Janet’s Point of View
1
Jasper pulled up to the entrance of Westside Clinic, his car purring like a content cat. I gathered my bag and smiled at my
brother.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said. “I should really start driving myself soon.”
Jasper grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners just like mine do. “No rush. It’s my pleasure to do so and also I like our morning talks.”
“Me too.” And I meant it. These small moments with my newfound family were precious to me.
“I’ll pick you up at five?” he asked.
I nodded. “Perfect.”
As I walked through the clinic doors, several staff members smiled and waved. It had only been a few days, but word had spread quickly about how I’d helped Edward Jones–the patient no one could reach. Somehow, I’d become the counselor who could handle the “tough cases.”
I headed straight to Dr. Elena Martinez’s office. She’d texted me earlier, asking to see me before my first appointment. When I
knocked on her door, her warm voice called out, “Come in!”
Elena looked up from her computer, her face brightening when she saw me. “Janet! Just the person I wanted to see.”
“Good morning,” I said, taking a seat across from her desk. “How are you?”
“I’m wonderful,” she beamed. “Especially after hearing about your session with Mrs. Cooper yesterday. She actually smiled
when she left! That woman hasn’t smiled in months.“.
I felt a flush of pride warm my cheeks. Mrs. Cooper had come to me broken after her divorce, convinced she was worthless because her husband had left her for a younger woman. I knew that feeling all too well–the shame, the self–doubt. We’d connected over that shared pain, though I never told her about my own situation.
“She just needed someone to listen,” I said.
Elena shook her head, still smiling. “It was more than that. You have a gift, Janet. These patients… they trust you.”
I looked down, not sure how to take the praise. “I just try to understand what they’re feeling.”
“Well, whatever you’re doing, keep it up. The clinic hasn’t felt this hopeful in a long time.” Elena handed me a folder. “Here’s your schedule for today. Your first appointment isn’t until ten, so you have some time to get settled.”
I thanked her and headed to my office–a small but bright room with a window overlooking the garden. It still felt surreal to have my own space, my name on the door.
I sat at my desk and began going through paperwork from yesterday’s sessions. Notes to update, progress reports to file. I was so absorbed in my work that I almost didn’t hear the knock at my door.
“Come in,” I called, not looking up.
Working hard already?” a familiar voice asked.
I glanced up to see Edward Jones standing in my doorway, looking remarkably different from the broken man I’d first met.
His hair was combed, his clothes neat. Most notably, there was life in his eyes now.
“Edward,” I smiled, genuinely happy to see him. “You’re early for your appointment.”
17
He shrugged, stepping into the office. “I had a breakfast meeting nearby. Thought I’d stop in and say hello.”
