Dr. Ben waited for her answer. Finally she spoke.
“Maybe I can try to go out,” she said slowly. “With my mask on, of course.”
Dr. Ben smiled. “Good,” he said. “That’s a start. When you come next time, you can tell me about what you did and the people you talked with and what you thought their reactions were. Try to go out and talk to someone new at least once today, tomorrow, and Sunday. You’re ready, Wendy.”
Chapter 35
W hen Piper returned to Elysium from the convent, she went to her suite and checked the spa directory to see if there was some sort of class she could take in the late afternoon. There was a yoga class at four o’clock. She washed her face, changed quickly, and headed out again.
Forgoing the elevator, she hurried down the staircase to the ground floor. As she opened the door, she almost bumped into the person coming out of the office across the hallway.
“Oh, sorry,” said Piper. “I shouldn’t have been in such a rush.”
“No problem,” murmured the young woman, keeping her head lowered.
Both of them walked down the hallway alongside each other. When they got to the door, Piper leaned forward, opened it, and held it.
“After you,” she said, smiling and trying to make eye contact.
“Thank you.” The girl didn’t look at Piper as she passed through.
They continued walking in the same direction.
“I’m going to try one of the yoga classes,” said Piper. “Have you been?”
“No.” The girl hesitated. “I’m going back to my cottage.”
“Oh, I’ve seen a couple of the cottages. They’re really amazing. Do you love yours?”
“It’s fine, I guess.”
“How long are you staying?” asked Piper.
“I don’t really know.”
Piper wondered what was under the girl’s mask. Had she had some sort of treatment that needed to be covered as it healed? Was she allergic to something? Though curious, Piper wasn’t going to ask.
As if anticipating the question and bracing herself for it, the girl straightened up and looked directly into Piper’s eyes. “I had some surgery that went really wrong,” she blurted.
“That’s terrible,” said Piper. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks.” The girl sighed with relief. “Now that that’s over with, I don’t have to talk to anyone else till tomorrow.”
Piper looked at her, puzzled.
The girl’s eyes crinkled at the edges. Piper could tell she was smiling beneath the mask.
“My therapist says I have to talk to someone every day. You just filled my assignment for Friday.”
“Oh, well, I’m glad I could help,” said Piper. “You know, I’m here by myself. If you want, I’d love to have some company. Do you want to have dinner together?”
The girl answered swiftly. “Oh, no, I couldn’t go to the dining room with all those . . . people.”
“Well, how about the patio? I had breakfast there this morning, and I was the only one out there.”
“That’s really nice of you to ask.” The girl hesitated again. “What’s your name?”
“Piper.”
“I’m Wendy. Anyway, I don’t think dinner is a good idea for me.”
“Okay, but if you change your mind, or if you want to have breakfast or lunch or whatever, I’m in room 307. Just call me.”
Chapter 36
A pretty brunette sat across the dinner table from Jack. Her blue eyes were focused on him alone. She was clearly intelligent and a good conversationalist, up on what was happening in the world. She laughed at his humor. There was nothing wrong with the way she held her fork or chewed her food.
Why couldn’t he just like this girl? Why did he keep thinking about Piper?
Jack downed a second glass of wine. Then another. By the time the waiter came to take their dessert orders, the brunette seemed more appealing.
“After we’re through here, want to go downtown for a nightcap?” he asked.
“Downtown where?” asked the young woman.
“There’s a comedy club in the Village that’s fun or . . .” Jack hesitated.
“Or
“Maybe I can try to go out,” she said slowly. “With my mask on, of course.”
Dr. Ben smiled. “Good,” he said. “That’s a start. When you come next time, you can tell me about what you did and the people you talked with and what you thought their reactions were. Try to go out and talk to someone new at least once today, tomorrow, and Sunday. You’re ready, Wendy.”
Chapter 35
W hen Piper returned to Elysium from the convent, she went to her suite and checked the spa directory to see if there was some sort of class she could take in the late afternoon. There was a yoga class at four o’clock. She washed her face, changed quickly, and headed out again.
Forgoing the elevator, she hurried down the staircase to the ground floor. As she opened the door, she almost bumped into the person coming out of the office across the hallway.
“Oh, sorry,” said Piper. “I shouldn’t have been in such a rush.”
“No problem,” murmured the young woman, keeping her head lowered.
Both of them walked down the hallway alongside each other. When they got to the door, Piper leaned forward, opened it, and held it.
“After you,” she said, smiling and trying to make eye contact.
“Thank you.” The girl didn’t look at Piper as she passed through.
They continued walking in the same direction.
“I’m going to try one of the yoga classes,” said Piper. “Have you been?”
“No.” The girl hesitated. “I’m going back to my cottage.”
“Oh, I’ve seen a couple of the cottages. They’re really amazing. Do you love yours?”
“It’s fine, I guess.”
“How long are you staying?” asked Piper.
“I don’t really know.”
Piper wondered what was under the girl’s mask. Had she had some sort of treatment that needed to be covered as it healed? Was she allergic to something? Though curious, Piper wasn’t going to ask.
As if anticipating the question and bracing herself for it, the girl straightened up and looked directly into Piper’s eyes. “I had some surgery that went really wrong,” she blurted.
“That’s terrible,” said Piper. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks.” The girl sighed with relief. “Now that that’s over with, I don’t have to talk to anyone else till tomorrow.”
Piper looked at her, puzzled.
The girl’s eyes crinkled at the edges. Piper could tell she was smiling beneath the mask.
“My therapist says I have to talk to someone every day. You just filled my assignment for Friday.”
“Oh, well, I’m glad I could help,” said Piper. “You know, I’m here by myself. If you want, I’d love to have some company. Do you want to have dinner together?”
The girl answered swiftly. “Oh, no, I couldn’t go to the dining room with all those . . . people.”
“Well, how about the patio? I had breakfast there this morning, and I was the only one out there.”
“That’s really nice of you to ask.” The girl hesitated again. “What’s your name?”
“Piper.”
“I’m Wendy. Anyway, I don’t think dinner is a good idea for me.”
“Okay, but if you change your mind, or if you want to have breakfast or lunch or whatever, I’m in room 307. Just call me.”
Chapter 36
A pretty brunette sat across the dinner table from Jack. Her blue eyes were focused on him alone. She was clearly intelligent and a good conversationalist, up on what was happening in the world. She laughed at his humor. There was nothing wrong with the way she held her fork or chewed her food.
Why couldn’t he just like this girl? Why did he keep thinking about Piper?
Jack downed a second glass of wine. Then another. By the time the waiter came to take their dessert orders, the brunette seemed more appealing.
“After we’re through here, want to go downtown for a nightcap?” he asked.
“Downtown where?” asked the young woman.
“There’s a comedy club in the Village that’s fun or . . .” Jack hesitated.
“Or
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