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“I don’t want to manipulate or control her.”
“So, how did you both end up meeting anyway?”
“Through work.” Does it sound bad? And by bad, I mean disturbingly kinky to tell her dad that she was my maid? And still kind of is? God, that’s quite a mess. How could I make Ellis clean my house after this? I suppose I should find her another job instead of just kicking her out the door. That would be the first step in not being an asshole 101 and in treating her right, as her dad asked me to do.
“Work?”
“Uh, yeah.” I have a feeling more questions are coming, so I cut it off. “I…we…we had to work on a project together, and it was quite intense. A strange project. More of a problem we had to solve.”
“A problem?”
“It was sort of a curse.”
Ellis’ dad takes that oddly in stride. I pull up in front of a quaint old three-story gingerbread house in a darling neighborhood filled with ancient old mansions with turrets, wood shingles, wrap-around porches, brick, stained glass, and other bygone building materials. I haven’t been here before, and I can’t really believe this is the address, but well, then again, maybe I can. It kind of looks like something out of a fairy tale since it’s painted pink, purple, yellow, and green. There are two turrets rising up on either side of the house, scalloped shingles, wood shutters, stained glass, bay windows on the bottom, a massive wrap-around porch, and a stone fireplace outside. Yes. Stone. Who the heck has a fireplace in New Orleans?
Anyway, this house looks more like a candy shop than a place for therapy, but that’s probably a good thing. Who wants to sit on a hard leather couch and let someone pick at their brain like a rabid rooster? Certainly not me, and not anyone. The image of how therapy used to be done should just get thrown out the window. Penny has enough education and experience to know how to help people, and if she thinks this is the right atmosphere, then I’m glad.
Ellis’ dad opens the passenger door, but he still has his seat belt on.
“Do you want me to come with you? Penny’s expecting you. You’re her last appointment, so there isn’t any time limit. Please feel free to book in as many times as you would like after. You can set your appointments with her if you would like more after this one, so they’re scheduled. She knows how to take care of the billing. You won’t be asked anything about that.”
He squints at the colorful house. “You sure this is the right place?”
“Yes.”
“Does she hand out free lollies?”
“What the heck is a lolly?”
“Suckers?”
“Oh. Uh, I don’t know. If you want one, I’m sure she could get one to you in short order. Or have them ready for your next appointment.”
Ellis’ dad huffs. “Does she have a unicorn farm in her backyard?”
“I would say chances are high, based on the look of the front of the house.”
His lips twitch, and it’s so like his daughter’s when she’s trying to hold back a smile. “Does she put extra sprinkles on already sprinkled sugar cookies after she ices them with pastel colors?”
“Chances are high.”
“Good. She probably likes making the world a better place, which is a good quality to have if she’s into therapy.”
I nod. I could tell him all about Penny, how much education she has, how many studies she’s done, all the papers and books she’s published, and all the awards she’s won, but I damper it down and say nothing. It’s better for Ellis’ dad to just go in and find out for himself.
“If it doesn’t work out with her, or you don’t like her or her style or whatever, I can find someone else, someone decent. Whatever you like, and in whatever atmosphere you like.”
Ellis’ dad turns back to me, removes his seatbelt, and hones in on my face with the sharpest, most intelligent set of eyes I’ve ever seen. “Why are you doing this, really?”
“Because you need it.”
It’s the only answer I can think of giving. I don’t know how it’s going to go over or how many other questions it’ll raise, but I know I’ll sit there and answer all of them if Ellis’ dad wants to ask them. He just accepts my answer, though, likely because it’s truly sincere. Maybe it means there are a few good people left in the world, and when someone tries to do something nice, people don’t always have to believe they have ulterior motives. At least, I don’t think I do. I’m pretty sure I don’t.
This isn’t a way to get into Ellis’ pants or win points with her dad.
This is just because I have the money, and someone needs to do this man a good turn. Because a good turn can change everything.
