Haunted

The phone call.

Harry

"Welcome home sweetie," My mum chirps as I walk through the door. I can smell a chicken roast cooking away in the oven and my stomach begins to growl.

"Smells good mum," I say before kissing her cheek. "I'm just going to change," I add as I set down Eden's folder on the table.

"Alright, dinner will be ready shortly." She chirps as I run upstairs, after washing my face a slip on a yellow t-shirt along with some joggers before running back downstairs.

My mum has a cup of tea ready for me as I walk into the kitchen, after thanking her I sit down at the table and begin to flip through Eden's records. "How was work sweetheart?" She asks as she cuts up some vegetables.

"It was good, I got assigned a private patient so I won't be working at the institute as much.  I'll be working from the patient's house in Madison Park," I explain.

"Did you meet them?" She asks and I nod, "What can you tell me about it?"

"She's schizophrenic and bi-polar or so her doctors say at least, looking at her she seems normal and sweet," I reply before pausing pensively.

"But?"

"There's just something in her eyes, they're hauntingly beautiful. I just feel like there is so much I don't know," I go on as she begins to plate our food. "She's timid and quiet but not fearful as I had expected."

My mum places a full plate in front of me before setting her own down, "How old is she?"

"She's almost twenty-three it looks like," I reply nodding to the paper with her photo, name, and birthdate.

"She's quite stunning," She says softly as she looks at her photo.

"She is isn't she?"

"Harry," My mother warns and I roll my eyes. "Don't go down that road."

"I'm not going down any road mum! I'm just stating that she's beautiful," I shrug and she narrows her eyes at me. "Seriously mum! Have you ever known me to get involved with my patients like that?" I ask and she sighs before shaking her head, "That's what I thought so please drop it." I snap sounding a little more firm then I had intended to, she remains quiet while she looks down at the paper.

"I just want you to be careful sweetheart, she sounds very troubled." My mum says softly before getting up and leaving the kitchen.

"I'm sorry I snapped mum," I call out after her. "Fuck," I sigh as I bury my head in my hands. Why was I so jumpy and defensive?

I slide my plate away having lost my appetite and pull Eden's folder over, what is your secret Eden? Why are you so angry at men?

My brows furrow when I see that there are no recent or past brain scans so I call to have the records sent over to me personally. Soon my phone rings with a Seatle number that I don't recognize, "Styles." I bark into the phone.

"Hello Doctor Styles, we met today. I'm Eden Anderson's mother," A woman's voice sounds from the other side.

"Ah yea, Donna. What can I do for you?"

"Eden seems to like you which as you know is rare for her, I wanted to- Shit. hold on just a second." She says and I hear her set the phone down, I furrow my brows when I hear a man's voice as well as Donna's. "What the hell are you doing here?"  She yells and my heart drops when I hear a man's voice.

"Baby, please. Don't walk away from us."  The man pleads.

"You made me chose between you and my daughter Johnathan, did you forget that?"

"But you chose her over our son too!" He snaps and I hear her sigh.

"Because YOU forced me to! He has you, if Eden didn't have me she wouldn't have anyone."  She growls and I feel slightly guilty for listening, maybe I should hang up. "She heard everything you said John, every single fucking word you said this morning. You called her a monster and she was beside herself, you're the only father she's ever known and she loves you."

"Yea, loves me so much she stabbed me with a steak knife Donna. Two more inches and you would have been a widow, our son wouldn't have a father." The man sneers, "She is a monster, she almost killed me!" He adds and a slap is heard, I clench my jaw hoping that it was her slapping him for how he's speaking about her daughter. "Well, at least now we know where she gets it from." He seethes and seconds later I hear a door slam.

"Fucking asshole," Donna curses before returning to the phone. "Doctor Styles?"

"Just call me Harry please."

"God I am so sorry, I hope you didn't hear any of that." She sighs and I purse my lips.

"I'm glad I did actually, are you alright though?" I ask.

"Yea, I'm fine. He's gone now," She says quietly.

"With a very large red mark on his cheek hopefully," I tease and she chuckles. "In all honesty, I'm glad you're this passionate about your daughter's well being. It's a relief really."

"She's my kid, if I'm not going to care for her then who will?"

Me.

"Anyways I was calling to let you know that Eden has made a decision, you seemed to make quite the impression on her earlier." She goes on as I smile.

"Oh, yea? What's her decision?" I question.

"She thinks you can help her, I have my doubts but I'm going to trust my daughter on this. Can you help her Harry?" She asks nervously.

"Yes, I think I can."