep a pretty clean place. You can come hang out at my place while they clean if you feel ok about that. I work a lot so feel free to just watch TV...we’ll get your laptop or you can use mine to teach.”

Sam almost chuckles when Claire immediately selects the women over the man.  Unfortunately, she could become one of those women who hates ALL men.  Then the subject turns to cleaning and he nods when Darcy brings up SGDI.  “Yea.  They opened an office here in 2016, but few people even know what the office is for.  It’s long name is ‘Someone’s Gotta Do It’.  They’re not … your standard cleaning service.”  he doesn’t elaborate on their cleaning murder scenes, suicide scenes and other cleaning jobs no one else would touch.  “They’re doing Covid Cleaning for free.”

Claire listens to all of them and feels somehow armed and overwhelmed at the same time.  To SGDI, she nods.  “Alright .. as soon as possible.”  and she looks at Darcy.  “I … shouldn’t … I mean … oh … well …  Dave IS dead now ….”  she nods.  “I could use my laptop.  I … Oh my god, I blew off my own class.”  she snorts and, for good or ill, laughs.  “If nothing else, this is the day all my students have been looking forward to.  Teacher Cuts Class.”

Darcy nods insistently and then laughs. “The kids will be alright. I’ll get you some keys and we’ll see how long SGDI needs.”

Milo looks pleased and steps to the door “Well then, my work here is done. Another happy end in our medical apocalypse.” He jokes.