Page 61 of Night So Silent
Shit. Fuck. Whatever. I’ve already accepted that this New Year’s resolution was dead on arrival.
“Merry Christmas Eve, Barrett,” Mark Holloway chuckles over the speaker.
“Merry Christmas Eve to you, too. I wasn't expecting to get a call from you…on Christmas Eve.”
I haven’t spoken to Mark Holloway in over a year, not since I got his number from my grad school advisor to refer Colson. I thought it would be a fool’s errand to find an experienced trauma therapist out here in the middle of nowhere. But, to my utter shock, Holloway practices only 30 miles from Gunnison. He’s one of the most respected professionals in his field, which is why it’s even more shocking that he took my call. And now, after all that, he’s callingme.
“Well, I had a few loose ends to tie up before unplugging for the next 10 days and you were on my call list,” he replies.
“Me?” I croak, wiping away the residual tears on my cheeks.
“Apologies for waiting until today to call. I hope I’m not interrupting. I'm also freezing my ass off on my deck trying to escape my mother-in-law for a few minutes. Don't tell anyone.”
“Don’t worry,” I snicker. “Your secret’s safe with me, Dr. Holloway. I just wasn’t expecting it.”
“Please, call me Mark. My professional persona is a joke during family functions. I can be the keynote speaker at an international conference, but my teenage daughters still think I’m cringe for wearing ankle socks to the gym.”
“Not a problem, Mark,” I snort. “I can be cringe with the best of them.”
“Well,that’sa relief. Anyway, what the hell was I saying?” He pauses for a moment. “Oh yeah, why I called you. I’ll get straight to the point. One of my partners, Priyah Harschburger, is leaving the practice, moving to Arizona to be closer to her parents. I threatened her, of course, offered her more money, but to no avail. Which brings me toyou.You might be aware that there are specific training and experience required for effective trauma-based therapy. Services are in demand for people like us with these skillsets, especially in rural areas.”
Us? Is he including me on the same level as him?
“Not that I didn’t do my due diligence. The last thing I want to do is invite someone into a partnership who’s a total ass.”
Mark Holloway is kind of kooky. And I’m so here for it.
“That being said, the need is real—on both fronts. Our case load is full, and the practice is still growing. Priyah’s case load was more than manageable, but it won’t be if we have to redistribute to other partners. We can’t be effective if we stretch ourselves too thin and put our established clients at risk. I needsomeone to come aboard immediately, and I’d like to offer you the position.”
Holy. Shit.
“Oh…um…” I stammer.
What the hell am I supposed to say? I clear my throat, trying desperately to sound like I haven’t just been crying on Sergei’s sofa. Hell, the man was able to reach Colson Lutz. That must qualify for a Nobel Prize. And he calledmepersonally to offer me a position inhispractice?
“If you need some time to think about it, I understand,” Dr. Holloway says. “I realize you’re probably up to your eyeballs in Christmas cheer so, again, I apologize for the timing. But if I could respectfully ask for your decision by the 26th, I would really appreciate it.”
I glance over my shoulder, at Sergei lounging on the sofa, knees splayed out with one arm slung over his shoulder as he watches the snow fall out the window.
“No!” I blurt out. “I mean, no, it’s no trouble. I was just caught off-guard. But actually…”
Then I think about Brett, Colson, Ev, and how much I miss them every single day. I think about Derek and his stupid Napoleon complex and the unread emails I probably have threatening to fire me anyway. I think about the whirlwind of emotions that hit me like a tsunami only within the past few days. Then I think about the blonde leviathan sitting on the sofa, waiting patiently for me.
“I think this sounds like an amazing opportunity and I would be honored to accept.”
“Oh, thank God,” Dr. Holloway breathes a sigh of relief. “I’ve been avoiding this too long and I was going to have a mutiny on my hands if I didn’t find an acceptable candidate soon.Denial’s not just a river in Egypt, huh?”
I’m also really enjoying how much of a quintessentialDadDr. Holloway has turned out to be.
“It’s alright Dr. Holloway—Mark.I recently decided I need a change of scenery myself. I’ve gone as far as I can go in my current position. I need to move on.”
“Very good. Well, enjoy your holiday and I’ll touch base with more information and an official offer next week. And I won’t low-ball you, either. I’m probably the biggest ass in that office, but even I’m notthatbad. And we don’t have shitty health insurance, either, if that’s a concern.”
When is it not?
“Thanks, Mark,” I chuckle. “I really appreciate you calling and I look forward to it.”
With a round ofMerry Christmases,Mark Holloway’s voice is gone as quickly as it appeared and I’m once again left standing in the middle of this perfect snow globe house. I turn around, suddenly rendered speechless by the impromptu events of the last five minutes. Sergei turns to me with curiosity.
