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“Not too bad. I always take a swim at night. There’s an outdoor shower right around the back. If I leave the door open and have this fan on, I’m okay. It’s only hot because it’s been closed up.”
She nodded, looking around, having seen enough. “I guess I’d better get back to work.”
The need to save him was powerful, but she bit her tongue to keep from offering assistance. They got into the car for the trip back to—where?
“Where can I drop you?” she asked, depression peeking up at her from the floor of the car, eking out of the vents, whispering on her shoulder. It was so weird, she fought depression, but it wasn’t just a feeling that got her, it was an entity that made its appearance in different ways. Unless Jake’s ghost was there to do psychic battle, she often gave in to the despair. Today it was daring her from the body sitting next to her in the car.
“I’ll get out right where we met,” he said, valiantly trying to be upbeat. “I was on my way to apply at Home Depot after lunch.”
“Oh! Do you have carpentry skills? Or I guess I should say retail?”
“No. None. But I heard they’ll train.”
She pulled out onto the street and headed back to the strip mall where the Home Depot was located.
“What did you do before you were terminated?”
“I’m an anesthesiologist. Iwas.”
“What! Oh, god, I’m so sorry. You lost your job, again why?”
“I failed the drug test. They were watching me anyway, or they would have eventually fired me for stealing drugs. But luckily, just having it in my blood was bad enough.”
“How long ago did it happen?”
“A couple of years ago. My license was suspended, of course. I worked for the hospital. I wasn’t in a practice with other doctors, so there was no place for me to fall back. I was fired and that was it. I completed a ninety-day treatment program, and I’m drug-free now, but I can’t work a hospital job in Southern California until I get my license back.”
“Well, let me take you to Home Depot. It’s a start, right?”
He looked at her with appreciation. “Yep, it’s a start. Thank you for not making it sound as hopeless as it is.”
“It’s not hopeless at all. I’m really impressed.”
“With what?” he asked, frowning.
“You’ve been through so much and you keep going. You’re destined to get through this successfully.”
They didn’t speak for a moment.
“Can I have your phone number?” he asked. “My phone is the one thing that hasn’t been shut off yet.”
“Sure. Remind me when we stop.”
They didn’t talk for the next few miles. She pulled into the parking lot of the Home Depot and gave him her phone number. He keyed it in, sending her a text.
Thank you for today. You made me feel human again.
“Why is that?” she asked, reading the text.
“I don’t know. I guess because you know the truth and you’re not judging me. I haven’t talked to anyone who didn’t have a bunch of advice for me. It’s really a tough way to have a conversation when someone keeps saying you should do something different.”
“You mean like me asking if you got unemployment?” she asked, chuckling softly.
“No, not at all. You’d have to preface it with ‘why don’t you apply for.’ See what I mean? You didn’t make any suggestions, and I really appreciate it. It’s exhausting.”
“Well, I’m about to ask you something,” she said, grimacing.
“Go ahead. You’re allowed one suggestion.”
