Page 9 of Speak

“Oh, and Axel?”

He stands at the threshold of the door that’s now slightly ajar and I can see her profile waiting for him. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Thanks.” He replies softly. He holds out his hand and she takes it in hers, and they walk out of my office holding fucking hands like lovers and not siblings.

Oh no, no,no.

Did I fucking miss something?

______

“Hello?”

“Mrs. Monroe, Doctor Archer here.” I sit back in my home office swivel chair, looking at my laptop, appreciating the small Spanish accent in Mrs. Monroe’s English. I always wonder if Raven would also have one since Spanish was her first language.

“Doctor Archer, how nice of you to call, I’m afraid I can’t speak too long, it’s Raven’s birthday.”

“Yes, I’m well aware of my patient’s birthday.”

“Formerpatient, Doctor.”

I roll my eyes at her attitude. “Yes, that’s what I was calling about, Mrs. Monroe, I don’t think Raven should stop seeing me.”

“She has to.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yes, I’m afraid she’ll no longer be in Lorne Wood Falls, Doctor. She’s going back to Rayne-Moore to get her degree.”

My jaw drops. “Excuse me? She’s going back to the scene of the crime?”

“I know how this sounds, Doctor, trust me, but she’s been adamant about it since her reacceptance letter came in the mail.”

“She told you?”

“More like gestured.” She says as though she doesn’t understand the significance of this.

“Shegestured?”

Sofia sighs over the phone. “She pointed at it and then tapped on it twice.”

TWICE. I almost jump out of my seat. Raven mustreallywant to go back. But why does my little blackbird want to go back to where she was hurt? Where her little neck was snapped and she no longer sings?What are you planning, Raven?

“When does she leave? Maybe we could have one last session before she goes.”

“I’m afraid not, Doctor Archer. She leaves in the morning with Axel. He’s dropping her off and then heading back to his university.”

Sure enough, when I log into the app on my phone to the live feed camera I had installed in her room after we agreed to partial home visitation where she spends the weekends at home, under supervision, so I could “check-in randomly,” she’s packing up a suitcase... and her cello. So many nights of her unknowingly giving me private concerts will be gone.

Well, this just won't do.

“Will she be living separately from the dorms? I don’t think she should be alone.” I ask because I need to knoweverything.

“No, thankfully there was a dorm available on such short notice. Unfortunately, it’ll be on the first floor, so I hope she won’t wander out if she sleepwalks.”

See? Raven needs me there to protect her. She can’t leave me. What if she wanders out when it snows and catches hypothermia? The temperature is already starting to drop in the evenings and they’re promising a bitter winter this year.

“Thank you, Mrs. Monroe.” I hang up before she replies and pull up the RMU Website, hitting the drop-down menu button that shows careers and find an opening for a student counselor position. The position in which details, I would have a free private room and boardon campusin the faculty and staff building. If I choose to stay there. Pictures show pretty luxurious apartment-like faculty rooms.

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