Heart of Glass

Chapter 19

In a week, Ariel was beginning to once again regret her clothing options. The air had turned colder, and the sun seemed to have disappeared behind an endless cloud of grey. Everyone had been talking of snow and all were eager to see the first snowflakes of the season.

Ariel couldn't care less about the snow. All she could think about was her thick blue coat hanging in her cupboard at home. Fat lot of good it was doing there. Maybe she could ask Amelia to go back and get it for her.

"Ariel? Are you listening to me?"

"Sorry?" Shaken from thoughts of warmth, she turned her attention back to the Doc. She was sitting in his office for another session. This time, she didn't choose the seat by the window, but the one closest to the small heater that wasn't radiating enough heat to warm even her little toe.

"I was asking you how your lessons with Ben have been progressing, but I can understand how the heater is more deserving of your attention."

She flushed. "Sorry, my bad. You could use a bigger heater though. We aren't all used to your cold weather, you know? Ben has been good, a little crankier since I started teaching him, but I'm guessing my novelty has worn off now I'm the one trying to force knowledge into his brain."

"Indeed," he appeared more concerned, than thoughtful. "I'd like you to try and keep your classes indoors for awhile in case the weather gets bad."

"Sure okay." She thought about her promise to take Ben out that day for a special class. It would have to be their last class outside, not that she was going to complain. Any reason to stay by the fire in the library was a good reason to her.

"How are you enjoying teaching?"

"I do like it. It's nice to see Ben's progress and know I'm helping him achieve that."

The Doc nodded, scratching something into his notebook. "Teaching is certainly quite rewarding. Have you given any consideration to looking into further study in the area?"

"Like going to Uni?" She rubbed her chest. "I have thought about it... but I don't know if I want to do it permanently. I mean, I do enjoy it, but I don't want to settle for the first thing I try, only to find out I hate it ten years down the road."

"I understand your concern, Ariel. Choosing a career can be quite difficult for some and easy for others."

"Did you always want to be a psychiatrist, doctor...thing?"

He smiled. "When I was about Ben's age, I wanted to become a fireman. I used to watch all those old American television programs and I thought they were great heroes."

"Why'd you settle for this then?"

"I grew up. I saw the work my father did in a new light as my understanding of the world around me grew. I never saw this as settling, but rather finding something I enjoyed doing. I may not be a hero, but I still look forward to getting up every morning and coming downstairs to help all of you."

"Not every hero saves us from the world, Doc. Some save us from ourselves." He blushed and Ariel squirmed in her seat, feeling weird for saying something so corny. "Let's change the subject before I start singing Bette Midler."

He laughed, closing his notebook. "I'm surprised you even know who she is."

"Please! If I didn't know who she was, my Gramps would have disowned me." Pain flared through her chest and she grabbed at her shoulder bag with one hand, while pressing her knuckles into her chest with the other.

Doc turned away and grabbed his cup of tea from the desk. "You still can't bring yourself to touch it again?"

She glared. "Would you want to touch it if it caused you pain?"