The Lies That Bind

Chapter 7: Night One

I nearly snorted into my glass of wine, doing my best not to spit out my drink as I laughed. We had just finished a rather starch-heavy yet delightful dinner made by Dr. Kolomna. It was your traditional Russian fare: beef borscht, isn't it usually made with beef? With potatoes in a red broth made from beet and cabbage with a side of rye bread and cream cheese. All we needed was some wurst, and we'd have a typical dinner made by my mother! It had been a long time since I had a meal that big or that tasty, and I'm not the type of girl who can just live off salad... not with these hips. Now, I was trying to not spill my drink while listening to Dr. Kolomna as he told rather outrageous stories about some of his former patients.

"So the wife suspected her husband of cheating; which I kinda thought so since he was missing appointments and showing up late." He took a sip of his own wine, "This went on for a while, and it clearly wasn't working so I asked the wife if she was considering divorce. They were of "higher status"," Dr. Kolomna made air quotes with his left hand, "and thus that wasn't an option. But she wanted to get back at him."

"What did she do?" I asked with interest as I settled further on the couch, curling my legs under myself.

"Well," He paused then, looking away for a moment as if second guessing himself before he let out a half-hearted chuckle. "She wanted to use me to get back at him. She started going on and on about how she was attracted to me and how I always listened and cared about what she had to say. In the back of my mind, I'm thinking, 'That's part of my job.' But I didn't say that. Then all of a sudden, she's in my face trying to get me to touch her, which is a giant no-no in this profession. So before this gets way out of hand, her husband shows... and sees his wife trying to mount me."

I giggled at his words, "Then what?"

"Long story short, there was a lot of yelling, a lot of furniture broken, and the police got involved. Not good for their "image"." He sighed, "The Board got wind of the case and I had to prove I had no unprofessional relationship with the wife. It was a big mess, figuratively and literally."

"Has that happened before?" I asked gently, "Like, your patients being attracted to you?" I mean, how could it not? Dr. Kolomna was... very attractive. The thought lingered in my mind and I took a larger sip.

"I'd be lying if I said no," he answered truthfully. "But rarely to a point where it interferes with my work, and certainly not to a point where I have to call authorities."

"So, I presume dating is hard for you?"

His eyes met mine, seemingly surprised by my question. "No," his tone became serious, "I choose not to."

"Why?"

"Now look who's breaking rules, Miss Lima." Dr. Kolomna pointed out to me before finishing off his glass.

I pressed my lips together tightly as I vaguely remembered telling him something similar for what felt like forever ago. "Okay," I murmured and set my barely there drink down on the coffee table.

"I have my reasons, Miss Lima." He continued after a while, "Just like I'm sure you have yours."

You don't know the half of it. There are so many locks, so many walls that not even an atomic bomb could penetrate them. There's so much I've had buried that I don't even think I remember some of it off-hand... so many doubts, so many insecurities. But I don't let those show. I can't. I can't show how weak I really am, but still...

"It must get lonely," I said quietly as I rested my head in my hand.

"It does," he muttered, "But it's better this way."

"Is it, Doctor?"

"No, but I'd rather be alone than see others get hurt..." His voice trailed and he looked away again.