"Did you converse with the young lady?" Dr. Mickler asked Juan as he entered his office.
"I did," Juan replied sadly. "Don Octavio, are people ever brought in here for no reason?"
Dr. Mickler raised an eyebrow. "You were going to kill yourself, that's a reason."
"Not me," Juan said quickly. "Her. She said she is here to be 'out of the way.'"
Dr. Mickler sat down. "Lots of people think that way when they're here."
"But she does not talk to anyone or take any medication."
Dr. Mickler looked at Juan sympathetically. "You are here because you…you've lived a life that…" He sighed. "There is no easy way to say this, but people, they believe what they want to believe. If she…"
"Serina," Juan interjected.
"Serina. If Serina believes that she isn't having sessions like we do or that…"
"She is not sick," Juan politely insisted.
"That is up to her doctor."
Juan was getting upset. "She has no doctor."
"I promise that when we're through, I'll check up on things, O.K.?"
"Thank you, Don Octavio." Juan sat and smiled. "Where would you like me to begin today?"
Dr. Mickler was very much looking forward to Juan's tale – fantastical or, well, not. He couldn't persecute this young man for a fantasy life – if it was a fantasy life at all. He already proved that he knew what was going on in "the real world" – he just simply chose to color it more vividly, hence calling the hospital a villa. "Today…" Dr. Mickler's hands rose, then fell. "…tell me whatever you'd like."
Juan began to tell the tale of Doña Julia. Dr. Mickler began engrossed immediately. When Juan had finished, he asked. "You will ask about Serina?"
"I promise."
"I thank you, once again."
After Juan left, Dr. Mickler went to Dr. Paul Showalter's office to ask about Serina.
"Who?" Paul asked. "Jack, what you are talking about?"
"Serina McAllister. I just want to make sure that she's being treated properly."
Paul searched though his files. "Here she is – she's Bill's patient."
"No wonder she doesn't think she's being treated," Jack muttered.
Paul rolled his eyes. "She's on Citalopram for depression."
"Thank you." Jack left, then made his way to Bill's office. "Serina McAllister, she's yours?"
"Y-yes," Bill stammered. "Why?"
"My Don Juan seems to think she's…"
Bill relaxed. "Anything he thinks is no concern of mine – anyone's for that matter."
"Hey, you do realize that the kid knows everything that's going on around him, don't you? He knows where he is, he knows…"
"He knows she's an attractive young girl – nothing more." Bill's voice was cold.
Feeling anger welling up, Jack decided to leave before he said something he'd regret. The next step? Going to Serina herself. On his way to her room, Jack ran into Juan.
"Don Octavio, have you found out any information?" he asked, his eyes hopeful.
Jack tried to hide the sadness in his eyes. "She has a doctor, as well as medication. I'm sorry, but…"
"I wish to dine with her this evening," he said with a smile.
"In the, um, cafeteria?"
"Your dining hall, yes. Is that permissible?"
"If she accepts."
Juan's eyes were sincere. "Ask her for me? You are on your way to her, are you not?"
"How did you…"
"She is angry with me, I wish to make things right with her."
Jack smiled and put his hand on Juan's shoulder. "I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, Don Octavio."
"You're welcome." Jack walked away feeling sorry for the boy. He honestly believed what this woman had told him, and refused to hear any differently. He was already suffering from a broken heart; he didn't need his trust taken advantage of as well. Jack paused a moment before knocking on Serina's door.
"Yes?" she called.
Jack opened the door and saw Serina sitting on her bed, her book once again in hand. "Serina?"
"That's me," she sighed.
"I'm Dr. Mickler…"
"Oh, no," she interrupted. "I asked him not to say anything."
"He's worried about you. He believes what you told him."
"At least someone does," she mumbled.
"Serina, you've met with Dr. Bill Dunsmore, haven't you?"
"No, I haven't. Look, Don Juan, or whoever he really is – he's a sweet guy. I don't want him getting in trouble for me."
"Why would he get in trouble?"
Serina's eyes were sad. "I don't need anyone else looking at me like…like I'm making this all up."
"I won't, Serina," Jack said honestly. "Why would he get in trouble?"
Serina sighed and decided that telling her story couldn't make things any worse. "I was engaged to a man named Trevor Walker…"
"The real-estate mogul?"
Serina nodded. "I caught him cheating and, in his twisted mind, not mine, he thought I'd still marry him, then divorce him for his indiscretions – which was a clause in the prenuptial agreement. To prevent that, he made up some bullshit story about me suffering from depression from his calling off the wedding and put me here until he could pack up and move his life to the west coast."
Jack took this information in, then spoke. "That's rather elaborate, isn't it?"
"Exactly," Serina said softly. "It sounds so made-up, nobody will think it's anything more than some delusional woman's rantings. If your 'Don Juan' tries to step in…Trevor's a powerful man, Dr. Mickler, he could make sure his life's miserable."
"No therapy for you?"
"No."
"No meds?" She shook her head. "Serina, I've seen the paperwork."
"No meds…" She stood up. "I know you must hear this incessantly, but I'm not crazy. I know that if I stay here without a fuss, I'll be let go…eventually. Granted my job and life will be gone, but…"
"What do you do?"
"Graphic design for an advertising firm. I was away on business when all of this happened."
"You're very young. How old are you?"
"Twenty."
"How does a twenty year old get a job like that?"
Serina was hurt. Suddenly, her entire life was being questioned. "By excelling at art and getting lucky enough to get hired by a firm that wanted me badly enough to put me through college while I work for them."
"I'm sorry, Serina, I didn't mean to offend you…"
"People rarely mean to offend," she said softly. "I know you don't believe me, so we can both pretend that this didn't happen, O.K.? Please make sure that your guy drops it."
Jack smiled. "That will be rather difficult, seeing as he wants you to join him for dinner."
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Well, it's up to you, but…"
"I know you really can't say," she interrupted, "but is he sick? I mean, really, he doesn't seem 'sick.'"
"Why don't you just take him up on his offer? You can decide for yourself."
Serina got up and walked to her window. "Cafeteria?"
"Mm hm. Can I tell him, six-thirty?"
She turned and smiled at Jack. "Sure."
