"I'm so glad you're back. I can't lose my favorite doctor."
I grinned over at Mr. Waltham, as he lowered himself into the chair. Mr. Waltham has been coming to me for almost six months and is probably one of the sweetest old man you'll ever meet.
"You could never lose me Henry."
"Best Doc in town." No matter how many times I've told him I'm not really a doctor he still calls me Doc. I've long since given up trying to tell him otherwise.
"How are we doing today?" With my notepad in my lap, I leaned back in my chair.
"Good, good. I got a new neighbor."
"Oh really?"
Mr. Waltham was one of my...different clients. He didn't really have a reason to go to counseling. At the age of 75 he mainly came to have someone to talk too. Someone to interact with weekly. He had some of the best stories as well. He lived in a cute retirement community but claimed half the people there were too snooty for him.
He was a soldier in the Vietnam War and had been married to his wife for over 40 years until she passed a few years ago. When he lost his wife, he lost the one person he could talk to everyday.
I have told him he doesn't need to come in weekly but he just shakes his head and comes anyway. I feel bad that he's paying for weekly sessions just to talk but I'm not going to turn him away. He can come as long as he wants.
That's one thing I told myself when I got this job. No matter the person or the problem they can come to me as long as they want. I won't ever turn someone away.
"Her name is Rosette. She moved in a few weeks ago." My eyebrows raised at the mention that his new neighbor is a woman. It's the first time he's spoken about another woman that wasn't his late wife. I was a little surprised this was the first time he's brought her up if she moved in a few weeks ago.
"Have you gone over and introduced yourself?"
"Why would I do that?" Mr. Waltham looked at me like I had snakes coming out of my ears.
"So you can meet your new neighbor." I held back a grin. He was typically a social butterfly. Always telling me about some new person he met, even if that person was some kid he met at Applebee's. I wasn't certain yet but I had a feeling it was because his new neighbor was a woman.
"You may find that you have something in common with her." I continued. Mr. Waltham just shook his head. I had a feeling he kind of liked this Rosette. My eyes dropped to his hands, his right hand fingering the wedding ring on his left. My heart squeezed in my chest.
"Is it because of Carol?" I asked softly. In the last six months he's talked non-stop about his late wife. Telling me story after story about how they met, how they use to go dancing, how she was the greatest love of his life.
I stayed quiet as he fidgeted with his ring.
"It's still hard to believe she's gone." His voice turned soft. "Some days I wake up and roll over thinking she'll be there, smiling over at me like she always did. We did everything together."
"Are you afraid that Carol would be upset if you talked to your new neighbor?"
"No." Mr. Waltham shook his head. "She probably would have hit me on the head for not going right over and introducing myself." I chuckled along with him.
"So why not go over?" I could tell my question hit close to home, as he leaned back against the chair with a sigh.
I know why he hasn't gone over and talked to his neighbor, he just doesn't want to say it out loud. The moment he actually talks to another woman it will really mean Carol is gone. In his mind it would be cheating on his wife.
"You know," I sat froward. Mr. Waltham met my gaze. "People always say time heals. It heals pain, sadness, anger. In a way they are correct, time does heal but it doesn't heal grief. Not fully. Grief doesn't go away overnight. I don't think grief goes away at all actually."
I sent him a soft smile as I spoke.
"There is always going to be a part of you that misses Carol and grieves her loss. Ten years from now you will still feel that grief but instead of that gut wrenching pain, it's going to just be a small ache. An ache that will remind you that she is no longer here but it won't consume you."
I swallowed thickly as I watched him tear up across from me.
"You going over to talk to Rosette doesn't mean you still aren't grieving. It also doesn't mean that you've suddenly moved on from Carol." I think that was his biggest fear.
Moving on from his wife.
"I'm not saying you need to ask Rosette out on a date, but having a conversation wouldn't hurt. Maybe you'll find yourself a new friend. Or," I reached across to softly touch his hand. "if the day comes you feel something more for a woman, it's okay too." His hand closed around mine as he nodded.
"There is no timeline for grief."
We sat there in silence for a few minutes, Mr. Waltham's hand closed around mine. I could tell him crying was unusual for him as he got himself together.
"Thank you Doc."
"Anytime. And if you need anyone to talk to I am always here." I said with a smile.
Helping him stand up, I walked him to the door. He seemed...lighter than when he first walked in. Like my words helped ease something inside of him.
"Same time next week?"
"Of course Doc."
Giving me one last smile and pat on the hand, Mr. Waltham headed for the front doors. Closing my door I leaned my forehead against it with a sigh. That was an unusual visit for him. I just hoped what I said helped a little.
Hearing my phone ring I quickly went over to my desk and hit answer without looking at the name.
"Hello?"
"Hey."
The voice on the other side made my heart sputter. Trevor.
"Hey." This is probably the first time we've talked on the phone just the two of us.
"How's work going?" For some reason those words made my throat close up. No one, other than Josie, has ever asked me how work was going. My own parents despise my job so of course they wouldn't ask.
"Um, good. My client just left so I've got about an hour before the next one. How was practice?" I tried to keep my voice casual but pretty sure I was failing.
"You okay?" Trevor completely passed over my own question.
"Yeah I'm fine."
"Fine doesn't always mean okay." I could hear shuffling in the background as he spoke.
"When did you get so analytical." I leaned my hip against my desk, holding my phone closer to my ear. Weirdly, just hearing his voice was making me feel better. It's days like today, having to help bear the weight of a loss, that made my job hard and draining. Especially after seeing a man as strong as Mr. Waltham break down.
"There's so much you don't know about me sunshine." I could practically hear the smirk in his voice even though I couldn't hear him. "Seriously though, you sound upset. Did something happen?"
"Just a hard day with a client."
"Well I think I know how to cheer you up."
A knock sounded at my door. I already knew it was going to be my assistant telling me she was going on her lunch break. With the phone still pressed to my ear headed for the door.
"And what is that?"
Waiting for his response I opened the door only to stop in my tracks. Trevor grinned in front of me, holding up a bag with his phone to his ear.
"Lunch."
I slowly brought my phone down, staring at him in surprise. He was the last person I expected to be at my office.
"Hope it's okay that I just dropped by." He had a hesitant look on his face. Like he was expecting me to turn him away. Why the hell would I turn him away. He's been stuck on my mind from the moment I got home last night. Plus he brought food.
"It's more than okay." I beamed. At my words he relaxed. Him showing up was exactly what I needed right now. "Come in."
I stepped to the side for him to pass by, my assistant standing right behind him with a giant grin on her face. She sent me a wink before I shut the door on her. Facing Trevor I noticed how his presence seemed to fill my entire office.
"I stopped by Rick's and thought you could use something to eat." Trevor rubbed the side of his neck, the action making him seem so boyish and cute. At the mention of Rick's food truck my stomach growled.
One of the best things to come out of Josie and Wyatt's relationship was finding out that Rick's existed. Rick owned the food truck and had some of the hamburgers in Toronto. The moment Josie brought me there I became a regular.
"Sounds perfect." I was beyond starving. I woke up late this morning and hadn't had time to grab breakfast before my first appointment.
"I got onion rings too." My mouth instantly started watering at his words. I was a sucker for Rick's onion rings. Sometimes going just to get two orders.
"I could kiss you right now." I moved towards the coffee table that he placed the food on.
"Which reminds me." He said, grabbing my hand turning me to face him. He wasted no time in leaning down to kiss me.
The feel of his lips against mine instantly made me forget everything that was going on in my mind. It was like he silenced it all and all focus was on him. Trevor filled my sense as I kissed him back. My hands grabbing the back of his shirt as I pressed my front into his.
Finally pulling away my eyes fluttered open to meet his. The smile on his face did something to my stomach.
"Now you can eat."
I stood there gaping at him, my mind trying to catch up. Whenever Trevor kissed me it was like my brain turned to goo.
"Food?" Trevor asked, a smug tone to his voice.
"Oh hush." Ignoring his gaze I took a seat, reaching for the to-go boxes. As soon as I opened the container with onions I dug in. I literally could eat these every single day for the rest of my life.
"Gonna share?"
"Get your own." I shook my head, stuffing another ring in my mouth.
"Wow that's the thanks I get for bringing you food." He had a hurt look on his face that I knew was fake.
"Fine." With a sigh I grabbed an onion ring, purposely picking the smallest one, extending it out. "Here." He took it with a raised eyebrow. The look on his face had me giggling. "Be happy you got one."
Shaking his head the two of us dug into our food. I kept glancing over at him, still shocked he was actually here but glad he was.
"Thank you for the food." I spoke after a little bit.
"Of course. Although my intentions were a bit selfish." Trevor looked down at his food. I could have sworn his cheeks were a little pink. "I wanted to see you." As if my heart could flutter anymore.
"Well...feel free to be selfish more often."
"Will do." We shared a smile. I felt like a teenager again sitting in front of her crush.
"How was practice?"
"Good. Coach was a hard ass as always." Coach Barnum was know for being an ass but winning multiple Cup Championships I think you kind of have to be.
"Ready for your first game next week?" I may not be as big of a fan as Josie, the girl could make someone deaf with her screaming while watching the games, but I knew enough. Kind of hard not to be when you live in the hockey capitol. Plus Josie practically forced me to watch games with her so I managed to pick up some.
"Yeah. We have a new defensive player and he's not bad, but he keeps letting goals through. He needs to lean more into the goalie and keep his stick straight." I had no idea what he was talking about as he spoke. I knew what a defensive player was but other than that I had no clue.
"He'll get there though." I caught the last part of his sentence. I was too focused on admiring how cute he looked when he talked about hockey.
"You love it don't you?" At the look on his face I clarified. "Hockey."
"I do." The smile that appeared on his face made me want to smile. "I didn't even play hockey until high school."
"Oh?" Toeing my heels off, I curled my legs underneath of me. I wanted to learn more about Trevor. Everything from what he was like in school to what his favorite cereal is.
"I grew up in Elora and there was only one ice rink in the entire town. It was always packed but in order to skate you had to pay." Trevor leaned back in his chair as he spoke. "I didn't have a lot of money growing up so I couldn't ever go and skate. Even when my friends wanted to go I couldn't. I did sneak in a few times though."
"Such a rule breaker!" I grinned.
"When I got to high school my only priority was to graduate and move. My sophomore year my school started their first hockey team so I went to tryouts. Found out I was pretty damn good."
"Played ever since?"
"Pretty much. Somehow got a scholarship to Toronto to play and the rest is history."
"Bet you're glad you went to tryouts that day."
"It was really a way to be away from my house. It was easier to be at the rink sometimes."
I knew very little about his parents but what I did know made me so angry. All I wanted to do was find his parents and smack them for treating their child like that.
"So," Trevor changed the subject and I let him. He still wasn't comfortable talking about his childhood which I respected. "Why were you upset earlier?" Of course he didn't forget.
"It was nothing." I waved him off.
"If it made you upset it's not 'nothing'."
"My client from earlier lost his wife a few years ago." I couldn't say too much because of client/doctor privilege. I may not be a full doctor but it was still an invasion of privacy for the person. "It was a rough day for him. I tried to be of help but I'm not sure I am."
My biggest fear slipping past my lips without realizing it. I've never fully admitted that out loud before, not even to Josie.
I've always had this fear that no matter what I do I won't be able to help someone. That I was just sitting there sprouting bullshit. That I wasn't making any difference.
"Hey." Trevor's voice was soft as he stood up, moving to squat in front of me. He placed his hands on my knees, drawing my attention to him. "Tasha you are great at what you do."
"I-"
"No. Don't even think of putting yourself down. You care about your clients which makes you great at your job." His hands squeezed my thighs. "Sometimes just listening is all people need. They need someone who will care enough to stop and listen and understand."
Trevor had absolutely no clue how much his words meant. At how they helped ease the pressure in my chest.
"How do you always say the right thing?" I whispered, my own hands coming down on his. When I first met Trevor I never once thought he'd be someone I could confine in or who would say just the right thing to make me feel better. There is so much more to Trevor than I ever knew or let myself know for that matter.
"It's one of my many talents." I chuckled at his response.
"Thank you." I met his eyes as I squeezed his hands.
He was the first person that wasn't Josie that's made me feel confident in my job. That I was doing a good job when I second guessed myself.
I've always been someone who pushes for perfection. If I can't do it perfect the first time I beat myself up about it for weeks at a time. My parents have always strived for perfection and same went when it came to me. Always having to get straight A's, be in advance classes, take language classes. Anything to make them look better.
I may not be doing the type of job they want but I still have that urge instead of me to be perfect at it. Even more so to show them that I was doing just fine in the career that I chose. I was always trying to prove myself with everything I do.
"Always."
The urge to kiss him grew the longer he stayed in that position. Him squatting between my legs made him perfectly in line with my lips. My hands moved on their own. Leaving his hands to softly touch the scruff on his face.
"I like the scruff."
"Yeah?" His lips quirked up.
"It suits you." It made him look more rugged with a slight beard.
"I'll make sure to keep it then." At this point the two of us were speaking softly. My hand on his face, his on my thighs softly running up and down. Even though I was wearing work slacks I could feel the heat coming off his hands.
"I want to kiss you." The words left my lips in a whisper. Trevor chuckled at my words.
"You don't need to ask permission sunshine."
I didn't let myself be embarrassed as I brought my lips to his. Not when kissing Trevor made everything inside of me settle down. It wasn't a sexual kiss as his lips moved gently against mine. It's crazy how fast I went from pushing Trevor away to needing him. But not a single part of me was second guessing it.
Pulling away from each other Trevor sent me that boyish smile that made my heart pound.
I could definitely get use to him coming to my office for lunch.
* * * * ** * ** * * * * * * * *
I'm telling you right now that I NEED my own Trevor. Utter perfection!!
So this chapter I wanted you guys to get a peek into Tasha's job. She's not really a psychiatrist but she does help people even if its just by talking. And Mr. Waltham is too adorable not to be included. And don't even get my started on Trevor showing up with food and making her feel better. I'm telling you...best couple.
Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for all the support you've given this book already! We just hit 70k reads! What! Insane. So thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I also want to quickly address something...so someone commented on my Profile that me not posting last Wednesday when I said I would, and letting you all know I wouldn't until Friday, was unreasonable. That if I had time to write a quick post about it then I had time to post the chapter. (Which I posted literally a day later).
Guys Wattpad writers have lives outside of writing. Believe it or not we don't sit at home and write all day like we wish we could. And YES I do have chapters pre-written on my computer but they are not on here and ready to be posted. So it does take time to re-read, make more edits, etc. So please don't get angry at writers for not posting the EXACT day they said they may. Remember...no one is owed a chapter or a book.
Sorry to bring down the mood but I wanted to address it here as well since the person was very....passionate about it.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I hope you are living to Tasher moments because I am!! <3
VOTE, COMMENT.
<3
-Ken