Point Of View 2 [*Do not read until you've read the same chapter of ATW]

Chapter 96 The Winning Combination

"He can't help me, Jeremy." Julia begins to clean up the dishes from the table to busy herself now.

"I hired him FOR you."

I stare at Jeremy for a moment, now not knowing what the hell is going on. This is more than Julia missing some therapy appointment.

"What do you mean you hired him for her?" Nate peers at the doctor. Jeremy takes a deep breath and shakes his head.

"It took me forever to find him. Forever. And when I did, I had to practically BEG the guy to work here. For you. He has no other patients."

"WHAT?!" Julia bursts as Jeremy walks over to the table.

"Julia. Trevor Tremont is the best of the best. He left his practice on the East Coast for this."

"For WHAT?"

"For YOU. To help YOU and only YOU. But you keep blowing him off. You have two options Julia and only two. You have ME and you have TREVOR. That's it! Nobody else is going to take you on as a patient. Not with all the shit you have. Do you know why? Because they know they will fail you, that's why. So, it's easier for them to just keep you doped up and not deal with the problem. Is THAT what you want? Just like after the accident when you were in the hospital. Just like how Dr. Prade doped you up 24/7 instead of dealing with you. Instead of getting to the root of the problem. Is that how you want to live your life? Because me and Trevor... we're trying to fix the problem not ignore it!"

"You REALLY need to calm down." I stand up now and feel the tension in my jaw. He needs to lower his voice before I throat punch the kid so he doesn't have a voice. Jeremy takes his glasses off and rubs the tension between his eyes

"Why the hell would you go out of your way to hire this guy for ONE patient. That doesn't even make sense Jeremy." Nate asks now.

"I searched for so long. I didn't think I would find him. To be honest, I didn't think he'd leave his practice and actually fucking move here." Jeremy is still rambling on. "He was the only other one, aside from me, that was making progress with these mental health issues."

"Donovan. WHY did you hire this guy JUST for Julia?" Now it's Nate's turn to get pissed. No one knows what Jeremy is talking about.

Jeremy huffs but looks at Julia.

"You have the winning combination right here. Me and Trevor - working together. No one else is invested like we are. And you're blowing your chance. You're gonna screw it up if you don't take it seriously. You're screwing yourself, Julia."

"Jeremy," Nate says in a bit of a bolder tone.

"Jesus Christ." Jeremy throws his hands up in the air. "Fine."

We watch him pull out a chair at the kitchen table and sit down. He loosens his tie and looks me dead in the eyes.

"He was one of Eric Furgeson's doctors."

*******

*Trisha*

"Well look who the cat dragged in." I smile up at Paul who comes in with two pizza boxes.

"I can't take anymore Avalon food." He grunts. I boldly lean up and peck his lips in front of Evan who says nothing.

"How is it over there?" Evan asks as I begin to plate everyone's pizza lunch.

"The usual." He mutters. Paul looks tired. He's GOT to be second guessing his decision to work full time there for Julia by now.

"Any news on your Avalon paperwork?" I ask while grabbing a few sodas out of Nate's fridge.

"Nothing. I think Donovan fucked with them or something. But she's fine. She's got James and Mike Maloney there when she goes to sessions, and I get a little breather.

"You guys make it out like she is a hard to handle toddler or something."  Evan jokes with a mouthful of food. I want to say because she IS a hard to handle toddler, but Paul would get mad. You don't joke with him when it comes to Moretti. Not like that. We can joke about how she fucks up a bathroom or little stuff but when it comes to her actual personality traits he takes offense.  He's close to her now.

"She struggles. That's all. She was dealt a shit hand." Paul defends Julia.

"Well, any time you need a break just let me know and we can swap spots. This one's like a toddler too." He teases me and I crumble up my napkin and toss it, hitting Evan right on his forehead. "See? A toddler."

"Where's Casey?" Paul looks around.

"Getting her hair and nails done at the salon. She's off work for the day." I laugh a little. No one is off work when it comes to Nate Hollan but we all need our own life too and resume the little things we enjoy. Me and Casey? We enjoy shopping and going to the salon. 

Julia? She enjoys popping pills and throwing things.

"Good. Evan you might want to go down to the gym after you eat." Paul says while staring at me making everything awkward.

"The gym?" Evan's an idiot.

"The gym." Both Paul and I say simultaneously, and an evil smile appears on Paul's face.

"Gross." Evan throws a few pieces of pizza on his plate and grabs his soda. "Text me when I'm allowed back up."

We watch him scurry out with his food and both laugh. Then Paul devours me like I'm his next meal, right against the counter of Nate's luxury kitchen.

*******