Healing Touch

Chapter Three

"I don't like this apartment and I don't like working from it," Layla complained.

She always had something negative to say about Andy's cramped apartment. She'd lived there two and a half years now, and Layla was still not used to it despite having made the apartment their office for going on a year now.

"You'll get used to it," Andy said as she always did whenever Layla complained about it.

"What interesting thing is happening at the hospital since you'd rather hang out there than out with your other friends like an ordinary person."

"Nothing interesting ever happens in hospitals, Layla. People go in and leave either dead or alive."

"You should leave it, just find something brighter to do with those two hours or whatever."

"You think volunteering at the hospital is dark?"

"It's sad."

"Depends on how you look at it."

"From every single angle, it's all the same."

"I'm helping people."

"You're the help. There's a difference. Michael is helping people. You on the other hand, just helps around."

"When did you become such a cynic?"

"Was I ever different?" Layla had not always been so cold and angry.

She was Andy's best friend for a reason. The fact that she had now become a person who took everything Andy did and turned it into something negative affected Andy even though she failed to show it. She hoped that one day, Layla's attitude towards life would change because such negativity tended to spoil their time together.

Working together had always been fun because they had enjoyed all the challenges their work had thrown at them, but now, it was different. Since Andy's mother had died, Layla had changed. She had been there for Andy since Angela Summers had been like a second mother to her, but a while after she'd died, Layla's attitude towards life had changed.

They both had their own way of dealing with the loss. Andy's way was going back to the hospital and hoping she could help someone, while Layla's way was blaming the world for taking away one of the most important people in her life. Andy understood her bitterness, but she could not always tolerate it.

"We can find an office if you mind working from my apartment so much," Andy said now, unsure of what answer her suggestion would revoke.

"It's not about an office," Layla said with a hint of anger.

"What is it about then?"

"The fact that nothing has changed. Nothing is changing. I keep hoping that one day I'll wake up and everything will be different but everything is still the same."

"Since what?" Andy asked, stopping what she was doing to look at Layla.

"Since..." Layla stammered then looked at Andy.

"Forget it," she said in annoyance and Andy shook her head and turned her attention back to her computer.

"I can help you if you could just try and open up."

"I don't need your help."

"So, you'd rather stay mad at me for reasons I'm not aware of for the rest of your life?"

"Yes," Layla stated.

Andy helplessly looked at her, not sure there was anything she could do at that point. Maybe Layla needed to stay angry, for whatever reason, maybe she needed it. Perhaps it was her way of dealing with her loss.