Forever You - Evening the Score // Book Two

Chapter 4

Elena and Harry were no closer to any resolution the next morning when they got up.  Harry desperately wanted to talk, but when he watched Elena pack her bag for practice he knew there would be no discussion.  So he holed himself up in his basement studio, trying not to let the whole day go to waste.

Elena felt terrible for leaving him like that.  But she was already late for an appointment, one she couldn't miss.  And while she knew she should've been, she just wasn't concerned with Harry at the moment.

The drive was almost unbearable.  Elena must have tried to turn around at least a dozen or more times on the 15 minute journey.  But once she was parked, she knew she wasn't leaving.  No decision had been made, she told herself.  This was just for informational purposes, she reasoned.  This was a clinic that specialized in women's reproductive health, she repeated.  There was nothing wrong with being here.

Elena's first steps towards the building were slow.  She kept her head down.  There was no way anyone would know her here, but she still felt like she was being watched. 

Once inside, the first brochure Elena's eyes fell on was about birth control.  She snorted to herself.  Far too late for that. 

"Can I help you?"  Elena jumped when she heard the voice.

A quick glance around told Elena it was her that was being spoken to.  She glanced up at the young woman behind the counter,

"Yeah.  I...have an appointment."

"Name?"

"Rhonda Lewis."  Elena lied.  She had to give an alias, for a lot of reasons.

The girl nodded,

"Dr. Reader will be with you in a moment.  Would you like to wait in her office?"

Elena nodded, glancing nervously around the waiting room,

"Yes please."

"Right this way." 

Elena followed the young woman down the hallway until they reached a doorway at the end.  She gestured into the room,

"She'll be done with her patient in a bit.  Can I get you some water?"

"No.  I'm fine." 

Elena sat down in one of the uncomfortable chairs.  She'd never felt so self conscious.  She was clutching her purse and hoodie like her life depended on it. 

Elena focused on the pictures adorning the walls around her.  Reproductive diagrams, parents with kids, women smiling wistfully while looking down at a positive pregnancy test...Elena felt like she was being judged and she was alone in the room.

This was wrong.  Every bit of it was wrong.  She was insane for even being here.  And for not telling Harry.  When he found out he would be understandably hurt and pissed off.  And she would deserve every bit of it.  Every bit.

Elena was just about to stand and leave when she heard a voice behind her,

"Rhonda...so sorry to keep you waiting."

Elena settled back into the chair awkwardly,

"I-it's ok."  She stumbled.

Dr. Julianne Reader was quite a few years older than Elena.  She had her blonde hair pulled up into the type of bun that looked like about 400 bobby pins were holding it together.  Her well put together outfit of a black pencil skirt and a white button down shirt was covered by her long white Dr.'s coat.  Her makeup?  Flawless. 

She closed the door and sat down in the chair behind her giant mahogany desk,

"Well..."  She said as she leaned forward to clasp her hands and rest them on the desk, "What can I do for you?"