The Head Doctor is In

“That’s great though. You need some time for yourself. Have some fun and all that.” She didn’t want to see him overworked. He did a lot of good for a lot of people. “Everyone needs a break every once in a while.”

  “ Of course, I am of no use to anyone if I am too high strung.” He said with a smile. “ I do have to get going though, I am suppose to meet with a client in about twenty minutes and it takes fifteen to get back to my house. Will you be okay until our next meeting?” He asked looking over at her. 

“Try not to be offended, I haven’t answered anyone’s calls.” Save one, but only because she knew the person on the other line would burn down half of Red Creek to find her out of pure fear that she was dead. “I decided to take a Me Day… Or night. Whatever.” She debated it, allowing her therapist to exit Tequila Mockingbird and leave her to tonight’s endeavors, but something else had the brunette nudging out a bar stool with her boot. “I’m sorry I didn’t come to our session, but I needed to get my thoughts together and it’s hard to do that when someone’s prying into them. I know it’s your job and I’m grateful to you. Today’s just… hard.”

  Well, she didn’t kick him out so that was a good thing. He listened to what she had to say before he nodded and spoke.  “I understand that. I have been telling you that you should take some time for yourself. I am glad you actually are.” He added while he watched her. He took the bar stool she had pushed out and he sat down to listen. This didn’t have to be a session so he wasn’t going to pry. She did say she needed to get her thoughts together. Something he could respect. 

   “ Do you mind if I ask what it is about today that makes it hard?” He asked. He got the feeling there was a lot more to the story, but he wasn’t going to push it. He could respect her desire to just gather her thoughts and take a day off. If today had been a bad day for her they could have rescheduled. Honestly he was fine with that. He had really just been worried about her. 

“Well now it’s a challenge, so I’ll have to just based on that.” Logan followed mostly steadily after Will. “Buskin’ Robin’s Diner, obviously. Best bacon cheeseburgers there are. You’ve had them, right?  You gotta try ‘em if you haven’t.” 

  “ I have not had them. Looks like I get to try something new tonight” He said with a thoughtful smile.

Henryk arched a brow at the doctor, half impressed, half disappointed. “Well, I guess you can put me on that list. I am very private and very stubborn.” He tilted his head as the man questioned him. “I’m not concerned per se, just curious. I’m a curious man and you made it sound like something extraordinary.”

             “So —— what else would you like to know?”

  Will jotted down a few notes before looking up. “Well, How about you tell me why you are really here.” he said as he looked up. “ I have done this for a while now and I can always tell when someone is here but does not want to be. Ether you are being forced to by a friend or lover or you lost a bet.” he said as he frowned. “ I have no problem helping anyone who needs it but so far you have just spun yourself in circles.” he added. “ So ether you are being forced or there is something you aren’t telling me that is the real issue you want to address.” he remarked. 

A particular piece of information caught his attention and the vampire frowned. “What do you mean by that? They won’t be able to read it — are your notes written in code or something?” Great. Absolutely fantastic. If that was the case, this nightmare would’ve been for nothing. “Huh. I guess that’d make sure no one else can read them…”

  He nodded “ I have my own special combinations of languages I use for my notes. That way my clients information stays private. I have a lot of very private and stubborn clients” he said simply as he looked up at him. “ Why so concerned?” he asked 

“That sounds perfect. Plenty of time to let my bss know but she won’t mind,” Alecta replied with a smile. She was looking forward to it really. Things seemed a bit more positive than prior that was for sure. “How are you doing though, Will?”

   He marked the date and time in his calendar and then tucked his phone away. “ I have been fine. Business has slowed down so I have had a bit of down time.” He explained with a smile at her.

“I’ve been busy. Is it protocol to come hunting me down when I miss session now? You don’t have to come looking for me, if I were dead you’d know it.” Despite her numerous brushes with the grim reaper, Lenore still remained in the world just as surely as ever. “What’s wrong? You’ll have to be more specific, Doc.” Things were always wrong in Red Creek, it long ago became par for the course. 

 “ When you don’t show up and don’t answer my calls. Then yes it is protocol for me to come looking for you. “ He said as he looked her over. He could tell something was wrong but he didn’t know what. “ You know what I mean Lenore. I know you aren’t the fondest of our sessions but you still always made it. Did something happen?” He asked. She seemed more down then normal. He wasn’t mad by any means he was more concerned. She had been making some pretty decent progress in their sessions so when she didn’t show he got fairly worried.  “Hey if you want me to leave I will. You know I don’t push. But whatever it is your are dealing with. I am here to help you with that Remember?” he said. 

“Food and more booze? Sold!” That sounded like the best alternative. “Might not have a collection by the time I’m done with it, fair warning.” It was just a bonus that it was free. Logan got up off the stool a little unsteadily but managed to get his feet under him without needing to lean on Will. “Of course burgers. What else would we even get?” Logan gave him a look like he was crazy and headed for the door. 

“ By all means I look forward to seeing if you can make a dent in it. I practically have my own bar at home” He explained. He kept pace with him. He didn’t want to rush him and have Logan trip on anything. He lead him outside to his car and he unlocked it.  “ Where to for burgers? I am still not too familiar with the restaurants around here” he added. 

Hope’s eyes opened slowly as the memory faded away and his question caused the present to slip back into focus, the breath she took before speaking was staggered as though she were trying to force something back and in truth she was. She was trying to hold back sobbing. Despite it happening so long ago, the pain was still just as fresh. It was like an open wound. “He’s dead” She looked out the window of his office as a couple of tears escaped and slid down her cheeks “He killed himself when I was seven” she was honestly surprised that he didn’t know, she chalked it up to him being new. Anyone who had been in the town then knew it was a small town and secrets like that were not easily kept.

 He looked up from his notes and he nodded. Suicide was never an easy topic specially when concerning a loved one. “ I am very sorry to hear that. How wonderful it is then that you have that memory of him then.” He said softly. That happened when she was seven huh? So it shouldn’t be too old of news. He could probably learn more about it by snooping around. He was quite pleased. They had made some serious progress over this session. Even if it was mostly just him learning to understand her more. He glanced at the clock and he frowned. How did an hour go by so quickly.    “It would seem that our time is up for today” he said as he jotted down one more note before looking at her. “ I have homework for you this next week” He said as he closed the file. “ I would like if you would make a list of the five things in your life that have had the most influence over you” he told her. 

“Isn’t there something about taking care of yourself as well? Too many mental health professionals get burned out because they don’t. I’d hate to see that happen to you, Dr. Adler. Everyone needs someone’s help, you can’t be responsible for them all, can you?”

  “ Always the realist. I admire that about you Lara” he said with a smile as he sat down on the edge of his desk and looked over at her. “ I assure you, I am alright. I do what I do because I love my work. I enjoy piecing together other peoples thoughts and problems. It’s like one giant puzzle, with a lot of missing pieces” he added smiling. “I do things to take care of myself” he half lied. Okay so he ordered pizza a lot and enjoyed expensive alcohol. He enjoyed it and it helped him relax. That was taking care of himself. Somewhat, so he was lonely a lot. That’s why he got a cat. 

  “What about you? Are you taking care of yourself? Word on the street is your family is having some issues.” He asked. 

Logan made a face as William kept talking about it. He didn’t mind the idea, or at least he was coming around to it, but he wasn’t buying special paper if he was just gonna burn it. Will got quiet, though, and Logan wondered if he was thinking about his wife. “Guess that’s what you do, huh?” Maybe if it had been a wife he’d lost, he’d buy special paper to write letters to her too. “I’m down for food but I don’t wanna go home any time soon.” It would be quiet and dark and he didn’t feel like he was drunk enough yet to be able to face it, in spite of how much he’d already had.  

 Will could understand that. “ Well, If you want I have a guest room and plenty of alcohol you are welcome to help yourself to” he reasoned. “ We can pick up some food and you can help yourself to my collection. I don’t need to drink it all anyways.” He said with a shrug. “ I have some pretty good stuff and it’s free” he added. “So what do you wanna pick up? I am thinking burgers?” he asked helping him up. 

“Oh, now we’re getting to the good stuff”, the vampire joked with a chuckle.

“It’s good — nothing to complain about. You’d be surprised with how many people are into getting bit in this town”, he commented and shrugged. “Makes for some quality one night stands.” Henryk settled his sight upon the pad where the doctor scribbled down some notes here and there. “You mind me asking what you do with those notes? Study them later to figure me out?” The vampire guessed, wondering if he could get some answers straight from the source.

 He jotted down his notes. That was probably the most honest answer he had gotten from this guy. One night stands huh? Not a commitment bone in his body. That would explain a lot as well as his ‘need to have control.’ Some minor OCD would explain his compulsion to get rid of anything he didn’t have full control over but he didn’t fall into the other categories of someone with OCD. He hadn’t even noticed that Will had books on the shelf that were not organized by color. Even someone with the smallest bit of OCD would have been compelled to fix it. 

  Will looked up from his notes when Henryk asked about his notes. The end of his pen tapped against his chin. “ Actually yes. Before our next session I will go over them, determine where we left off and make a plan to best help you reach your end result.” He said simply. “ My Clients are welcome to a copy of their notes at any time they like. However it really won’t do them any good as they won’t be able to read it” He said with a bit of a smug smile.  “Don’t worry, No one but myself see’s these notes” he explained

“It feels like forever since we lasted talk. Probably just because a lot happened between then and now,” she replied. “That would be great. I mean right now it’s ok. I don’t miss any of it, but I know that won’t always be the case. But there’s this saying that I think applies well and that is that you can miss something but not want it back.”

 “ Of course, we can set up an appointment if you would like” he said as he pulled out his phone. He ignored his messages for now. He could check them after he was done with Alecta. He opened his calendar and looked over his next weeks schedule. “ I have Thursday morning open” He offered giving her a smile “ Not to mention you have my number of course” he added. “ So if you need me anytime in between you can always call me.”

It was strange to hear the word abuser, but she knew deep down it was the truth. No matter how hard it was to hear it sometimes. “I already feel lighter. Like more free I guess. I know I’ll hit some rough patches before it’s all said and done, but this is already ten times better than before. I even sent Watson to a trainer so he could become a therapy cat like you suggested.”

  Will listened and he nodded. Her old therapist would be happy to hear about the change.  Change was always hard but specially for girls like Alecta. Her life had been one way for so long, a big change like this ran the risk of backfiring further down the line. He would have to keep an eye out for her that was for sure. 

  “ Good, Watson will be wonderful for that. I know my cat Lavender has been doing really well with her training. She’s gotten a lot bigger since you last saw her too” he added with a thoughtful smile. “This is a great start. Don’t worry, I am here for those rough patches. “ He said sweetly. “ If you want we can have continue our sessions and perhaps even have them out here.” He told her. When the weather was nice he preferred to have his sessions outside in the fresh air. 

Focus, he told himself as his interest in the whole ordeal plummeted. Heaving a sigh, he licked at his lips, allowing his sight to wander around the room for a moment, searching for wherever the good doctor kept his files, before he even attempted to answer his question.

“Yeah — I don’t do romance. It’s too messy — and it’s all bullshit anyway. All you have to do is say the right things to someone and suddenly they’re in love with you. Love’s a bad investment. Too fickle. I don’t put effort into anything that doesn’t offer me something in return”, he said with a shrug and frowned, wondering if that was too personal. It felt like the opposite of personal. “I do have some friends in town, if that counts”, he added for good measure. 

  So he wasn’t being forced into this by a spouse. Will didn’t know how many times he had someone forced into therapy by a significant other. But then this left the question of why was this guy here? He was giving off so many alarms in Will’s head. Maybe he was just paranoid after the whole Malachi incident. Things had been really quiet for a while now and he wasn’t sure if the whole thing just made him edgy or what. 

   “ Friends always count. What about your sex life? if you aren’t into romance per say then how is your sex life? That offers something in return.” he asked. Will had the feeling someone was forcing this guy to be here. It could be a lover or maybe a friend. Something about his answers felt so forced. Sure he had patients struggle with answers but this was different and he wasn’t to sure about him. Regardless he was going to get to the bottom of this.