11: Canceled Session
Sonic stands in front Big's desk, nervously wringing his hands. "Why didn't you tell me Tails had scheduled an appointment for today?"
Big's desk is a mess of crayons. He looks up from coloring in his Frogs of the Pond coloring book. "I tried to tell you yesterday," he says in a voice that lulls. "But you said it didn't matter and left."
Sonic recalls and silently curses his carelessness. Pacing the waiting room floor, he tries to think of why Tails has made yet another appointment. He wonders why Tails has been saying things about him behind his back. Horrible things.
Coming up to Big's desk, he asks, "Did he really say I make people cry?"
Big looks up from his coloring book, confused. "Who?"
"Tails."
"Oh." Big nods. "He said you make lots of people cry."
Sonic's face falls. He turns away from Big and shuts his eyes. He takes a deep breath and wonders some more. What is wrong with Tails? Why is Tails saying these things? Why didn't that one week online class of psychology teach him how to deal with patients like this? Was the degree he earned after completing that class even real?
So many questions buzzing through his mind, he doesn't hear Big tell him that he's blocking the light.
"Big," he says, suddenly turning around. "I need you to cancel today's one o'clock."
Big has accidentally colored outside the line. "Oh no," he says.
"I know, I know," Sonic says. "Our policy is to cancel appointments at least 24 hours before appointment time, but…please just do it, and tell the patient that the Doctor is extremely sorry."
Big sighs and turns to a page ripe for the coloring. "Okay," he says distractedly.
Sonic nods. "Thank you." He heads for the door. "Please make sure to lock up properly before you leave," he says.
Picking up the blue crayon, Big nods.