“Based on what you’re sharing, it sounds like you get upset about something and explode right away. After you have time to consider your actions, you feel horrible about the way you handled a scenario. Correct?”
“Yes. Sometimes I feel bad after I calm myself down. Other times, I have no regrets at all. Some people deserve to get a piece of my mind.” Olivia sat up straight with dignity.
“You react first, retreat, and rethink afterward.”
“Boy. You read my speech. You’ve nailed it right on the head.” Olivia liked how Blair delivered her a slice of her own medicine. “Let me guess, you’re going to tell me to retreat, rethink, and respond with a thoughtful reaction.”
“You already know how this works. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know how to do. I’m here to draw it to the forefront of your mind to prevent these outbursts.”
“Yes, my friend. I will get myself under control,” Olivia laughed.
“We may be friends, nevertheless, you must manage your emotions better. Do we have an agreement?”
“Dang. I see you ain’t playing with me. Yes. We have an agreement. I won’t embarrass you by being a bad patient. I’ll put this into practice and see if it works for me. If not, we may need to revisit a textbook from medical school.”
“I’m confident you’ll get back to a sense of peace and tranquility,” Blair said.
“I’ve been playing racquetball to tackle my pissed-off emotions out on the court instead of on people. This may sound crazy. I’m considering buying a new racquet. This way, along with my skill, I’ll improve my game and defeat my opponents every time. At least I’ll be victorious in something,” Olivia surmised.
“It doesn’t sound crazy at all.”
“Do you still play? If I recall correctly, you were pretty good back in the day.”
“Ah. You remember something about me.” Blair stroked his chin with a sense of pride. “I won in the Amateur Open Division of a few tournaments.”
“Yes. I remember seeing you win against several excellent players. Impressive.” Olivia raised her hand to high-five him.
“Maybe I’m good enough to play with you on the court some time,” Blair slyly suggested.
“You know, I’ll have to invite you to come to play cut-throat with Savvy and me after my mandatory counseling sessions are completed.” Olivia figured they could learn some championship skills from Blair.
“Let’s make it a date. I’ll finally get my wish to go out with you after all of these years.” Blair’s apparent joy from the suggestion showed across his face. He stared at Olivia with such intensity, she grew uncomfortable.
“Go out with me? I don’t think Quinn would be cool with us calling this a date.” Olivia put enough sharpness in her voice to make a point about him being married.
Blair’s smile faded. He scratched the bald part of his head and cleared his throat. “Come on, Olivia. You know I didn’t mean a ‘date’ date. I meant we should set a date to play. Stop taking everything literally.”
“Unh-huh,” Olivia replied with suspicion. “I guess I must have misunderstood.”
Blair shuffled a few papers in his hand. “Yeah. Misunderstanding. Completely.”
“Okay. Cool. Um. I guess our time is up for today.” Olivia checked her watch without noticing the actual minutes remaining. She grabbed her purse and stood.
“Alright. I’ll see you at your next appointment.” Blair rose from the chair and handed her a piece of paper. “Initial here on the chart to capture your mandatory hours. Call me if you need to come in sooner.”
Olivia initialed in the appropriate area. “Will do. I’ll let you know.”
Blair walked her to the door and reached out to hug Olivia. He drew her closer to him than usual. “Umm.” A moan slipped from his lips when he caressed the small of her back.
Olivia squirmed from his embrace. She punched him in the arm. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Blair?” Her face warmed with anger.
“What? Oh. I’m sorry, Olivia.” Blair seemed to snap from a daze. “I got carried away. I miss Quinn and needed a hug today. Please accept my apology.”
“What kind of lame excuse is that?” Olivia stared at him in disbelief and disgust. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. Do you understand?”
Blair dropped his head as if embarrassed. “I’m out of order. Again. I’m sorry. Please don’t let this ruin our professional relationship or friendship.”
“Believe me. I’ll find a different therapist if this is what I have to put up with,” Olivia spat.
“No. It’s okay. Don’t go overboard,” Blair pleaded. “We’ve made great progress with your treatment. I don’t want to mess this up.”
Olivia steadied herself to calm her nerves. Her shoulders relaxed and she released an exasperated sigh. “Okay. I won’t fire you yet. This is awkward. I’m going to leave.” Olivia exited the office in a haste.
Once in her car, she paused and took several deep breaths in and out to shake off Blair’s inappropriate hug.
She cranked the engine and contemplated her previous conversation with Blair about Quinn. Considering his actions and how he mentioned missing his wife, she figured now would be the time to check on her. He could thank her later when Quinn improved. Olivia decided to drive to the hospital since she had time before visiting hours ended.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Olivia
Donning a new pair of purple Gucci sunglasses found as she scrounged around in a consignment shop, Olivia enjoyed the warmth bathing her through the sunroof.
She dug into her purse for a hairbrush to serve as an imaginary microphone. The singing legend, Nina Simone, kept her company on the drive to the north side of San Antonio as they belted out the lyrics to Feeling Good, as a duo in Olivia’s imagination.
Traffic flowed at a steady pace as she drove past the Brook Army Medical Center to her exit. The Beatitude Behavioral Health Hospital, known for
