Doctor Annabelle

Part 23

Annabelle's POV

I sat there across from Angelina. I hoped no blood would be shed on my precious carpet. There was a knock

"Come in" i said waiting for the girl who made my boss shrink into whatever mess she was. Her eyes showed she cried all night and she was drinking too

"I knew it" the girl muttered crouching down in the seat

She looked so drained. Like she was drowning. She was starving and she was hurting. She watched her every move as she avoided looking at Angelina

"Hello Vera. I'm Dr Annabelle"

"Hi." She looked at her feet nervously.

"I know switching your psych is challenging. I did not read your file because I want you to work with me in this. I have completely different approaches to a lot of things"

"So, you can fix a killer? Did Ms Pearl tell you about that?" She was not trying to be spiteful

I noticed she was trying to throw blows at her ex and she knew what affected her.

"Yes and I must say, i was impressed" I watched her look at me with a puzzled look

"You don't think I'm crazy?"

"Not even a little bit. You are strong. Nobody should hurt you and get away with it"

Angelina looked at me with a questioning look

"If I'm going to do this, expect honest from me. I don't sugarcoat. You are not kids and you are both adults. Nobody is fragile here. And this is serious not your fighting zone"

I looked at them as they looked surprised by my words. I know how to approach my patients and I always think everything through before I help them

"This is not only about the two of you. Vera you have your own demons so does Angelina. I will talk to you separately then we will meet in the middle"

"Okay" Vera nodded and she looked at me. I kept eye contact and her expression softened

I'm sure she felt threatened like i was hired and on Angelina's side but I could tell she saw that i cared

"First off we can forget that Angelina is here"

"Uh..can you umm...her name makes me uncomfortable"

"What do you want me to call her?" I asked and her eyes light up

"Widow"

Angelina was hanging her head low but immediately looked up with hurt in her eyes

"Okay then"

I had asked her to keep her mouth shut because Vera was going to say things to hurt her

"Can you tell me how you feel right now? Try to explain because I know you are having a hard time wording it out"

I watched her think and then she looked up with a broken look

"I feel....drained. I feel lost. I feel invisible. These feelings have always been there. Like I don't matter, like I am nothing. I hear other people say they feel numb sometimes but I'm always feeling"

She kept eye contact and I knew my eyes changed their color. She looked at me because i understood her. Because while she was talking i was really listening and I felt what she was seeing and she saw that in my eyes. She saw her empty dark eyes in mine

"I feel dark, anger, lonely, sad. I feel them deep in my skin like they are crawling up to my neck with a powerful hold on me and I scream, crying and to let it all out but i can't. Then there won't be as bad but i can feel them in my skin, in my veins. They make me wanna crawl..." she choked out and I did not lose eye contact