I am crazy, after all.
There are a dozen or so cars parked, but none stopped at the ‘Pick-Up/Drop-Off’ section, which is where we are now sitting. I take a deep breath and step out of the car. Tyson is doing the same, and I hear him grunt as he stretches his arms over his head.
I roll my head around my shoulders, hearing the satisfyingpop, which is followed by approaching footsteps. Tyson is coming around to my side. “Do you want me to come with you?” he asks, tucking his hands into his pockets.
Shaking my head, I crane my neck to keep him in view. I swear he should have played basketball; I think he mentioned he did in high school, but I’m not too sure.
“I’ll hopefully be quick. I’ll sign the paperwork… I may see her, but it will be seconds at best. I really don’t want to talk with her. Hopefully she’s asleep, but, knowing my luck, she’ll be wide awake with that—” I pause, dropping my shoulders and widening my eyes as if imitating a zombie. “Dead-dumb expression of hers.”
Tyson tosses his head back in laughter, the intensity of it reverberating around us. “Yeah, you definitely fed.”
I groan and don’t entertain the conversation further, walking up toward the entrance. It reads ‘Family/Guest Reception Area’. Suppose I am one of those guests. As I always have been.
In the bright white waiting room, a few people sit, and I groan inwardly. Why do these places always have to be so colorless? It feels like they should be red or black, with the amount of dread that comes with them.
“Hello, welcome to EHA, please sign in and—”
“Hi, I actually called…” I pull my phone out of my pocket for the first time, and see that I have four missed messages. I swipe them away to look at the time. “…early this morning, just after midnight. My name is Stephanie Wards, I’m here to sign the renewalpaperwork for Tali Orchid. Patient X9918. Unless she has been moved, she’s in room 0229.”
The girl, likely around my age, clicks away at the computer before nodding, “Oh yes, you are her niece-in-law, correct?”
I should have just said I was a friend of the family. Having any connection to that woman anymore is such a pain in my ass. It was agonizing to get my last name removed, but thankfully the courts found in my favor when I was eighteen to remove ‘Orchid’ from my life.
One year before my abduction. One year of freedom from that name.
“Ex-niece-in-law. Her late husband, my uncle, is dead as you know. I’m just Stephanie to her.”
“I’ll make a note of that.” She offers me a smile, which I don’t return. “Here is your slip, go ahead and take the hall there,” she gestures to the one on my right, “the director’s office will be the fourth door on your left. I’ll notify her you are on your way.”
With a nod, I take the slip and move toward the doors, which slowly open automatically with the receptionist’s buzz.
I don’t take in my surroundings, as it’s just white on white walls with white doors and white floors and ceilings. Counting the doors until I arrive at the fourth, I give it a soft knock.
“Come in,” a gentle voice calls, and I do so.
This room is at least slightly less bright, which gives my eyes a reprieve. I close the door behind me and don’t wait for her to direct me to sit in the chair in front of her.
“Ah, Miss Wards, it is nice to finally meet you in person.”
It really isn’t a pleasure. I could go my entire existence never again stepping foot in this place if possible.
“Mhmm. Do you have the paperwork?” I don’t want to be here longer than I have to be. Plus, I’d like to give Tyson a place to sleep, so we can pick up quickly in the morning and get home. I’ve got far too much to do.
“I do.” She rummages through her desk and pulls out a folder. “Thanks for coming so quickly. We tried to—”
“I know, my apologies.” I lean over to grab the folder but she pulls it back. Physically, I tense, and mentally I begin counting backward. I can’t punch the director of a mental facility, that truly ismental.
“Before you sign, would you like to talk about Tali’s progress?”
“No. I’ll try to see her before I leave, but I am in a hurry.” I see she’s not going to hand over the folder, her brown eyes assessing me. My nose twitches, and I concede. Without another word, I lean back into the chair, and cross one leg over the other.
I know I look disheveled; being in the car for nearly a full day’s time probably has me looking exhausted. My cardigan is draped over one shoulder, exposing my tank top, while my nearly sheer leggings stretch and have a stain on one leg.Wait, damn, where did that come from? I swore I just washed these.
“She still hasn’t spoken, but has begun taking her medication. Which is great progress for her.”
“Oh wow, that’s wonderful,” I don’t conceal the sarcasm in my tone. “Is she dying?”
“No, she is actually doing well.”