Fake (A Pretty Pill) (15 page)

“Yes?” Isi asks.

“A
s you’re well aware, I’m a busy woman.  What you might not know, is that I’m also not very domesticated.” She chuckles.  “I have a huge house that could use a good clean on a daily basis.  My partner has been lamenting my domestic inability for years.”

“Are you offering me a domestic cleaning job at your home?”  Isi asks.

“I know it’s not much; and the pay won’t be as high because there just won’t be as much demand on you; however, I realize you just want routine and ease.  It can tie you over till you find something else if you like.”  Dr. Jensen explains.

“I’d love to
.”  Isi states.  “I was seriously getting sick of Ethan anyway.”

“I can understand
.” Dr. Jensen grumbles.  “You have to know Isobelle, my partner is a woman.  I hope that’s not going to cause you any distress.”

“No, n
o distress.” she smiles.

It’s like watching a tennis match.  They go back and forth working out the logistics of Isi’s new work and Isi seems genuinely happy that she’ll have something to do every morning, although she’ll have her afternoons free now; and Dr. Jensen appears completely delighted.

Then Dr. Jensen turns to me.

“Except for your incessant use of the word sorry Silas, you’ve handled this, shall we say - drama, reasonably well.  I’m going to shift you across to the residential units today.”  She smiles.

“You’re serious?
  You can do that?” I enthuse.

“Yes.”

“Oh shit.  I’ll be allowed out on day release?  Can Isi visit me?”  I ask.

“I don’t think that will be a good idea.” Isi says.

“No, I agree.  If Isobelle goes over to the units, people will talk.”  Dr. Jensen agrees.

“But that means I won’t see her for two months
.”

“Why?”  Dr. Jensen asks.  “Why can’t you visit her?”

“I, I don’t know.  Can I have my motorcycle there?”  I ask.

“No.  Bu
t you can catch a bus into town; or you can have your sister or brother-in-law come and collect you.  Think Silas; think about how you can bend the rules to see Isobelle without finding trouble.”  Dr. Jensen requests.

I’m smiling at this wise older woman.  She’s been on my side all along.  If it wasn’t for the fact that she can never be my friend, she’d be a serious contender for a position.

After we leave the office, Isi and I walk back tow
ards the centre of the facility. We’re standing there facing each other, uncertain of what we should say.

“I’m glad you get out early.” she says.

“I’m sorry you lost your job.”

“Please don’t be
.  I don’t do it for the money; I do it to keep my brain occupied, to keep me from the demons that set up residence in my head.”

“Well, I hope the new job will be okay.”

“Dr. Jensen has always been nice to me.  Wow, who knew she was, you know.” she smiles at me.  “I think it will be fun to work for her and her partner. I’ll do it for a while.  I really do need to start thinking about what I want to do with my future though.” she looks at the ground.

“You sound positive.” I point out sarcastically.

She groans.

“I’m sorr…” I begin, but Isi whips her hand
up and places it over my mouth so fast I don’t get to finish.

“I know you’re sorry,
but I will punch you in the face if you say it again.”  Isi states.

I nod,
because I would instinctually say I’m sorry for that as well otherwise.

“I’m happy.” 
She says, lifting her hand away.

“You’re happy?”

“Yes Silas, I’m happy.” she smiles.

“So how do I get to see you again?”

“You call.  You’ll be able to have a cell phone at the units.” she says.

“Mobile phone
.” I correct her; I don’t know why people call them cell phones.

“You want me to call cell phones, mobile phones?”

“Yes.  If I can’t say sorry all the time, you can call them mobile phones or mobile for short.”

She chuckles.

“Do you even have a mobile?” she asks smiling.

“I did,
I can’t remember if I trashed it or not.  I trashed a lot of things.  The house phone got smashed.”

“Well, you need one.  I’ll write my number down for when you get one and you can call me.” 
She says, going to the nurses’ station and grabbing a piece of paper and a pen.  She writes her name and number down and then she leans in and presses the paper into my hand.

“Call me.” she says seductively,
as if she was interested in jumping my bones.

“Everyone within the near vicinity thinks you just hit on me now.”

She giggles throatily.

I give her a beaming smile.

“Now you go that way, and I’ll go that way and we’ll meet up someday soon.”  She suggests.

I move toward her and pull her into a hug.  At first she’s surprised, but I think that has mo
re to do with the fact that we’re visible than anything else.

“Well, well, well.
It’s a heartfelt good bye now is it?” Ethan sneers from behind me.

“Fuck off Ethan.” Isi states
, giving him a narrow-eyed glare.

“Nice
.” he replies.  “Not of a sexual nature my ass.”

I
si takes huge exception to this. I haven’t seen the fight in Isi before; Ethan always seemed to make her cringe and act uncomfortable.  Not this time though.

“I don’t have to explain myself to you.  If Silas and I are fucking each
other’s brains out, I don’t have to say anything to you.  You were never my boss and you sure as hell have no sway on me now that I don’t even work here.” Isi spits out.

Oh shit,
I love this side of Isi; it’s kick-ass.
  And for some reason, despite the situation; I have a brief image of Isi and I in the throes of mad and passionate sex.  It makes me feel all warm and… warm.  I need to clear my throat as a result.

“Well if you
’re no longer working here, you’ll be aware that you aren’t allowed to be visiting the patients on a weekday, so you need to leave now.”  He snidely replies.

That’s the best you can do?  Kick her out?

She gives him the one fingered salute and moves off.  But not before turning around and mouthing off some more.

“I’ll see you Silas
; thanks for the sex.”  She raises her voice and then enthusiastically shouts, “You’re fantastic.”

“No problem,” I shout after her as she retreats,
“you were pretty fucking awesome yourself.” I shout back.

She
turns smiles and continues to walk away.

“You’re an asshole.” I turn to Ethan.

“You’re a little boy.”

“That’s your comeback?  That’s all you have?” I mock.

“I have more in my report; you’re in trouble,
little boy.
” he growls.

“You know
what? I may be younger than you, but I’ve got it where it counts.  I’m all man as far as Isi’s concerned.” I gloat, even though Isi wouldn’t actually really know.

“Yeah, I’ve read the
reports.  I’ve read about your manhood, all over the place.” he chuckles.

I cock my head to the side.  I must be getting
better; in fact I am better because I’ve refrained from tearing this assholes motherfucking head off.  I’m thinking of walking away when he adds.

“I wonder if Isobelle knows about your extreme sexual needs.”

I move into him ultra tight and close.

“Do you even know what I did for work; what I
do
for work?”

“You threa
ten me or assault me in any way and this will become a police matter. You’ll be locked up for longer – a whole lot longer.” he explains.  But I can tell he’s kind of peeing in his pants.

“But you’ll be eating through a str
aw regardless.  It would be worth the jail time.  I’d have all the time in the world there to reminisce about the sound of my fist smashing against your face.  And by the way that is a threat.”  I growl. 

He stares at me like this is all a big game
.  And then he smirks at me and begins to chuckle.  I’ve had enough, so I step back a little so I can swing and I slug him across the jaw.  He now lays sprawled across the floor, and clearly I wiped the smirk off his face.  He looks shocked, but I didn’t hit him nearly as hard as I could.  In fact it was soft, despite the impact landing him on his ass.

“I’m being sent to the units;
I hope I don’t see you on the street now that I’m living around here.  I may just have a psychotic moment if I do.”  I offer, before moving to go to my room and pack my things.

I stop a short distance away, “feel free to call the cops.  I don’t mind telling them you’re a motherfucking asshole.” I growl, before turning away and continuing on to my room.

He never does.

***

The residential units are stunning.  This is my home for the next two months.  They’re nothing like the transitional facility I just left; they have everything that could be expected in a normal house, only it would be a high-end, upper class house.  My unit, which is in fact more like a townhouse, has four bedrooms.  I’ll be sharing with three other people.  The units are for both mental health and detox patients.  Once we both finish the intermediate programs in the other facilities, we merge into the units; where we are further integrated into society while continuing with therapy, routine and rules.

I’m introduced to three other guys.  I may be a week early here, but they only moved in today as well.  Monday’s are moving days.  They got he
re hours ago, and when they did they were told at the time that they would only have the three of them, but then of course I got an early pass, courtesy of my non-sexual relationship with a staff member.

They’re all detox patients.  They also know each other, having been in group sessions for the past
four weeks.  They’re on a stricter leash than I am too; which is interesting.  They all have to submit to weekly blood tests and bi-weekly random urine tests to be allowed to continue with the program.  We all have to clock in nightly at 7pm, unless we’ve been given permission to extend our leave; for things such as a family dinner.  It’s the last week of September and I have eight weeks here, before moving to God knows where; I’ll be out the week before Thanksgiving, which apparently is going to be a big event in the Reynolds household this year.  Not bad I suppose for a couple of Australians to be celebrating an American institution.  Although Ben is half American; and he grew up with all that stuff since his mom was passionate about it all.

After that, I’ll be
trying to get my act together for a new year of fighting.  Although this year has been far from perfect, the timing is pretty good; it’s very reminiscent of last year, trying to get myself prepared for this year.

“Hey man, the three of us are going to take the shuttle bus into town.  Do you want to come?”  A guy named Hank asks me through my door as I unpack my clothes.

I look up at the clock and note that its 12:30pm.  The shuttle leaves at 1pm.  It dawns on me that I can come and go until 7pm tonight.  I also
realize I had been waiting to leave until after lunch, which of course is my responsibility now.  We also have to cook our own dinner.

“
Shit,” I verbalize, sitting on the bed.

“I know,
it seems funny to be allowed to walk out the door.  Four weeks is a long time to be locked up.” Hank states, smiling exuberantly at me.

“I’ve been in lock up for 15 weeks.  I was supposed to be there for another week, but I got an early release.” I explain.

“Holy shit man.” Hank enthuses.  He’s your typical Californian surfy guy, stereotypical that is, right down to the blond hair.  He’s the most forward of the three and super friendly; already telling me he was in for cannabis abuse and alcohol.  Like I said, stereotypical.  He comes further into my room, slightly tapping on the doorframe with his fist.

“You definitely should come out.  You
need
to get out.” he reasons.  “You can hang with me if you like.  The other guys are chemmy users, so they’re gonna want to scope things out you know.  I can’t go back to being a stoner; it will destroy my mom if I do.  I need to be away from that shit.” he mumbles.

I’m guessing he needs a non drug using friend.  I’m going to be living with him for two months, it certainly won’t hur
t to get to know him; maybe we could become friends.  He’s already reminding me of Beau.

“Sure,
I’ll come out, but don’t you want to know why I was locked up for so long?”

“Do you use?”

“No.”