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Chapter Fifty-Seven:
Reid entered Orme's office wearing a shirt with a Star Trek red-shirt joke. He found Selzer and Ormes waiting.
"Where is Dr. Juno?" he asked.
"She's still processing what has happened," Ormes said.
"I'd like to speak with her. Tell her none of this is her fault."
"We'll arrange it in the future," Selzer said.
Reid took a seat.
"What would you like to talk about?" Ormes asked.
"You saw the medical records. I wasn't raped or abused. Womack wanted to keep me as a trophy and even had a chemical toilet in his vault for me."
"Why were you only in your shorts?" Selzer asked.
"I got dirty when I was stuffed in the back of a truck."
"How are you feeling?" Ormes asked.
"I did nearly pass out when I was stuffed in the truck. Uris taunted me in the dark. Cat laughed. I thought I was going insane."
"You don't sound traumatized," Selzer said.
"Because my students found me," Reid said as his voice swelled with emotion. "My group of misfit students puts their minds and resources together to locate me. As the EMTs came to check on me, I realized I had found a purpose. I want to start a school."
"Ambitious," Ormes said. "What kind of school?"
"A school for students who don't test well. A school for those who can't afford Birch-Fitch or don't meet their criteria. Along with a trade school focused on technology."
"Have you considered logistics?" Selzer asked.
"I have pages of notes already. From what grants to apply for to how to get it to fit education standards."
"That is quite a revelation," Ormes said.
"I'm tired of being a victim. I'm tired of living life waiting for the next bad thing to happen. I will always be a magnet for trouble, I have accepted that. I want to live meaningfully again."
Ormes and Selzer were quiet for a moment.
"Were you expecting me to come in scared and scarred? I'm done being that person."
"I have learned to expect the unexpected with you Dr. Reid," Ormes said.
"Bravo to you for being stronger than anyone should be," Selzer said.
Reid merely smiled.
…
Reid found Juno playing basketball on the court outside. She was wearing casual clothes.
"How are you?" Reid asked.
"Tired," she said as she landed a free throw.
"I'm okay if you need to take a break," he said.
"I'm thinking about quitting," she said.
"You're too good to stop," Reid said.
"The same can be said of you."
"I know."
Juno dribbled the ball around the court.
"Juno," Reid said. "Thank you."
Juno threw the ball angrily across the court.
"I failed! I couldn't keep you safe from the inside. I couldn't keep you safe from Cat! I couldn't keep you safe from Womack!"
"The Hippocratic Oath says to treat to the best of one's ability. You have!"
"Maybe if I had screened the patients allowed to move around more. Maybe if I had been on the scene sooner. I never should have offered my two cents on the case."
"Dr. Juno it is okay feel like a failure at times. You know as well as I do that is part of the human condition. The important thing is to reject that a reality."
Juno sat on the bench and put her head in her hands.
"Why did you come here to play?" Reid asked as he took a seat next to her. "You knew I'd be able to find you."
"Dr. Reid, you are my crowning achievement as a therapist. You have come so far and now I think I am holding you back."
"Dr. Juno, I'm not going to argue with you. I will say I think you're wrong. But if you need to leave me, I understand."
"I have also grown too close to you," she said. "I think of you as my younger brother which has gotten a lot of over the years. I can't handle irrationally worrying about what could go wrong next. I need some time to practice self-care."
"I understand. This is goodbye."
"For a while. I will check in on you every once and a while, but I don't want to be an active member of your treatment team."
"Can I have a hug?"
Juno threw her arms around him. They held on to each other tightly.
…
Reid met with Bruce and Nadia in a conference room.
"The Baltimore police wants to settle for twenty million," Nadia said. "After taxes, legal fees because feeding a six-year-old isn't cheap, and Mercer's take, you're still looking at fifteen and change."
"That is a lot of money," Bruce said.
"They want the case sealed. The police corruption investigation is still active, but they don't want the details of your particular case to be public knowledge."
"Does this sound fair Reid?" Bruce asked.
Reid looked over the paperwork.
"Bruce, it isn't in your best interests to drag this out. Most of the lead instigators of your suffering are either dead, in failing health, or are no longer a danger to society. I know you want justice, but this isn't the way to find satisfaction."
"I happen to agree," Bruce said. "How'd you get Baltimore to settle so fast?"
"You got lucky," she said. "That is all I can say."
"So, money for my kids, grandkids, a house for me," Bruce said and turned to Reid. "Are you serious about starting a school?"
"Bruce, I can't ask you for seed money!"
"I want you to be my financial advisor," he said. "We need to grow and invest it. And Nadia, have you settled on a where you're going, now that my civil case is settled?"
"Where would you want to put this school, Spencer?" she asked nervously.
"As much as I'd like to improve the school system in DC, it is just too expensive. I'd be considering Baltimore."
"Then, I'm thinking Tanner, Blum, and Smith," she said.
"How is Colin doing at Birch-Fitch?" Reid asked.
"He hated it at first and was even more unruly when I left. He is going to have to stay there year-round, at least until middle school."
"It is the best place for him," Bruce said.
Nadia pulled out a set of cups and sparkling apple juice.
"To new beginnings!" Nadia said.
"To Reid Academy!" Bruce said.
"We're not calling it that," Reid said.
Reid thought for a moment.
"The Donavan Brenner Calvin Academy," Reid said.
Nadia hugged him.
"Perfect!"
"Cheers!" Bruce said.
Reid felt tears forming in his eyes. For the first time, he saw Maeve, Max, and Gwen standing by Bruce.
"Cheers," Reid said softly as he felt tears in his eyes.