Page 15 of Through the Snow Globe
“Very much so.” Diana smiled reassuringly.
Addy offered an exasperated sigh. “Well, tell that to myex-boyfriend andex-best friend, Sierra.”
Diana placed her BP cuff back in the bag at her feet and sat upright. She remembered a couple weeks ago when Addy had mentioned her former boyfriend and best friend. Addy had burst into tears that day and hadn’t talked about it since. The last thing Diana wanted was to make Addy cry again. Maybe Addy needed a session with Rochelle. Diana could suggest it to Mrs. Pierce later.
“Never mind,” Addy muttered. “Forget I said anything.”
Diana was tempted, but she could also tell the girl was hurting and from what Diana could tell, Addy didn’t exactly have a lot of people to talk to. She had her mom, of course, but what teen girl wanted to talk about what was going on in her life with her mother? “I’m a good listener, you know.”
Addy hesitated. She took a moment to inspect her nails as she seemed to contemplate whether to confide in Diana. “Once I got sick, they both completely forgot that I existed.”
“Why would they disappear on you like that?”
“I don’t know, maybe because I’m a weirdo now. I don’t exist in their world anymore.” Addy shrugged again, as if this was no big deal, but the circles under her eyes suddenly looked darker.
“I’m sorry,” Diana said. “It’s their loss. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Do you want to disclose information aboutyourpersonal life?” Addy asked with a hopeful rise to her voice.
“No,” Diana said flatly.
“Fine. Me either.” Addy returned to looking at her chipped polish.
“Okay then, we’ll just continue with your physical therapy.” Diana turned to her company laptop. Before she even got started with her questions, Addy began rattling off her answers.
“I’m a five on the pain scale. I already went to the bathroom this morning. Number one, not two. I had some water and one boiled egg for breakfast. No nausea or vomiting.” She grinned but Diana could see that whatever was going on with Addy’s boyfriend and best friend was bothering her more than a little bit. “Do you think my exes are scared of me now? Because I had cancer?” she finally asked.
Diana looked up from her laptop as she recorded Addy’s responses. “No, of course not. Maybe they’re just uncomfortable because they don’t understand what you’re going through. Sometimes it’s hard to talk to someone when you don’t know what to say.”
Addy fidgeted with her hands in her lap. “It doesn’t matter what they say as long as they say something. Their silence is brutal.”
Diana suddenly felt the urge to reach out and hug the girl. She suppressed it because it wasn’t exactly professional, right? Therapists didn’t embrace their patients. “This won’t last forever, you know. And right now, your focus needs to be on getting stronger so that you can return to school and everyday life. Your true friends will be waiting for you when you get back.”
Addy’s eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. “Sure,” she said after a moment. “Focus on getting better. So, what are we doing today? Let’s do this,” she said, forcing a smile.
* * *
After twenty minutes of exercise and therapeutic activity, Diana stepped out of Addy’s room and talked to Mrs. Pierce in the kitchen. Mrs. Pierce extended an invitation to Christmas dinner tomorrow, which Diana politely declined. She was neither friend nor family to the Pierces. She was sure William would have no issue blurring the lines, but she wasn’t William. Plus, she just didn’t feel like celebrating this year.
“Unfortunately, I’ll be at my future mother-in-law’s house,” Diana said, even though she had no intention of going to the Grants’ place.
“I understand,” Mrs. Pierce said. “A person should be with their family on Christmas.”
Linus was Diana’s family. And she did intend to spend the holiday with him at New Hope. At least for a couple hours.
Diana waved goodbye and then headed back to her car parked along the curb. The temperature felt ten degrees colder as she hurried to tuck herself behind the wheel. Then she proceeded to see three more patients before pulling into the parking lot for New Hope that evening. Her phone chirped with an incoming text message from Rochelle.
Rochelle:You’re not breaking the holiday drinks tradition. It’ll be good for you. Plus, I miss my friend.
This was in response to a message that Diana had sent her yesterday. Diana tapped off a quick reply.
Diana:I miss you too. I guess I can hang for one drink.
Rochelle:Good.
Diana:I’ll meet you there in half an hour?
That would give Diana time to step inside New Hope and check on Linus.
