Redemption of a Soul

Chapter 5

A few days passed since Eli and Claire shared a booth at the Evergreen for dinner. Usually on Friday nights Claire would tuck into her comforter and organize some of her thoughts scribbled throughout her notebook, but tonight she decided against that. Claire's plans tonight included sprawling out on her bed scrolling through Netflix to find the most entertaining things to watch. Typically, one would think she loved romance and romantic comedy genres, but actually Claire was more into thrillers and crime documentaries. The doctor inside of her would analyze the characters through the entire movie and try to guess which of the possible suspects actually committed the crime.
It was around 12:35 AM when Claire last looked at her digital clock on her bedside table. Soon after she began to doze off into sleep with the television still playing. Out of nowhere, after what felt like ten minutes, Claire's eyes fluttered open to reveal complete and utter darkness. It did not frighten her, because her tv automatically turns off after so long of inactivity. What was weird is that not even the clock beside her could be seen through the darkness; like it was unplugged. There was also no light floating in from underneath her door as it usually did from the night light in the hallway.
Claire reached up to switch on her lamp beside the bed, but it wasn't there. In fact, she couldn't feel anything except the bed beneath her. She moved to push up off the bed but it did not work. The whole of Claire's bottom half was completely immobile. Panic had yet to set it when she reached up to her hair and tugged at her roots in frustration. Claire thought that maybe slept the wrong way and her legs were just numb, but no matter how hard she tried nothing happened.
Soon she laid back onto the bed in defeat when an unfamiliar voice started screaming. "Claire, Get out! Get out! Run! Hurry, Claire!," the thundering voice immediately made Claire's heart race uncontrollably. The words quickly resonated with her and she attempted getting up and running, but her legs were still pinned to the bed. The terror coursing through Claire's veins continues for at least fifteen minutes as the unrelenting voice shrieks it's warning at her. Claire questions what exactly she is supposed to be running from, and how was she supposed to get away.
All of a sudden, Claire's eyes snap open. This time her tv is on playing the show she left on, and there is light sleeping through the crack at the bottom of her bedroom door. She had just been in some kind of dream or nightmare rather. Claire rolled her head to the right and glanced at the clock next to her. It hadn't been minutes since she fell asleep; it had been hours. It's currently 3:43 AM and Claire wonders why she is suddenly having nightmares. "Maybe it is some of the stress from the work week.," Claire convinces herself quietly.
Claire is confident enough with her self-diagnosis that she decides to try and sleep again. After a short moment with her eyes closed she is awake once again, because of an urgent knocking at the door to her apartment. Claire slides easily out of her bed and saunters through her home to answer the door. Surprise stricken, Claire's eyebrows form a questioning look as she takes in the person in front of her. A flustered Eli is pacing back and forth with short quick strides until he notices Claire peering at him.
"Thank God, Dr.Turner. My bad for bothering you so late. You said I could see you anytime I needed to. Anyway, Let me explain. That nightmare...That I told you about the week before...I had it again. I couldn't get it out of my head even after I woke up. I wanted... I was so fucking close to ruining everything. I almost went out to my old dealer to buy anything I could get. I just need someone to talk to.," Eli explains briskly. Eli's explanation takes a minute to settle inside of Claire's brain before she finally speaks.
As she wipes the sleep out of her eyes she tenderly says, " I meant what I said Mr. Westen. You can come to me anytime, and I'm glad you're here. It shows so much improvement from when you first started seeing me. You were very closed off then. Give me one minute to put on some shoes and grab my purse. I don't have any coffee here so let's walk down to Pip's." PIP's is the only place in the whole dreadful town open at this hour. The entire menu consists of: eggs, bacon, grits, pancakes and coffee. There literally is not even a gas station open right now, and PIP's is a cozy little shop tucked in between the local bank and a bail bondsman.
The walk from Claire's apartment does not take long, because PIP's is directly behind her building . The entire walk was silent until the neon green "PIP" sign came into view. Claire curiously asks, " Why is it called Pip? I always thought it meant 'pancakes in Pinevale'." Eli shrugs and reply's, " I believe the owners name is Billy Pipkin. Maybe that's what 'Pip' stands for."
The bell above the door jingles and a young, Hispanic woman greets Claire and Eli and lets them know they can sit wherever they like. They see that no one else has made it into the shop yet so they pick the the first table closest to the door. The young lady arrives at the table with her notepad to take their orders. Claire notices that her name tag simply says "V". "I just want some coffee. It's too early for me to eat. What about you, Eli?," Claire asks. Eli nods and arrogantly says to the waitress, "Same for me, but just make a new pot and leave it at the table."
The waitress slides her notepad back into her apron and starts walking away after Claire thanks her. Claire would never be as short with someone as Eli is, because she doesn't have a disrespectful bone in her body. Claire decides against commenting on Eli's rude behavior, because he has showed major signs of growth just in the last week. She chooses that his manners can always be worked on at a later date.
"So what exactly made you decide to come to me instead of taking the easy route and doing drugs?," Claire asks quietly. Eli thinks for a moment before answering, "I'm tired of failing. I've been a failure my whole life, and I can't do that anymore. I can obviously, but I don't want to. I don't have anyone but myself now. So, if I don't save myself then who will?" Claire shakes her head and retorts, " I'm glad you realize now that your actions in the past were wrong, but you were never a failure. You are proving that to me even more each day that you decide to stay sober. I know it is not an easy choice, but it is your choice." Eli nods understandingly but does not respond.
Claire unexpectedly breaks the silence between herself and Eli, "You know something, Eli. There's no way you could be a failure. In order to fail you would have to have been trying to get sober, and my impression is that you never wanted to be sober for all those years. Therefore, you could not have ever failed at being sober. You are trying now, and in my opinion you are succeeding beyond your own expectations." Eli moves to speak, but he is interrupted when the only other person in the shop appears at their table.
The waitress drops off the pot of coffee for Eli and Claire and they pour themselves a cup. They both take a cautious sip at the same time. Claire sits her mug down on the table with both hands and glances out of the shop windows. The sky has began to lighten from the sun slowly ascending into the sky. It is still dark, but it's that time in the morning where you can tell that the sun will be up fully within an hour or two. In fact, when Claire looks at the clock on the wall across from her she sees that the hands point to 5:09 AM.
"So...Claire? You're always psychoanalyzing me and your other patients too, I assume. Have you ever been to a therapist yourself?," Eli's words slice through Claire's contemplating. Without much hesitation she responds, " Yes, I have, when I was younger." Unlike most other doctors, Claire makes it a point to connect with her patients on a personal level. Of course, some patients never open up, but when they become interested in Claire's life she believes that is where the connection begins. Instead of ignoring Eli's, or any other patients question she usually answers them. Through her career so far there have only been a few indecent questions that Claire left unanswered.
" Was there any specific reason you went to therapy and how young were you?," Eli questions further. Claire finish her cup of coffee and replies, "I was probably around thirteen, and it was mostly because of my father. The night that he left us I forgot to do my homework for a class and the teacher was pestering me about it and I lashed out at her. I had never missed an assignment before. She knew it was uncharacteristic of me to do so, as did the other teachers and the principal.
I was really reserved in school, and I didn't have any friends after he left. I became a recluse and the only thing I did outside of school was look after my siblings. The counselor pulled me out of class one day and talked to me and my mom about therapy sessions. They were basically non negotiable, so that's when I started to go regularly. Every six months I have to go the the clinic in Wayworth to do a mental health evaluation; it's required to be a therapist. Some patients stories and stress is bound to take its toll sometime or another."
When she finished her story a tasteless yawn escaped Claire's mouth before she could conceal it. "I'm sorry. Excuse me.," she apologized to Eli. "No problem at all. It's late....Well early now. We should get you home to bed. I did wake you up at an annoying time.," Eli says in a rushed manner. He gulps down the last bit of his third cup of coffee and slides his chair from beneath the table. Eli reaches into his pocket and slaps a ten dollar bill on the table for the coffee. He stands and waits for Claire to rise from her chair, then they both exit the shop to head toward Claire's apartment.
The rest of Claire's Saturday is filled sleeping and munching on snack food until she falls asleep. She makes up for her lack of work on Sunday before she has to return to the office on Monday. All the while, Eli spends quiet days watching his own television and eating dinner at the Evergreen. Neither one of them were really keen on having any visitors for the weekend so they kept to their solidarity.
Monday finally reared its ugly face for Claire and she quickly settled back into her weekly routine of coffee first and then patients. Eli spent his Monday walking around town looking for 'help wanted' posters and filling out job applications, because the money he had made from his previous temporary job was quickly running dry. At the end of Claire's work day she was walking to her car when her phone began vibrating in her purse. It was a text from Eli Westen that read "Hey. Wasn't sure if it was good to text you at your office or not, but I'm getting dinner at the Evergreen again tonight and I'm beginning to get lonely. I think I could use some company if you want some food. See you there." Claire snorts loudly and rolls her eyes when she finishes reading the text message. She thinks about how demanding he is sometimes, but then she remember that she promised she would always be there for him. Loneliness can be extremely treacherous for someone in such a delicate state as Eli. Relapse is always only an arms length away.
Claire unlocks her car with her fob, and whips the door open then tosses her bag onto the passenger seat. She climbs up into the seat of her suv buckles her seat belt and begins driving towards the Evergreen for dinner. Today is a typical day where Claire sits in her office writing up reports and loses track of time, and when she realizes that the sun is fading it is already six-thirty in the evening. She scurries her way through the parking lot and almost immediately spots Eli sitting at the booth they were in just days ago. They both send in their orders with the lovely and infamous ,Gladice. The next hour between Claire and Eli was relatively quiet; they ate their dinner and lightly conversed about their days.
Claire made it a point for Eli to know that she could not stay too long, because she had some work that required her attention. They finished up their meals and this time Claire hastily grabbed the check from the table and paid. Eli shook his head with a sly smile and said, "You didn't have to do that. I was happy to pay, because you were the one giving me company." Claire gives her sweet signature smile to Eli and begins to talk when she is cut off by someone else's voice. "Hey! Dr. Turner, I'm so-sorry to bother you at dinner, but do you think we could sp-speak in p-private.," the stuttering voices says. Claire gives a quick apologetic glance to Eli before sliding from the booth to follow the man outside. Eli watches closely as they walk away wondering exactly who the stranger was and why Claire left himself sitting there alone so easily. A slight twinge of jealousy burns in Elis chest when he witnesses Claire rest her hand comfortingly on the man's shoulder before exiting the restaurant. The way that the guy was scratching at his body ferociously told Eli that he was most likely a tweaker that needed a fix, and that immediately set Eli on edge.
After only a couple of impatient minutes pass Eli flees from the booth and stalks his way to Claire. When Eli is close enough to Claire he hears the stranger calling her Dr. Tuner, so that means that the man must be one of her patients. Eli stays a safe distance away from the pair in order to listen to their conversation. Eli hears the stranger say, "I tried to contact you the other night, but I don't think you were home." The pieces begin to fall into place for Eli and he realizes that this peculiar man is possibly the one that he has seen hanging around Claire's apartment at unconventional hours of the night.
Before Claire could respond to her patient she feels a foreign yet possessive arm slither down her back and grasp her waist. She looks up and to her left to find that Eli is the owner of the arm currently wrapped around her. Confusion sweeps across her face as Eli breaks the momentary silence between the trio. "Hey...Claire. Are you ready to leave?," Eli says while glaring at the suspect before them. The intimidation works and the man in front of Eli and Claire shrinks to a boy.
Claire finally gathers her muddled thoughts, but still doesn't pull away from EliZ She nods 'yes' answering Eli's question and then smiles towards her patient. "Derek, Thank you for coming to me. Tomorrow I will get everything squared away on my schedule and I will contact you on what extra days I will be able to fit you into. I'll see you Wednesday for your regular session. Have a wonderful night.," Claire states. Derek walks away with a wave goodbye and then she realizes that she has unknowingly nestled herself into Eli's side, and in this moment she is as close to Eli as she has ever been. So close in fact, Claire can detect the hints of clean linen and organic earthy aromas emanating from Eli. The combination of smells and sensations caused by Eli sends Claire into pure bliss for a short while.
Figurative warning signs then intrude on Claire's thoughts and the rational part of her returns. She sighs deeply and shrugs herself from Eli's touch to head for her vehicle. Claire is utterly disappointed in herself at the moment, because what just happened between her and Eli can never happen again. It is easy for Claire to rationalize friendly dinners and the occasional early morning coffee, but not something this intimate. Being enveloped in one of her patients arms is downright unsuitable for a professional like herself. Claire continues to berate herself as she gives Eli a brisk goodbye and leaves to drive home.
Claire's actions leave Eli standing alone in the parking lot clearly stricken with disbelief. The woman who had just gotten into her car with barely a goodbye was not his typical charming doctor. Instead, Claire was replaced with a melancholy version of herself. Eli then composes himself and starts walking home wondering what made Claire upset. Rather than continuing to question their encounter he pulls out his phone and quickly dials Claire's number; it goes straight to voicemail. Eli follows up the call with a text that reads "What the fuck is wrong with you? Is it the creep from earlier? Did he say something to you?Call me." Tuesday can't come fast enough for Eli.