Having Marie around was definitely different. The woman was professional but every interaction felt distant, almost cold. Chris tries to ignore that feeling of discomfort and focuses on the exercise regime the new trainer has set up for her. It's a lot more than Hazel had planned, not only on paper but in terms of exhaustion.
The first few days Chris barely is able to keep awake after a session. More than once she finds herself falling asleep on the couch. Street is worried about her too, and he takes full advantage of the new set of rules and stays over. Especially after he finds Chris completely drained of energy almost falling of the sofa from only trying to reach a bottle of water.
That's the night he decides to do something about all of this. Yes, he had been relieved himself when Chris had told him about Hazel leaving and the new ruleset, but seeing Chris suffer and hurting wasn't something he could in good conscience let continue without even trying to fix it.
The next morning he gets up and watches the first part of the training session. Just to make sure Chris is okay. And the minute he hears her heart rate monitor's alarm barely 5 minutes into the training he has enough.
He pulls out his phone and dials a number. As expected no one picks up the line, but he knows where to find her. Her voicemail told him as much.
"I gotta go and take care of something," he tells Chris quickly and leaves the apartment.
He feels his anger building on his ride through the city. The image of Chris with a red, exhausted face struggling to take a few steps without spiking her heart rate still fresh on his mind.
He walks to the front desk of the therapy center in the hospital annex. The clerk points him into the direction of the gym and he walks over. Trying to calm himself down and not scream at her the second he sees her.
"You're doing great, Mrs. Carlisle. Same time next week," he hears Hazel's voice drift out of the gym and he steps out of the way when a middle-aged woman hobbles past him on her crutches.
He knocks on the door frame and waits for Hazel to look at him.
"Jim," she wipes the bench press down before turning to him. "What are you doing here?"
Street balls his fists at his side and tries to keep his emotions in check but it proves difficult.
"Looking for you," he tells her almost threateningly and Hazel takes a step back before straightening her spine and forming her eyes to slits.
"I'd be careful with my tone in here. Right now you could be considered a trespasser," Hazel snarks back and crosses her arms across her chest.
"Don't you dare. Do you even know what you did? How horrible that Marie person is?" Street lets out his anger. "She is all but torturing Chris. Who by the way has trouble reaching the sofa alone. Let alone move after one of those sessions. Her breathing is worse than ever… almost as bad as when she woke up!"
With a thud, Hazel collapses onto the nearest bench. "Oh god," she whispers and feels tears rise up. "What happened? Why is Chris not setting boundaries?" she asks confused.
"You left her alone. She trusted you. Let you into her life and you just up and left…without an explanation," Street walks over and lowering his voice. He had seen the desk clerk come back and check on them. She left because Hazel waved her off.
"Jim, I never should've started the therapy. I was, I still am too emotionally involved," she mumbles looking at her hands at that last part and Street takes in the insecure stance she displays now. He slowly lowers himself down next to her.
He can feel her flinch under his hand when he reaches over. "Hazel, I don't know what I can say right now to help you, but I know one thing: Chris needs you. I am scared she won't make it another day like this. Not even with me staying over. Please." He pleads with her but Hazel doesn't react more than with a small shake of her head.
Hazel swallows past a lump of guilt. Pressing her eyes shut to stop the tears.
"I can't do that. Not feeling like this. I am sorry," Hazel finally looks up.
"Why can't you just be professional?" Street shoots out and can see how much that line hurt her.
"I am being professional. And I am taking care of myself! Would you want to live with a reminder of your mistakes each and every day? Meet a walking billboard of how easily you could get played every other day?" she shouts back startling Street a bit. He had figured there were some feelings involved here.
"I can only guess that that second part is my fault. Look, Hazel, when we met…" he trails off hanging his head. "I wasn't exactly a good guy. I took dating not very seriously. And believe me, I got an ear full about that approach…" he smiles at the memory but controls his expression when he notices Hazel's glare.
"Hey, I know I was an ass. And I have nothing else to offer besides saying I am sorry. I really am, and if I'd known about you and …" he doesn't get to finish his sentence.
"Don't you dare pretend you'd have treated me better if you'd known about my connection to Chris. Don't lie to me. Not again," Hazel interrupts and gets up again.
"I…" Street tries again. "Hazel, please. Just come and see for yourself. Chris needs help. And maybe you can make her see that this is not working. She is killing herself like this…"
This time something in his voice or statement must've rang true for the woman pacing the gym. She grabs her towel and tells him "Give me five minutes to shower and change!"
Street lets out a sigh of relief nodding. He paces in front of the therapy center waiting for her. He contemplates calling ahead but in the end, he settles on shock therapy for Hazel. She needs to see the whole extent of what she did. Yes, he definitely is blaming her for leaving, even if he has now a clearer picture of why.
Hazel walks out with her hair pulled back. "I'll meet you there," she points her key at a truck and throws her bag in the back. Street nods and climbs on his bike.
They meet up again outside and wordlessly climb the stairs together. Hazel holds her breath while Street opens the door. The second the door swings open they already hear the blaring sound of the heart rate monitor. Hazel rushes inside without thinking about it.
She kneels next to Chris and gently lifts her up, ignoring any protests from her or Marie. "This is over. Marie, I think it is better if you leave," she manages to say before she reaches Chris's room and places her friend in her bed.
Street keeps back even if he wants nothing more than to check in on Chris. He does realize that the two women probably will need some time to reconnect too. He holds open the door for Marie who walks out glaring at him.
After the front door has shut behind the unloved therapist he walks over to Chris's room. From the door, he can see Hazel fuss over Chris and whisper to her while lovingly brushing some strands of hair from her face.
"Try to sleep now. Jim will be here when you wake up," Hazel tells Chris a little louder because she saw him leaning in the door frame.
"Will you…?" Chris mumbles almost inaudible breaking not only Hazel's heart but Street's too.
"If you want me to. But now sleep. You need your rest," he can see the hurt and the guilt in Hazel's eyes when she glances his way. She almost closes the door when she walks out after promising again to still be here when Chris wakes up. She motions for Street to take a seat on the sofa with her.
"How long has it been this bad? I've been only gone, barely two weeks," Hazel sounds shocked.
"From the start," Street frowns, mentally kicking himself for not acting sooner. "How bad is it?" he asks.
"I don't know yet. I'd need to reassess her and probably start over…" she gulps. "God, what have I done?" Hazel burrows her head in her hands and Street can't do anything but helplessly watch her sob. His own fear is keeping him frozen in place.