"Hey." Nina greeted her as she entered her office.
"Hey." June replied not looking up from the report she was writing, "What's up?"
"Just wanted to tell you that I'll bring Mickey around in like ten minutes."
June tapped on the calendar laying on her desk. "All scheduled."
"Yeah I know." She smiled.
"So why are you here then?" June asked and finally gazed at her best friend standing in the door frame.
"You got all the information you need?"
"Yes."
"You sure you don't want me to tell you about him before you two talk?"
June sighed. "Nina, you're aware of the fact that I got all I have to know in here." She pointed at the file next to the calendar which contained all about Mickey's condition.
"But maybe I should tell you about the stuff I heard from his sister and-"
"Jesus Nina, I prefer to talk to my patients myself. Everything I need to know ahead I know and he will tell other stuff when or if he wants to." June said rolling her eyes. They had been best friends for five years now but their jobs were slightly different and sometimes Nina just didn't get that.
Nina left and got back eight minutes later, exactly at 10:01am. She held open the door of June's office so Mickey could enter the room. As soon as he was in front of her desk, Nina disappeared and they were alone.
"Hi Mr. Milkov-"
"It's Mickey."
"Hi Mickey. I'm Dr. Newman."
"Good for you."
She eyed him. He was sitting in a wheelchair, all new and looking agile, totally different from the hospital ones, so she figured the insurance company had already delivered.
Short black hair, blue eyes, pale skin. FUCK U-UP tattooed on the knuckles of his hands holding on to the grips on the wheels. Ready to flee. Distrust, anger and fear in his gaze as he stared at the box on her desk right next to the computer.
"Well you know why you're here so we're not going to further discuss this." She paused, searching for an reaction in Mickey's face. She didn't get one.
"Do you want coffee or tea?" She asked reaching behind her to get two mugs. He shook his head so she only took one and stood up to make herself tea. "Well how about we go over there." She said as she pushed some buttons on her high-tech barista machine and pointed towards the corner which contained three armchairs and a small coffee table. Without a word Mickey pushed himself forward and stopped right in front of the table. When she was done she took the box and Mickey's folder from her desk and placed both, the box and her mug on the coffee table and sat down in her green armchair, the folder sitting on her lap. Stirring her tea with a tablespoon she said: "Three words to describe you."
He snorted. "Ain't doing this shit."
"Okay then it's my turn. I'm serious, smart and weird." She waited about five seconds before she went on. "Pick a quote." She reached for the box and opened it. Inside there were scraps of paper with quotes. She had collected them since she started university.
Two minutes later they were all on the table and she shot a questioning look at him. He still stared at the, now open and empty, box. They remained silent for a while until he finally asked: "Why're you doing this crap?"
"I want to get to know you."
"Hell you want."
She didn't respond, just waited patiently and eventually she noticed how Mickey started reading the quotes in front of him.
