113° is the hottest it had ever been in this town sense 1902, at least that's what the radio kept yappin about all day. The whole state had been under a burn ban and fire hazard for the past three months with no foretaste of relief. The town even started a water restriction which meant I had to keep the cleaning to a minimum until Wednesday which was our day to water lawns and such. The subhuman man child I was cursed with didn't seem to comprehend any such restrictions and went about his business like the world belonged to him. He barked out curses through the open living room window as always until I finally gave in and went behind the barn for some peace and quiet. In all honesty the barn wasn't the ideal place to hide given the sour stench boiling inside, but out back under you could hardly smell anything thanks to a lack of breeze. I sat there with my pack of cancer sticks, staring out into the openness daydreaming of fall months coming to my rescue. Winter was what I craved, the echoing silence of still cold coming to comfort me; muting the shrieks from my dreams, erasing the back pasture and freezing up the lake giving me an off season. This routine of his was starting to get fucking old.
"You've made a little progress so far, how about you tell me what's behind it?"
One long moment passed as my eyes adjusted to the light, refocusing on the office window not the pasture I'd just seen so vividly in front of me. Dr. Ando took notice of my return to reality.
"Where were you?"
I was spending more and more time there than I had in years; little glimpses and flashes turned into descriptive visits almost overnight. But why? Fuck I'd been in Illinois for almost four years with not even so much as a longing memory of dear ol' Liverpool yet for the past god damn week it's been all I could see. Home was calling out to me from the shadows and something told me I should listen to it.
Dr. Ando stared at me awaiting an answer she should have known wasn't going to come with that irritatingly calm expression she was known for; Most of the time I paid her no mind unless I felt it necessary… which wasn't very often.
"Come on Suzanna, I know you're in there somewhere." I flinched at the use of my first name but continued to ignore her.
Dr. Ando had only recently learned that using it was a way to push my buttons; only once did she get a reaction out of me but it wasn't the one she expected. The evidence is in a nice crescent moon shaped scar on left cheek right under her eye. It came out quite nicely in my opinion; the perfect indention of my upper jaw. A brave woman she is for playing that card again, and so soon.
"You've spoken in full comprehensive sentences three times in the past four months. Something is stirring behind those eyes of yours and I'm trying to figure out where this sudden lively activity is coming from."
I had to hand it to Natalia Ando, she was very observant and possibly one of the only doctors who could read my body language as if I were speaking out loud. A very difficult art that is, seeing as how most of the time I come across very nonchalant.
"I've seen you spend a lot of time around your neighbor." She proclaimed, as if she had every confidence that it would stir me up. I gritted my teeth knowing the bitch was right. I made no other movement except to let my eyes meet hers in a very guarded manor. Instead of the cocky smirk I assumed she would be wearing, her smile was warm and understanding, almost proud in a way.
"Do you actually vocalize your thoughts with her? Is that why you seem to be speaking more now?"
My my, doesn't she catch on quick? If only Dr. Romance knew, the girl next to me whom I happen to share part of a cell with, has gotten me to open up more than anyone could understand. Most of our vocal conversations are shared at night in hushed voices, but she is the only person that I truly communicate with. Furthermore, if anyone here in their right mind had cared to pay enough attention they wouldn't have put us together; if she really looked at it, Dr. Ando wouldn't be so happy that my cell mate and I have bonded, but soon they'll learn… soon they'll all know what a big ass fucking mistake they made.
With that passing thought I let my smile show, laughing on the inside as Dr. Ando smiles back.
