Protect Me Not

Chapter 18

Gwen Landucci was always the first one to arrive at the office. Her senior assistant title looked great on her business cards but she knew whole heartedly that she was given that title out of pure guilt. Gwen accepted the generous promotion and pay raise that accompanied it knowing full well her past work experience had not warranted the reward. From that day onward, she vowed to dedicate her free time to advancing her skill set. She was set on showing her dedication and worth to her job and nothing else mattered. Gwen was known to be a very happy person who had an innate ability to light up a room when she walked into it. Life circumstances and failed life dreams changed her mostly positive outlook on life. Her beauty went far beyond her looks. Her innocent face accompanied her soul of merit, a trait that came quite natural to her. Her luscious locks of wavy brown hair sat perfectly on her head without much fuss. She was blessed with pure voluptuous lips that most women paid to have. Although she had a rather delicate frame, her personality could storm through any kind of quagmire. She walks with a leg brace and she's pretty confident arthritis is setting in on her once badly damaged knee but Gwen was never one to quit or give up on something. Gwen was tough with her words but anyone who knew her well enough, knew she was a plain old softy inside.

The October weather was full of high winds and rainy days. That morning was no different than any other stormy fall day. Staring out the office window with her coffee in hand, Gwen recognized her boss immediately from seven floors up. She hadn't witnessed him come into the office for a few weeks but that was nothing out of the ordinary for her. Gwen was a master at manipulating Doctor Copeland's patient schedule. After many years of working for the often flighty doctor, Gwen knew exactly how to keep his patients satisfied with their treatment plans as well as unsuspicious of his non traditional treatment methods. When patients would show up for their therapy session and the unabated Doctor was a no show, Gwen would often supply the patient with a sociotherapy exercise to keep them busy for the week. If the Doctor was absent longer than a week, Gwen was sure to have a part two section for follow up.

Gwen shuffled around at her desk gathering any missed messages and client files that needed updated for when the Doctor arrived. She was never certain on the Doctor's office attendance but what she did know for sure is that he was mostly grumpy. Gwen chalked his less than desired demeanor up to having to listen to everyone else's problems on a regular basis, that and his unfortunate and regrettable past. Gwen's been part of Doctor Copeland's life, long before he turned into a gloomy and melancholy man.

"Good morning Gwen, how is your morning going so far?" the doctor asked with great joy.

"Ummm, ahhmmm," Gwen cleared her throat. "My day has been great so far, Doctor, and you?"

Clearly Gwen was surprised to witness such happiness emanating from the normally quiet and wretched doctor.

"Here are your missed calls and messages since the last time we spoke," she explained.

"Thank you Gwen," he replied while taking the bundle of pink message papers from her hand.

Flipping through the rather big stack of messages, the doctor stopped at one halfway through the pile and beamed the biggest smile Gwen had ever seen him show.

"Here's the client files that have completed their sociotherapy exercises that you will need to read through and offer comments. You don't have any clients booked in today because I wasn't sure of your office schedule," Gwen explained.

"Great job Gwen!" Doctor Copeland exclaimed in a loud and joyful voice. "Have you called any of these new clients back to book introduction appointments yet?"

"No I haven't..." she started to explain.

"Good...good...then I will take care of this myself," he stated.