#earthrunes

Trevor walks out of the hospital, "This is killing us"

"Could you rephrase that, please?" Analee says alarmed

"Ah, sorry. This is killing our finances" He clarifies

"The important thing is you're here, we're here," She gives him a hard look.

"what's the good of being here if I die anyway and it leaves you with nothing" He says

Analee stiffens, her jaw goes up... and she makes a faster brisker walk

He winces. And follows

August watches. Magnus helped him learn more about the couple, but he is proud of how much he did on his own. Now he exits the car with a clipboard.

Analee knows she shouldn't be mad, that he's the one who is dying, that he's...scared. But to have him talk so, to make it sound like his life is worthless.

Or worh LESS than.. than money

She almost doesn't see the young man approaching

He approaches the couple 'randomly.' "Good afternoon. May I have a moment of your time?"

"I..." She looks unsure. Then glances to Trevor.

Trevor is almost grateful to redirect

"what's it about?" he asks

"I'm a pre-law student and we are doing a survey on health care laws. May I ask some opinion questions?"

"Oh not sure you want our opinions," Trevor admits

A boyishly handsome smile. "I do."

"Fine... I think it's a codified legalized murderous scam" He says "ACA tried and flopped"

"My husband has a pre existing condition, and the law says they have to take him... but "She looks at Trevor, then back to august "They raise the prices on the treatments... our copay doesn't cover the rise"

"I pay extra just to have a professional inject me" He says "100 dollars to be injected. I know it takes SOME Skill, but i don't lear nabout THAT until later? I now request the cheapest person to do it if possible. "

August nods and takes notes.

"What do you think would help?"

"It's very hard," Analee admits, "Sometimes Trevor is so frustrated."

And then she says "Well, it would be nice if they have to tell us what everything costs, up front, no surprise charges. Nothing tacked on after the fact."

"That would be a s tart...and caps on drug prices. At least I would be able to adjust a little"

August nods. "What else?"

"Medicine falls from the sky?" Trevor says "Not sure"

A gentle smile. "Interesting."

"I'm sorry, but none of it this is really in OUR Power, and.. that's the msot frustrating thing" Analee says

Head tilt. "If it was in your power, what would you do?"

"Laying of hands on Self?" Trevor says drily

"Trevor, he's trying to help" Analee says "Obviously we'd want the regular treatment so my husband could live for many years yet, maybe even shake it off. Folks talk about death panels like they wren't already here. "

The lawyer wannabe falls into a thoughtful silence.

Then, "Trevor, without getting into personal specifics, can you tell me about the nature of your condition?"

"A rare blood diesase. Not curable, but it has treatments, IF you can afford the treatments, but it's not common enough that they mass produce the medicine, so they make up for that by overhead..... like 6000 times it's production cost. "

"Without it regular, I die. But I'll run out of money in a few months so.." A shrug

"I am very sorry." So sincere! "That is a massive burden to bear."

"You knwo, I believe you," Trevor says "And I'm sorry if I... I think what I really hate is how hateful this is making me. It's amazing my wife can stand me."

"You're not getting rid of me THAT easy" She snorts

"And I thought she was the smart half of our relationship" Trevor observes to august

Another soft smile. "She is. Wives always are."

"if she were smart' He mutters low "She'd bail on me."

"What's that?" Analee says warningly. She didn't hear, but she SORT of got an inkling

"Onlhhy professing my love for you, cupcake." He says

"Smart move, sugarplum" She says back

"For the survey, can I ask what sort of employment you have?"

"Substitute teacher" Analee says

"Increasingly reduced hours at a company that makes widgets" Trevor replies

He notes that down too. "The survey is anonymous, but my name is August Rachford." He offers his hand.