A Masterpiece Gone

Chapter Twenty

Although she was surprised by how full the textbook-imaged office was for a Wednesday morning, Jessie didn't care anymore about such trivial things.  She never wanted to come out of something better than ever as much as she did in that moment and it scared her that in the same city where she found solace she was having her own battles.  While she was thankful that she already was able to snag a few opportunities in the next two weeks to keep building her successful career and her mind busy, her broken relationships with everybody back at home and of course with Brendan were unarguably more important.

"Jessica Riccelli?" a friendly voice behind a circular desk trilled. 

Jessie stood up and presented herself to the secretary who had introduced herself as Fiona the moment Jessie checked in.  Although the office bared plain, yellow walls, white plastic chairs, and a magazine rack she felt as though she was awaiting a spa appointment based on how she had been treated the past half hour. 

"Amber is just reviewing your paperwork, but I will be happy to get you settled in her room," Fiona explained, motioning to the door closest to Jessie's left.

Thanking her, Jessie met her by the door and was led into a hallway that was the complete contrast of the waiting area with rich blue walls and admirable artwork of beautiful sites like Quebec, Venice, the Amazon, mountains, a beach house, and a park during the fall.   Amber's office was just as beautiful with walls of a light sea green resembling more of a living room in spite of a small desk off to the corner by a white-framed window.

Unsure of where to sit, Jessie opted for the striped couch farthest from the desk, the soft cushions framing her body as she leaned back.  "May I get you some tea or bottled water while you wait?" Fiona asked as she stood in front of Jessie.

Although pleasantly surprised, Jessie shook her head.  She was already nervous enough in spite of things seeming okay so far so the last thing she needed was to have to get up and pee a couple of times in the next hour. 

"Make yourself at home and Amber will be right with you," Fiona stated with an assuring smile before making her exit.

Jessie was a bit confused with whether or not to call her Amber or Dr. Shapiro after hearing her first named thrown around a lot, but she knew that was the least of her problems.  She now just had to pray that her experience here was going to help her much more than her few sessions with Macie or else she was going to lose even more than she probably had already lost.

Before Jessie could scan the novel titles she spotted on the narrow bookshelf adjacent both to her couch and the one across from her, a soft knock echoed through the room.  "Hi, are you Jessica?" a woman who was no older than Jessie softly asked, the doorway framing her tall, thin figure.

Jessie nodded prompting the woman ,whose doe eyes even greener than Jessie's stood out against her long sleek chocolate locks, to walk towards the round coffee table that separated the two sage couches.  "Amber Shapiro.  It's a pleasure to meet you," she greeted warmly offering Jessie her hand.  "Do you prefer Jessica or Jessie?"

"It's nice to meet you as well," Jessie responded back after accepting her hand.  "Just Jess is fine."

Jessie observed her gracefully walk to the other couch in her simple black slacks and sleeveless white blouse where she just took one last look at the folder she was carrying labeled with Jessie's name before setting it off the side on the coffee table.  "I know you just got here last week, but how has your time been in New York so far?" Amber asked. 

"Good.  I really haven't done much besides meet with a producer I worked with before," Jessie responded with some reservation, unsure if Amber's question was digging deeper in the surface.