Please Be There (An Anorexic Girl Story)

Please Be There Ch. 11

Chapter Eleven

Colleen

When I looked up from my menu, I was surprised to see Brenda's face. This would have been the last place I would have thought to seen her. With all of this food, I didn't know that she would be able to handle it. "Brenda," I smiled, "I swear I'm not stalking you."

"Mrs. Rose," She sputtered again, "I didn't expect to see you."

"Yes, well I'm out with my husband," I explained, "You remember Collin, right?"

"Hello Mr. Rose," Brenda murmured.

"Hello Brenda," Collin nodded.

"What're you doing here?" I asked.

"Making extra money," Brenda shrugged, "God knows I need it. What can I get you guys to drink?"

"Water please," I answered.

"Iced Tea," Collin said. Brenda scribbled it down on her notepad.

"Are we ready, or do we need a few minutes," Brenda asked.

I looked at Collin, and he nodded. "I'll have a large Cesar salad, no olives," I told her.

"Same," Collin said.

"You two are so cute," Brenda smiled, and then walked away with our menus.

Collin glanced at her thin figure as she walked away. Brenda's clothes sagged around her. Her legs were like twigs, Collin told me he was afraid they would break any second. "She's getting thinner," He whispered.

"I know," I answered, watching her go into the kitchen.

"Are you going to do something about it?" He asked.

I looked at him, and raised an eyebrow. He took that as a heck yeah, and chuckled to himself. To be fair to him, I asked him about work. Collin was a doctor. He was one of those doctors that got the easy hours. Of course he wouldn't have them forever, so he enjoyed them while they lasted. "She needs professional help," Collin informed me.

"Am I not professional enough?" I asked.

"Collie," Collin sighed, "You know what I mean."

"I know, and I'm not taking her yet," I shrugged. Collin just looked at me with a weird look on his face. "What?" I asked.

"Don't you think it's a little weird?" Collin asked, "That you're helping this girl? Collie, you barely know this girl."

"I'm getting to know her," I answered, looking out the window that was next us. Collin sighed, but there was a smile on his lips.

Brenda came back with our drinks. She wore a tight smile. When I looked at her, I noticed there were bags under her eyes. "Brenda, have you been sleeping?" I asked.

"Like a baby," She answered, and then quickly told us she'd give us a few more minutes to decide. Before I could argue, she moved to the next table.

"She's lying," I hissed to Collin, leaning over the table.

"Let it go," Collin answered, looking at his menu.

"Why would she lie to me?" I asked, "Collin, you can clearly tell she's not sleeping. So why would she lie about it? And I think she's getting skinnier."

"Colleen," Collin sighed, "You have bigger problems to worry about, like your Mother and school. You don't need to worry about some girls. Maybe you should be sending her to psychiatrist instead of you talking to her."

"A psychiatrist?" I whispered.

"Yeah," Collin answered, putting his menu down. "So she has someone to talk to, and you don't need to worry about her all of the time."

"I don't worry about her all of the time," I told him, crossing my arms over my chest.

"That's a lie," Collin smiled, and went back to reading his menu.

When Brenda came back, Collin and I ordered our meals. "Brenda, could you sit for a second?" I asked, and then cocked my head so Collin would leave. He got the message, and quickly left with a smile.

"I don't know Mrs. Rose," Brenda muttered, "I might get in trouble. I need this job, and I can't lose it."

"I'll explain to whoever you might get in trouble with," I told her, "Please sit down." Brenda slid into the seat across from me with an unsteady look on her face. "Here," I ordered, "Eat this bread."

"No thank you," Brenda muttered, "I'm not hungry."

"Brenda Foster," I growled, "I can hear your stomach from all of the way over here."

"Then maybe just one piece," Brenda mused. She took the bread from my hands, and hesitantly bit into it. Then she attacked it like she hadn't eaten in months. Within minutes I had gotten her to eat the whole basket of bread. "Oh no," She grumbled, running her hand through her hair.

"Feels good to be full, doesn't it?" I asked.

"No," She answered.

"Brenda," I sighed. "You can eat, but still be skinny. Just eat healthier, and not have gluttony when it comes to food."

"I can't," Brenda muttered, shaking her head. A slow tear rolled down her cheek, and she stood up quickly. "I have to go," She mumbled.

"Brenda," I said sternly, "Sit."

She slumped back into the seat with her head down. "I don't get this," I sighed, "At one moment you talk to me and open up, but the next you just shut down."

"That's the way I am," Brenda shrugged.

"Well I have an idea," I smiled, "Well it was actually my husband's idea. Therapy."

"Therapy?" Brenda asked, her head snapping up.

"Yes," I told her.

She waited for some sort of explanation, but I didn't give it to her. Instead I just stared at her with a small smile on my face. I didn't want to influence her opinion in anything I said. That would have been wrong of me, and I wasn't in the mood to feel guilty later.

"Therapy?" She asked again, "Like see a psychiatrist?"

"Yes," I repeated.

"But I don't need one," She argued.

I sighed, and slumped a little bit. So she was going to fight me about this. Well, let's just see who wins here. "How about I sign you up to go three times a week," I told her, "For a month, and if you don't like it, you can quit."

"How will I get there?" She asked.

"I'll drive you," I shrugged, "And pick you up. That way I know you're actually going to these sessions and I'm not wasting money."

Brenda bit down hard on her bottom lip. "You would pay," She whispered.

"Of course," I told her, "I suggested it."

"They're expensive though." Brenda argued.

"I know," I responded, and didn't say anything else. Brenda waited for me to say something else. I didn't though. I wasn't going to tell her how much it cost, or that Collin would freak out at me. I just told her that I would pay for it.

"Do you really think it will help?" Brenda asked.

"I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't," I answered, with a slight nod.

Brenda bit down on her bottom lip, and looked around. She fiddled with her hands on the table, and shook her leg nervously. Just sat there, and waited for her response. When it was getting late and Collin was motioning for me to allow him to come sit back down, I said, "Well? What do you think?"

"Alright," She murmured.

"Good," I answered, "I'll pick you up at six tomorrow. Now go back to work." Brenda stood up, and ran into the kitchen.

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