I sat outside of her room, on the floor.
I heard her and Ashton talking.
"Did Luke pick this?" I heard her voice ask.
She noticed.
"Yeah- how'd you know?" I heard Ashton ask.
"It's what we always get together" I heard her say.
I saw Calum coming down the hall, but I still didn't move
He ended up sitting beside me.
"Before I ever accept another rape case, I need you to help me get better at how to treat them." He mumbled to me.
I glanced to him slowly.
"I thought I was doing what was right- but she fucking hated me. She wouldn't even look at me-" "maybe because you were a dick" I mumbled.
"Trisha wouldn't respond when I was soft and gently- she was the complete opposite. Trish just wanted her family and wanted to leave. She didn't fight me, she didn't cry- she wasn't phased at all-" "I should've talked to you more about how to care for her before I just let you take the case" I whispered to him.
"She was hard to crack- hard to figure out." I mumbled to him.
"Can I tell you something?" He asked me slowly.
I nodded.
"I truthfully don't think she's going to get better without you."
That made me instantly look to him.
"Why are you saying that?" I asked him.
"She was refusing to eat, she didn't want to go on walks, she wanted to lay in bed, she didn't speak, she rarely made eye contact and I've never seen her actually angry, I don't think this is going to help her." He told me slowly.
"Then why were you so sure before?" I asked him quickly.
"You just got promoted to the best fucking cardiovascular position in this state- and you've stopped operating, you've stopped research, you've stopped even calling your mom, she started calling me for updates about you." He told me, she honestly- I hadn't thought about any of this- I didn't care about any of it- I was focused on Alexis.
"I think she needs you- she makes that more than clear anytime she speaks to you, but I think you need to learn how to balance your family, your career and Alexis." He told me slowly.
"So Alexis was never the problem" I mumbled to him, seeing him slowly nod.
"You have to learn how to balance your life, or everything will come crashing down right before you." He whispered.
"But I'll have Alexis at least."
"Luke" he spoke to me .
"You're making less money than you made as an intern." He spoke to me.
"So say Alexis' uncle doesn't work out- say they both fucking hate each other and you decide to adopt her. Sure, you have enough in savings to get through the classes and actually adopt her- but what about after that? When you take her shopping? The house rent? All your bills? You'll never be able to afford yourself and raising a teenager, you have to learn how to balance your life. You have to trust other people to take care of her and you have to help her learn how to trust people besides you." He spoke, and he had a solid point.
I had to get my shit together.
"I'll get my shit together, I'll do it, I promise" I told him firmly.
"I just need to talk to her and explain where we are going from here."
