Therapist's therapy

Decisions

Arianna remembered him sitting at her coffee table with his expensive suit looking so out of place. She remembered his mocking grin and his emotionless laughter right there  in front Julianna's office just minutes away from.He was the real target. But who would have wanted him dead? And why? She remembered Julianna saying she would take care of him personally. Was she involved? But so close to her office?

Arianna was getting discharged today and to her surprise, Julianna volunteered to pick her up. Arianna knew it wouldn't be a joyous ride. Work had resumed. She was happy she could return to the company and see Jasper again. Maybe.
The nurse waved her goodbye as she walked through the glass doors clearly happy Travis won't be coming to cause trouble again. Julianna was waiting outside and they both got into the car. Arianna recognized the elderly kind looking man that drove Julianna. He asked if she was feeling good enough and she nodded vigorously happy to be free from the confinement of the hospital. He smiled and didn't look back or comment on anything through out the ride. They drove in silence for a while, a normal atmosphere for talking business.
"I trust you heard the news of Mr. Benson. Truly tragic and he was a good worker too." Her condolences didn't reach her eyes. "So what do you think? Who was the target and who was caught in the cross fire or.." she paused for dramatic effect most likely "killing two birds with one stone? Although one of the birds clung on to life" Arianna narrowed her eye. There was something about this conversation that made her stomach curl. She always knew  Julianna to lack necessary emotions but an emotion was leaking past her sculptured face. Disappointment or something else. She needed to get home and look through her suspect board, a lot will make sense then.
"We will find out soon" they had arrived at her apartment and she get out and poked her head into the window "its impossible to kill an eagle with mere stones" Julianna gave her a sweet smile
"Good." They drove off.

Although the doctor asked her to take it easy, Arianna took two steps at once, flying up the stairs. She had missed her little apartment so much. It was messy but it was home. Above all she missed her grandmother her yells, sandal attacks, care, and tacos oh the tacos. In a minute she was in her hall. Her grandmother was outside her door waiting. She must have heard Julianna's car. She wiped a tear from her eye and pulled Arianna in a joint cracking hug her doctor will disapprove. Arianna didn't fight it she buried her self in her grandmother's grasp. Although she was daring, Arianna feared death, not the concept itself but she would miss moments like this and even the not so delicate moment. She wasn't ready to let it go yet.
"You must be famished. Come, come  I made pasta just the way you like it and chocolate cake for desert" her grandmother said pulling away dragging her into the room and settling her at the coffee table and rushing into the kitchen. The thought of getting injured more often crossed Arianna's mind her conscience brushed it off. A mountain of juicy pasta was laid before her and chocolate cake a reach away. The plate hadn't settled fully on the table when Arianna began to dig in. She missed her grandmother's cooking more than anything. The strongest reason she clung on to life. The hospital food was decent but incomparable and when her grandmother visited, the doctors regulated her diet 'confiscating' the remaining potions. Arianna could swear they reeked of her grandmother's ketchup sauce when they made their rounds.
Arianna gulped down her food without breaks for breath. Her grandmother sat across her smiling, glad they were reunited again.
"You are not planning to go back right?" Arianna had expected this. She placed her fork back in the plate wishing her grandmother waited for her to finish her food.
"You know I am" she did, but maybe she thought me saying it out loud would make me realize how dumb it sounded. It didn't.
"You were almost killed!" She slammed her fist on the table. Arianna caught her plate of pasta scared the table will fall apart. Her grandmother saw that reaction. "You aren't taking me seriously are you"
"It was just an accident ma" Arianna lied.
"Don't give me that! I know what you've been up to I saw your board and everything" as expected. "You told me you quit. You moved here for a fresh start so why?" She  bit back tears and looked away.
"I couldn't move on" Arianna admitted.
"Why not? Is it because of Harry? Did he wing you into it?" Her grandmother's expression flashed from hurt to anger.
"No ma Harry isn't involved" at leasts not in that way "if for anything he wants me to quit as well. It's just that..." Arianna couldn't give a definite reason why she couldn't stop and just leave a normal life.
"What is it? What could be more important than your life?!"
"That's what makes me happy ma! I can't live a normal life like everybody else I'm not normal like everybody else. I just want to keep doing what I love, that's all it is"
"You can find another thing you are happy going that isn't so dangerous"
"It's not something you can just switch, it's not a hobby!" Arianna had not lost her appetite but a lump won't go down her throat and her tears would probably make the pasta too salty. "I need to get some rest" her grandmother wanted to protest but let her go.
Arianna locked her self in her room and leaned on the door. It was obvious her grandmother had been here. Everything was in the right place. Her cloths had been washed, ironed and placed neatly in her wardrobe, her bedsheet were pulled straight Arianna was scared to lay down, pens and markers that were scattered all over were sitting in her jar just below her suspects board aside from that the room looked like that of a sweet middle aged lady. If she trashed the board will she be able to live a normal life she thought. A vibration from her pocket distracted her, pulling out her phone an unknown caller flashed the screen. With doubts, she picked on the third ring.
"Hello"
"Harry here. Congratulations on getting discharged" Arianna saved her breath by not asking unnecessary questions.
"What do you want?" She was definitely was in no need for idle clatter
"Not very friendly today are we, how about lunch? I have some information you would nearly die for or is it not a good time for that joke?" it was terrible timing. Arianna just wanted to bury herself in her duvet and clear her head. But she reimbursed the day of the incident he had wanted to tell her something then.
"Where?"
"At rendezvous. 2:30. See you then" the line disconnected. Arianna stared at her alarm clock. 1:42pm. Not enough time for a nap. She took a shower and changed into a shirt and free pants a uniform for a coffee shop. This meeting would be what decides her fate. Maybe at the end she might walk the path of a normal person.