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Cora

No matter how many tioosebuain I’ve called—over and over—and he never picks up or returnsis okay so he doesn’t really have to call , I hope he will

I haven’t seen Patton since o Itabout that day I was grief-stricken aboutthat I felt in Patton’s arave me to see him at the service

He only spoke to me to offer me his condolences and , but it was enough to rief

What good was giving me your phone number if you don’t answer it and avoidto hi up I’, and I kno hard that question is for veterans to answer So I figured that’s why he wasn’t answering But I can’t help but sort of take it personally now I ive up

“Cora” The professionally dressed wohts

I take a deep breath and stand up, s my hands down the front of my pants It’s time for my weekly therapy appointment with Dr Stevens It’s required as part of my job, and most of the time I’m thankful for it As a case worker for veterans, I’ve seen and heard a lot of awful things, things that I lose sleep over, but talking about it helps for sure I always try to coI’ll feel better afterwards, but today I’ about the veterans and issues I’ about myself and my issues

“Hey, Dr Stevens!”

She waves her hand at the open door, beckoning et started?”

Instead of my usual chipper self, I take a deep breath and nod as I walk past her I take a seat on the couch as she sits in the chair next to me

“Okay, what’s going on?” she asks as she picks up her notepad off the table

“Nothing Everything is really good My patients are doing well I was able to find housing for one, set up numerous interviews for a few I convinced one of ree to therapy which he’s needed for a while now The ‘Bridge’ project is really going well, and I truly feel like I’ well”

I say it all with a big so on and on about my patients’ success, even I can hear the worry infro them I don’t understand it, and I wish I could say that if I talked to him, I’d be fine, but I know that’s not the case One phone call isn’t going to makeabout hi about hiraduation

Dr Stevens leans forith a gentle s you?”

I shrugit up or not, but knowing I should Talking about it does help “I’et a hold of Patton”

The doctor nods, obviously re about Patton before I neverhim up, but there’s no way I can talk about h just thinking about it I’m probably not even on his radar, and he doesn’t have a clue how much I think about him, but that’s all I can think about Fro special about him Back then, I had no idea what that pull was in my lower belly, but I kneanted to be around hih video calls with my older brother when Patton would jump on just to say hi or whatever He has no idea how much that meant to me that he would take time like that to just talk to me and check in