NEGLECTED

Chapter Eight

KEATON ADLER

This was wrong. It was against all I believed in when it came to therapist patient relationships yet here I was, stood in front of her apartment door waiting for her to open it. Everything she said was right. I put on a façade to protect myself which is something almost everyone on planet earth does when they've got stuff they'd best like forgotten. 

I just didn't expect to be called out, my mask ripped from my face and thrown on the ground. It had shattered and I couldn't fix it. No amount of glue or masking tape could repair the damage Ffion had done with a few words They were out in the air and I had to accept it. 

The door flew open, Ffion staring ahead at my chest for a moment before tilting her head back and looking up at me. The second our eyes locked she turned, attempting to slam the door shut in my face. I quickly held my hand up, gripping onto the side of the door before it could shut, pushing it back open and walking inside Ffion's apartment as she continued to journey further into the space, knowing I was following but refusing to acknowledge me. 

I shut and locked the door, walking through the apartment into the kitchen to find Ffion chopping up vegetables and throwing them in a pot sat on the stove. I stood across from her on the other side of the kitchen bench watching her skilfully chop her ingredients in seconds. She sure knew how to handle that knife. I had to remind myself to stay on her good side. 

"What are you cooking?" I asked, Ffion raising her eyebrows as she looked up at me. Keeping her eyes glue to mine she picked up a ladle, scooping up the liquid from the pot, watching me watch her pour it back into the pot. 

"Soup" She grunted bluntly in a 'duh' tone. I bit back a smile. 

"What kind of soup?"

"Chicken."

"And...." I dragged out wanting to know more, Ffion's face contorting almost in disgust as she turned her attention back to her soup. 

"I hope you didn't come here in hopes of stealing a secret family recipe cause there's nothing special about it-" Ffion flipped a packet, sliding it across the table in front of me. 

"You wanna know what I've put in it? Use your eyes and read. It's on the back of the sachet" I picked it up, reading the short recipe on the back. 

"Got your carrots?"

"Yup."

"Peas and Corn?"

"Yup."

"Chicken broth?" She grunted nodding her head. 

"Onion powder?" She nodded again, a frown on her face as she looked in the pot. 

"Something feels off. Does it look like it's missing something?" Ffion asked as I leant over the table, tilting my head and looking into the pot. Looked good. Smelt good. I glanced up, smiling slightly at Ffion as I shook the sachet in my hand. 

"Looks like it's missing the main ingredient that makes it a 'chicken' soup" I laughed lightly, Ffion smacking the side of her head as she turned to her fridge, pulling out a container of pre torn rotisserie chicken and dumping it all in the pot at once. She held the ladle out to me, nodding at the pot letting me know she wanted me to mix it. Whilst I did she walked over to a cupboard, grabbing two bowls and placing them beside the pot. 

She took the ladle from my hand, lifting a bowl and pouring the chicken soup into it before repeating it with the other. She grabbed two spoons, sliding one over to me as she took her bowl and left. 

"Eat and leave" She called from the lounge room just as my stomach grumbled at the sight and smell of the soup. I hesitantly picked up the bowl and spoon, following Ffion to where she had gone. She was sat on the couch when I walked in, eyes looking up through her brows as she watched me take a seat across from her. She poured me a bowl, encouraging me to stay, but the look on her face proved evident enough she wanted me gone.