The Bystander

Chapter Six

Alyssa

I sat patiently in the waiting room with shaking legs, as Calder and the therapist chat in the room together. I wanted to go in with him but I hated being around therapists, they were always overanalysing things and it was frustrating. My feet tapped against the marble floor, the woman at the reception desk bantered with whoever was on the other line of the telephone. My patience was slowly wearing thin as the time ticked slowly, though I didn't notice the flustered therapist appear before me with a giggling Calder.

Just by looking at her face I could see things didn't turn out how she wanted. "Alyssa, I was wondering if I could discuss some things with you." She smiled, as Calder jumped onto the seat beside me with ease. The plastic stick peeking out of his lips as he sucked happily onto the apple lollipop.

I wanted to roll my eyes and tell her no, but mom wouldn't like that. I guess she wants to analyse something with me. So I followed her back into the office, not before kissing Calder's head and whispering that he stay put until I return. As I entered the serene office space, the first thing I noticed was the large view in front of me. Along with the brown couch chairs and tacky interior design work.

"Sit." She smiled, walking ahead of me to sit down.

I followed suit, sitting down slowly with a look suspicion. The smile on her face obviously fake as she looked at me with curiosity. "I didn't manage to get through to Calder, but I have a feeling that the reason behind his lack of talking may be a family matter." She explained professionally, looking at me like a mysterious specimen under a microscope.

I gave no sign of responding so she continued. "I know for a fact that nothing is wrong with him physically, but mentally. There's a few cases where I have gone over the patients diagnosis and have seen that most of them are influenced by close relatives or friends. What I'm saying is, that maybe Calder isn't speaking because you don't." She said with a quirked eyebrow.

I almost screamed out in rage, was she seriously blaming me for Calder's talking problem? The nerve of this woman.

"I implore you to speak more at home, maybe it'll give him the idea of wanting to talk more often." I stared at her with an agitated look, wanting nothing more than to leave right now. So I did.

"Before you leave." I heard her behind me, before I was able to close the door. "I know you may think your broken, there's never been someone I couldn't help. If you want to or need to, I'm always here to help." I paused for a minute, going over her words in my head with a frown. I closed the door gently, walking over to a mindlessly cooing Calder.

A smile spread on my face instantly as I watched Calder sitting patiently, waiting for me to return. "Ah! Ah!" He squealed, racing toward me hurriedly.

I cradled him in my arms, running my fingers through his soft brown hair as we walked through the streets. He rambled on in my ear, as usual it was gibberish. The walk home was the same as it usually was, I was surprised I hadn't even lost at least a pound seeing as I've done this a million times.

As I turned the corner down the familiar street, I was half expecting to be ambushed and beaten. Luckily Calder was with me and wouldn't have to see that, people aren't dumb enough to beat up a kid a lot younger than themselves. I walked slowly as my legs burned once again, my faded black and white vans scraped against the bumpy concrete, in utter annoyance I picked up the pace.