A clipped voice answers. “Yes, well, I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for two hours. Did my name not appear on the caller ID?”
“Hello Dr. Rathburn, yes, I saw the calls, but was in session.”
“You always take my call, the players know me, and understand I am privy to all the goings on there.”
Instead of telling her that, unless they grant me permission, she is absolutely not allowed into my sessions with them. I apologize for missing the calls again.
For five minutes, she talks down to me, laying out her expectations, and I take aggressive notes on the so-called rules, laws, and policies that I should already know. None of which I read because they were not there. But I will check into it as well as her background because this bitch is angry and aggressive and should in no way be helping anyone through. If this is how she acts, she probably does more harm than good.
“Miss Holloway, you seem … off. If there is a clinical issue that prevents you from performing, medication can certainly assist. It is very common for new mothers. Hormonal dysregulation often leads to emotional sensitivity and exaggerated reactions, instability.”
My jaw tightens. “I am fine, Miss Rathburn.”
“It’sDr.Rathburn.” She snips.
“So, it is.”
“I hold two doctorates,MissHolloway,” she emphasizes, “Miss,” again, and pauses for congratulations she will not getfrom me. “Most people who need support do not realize it. I work with many clients who think they are functioning at a high level and simply are not. The athletes, in particular, become very defensive when offered help. You will need to watch that when you are dealing with them.”
Dr. Benetti’s voice echoes in my mind: She loves to talk down to them. She pushes meds they do not need. She barely pays attention.
“Well, if you are already feeling overwhelmed, you may need to revisit your caseload distribution. I can prescribe something if you are finding your emotional regulation difficult.”
I blink. “I did not say I was overwhelmed.”
“Your silence implied it.” I grind my teeth together to stop myself from saying something unprofessional. “Well, if you insist on handling things without assistance, good luck. If this matter becomes disruptive, do let me know. I am, after all, responsible for the mental health of this organization.”
“I understand that.”
“One last thing,” she says. “Romantic relationships between the staff and players are not allowed in any organization I oversee. It causes… issues.”
My pencil snaps, and I just look at it. This woman is insane. Koa and Nalani are new, but Coach D’s husband is one of the players, Drew is an agent to half the men on Dean’s team, and there are many more.
“That is everything.” She disconnects without a goodbye.
I stare at my phone for a full ten seconds.
Dr. Benetti had undersold it.Somehow.
I’m not aggressive, but when the call ended, I wanted to cut a bitch.
I don’t have time to comprehend, let alone digest, all of what was just said, when my screen lights up with an incoming call from Dr. Mara Benneti.
When I answer it, she looks at me, and her lips curl. “That’s the face of someone who has had to deal withRatburn. That twat could land me in jail.”
To that, I just laugh, and she does too.
“I completely understand why you would want to get your MD now,” I shake my head. “She’s unhinged.”
“It’s a hazard of this job if you don’t find balance. You have that. That said, you are reaching out to me sooner than I expected,” she smiles. “Let’s dive into that before we make plans to pull back the proverbial curtain and expose her for who she is.”
“Alright,” I exhale. “To put it bluntly, I am a product of the system, I was in foster care most of my life, and I have major trust issues.”
I opened my mouth to speak again, but she cuts me off. “Let's pause there for a second to remove the negative implication. You were in the foster care system, due to no fault of your own, you succeeded magnificently, breaking the norm and giving millions of other little girls the ability to hope they too will be a success story.”
I smile, “Thank you. Maybe one day I will be able to reach others and help them grow, but right now I am concerned with ensuring that I can do that for just one.”
“Understood. Now let's tackle these trust issues.”
