Chapter 435
Chapter 435:
Five months, Brandon reminded himself.
Then he got up, drove to pick her up, and the two of them headed to the facility. As they entered the building, in a nearby office, Rita was on the phone with Millie.
Knowing Millie was moving on and embracing changes in her life brought a sense of relief.
“The last few times you came by, I could tell you were getting better,” Rita said, just as she looked up—and saw Brandon walk in with Vivian.
Millie kept a close eye on Ari as she continued her phone conversation with Rita. Read full story at
Softly, she remarked, “Dr. Carpenter, I’ve noticed lately that my symptoms have evened out quite a bit.” Memories of Ari and Myron drawing his cat together—the night before—drifted through her mind.
“Maybe it’s time I let myself consider new opportunities.” A wistful tone entered her voice.
For a moment, the line went quiet, which Millie found a little strange.
Meanwhile, in her office at the facility, Rita heard a gentle knock at the door. Brandon stood there, accompanied by Vivian.
Rita, the physician responsible for Millie’s care, was already familiar with the history between her patient and Brandon. Also, given Brandon’s reputation in Crobert, she knew who he was, of course. Curiosity piqued, she wondered what had brought both Brandon and Vivian to her door today.
After pondering for a second, Rita returned her attention to the call. “Something urgent has come up. Mind if I call you back later?” Without giving it much thought, Millie agreed.
Once the call ended, Rita focused on her unexpected visitors.
“How can I help you both?” she inquired.
A slight crease formed on Brandon’s brow. Hadn’t he made sure they had the right appointment scheduled? Why did this woman seem completely clueless? Vivian opened her mouth to clarify, but a flurry of footsteps down the hallway cut her off.
An apologetic voice sounded as a staff member hurried over. “Excuse me for the mix-up. It looks like you received the wrong appointment slip. Here’s the right one.”
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After a quick exchange of paperwork, things made sense to Brandon at last.
“Sorry about that.” The staff member dipped his head in apology, including Rita in his gesture, before Brandon guided Vivian toward the proper office just next door.
Out in the hallway, Rita paused to meet the staff member’s eyes.
A sigh escaped him as he said, “The new hire messed up again. He can’t even handle handing out slips and pointing to the right office. Honestly, I’m at my wits’ end. I keep having to sort out his errors.”
A gentle smile spread across Rita’s face. “Everyone needs time to learn. Let’s be patient with him.”
Shaking his head, the staff member replied, “That’s not going to cut it! I need to report this and see if he can be moved somewhere less important. I can’t keep covering for him.” He finished before darting away down the corridor. Rita followed his retreat with her gaze before letting her attention drift back to the office next door.
Meanwhile, in the adjacent room, Brandon sat with Vivian as the doctor began the evaluation.
Self-inflicted wounds already marked Vivian’s struggle, a sign of just how grave her depression had become. Medication and the right course of therapy were no longer optional for her.
.
.
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