she shrieked. “I’m not leaving!” She raced into her room and slammed the door.
It only got noisier after that. Brant hear Penny shrieking and swearing from his room down the hall. There were several thuds and Brant couldn’t decide if Penny was throwing things or kicking the walls as they tried to carry her out. There were masculine voices as well, softer, coaxing. The shrieking got louder as they brought her into the hallway and Brant could hear the words now.
“I’m going to kill that little son of a bitch. Where the hell is he? You can’t throw me out! I’m not healed, I’m not better yet. I’ll use again! Where is that bastard? He ruined my life! I’ll kill him; I swear to god, he’s dead. Brant is so dead!”
Dr. Hurd and Dr. Keaton stood in the hallway at the foot of the stairs, out of the way and mostly out of sight but near enough to be of assistance should the need arise. Dr. Keaton sighed and shook his head as the orderlies carried Penny down the stairs, still screaming.
“I should have seen this, Clyde, I’m sorry. Penny was dependent on more than just the drugs, she craved affection. I guess she started seducing other patients as a way to fill that need. She seemed to be more stable, I thought she was getting better, but she was just using in a different way.”
“We can’t always see everything, Sebastian. These people have a lot of experience hiding their symptoms, and their addictions, from the people closest to them.”
“Still, it was my job. I could have prevented this.”
“I don’t think you could have. She would have kept this up until someone like Brant decided not to stand for it. Come on, there’s a lot a paperwork to do now.”
From the library Alice could hear the yelling as they brought Penny down the stairs. She stood with her back against the wall just inside the door where no one could see her. She squeezed her eyes shut and focused on her breathing but still Penny’s voice seemed to change into a deeper voice, one that yelled insults at her from across deep in her own mind. It was all over quickly but Alice was shaking and tears streamed down her face. She peeked around the door frame then made a break for her room before the gawkers came out to gossip about the drama.
* * * *
Alice ate lunch slowly, looking up hopefully every time someone walked in to the dining room. Every time it wasn’t Brant she sighed and took another bite of food. Brant never did show at lunch, or at dinner. After dinner Alice paused at number sixteen and stared at the door for a long time.
Speaking to him in the dining room or library was one thing, but actually seeking him out was a different matter altogether. Her throat was dry and she swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes shut.
He fought with Penny so there’s no telling what mood he might be in. He yelled at his own brother this morning. He wouldn’t think twice about yelling at me just for knocking on the door. Shaking, she retreated to her own room and her romance novels.
Chapter Four
Seth pulled into the lot at eight am on the nose. He turned off the car and sat staring at the traffic beyond the thick bushes. He couldn’t hear the hum of the other cars, except when a large truck rumbled past, and if he closed his eyes it was almost like being back on the farm.
Except that here I’m the only target for Brant’s bitching and I don’t have the privacy of my garage to putter in.
He sighed and headed for the visitor’s door. He had read the stack of papers from Dr. Keaton over and over again and he knew he had to let go of any fights he’d had with Brant. Dwelling on disagreements could make a patient resentful and resistant to help. There was a time and place to air dirty laundry but that time wasn’t during the recovery process.
Besides, if I’m not there to help keep his temper in check he’ll get himself kicked out. The orderly on duty searched his pockets and let him through the secure door into the
It only got noisier after that. Brant hear Penny shrieking and swearing from his room down the hall. There were several thuds and Brant couldn’t decide if Penny was throwing things or kicking the walls as they tried to carry her out. There were masculine voices as well, softer, coaxing. The shrieking got louder as they brought her into the hallway and Brant could hear the words now.
“I’m going to kill that little son of a bitch. Where the hell is he? You can’t throw me out! I’m not healed, I’m not better yet. I’ll use again! Where is that bastard? He ruined my life! I’ll kill him; I swear to god, he’s dead. Brant is so dead!”
Dr. Hurd and Dr. Keaton stood in the hallway at the foot of the stairs, out of the way and mostly out of sight but near enough to be of assistance should the need arise. Dr. Keaton sighed and shook his head as the orderlies carried Penny down the stairs, still screaming.
“I should have seen this, Clyde, I’m sorry. Penny was dependent on more than just the drugs, she craved affection. I guess she started seducing other patients as a way to fill that need. She seemed to be more stable, I thought she was getting better, but she was just using in a different way.”
“We can’t always see everything, Sebastian. These people have a lot of experience hiding their symptoms, and their addictions, from the people closest to them.”
“Still, it was my job. I could have prevented this.”
“I don’t think you could have. She would have kept this up until someone like Brant decided not to stand for it. Come on, there’s a lot a paperwork to do now.”
From the library Alice could hear the yelling as they brought Penny down the stairs. She stood with her back against the wall just inside the door where no one could see her. She squeezed her eyes shut and focused on her breathing but still Penny’s voice seemed to change into a deeper voice, one that yelled insults at her from across deep in her own mind. It was all over quickly but Alice was shaking and tears streamed down her face. She peeked around the door frame then made a break for her room before the gawkers came out to gossip about the drama.
* * * *
Alice ate lunch slowly, looking up hopefully every time someone walked in to the dining room. Every time it wasn’t Brant she sighed and took another bite of food. Brant never did show at lunch, or at dinner. After dinner Alice paused at number sixteen and stared at the door for a long time.
Speaking to him in the dining room or library was one thing, but actually seeking him out was a different matter altogether. Her throat was dry and she swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes shut.
He fought with Penny so there’s no telling what mood he might be in. He yelled at his own brother this morning. He wouldn’t think twice about yelling at me just for knocking on the door. Shaking, she retreated to her own room and her romance novels.
Chapter Four
Seth pulled into the lot at eight am on the nose. He turned off the car and sat staring at the traffic beyond the thick bushes. He couldn’t hear the hum of the other cars, except when a large truck rumbled past, and if he closed his eyes it was almost like being back on the farm.
Except that here I’m the only target for Brant’s bitching and I don’t have the privacy of my garage to putter in.
He sighed and headed for the visitor’s door. He had read the stack of papers from Dr. Keaton over and over again and he knew he had to let go of any fights he’d had with Brant. Dwelling on disagreements could make a patient resentful and resistant to help. There was a time and place to air dirty laundry but that time wasn’t during the recovery process.
Besides, if I’m not there to help keep his temper in check he’ll get himself kicked out. The orderly on duty searched his pockets and let him through the secure door into the
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