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“Can we be done now?”
“I’m afraid not.”
I slump forward and hold my head.
“I’m going to be honest with you Mr. Ryker. I believe you lack healthy coping skills for the depth and intensity of your situation. To send you back in would be irresponsible of me given the news of your daughter. You may not want to deal with this, but my job isn’t only to help you. My job is to make sure that you don’t become a liability to your crew. It’s not just your life here.”
Her words crush all the air from my lungs and again I feel so small under her gaze. I hadn’t ever thought of that before. That they’re not assessing my mental health for my benefit, but to be sure I don’t get anyone else killed if they let me back on the crew. My lungs rattle out a shaky breath and Shunta places a hand on my shoulder.
“I want you to go away this week and think about what is really important to you, Xan. To you. Next week same time, we’ll discuss what you come up with.”
She stands and opens the door. I’m unable to speak so I obey her gestures and leave. I open my mouth to say something, but no words come so I frown and push out into the hot spring sun.
The disorienting feeling Miss Bakhsi gives me is too much to process. I tuck my hands in my pockets and begin the walk home with thoughts of Millie tumbling around in my mind.
I already know what’s important to me. Keeping my family safe and together. Protecting them. Protecting this town with my work.
What the fuck else is there?
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