Not Your Regular

Chapter Twenty-Five

As much as it felt difficult to update, the fact that I had anticipating readers was the push for me.

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Linda's POV

Friday, Saturday and Sunday have a way of seeming less than 24 hours. My alarm brought me from the dream land to reality.

It was Monday morning, two weeks after Bryan proposed to Grace. I had spent the whole weekend at Grace's house, so also the weekend before this. No matter how hard I tried, she countered every reason I laid down. Accepting my defeat, I had to always go to her house. But that didn't slow down the weekend anyway.

I climbed out of bed, did what I had to do and went to the hospital.

I had a session with a somewhat crazy fella. The guy gave me chills everytime I had to talk to him. His story was both scary and funny. He started a business, diverted all his attention and placed all focus on the business. Due to this, he lost his family.  The result made him angry with himself, and now he wanted to take revenge on himself. Punishing himself mentally, physically and in every way. It is funny because he is angry with himself for choosing his business over his family, but scary because he's harming himself for the choices he made. I mean, but what choice do I have, I've got to do what I've got to do.

Soft knocks hit my door not long after I settled in. I breathed in and breathed out as I mentally prepared myself for a strenuous session.

"Come in," I answered the moment I felt I was in the right position for counseling.

The door opened and in came Mr Charles.

"Good morning," he nodded and pulled the chair in front of me to sit. I noticed the bandage on his head as he bent to sit.

"Good morning Mr Charles. You're quite on time today." I smiled at him.

"I know better than to be late," he frowned looking around the office as though he wanted to escape reality.

"Why do you have a wound on your head? You didn't get angry again, did you?" I questioned trying to place my hand on the forehead where he had a wound.

"I didn't hope to get angry, but I did. To a point where I couldn't control it." He frowned but relaxed and looked down.

"What happened this time?" I sat up and looked straight at him. I tried to release all the care I could from my stare.

"I was at home..."

"The new house or the previous one," I interuppted.

"The previous one," he sighed.

"I thought we agreed that you wouldn't go back there. Just so your healing process can be fast." I sighed in worry, bowed my head and raised it back a few seconds later. "Go on, what happened?"

"I went there to pack the rest of my belongings. I came across a family photograph. That's where I lost it. I didn't know when I threw the picture on the flow. I bent to gather the pieces and a piece of glass pierced through." He squeezed his eyes shut as he narrated. "I tried to remove the glass but in my anger, I only ended up spending myself more." He finished and I called out to him.

"Mr Charles. It's fine, calm down." I raised his head. "You promised to tell me how your family died today,"

He held his head and his eyeballs shot red.

"I don't think I can," he replied.

"Of course you can, just calm down, and slowly reveal it to me," I told him gently.

"I'll try," he replied and paused. After taking a few deep breaths, he continued. "On that fateful day, I had a meeting with my workers very early in the morning. I was supposed to drive my family to my son's basketball game, but as usual, I had neglected them and taken the car on my own." He took a deep breath again, I noticed it was to stop himself from crying. "I shouted at my son and told him to go arrange with his mother how he would get to the basketball game. I took the car to work instead and left them alone to find their way," He paused and this time around I saw a tear drop.

"It was barely 10 minutes into the meeting and I got a call. My family had been in an accident and they were at the hospital. Once again, I ignored the call and told the nurse to get them treated, that I would be there as soon as the meeting was over. I was cruel, so cruel," This time around he burst into uncontrollable tears and I moved closer to comfort him.

Suddenly he sprung up, as if angry with himself. The anger issue had come again. I sighed heavily as I began to jerk him to come back to his senses.

"Mr Charles, Mr Charles," I called and called. After a while he began sobbing and saying,

"It's all my fault. It's all my fault. I'm such a bad person. A bad father, a bad husband," he wept and I just felt pity for him.

"Calm down Mr Charles. It's not your fault. Even if you had gone to the hospital you wouldn't have brought them to life. It's not your fault." I said trying to calm him down.

"But it is Miss Linda,"

"It's not," I sat back on my seat and turned to him. "This is today's assignment. Go back home and keep ruminating on one thing, 'It is not your fault'. Don't think about anything but that. We'll continue from where at our next session." I said and smiled warmly at him.

"Alright, Miss Linda." He nodded and got up slowly. "Thanks for today," he said and went out of the office.

As the door closed, I sighed and closed my eyes resting my head on the chair. I still had quite a lot more sessions with a lot more patients. I couldn't afford to be tired.

I got up from my chair and made my way to the hospital reception. I felt hungry and a can of soda wasn't exactly a bad idea.

I slipped a coin into the vending machine and pushed the bottle for my drink. As I bent to pick my drink, my eyes caught a face in the mirror reflection of the machine. A face that I almost thought was Steve's.

I turned back to look but it was no longer there. My eyes quickly scanned through the reception but I couldn't find that face anymore. Giving up, I took my drink and went back into my office.

I was barely seated when my phone began to ring. I checked the caller ID and it was Bryan. It was very odd for him to call me at that hour.

"Hello," I answered on the third ring. "I'll say it's extra weird that you're calling me during work hours."

"Hello. You can't really blame me," Bryan replied.

"Who am I supposed to blame?" I smirked.

"More like what. Blame the information I just received." He snorted in reply and I became curious.

"And what would that information be? You're no longer interested in the marriage." I swirled in my chair teasing Bryan.

"Geez Linda. I'm forever interested in the marriage." He snapped back and I laughed.

"Okay, what then is the information?"

"Steve. He's back in Texas. He got back on Saturday, two days ago." He said over the phone and I froze.

"What do you mean by he's back in Texas?" I sat up and waited for my answer.

"That's all I know for now, we can find out the rest later."

"Okay," I replied and dropped the call.

I carried my can of soda and remembered the face I had seen. That face must have been Steve. I sprung up from my chair and went out, in search of that face I had seen.

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