Page 26 of The Trauma Response
I chuckle. “I know, I meant whoa on the assumption I can’t work job magic. I got you something. I mean, assuming you want it. You remember Christian from last night?”
“I do. The billionaire guy, right? Hard to forget.”
“Yeah, him. He’s always hiring this and that, and he said you could come in, he’ll talk with you, and see where he can place you. Is that okay?”
“Cai, I don’t know. I don’t want to impose on your friends. I definitely don’t need him to make a pity position for me at his company.”
Hearing her put it that way, I sort of get it. I probably wouldn’t be crazy about it either, but knowing Christian, the last thing he is doing is offering a pity position. “It’s not that at all. Christian needs people he can trust, and since he trusts me and I trust you, the trust flows downstream I guess,” I say with a chuckle.
She sighs again and the line fills with silence. Eventually, she shuffles something in the background and says, “Okay. Do I need to call him?”
“Awesome. Yeah, he says he’s free a few days next week. I’ll send you his receptionist’s information. This’ll be great, I promise. He’s a great guy and you’ll love working for him, at least until you know about…you know. How things will pan out.”
“Yeah, I know.” Her tone seems so final, almost as if she’s already either decided I’m lying and she’ll hate the job, or that surgery is out of the question for her forever.
“Hey, it’s going to work out, Whits. Will you call me after your doctor’s appointment?”
She clears her throat, and I know she’s been crying. She might have been exercising, but there were some tears mixed in with that cardio. There’s a certain way she does it, the throat clearing, when she’s emotional that’s completely different from when she’s sick or has a throat tickle. It was most assuredly an emotional throat clearing.
“Yeah, I can do that. Um, I’m going to shower, finish up my book, and relax a little. We’ll catch up soon, though, okay?”
It isn’t like I thought one day spent with me would cheer her up permanently, but I had hoped it would last longer thantwenty-four hours. I’m not sure how her lunch with Jackson went, but it’s possible he pushed too hard. That is his status quo, but when he does she usually comes to me to get him to lay off. She used to, anyway.
“All right. We still on to meet up in a couple of days?”
“Yep, sure thing.”
She’s forcing a sunny attitude now so she can hide that she’s upset, but I accommodate her wishes and pray she knows I’m here for her. “Okay, see you soon, Whits.”
“Bye, Cai.” She hangs up, leaving me wondering if I might be doing more harm than good.
Chapter thirteen
It’s been a couple of days since I last saw Cai, and that old dark cloud has settled in again. It isn’t as bad as it was before, but its heavy shadow looms over everything I do, including my doctor’s appointment. I’ve known Dr. Cousins for a long time. She’s not going to sugar-coat anything or lie to me about my future. I think that’s half my problem. Apprehension and anticipation make my heart flutter as I await her entrance. I’ve been poked, prodded, screened, scanned, and practically turned upside down, but I know what she’s going to say. It isn’t like I’m suddenlynota doctor and cannot fathom what my diagnosis might be.
When she finally enters, her expression says it all. “Hi, Tallulah. I’m sorry it took so long. I wanted to go over everything once more to make sure what I’m seeing is correct.”
“It’s not going to come back, is it?” I hang my head and brace myself for her answer.
She takes a deep breath and shakes her head. “My professional opinion is that there is too much damage and scarring forthe nerve to properly heal with full functionality. At least, not anytime soon. It could be years, if at all. I’m so sorry, Tulip.”
Her words hit me hard, though I’m not as devastated as I expected I would be. That in itself catches me off guard, but I find her diagnosis is only confirmation rather than earth-shattering news. I expected it. I even prepared for it over the last couple of days. I literally have an interview for another job after my appointment, which confirms everything I assumed would happen today. My career is officially over.
“Are you all right?” Dr. Cousins asks.
“I will be. I’m not surprised.” I shrug and take a deep breath.
She is about to offer more condolences, but I can’t hear them right now. I’m managing, surviving this turnabout in my life, and if she cries for me—and I have every reason to believe she will based on her red-rimmed and tearing eyes—I’ll sink into feeling sorry for myself all over again.
“Listen, I have an interview soon, so I should call a car and get ready. Thanks for everything you’ve done for me over the past few weeks.”
She purses her lips and holds back her tears. “Of course. I’d like to see you back in a couple of weeks and continue with physical therapy. You never know what persistence might do, and there are new therapies all the time. You know that.”
I nod, realizing that I’m still in for a long period of adjustment even if this is my new normal. Everything about it is slowly becoming more usual, more common in my day to day life, even if it has only been less than a week since Cai came and kicked some sense into me.
Honestly, the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same. Cai and Jackson have always taken care of me. Despite the decade of distance between us, it seems Cai hasn’t changed a bit.
The car pulls up to a massive building and drops me off. I pay the driver via the link and head inside for my interview. People mill about all over, but for the most part they’re so busy on their phones or rushing to their destination, they don’t seem to notice me. I enter the elevator and press the floor key with a small prayer that I do not make a fool of myself. Surely, if Christian thinks there is something I can do for his marketing firm, then there is. I doubt he maintains his billionaire status by making mistakes or hiring useless weight.
