Page 9 of Fractured

I called Harper, because it’d been a few days and I needed the connection with the person who meant the most to me. We were due for another session soon, but sometimes, it was just nice to have a voice to talk to you while driving home.

“Hey, I don’t have a lot of time before my next appointment. What’s up?” She sounded distracted and breathless.

“Just on my way home. When are we going to have my next session? We didn’t officially schedule it after the last one.” I loved when we met in an official capacity, even when I held so much of myself back. Somehow, the hour helped to center me and give me a focus. So similar to how I needed visits to Lauren but yet so different.

“Girl, you don’t even need to be on the schedule. How about we do it after work next Tuesday? Then we can grab dinner afterwards.”

“Yeah, that sounds great,” I breathed as I pulled out of the small side parking lot.

Soft voices were muffled on her end. “Perfect. Listen, I have a regular coming in in just a sec, can I call you after?”

Then another thought magically popped into my head. How could I have forgotten? I meant to ask her about one particular patient, but I’d been too out of it at the bar to remember.

“Wait! When I was there last week, I ran into a patient of yours. He was just running out…” I trailed off, preferring her to fill in the blanks.

“What? That was…Friday when you came by? Oh! Was he tall and dreamy but in a very scholarly way?” She hummed down the line, apparently forgetting whatever I’d accidentally interrupted.

“Yes, with an impeccable fashion sense.” I grinned as I remembered the awkward encounter. He had a personality I’d love to get to know better. The allure of connecting with someone who could relate to me, even on a surface level, intrigued me.

Harper was fantastic, but her mental issues weren’t deep rooted like mine were. I believed if she had the desire to fix the way she viewed relationships, she could. Me, on the other hand, I didn’t even have any issues. Only the fear of the unknown. And the inevitable dread that someday, I’d be worse than both Lauren and Dad combined.

Now the phobia man, his brain was wired a specific way he couldn’t turn off. And the more I thought about our conversation, the more I saw the irony in seeing Harper professionally. If she’d believed I had a fear of insanity, she’d never said.

“Mm, yes. Atticus. That man is delicious.”

Atticus. My favorite character fromTo Kill a Mockingbird. How funny.

“He was hilarious actually. Tried to ask me what my phobia was.” I couldn’t help the laugh that slipped through my lips. He’d asked like it was a badge of honor instead of something to shove in a dark box.

She giggled. “Yeah, he’s like that. It’s his way of breaking the ice.”

“He told me what his phobia was too…” I winced. Client patient privilege was sacred in the medical world, and I didn’t want any of his medical history anyway. But my curiosity was burning a hole through my conscience. Was it bad that I was interested in him as a man, even when I shouldn’t be?

“Again, not surprised.” From the smile in her voice, she was clearly very fond of him.

“Well, I think I made him feel uncomfortable once I told him I didn’t have a phobia.” If I could go back, I’d have blurted one out, just to keep the conversation going.

“Girl, don’t even worry about it. He’s a good guy and isn’t phased by anything. Now, why did you bring him up?”

“I…I guess I just wanted to make sure I didn’t offend him.” Not true at all. It was more the draw to soak up any possible information I could about him.

“You’re sure?” Shit, from the smug tone, she probably thought I had a crush. Did I?

“Yes, I’m sure. We’re on for next Tuesday?” I changed the topic of conversation, suddenly uncomfortable with asking about him.

“Yes, now no more information for you. And my appointment is here, so I’ll call you back later.”

“Bye.” I hit disconnect. “All right, almost time to go home.” There was one stop I had to make first.

The local grocery store had a small pharmacy in the back, and I needed to pick up a few things anyway. A frozen lasagna was calling my name. At least it wasn’t raining yet, and no hurricanes were on the horizon.

I’d barely shut my door when I heard my name called.

“Lilith?” I knew that voice. It couldn’t actually be him.

“Hey.” I started to smile when I turned around, but it froze on my face. Atticus, the man I’d met outside of Harper’s office stood behind me, with two full grocery bags in one hand and a bottle of white wine in the other. Today, he was in another pair of khaki slacks and a maroon cardigan. It must have been his staple outfit. Or maybe he was color blind?

His perfect hair was mussed from the wind, with locks blowing over his forehead and into his eyes. It gave him a very sexy James Dean look, if he had worn cardigans and khakis that was. He looked even more attractive in the midst of the storm. It wasn’t fair as I tried to comb strands of tangled hair back from my face.

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