AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She means well,” Anna said. “Bethany, step aside. This is my fault. This is Joe. The hockey player.”
Bethany lowered her hands. “The hockey player. How in the world do you skate on ice? With a body like that? I mean, doesn’t the ice melt at the sight of you?”
“Bethany,” Anna said. “Crossing the line.”
“Yes. I am. I think I’m going to take my lunch break now, Anna.”
“You should. Take the company card. Buy yourself something nice.”
Bethany walked behind the desk and grabbed her phone.
She then walked like a robot to the main door and exited.
Now it was just Anna and myself.
Anna stared at me longer than needed before attempting to apologize.
“Joe,” she said.
Her voice sweet and soothing.
“No,” I said. “You don’t get to do that to me. You don’t get to change your voice.”
“What?”
“That’s yourAnnavoice. You went fromDr. AutumntoAnna. You’re trying to wash that shit over me. Like you always used to do.”
“Joe…”
“I’m not doing it, Anna. Or Dr. Autumn. Whatever you want me to call you. You bailed on the session for today. So you’re going to write that one down. You’re going to tell them that you fucked up. Not me. And you’re going to sign papers so I can get back on the fucking ice where I belong. Whatever game this is? It’s done. I can’t believe you’re doing this again to me.”
“Doing what again?” Anna asked.
Why do her eyes look like that?
How does she do that?
How do they brighten like that?
This isn’t right.
I want to grab her and hug her.
I want to pick her up and say her name in her ear and smell her hair, her skin…
“You bailed. Again. Just like before. You remember that, right? The past? Or, wait, we aren’t allowed to bring that up. Not unless it’s to your advantage.”
Anna didn’t respond.
“That’s it? No response? Not going to fight back? Because you finally realize you’re wrong. You were wrong then. You’re wrong now. So say something. I want to hear it. Either as Anna or Dr. Autumn. Say it. Let’s go, Anna. I never got to chase you down and tell you how I felt. So I’m doing it now.”
I couldn’t wait for the response.
I was ready for anything she had.
But I wasn’t ready for her to burst into tears.
Anna turnedand darted for her office.
