I lean back against my chair, sprawl my legs out in front of me. “Her mom is selfish and never around. She has a little brother who’s fourteen and she worries about him a lot.” I go on and tell Dr. Harris how Owen punched me when he realized I was the one who supposedly broke his sister’s heart. I’d forgotten to mention it the last time we saw each other, I’d been so wrapped up in my father’s non-divorce announcement.
“I’m starting to see why the two of you are drawn to each other,” Dr. Harris says.
Glancing up, I catch her smiling at me and I frown. “What do you mean by that?”
“Your experiences are somewhat similar. You both come from a broken home, you both carry heavy responsibilities and unnecessary guilt. You have money and she doesn’t, so there’s one difference. You run from your problems and it seems that she confronts them, from what you’ve told me.”
“She’s the strongest person I know.” I wish I had even half of her strength.
“Don’t you think she ever feels weak? Powerless?”
I’ve never seen Fable anything less than mighty and strong. “I don’t know.”
“I’m sure she does. You need her, right? So don’t you believe she needs you just as much? Her life can’t be easy. She has responsibilities, a job, a brother to take care of, and a mother to take care of as well. Who do you take care of, Drew?”
I swallow hard. “Myself.” There’s no one else I have to worry about. I’m not good at taking care of other people.
Look at what happened to Vanessa. She died on my watch.
“Do you work?”
Why is she asking me this? She already knows the answer. “School is my job. And football.”
“But you’re taking a lighter load this semester. And the football season is over,” Dr. Harris points out gently.
“Are you trying to make me feel guilty for not having as much responsibility as Fable does?” It’s like she’s purposely trying to make me angry.
“No,” she says slowly. “I’m trying to make you see that she’s probably going to need you. Do you think you have the capability to be there for her?”
“I don’t…” My voice trails off when I see the pointed look Dr. Harris is giving me. “Yes. I can be there for her. I have to be. I love her. That’s what people who are in love do. They support each other.”
“You’re right. Relationships aren’t easy, especially for people who still feel somewhat…broken.”
“Are you saying you think I’m broken?” I’m immediately on the defensive.
“Not at all. I said people who feel they are broken. Don’t you feel that way still?”
I’m quiet. That’s answer enough, I’m sure.
“Just because you feel like you’re broken doesn’t mean she views you the same way. Fable sees all of your potential. All of your strengths and weaknesses yet she believes in you completely. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be with you. Right?”
“I hope so.”
Dr. Harris sets down her iPad that she uses to take notes and smiles at me. “Just remember that your relationship with Fable is still in that fresh, euphoric honeymoon stage. Cherish her. Enjoy her. But never forget you need to be there for her through the good times and the bad. And I’m saying this in a rather subjective way, Drew. I believe that girl is good for you. She’ll help you heal.”
I can hardly contain my smile. “Are you saying Fable has your approval?”
Doc laughs. “I shouldn’t be talking to you like this, you know. I’m losing sight of my objectivity. But from everything I hear you say about her, that would be a resounding yes.”
Chapter Thirteen
If I want her, I need to fight for her. – Drew Callahan
Fable
I cruise into the restaurant late in the afternoon humming under my breath, offering a hello at the bitchy chick who works the hostess’s desk. Her jaw about drops to the floor and I smile blithely at her, thrilled I threw her off her catty game.
Nothing can get me down today. I’m on a complete Drew high.
Heading toward the back, I go to clock in and see Jen’s already hanging out in the small employee longue area, sipping on a Starbucks frap and watching me. “Fancy you coming back to work,” she drawls.
“I trade one shift with someone and it’s suddenly I don’t want to work? So unfair.” I stash my purse in one of the lockers provided to keep our stuff safe and twirl the lock, keeping my back to Jen for fear of any judgmental staring on her part.
“Colin wants to talk to you. He asked me to tell him when you got here,” she says quietly.
I turn to face her, fear turning my blood ice-cold. “Is he going to fire me?”
“No.” Jen doesn’t offer any other sort of explanation.
“What’s going to happen, then?”
“He’s going to ask if you take this job seriously. He sees a lot of potential in you, Fable. He wants you to eventually take it to the next level here.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Give me a break. I’m a freaking waitress. Yeah, from what I can see so far, the tips are fabulous. Better than any other place I’ve ever worked at. But there’s not a lot of room for growth at The District. I’m not stupid.
“You know how T goes around helping him open restaurants and training the staff? Colin has huge plans. He wants to open up a bunch of Districts all over the state and eventually the West Coast, turning it into a chain. And he needs more training staff.”