A Weekend with Dr. Ramsey

The Cure

But something else held her tongue. The connection she shared with Ethan was delicate, prone to shattering at the mere idea of impropriety. Ethan was free to leave as he pleased, and in the name of her protection, he often did. If the rest of the world knew, Charlie would lose Ethan.

The idea of losing him struck her with unexpected intensity. She felt guilty for being so easily distracted from Naveen's condition, but the thought persisted.

Until she decided she couldn't think about it anymore.

"Personnel files," Charlie murmured, searching the passing trees for the hidden drive.

Landry watched her with uncertainty but didn't press. Even with his wild, cruel imagination, he never considered the truth.

Before another round of awkward small talk could ensue, Naveen's river cabin came into view. Outside, the river babbled a content tune, carried by a gentle wind that waved the nearby flowers and rustled the trees.

To Charlie's horror, the dock was empty. A half-finished painting lingered on an easel overlooking the water, but it was clear that it hadn't been touched in some time.

"I'll get the equipment," Landry's voice was calm, free from the panic that quickly consumed Charlie.

Guilt and concern drowned out the sound of his voice, replacing it with the sound of her own heartbeat. Carelessly leaving the car running, Charlie climbed out of the driver's seat and began searching the property for her dear grandmentor.

Every time he evaded her glance, she heard a whisper in the back of her mind, "You're too late..."

Despite insistently knocking on the windows of his cabin, she received no response by the time she reached the front door. After only a moment of hesitation, Charlie tried the lock and felt the door give way. Tiptoeing into the living room, she noted signs of life. The scent of chai lingered in the cottage, and almost all of the windows had been opened since she left the night before, allowing the breeze entry. Even more books had been disturbed, each marked nonchalantly with varying bookmarks. But no Naveen.

Deeply concerned, Charlie continued to look through the home, praying she'd find the smile she'd left the night before.

"Dear Charlotte?"

The voice was small and clearly labored, but it was Naveen.

Charlie spun around to see him gently rocking on a nearby chair in the corner, weaker than she had left him but still alive. Charlie choked back the oncoming sob that had been building since she'd stepped foot on his property, and she rushed towards him for a hug.

"What's this about?" Naveen chuckled, weakly patting her back as she hugged him dearly, "Where's Ethan?"

Wiping at her eyes, Charlie kneeled in front of her former boss, patting his hand as she admitted, "Ethan's not with me."

"Oh?" Naveen's lips quirked into a smile, "Last night, you looked like you two were about to have a fight for the ages or stay in bed all day. The lack of his presence implies the former."

"Both actually," Charlie admitted, "Though with the ethics hearing, Ethan wouldn't let me stay in bed all day."

Naveen squeezed the young girl's hand, overwhelmed with hope for his mentee. If Ethan could accept Charlie's love, there was still hope for him.

"So, what brings you to a dying man's side? Tomorrow, you have a very important hearing you should be preparing for."

"I think..." Charlie paused, trying to find perfect words that didn't exist, "I think I know what's wrong with you, and with your permission, I want to try to save you."