Chapter 4
Noah
My dissertation adviser sorts through the new data I just gave him. I could not be happier with the direction my study is going. I am well on my way to proving my hypothesis. A few more couples and I can complete my study and try to get my findings published. He looks up at me from over the blue folder and extends his hand in my direction.
“Congratulations, Noah. You are almost there. I can’t believe the numbers are this strong.” We quickly shake hands and he flips a few papers over and skims the data from the latest couple. “What do you predict for these two? Sounds like they have been together a long time. I wonder if they will offer you some interesting data.”
Smiling, I lean forward in my chair. “They won’t be any different than the majority of the couples so far. I have watched their first three sessions and they can’t be any further apart physically from each other. I don’t think a few more sessions is going to be able to turn that around.” He nods his head in agreement, but I can see the questions cross his face.
“Well, I am happy it is going to work out for you. I guess the clinician in me wants to jump in and educate them on your findings so far. Waiting for your results to be shared with the others is going to be so hard.” I nod my head and hope he realizes how much I appreciate his enthusiasm about my findings.
“Soon. I just need these last few couples to complete their sessions and I will be ready to assess the data and interpret it. Then of course we can discuss the future recommendations for our field based on those results.” What I don’t share is that I won’t be using the findings in my own practice. I have no desire to work with couples.
“Good to hear.” I stand up and he stands also. “I guess we will meet again after the last few data points are collected.”
“Sounds good. I will be in touch,” I say as I grab the folder and then make my way out of his office. It is an interesting feeling to have an exciting finding but know that it is still a terrible thing to learn. To me, it is like discovering a new form of cancer; you are excited to have found it but it is still going to kill a lot of people.
The air is warm as I make my way quickly across campus. I’m so thankful it’s Friday and I am going to be able to head home and have a quiet weekend. I have to double-check the data on one couple almost finished with the study. My psych interns have coded the video, but I always like to check that they are coding them similarly so the data will be more reliable. Once I get through the fifty-minute video, the weekend is mine.
I pull the door to my building open and grab my mail from my small mailbox on the large wall. While flipping through the neighborhood advertisements, I hear the door open behind me. I smell her before I see her. Leah’s familiar scent of apples or some sort of sweet fruit drifts up from the incoming breeze and I still in my place as my heart begins to pick up the pace in my chest.
“Hey Noah.” She seems a little out of breath and I imagine she has just hiked up campus to get here.
“Hi Leah.” She smiles at me and grabs her mail. My phone begins to ring in my pocket and I’m slightly irritated that it is interrupting my chance to speak with Leah. “Hello,” I answer when I see that it is one of my assistants.
“Noah, it’s Penny. Look I am so sorry to do this to you but my mom is really sick. I’m going to drop out this quarter so I can go home and take care of her while she recovers. I will be back in the spring. I’m so sorry I have to bail on your study. Do you think you can find a replacement?” I clamp my eyes closed and fight to hold in a curse. Of course she should go home to be with her mom, but that really leaves me up Shit Creek.
“Sure Penny. Take care and I will see you in the spring if something falls through with these last few couples. Thanks for your help so far.” She has been with me for a large portion of my couples.
“Thanks Noah. I feel terrible about it.”
“No worries. Just be with your mom.” She thanks me and we end the call. As soon as I see her call disconnect I let the curse fly. “FUCK.” I turn around and see that Leah is standing there staring at me.
“Everything ok?” she asks.
“No. Damn it. That was one of my assistants. She needs to take a quarter off to attend to some family stuff. I am so close to finishing my study, but I needed her to help me code the last couples. Now I don’t know if I’ll be able to finish it in time to submit it for this quarter. It might really put me back.” I shove my phone back into my pocket and close my mailbox.
“Can’t you find someone else?” She sounds genuinely concerned which helps to ease the heaviness of this news. I put my hands on my hips and rock back on my feet.
“It’s not that easy. I have to put in an ad and hope that someone still needs placement. For the person to get credit for the work they have to be with me all quarter. Since we are a few weeks in, the option for class credit has already passed.” Her hand reaches out and squeezes my upper arm.
“That’s terrible. How much time would it take?”
“Well, there are three couples left to code and each have five sessions. Since each session is just under an hour, it is about fifteen hours of work.” I run my hand through my hair trying to figure out what my next move should be.
“I’ll do it for you.” Her voice is soft as she rescues me from the downward spiral I was beginning to fall down in my mind. With wide eyes I look at her. She smiles at me and I grab her hand from my arm and trap it between my palms, the mail I am holding crunching in my grip.
“Are you serious? You’ll do this for me?” I sound desperate and that’s because I am. She nods her head and my heart tightens with how adorable she is when she smiles.
“Sure. I have kind of been dying to prove your theory wrong all week.” I can’t believe she has been thinking about it since we last saw each other. “This way I’ll have a front row seat when your little theory crashes and burns.” She winks at me and I tip my head to the side and squint my eyes in mock anger.
“Or you’ll see that I am absolutely right. You sure you want a front row seat to the truth? How did you take the news about Santa? I need to be sure this won’t ruin you.” It is my turn to wink now and she giggles.
With a playful hit to my abs she laughs, “I think I can handle it.”
“Fucking unbelievable! You’re hired!” I grab her shoulders and giver her a little shake of appreciation and excitement.
“When do I start?” she asks through the shaking.
This might be the best part of the whole deal. “What are you doing tonight?”
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