“You sure don’t look like it.”
“Because of how bad I’m feeling.I should take a day or two and see about getting checked out.”
Barry looked as inscrutable as ever.“Mental health is as much a component of health as good physical condition.Do what you need to do.”
Spencer thanked him, wondering how his boss seemed to know everything.Back home, he searched his email archives until he found the one he was looking for.The phone rang twice, sent him through a maze of automated messages, and put him on hold before someone finally asked how they could help him.
“I’m not doing too good.”Something about saying it out loud made it real.
“Are you thinking of hurting yourself right now?”
Did he sound that desperate, or was that the kind of thing they had to ask everybody who called?Either way, Spencer was taken aback.“No, nothing like that.I was in therapy for depression once and think I should get back to it now.My gym recommended you.”
“I see.”Spencer heard a keyboard clicking.“Dr.Kaur is taking new patients.She actually has a cancellation at ten tomorrow morning if you’d like to take it.”
“Yes.Please.”
The rest of the conversation was mostly Spencer giving information and the receptionist typing it in.“That’s all I need from you now, but I’ll need you to complete some forms ahead of your session.I’ll email them to you now.”
“That’s fine.”Spencer hung up, feeling shaky but a little better for the promise of taking care of this.
****
“Go!”Misty raced downthe track at the back of the sled with the rest of her group.A day or two in the middle had been cool, but being on brakes in the back was even better.It gave her more to do, not to mention a thrill at pulling the hand brakes as they crossed the start/finish line.Choosing the exact right time to do it was a learning curve, but one she embraced with both hands.
“Can’t we do it again?”she begged as they were herded back to the hotel.
“Eager, aren’t you?”Ms.Coolidge sounded faintly amused.“That was the last round for today.We’ll be back bright and early tomorrow.”
Misty struggled not to show impatience.The more time she spent on the track, the more she came to crave the rush and appreciate how everything else got left behind.
Especially these days.Where had Spencer’s paranoia about the delivery guy come from?What had either of them thought this was?Clients turned lovers, friends with benefits, or what?Was this thing even meant to last through the combine?Was she going to be able to go back to the gym when she got home?
The only thing that helped was getting tired enough that those thoughts couldn’t intrude, and the combine was all too helpful with that.She mulled it over as she shredded some bread into a second serving of beef stew.
Tallulah, Marla, and some others passed her end of the table.“We’re going to have a little Hallmark movie pajama party before bed tonight.Want to join us?”
Tish hesitated.“Sounds fun, but I want to get one more workout in before bed.”
“Come on, Tish, rest is just as important,” Misty spoke around the bread and realized she’d just quoted Spencer.It would be good to find something to do to take her mind off him.
“It’ll be fun,” Tallulah said.“I’m going to order some treats, and we have sparkling wine...”
“I can’t have any of that,” Tish looked pained.
“But I can,” Misty said hurriedly to cover up the awkward moment.“I’m in.”
Tallulah smiled.“Great!See you in room 1203 at 8:00.”
At 8:00, Misty knocked on the hotel room door.All eight women Tallulah had persuaded to join her were dressed in pajamas from oversized t-shirts to elaborate sets, and a tray of desserts from a bakery in town sat on the desk.“You look so cute!”Marla said, gesturing to Misty’s dog-patterned flannel pants.
Tallulah pointed to a picture of a miniature husky around Misty’s left knee.“That looks just like mine!”
“Sounds adorable.”Misty glanced around the room.“Should we take a picture?”
The group crowded onto the queen-size bed that didn’t look like it had been occupied recently, and the woman in front extended her hand.“Everybody say—”
“Hang on,” Angela said, looking grim.She squirmed away from the group to pull her phone out of the pocket of her drawstring lounge pants.
