Post by StoryGirl83 on Nov 9, 2011 15:04:29 GMT -5
Chapter Fifteen – Catching Attention
and a Receptionist
As Nick pulled his car into a parking spot in front of the psychiatric hospital Chris waited to get out. “Will they let me in?”
Nick glanced at him as he turned off the car. “Now you ask?”
Chris shrugged. “I hadn’t really thought about it before now.”
“It shouldn’t be a problem as long as Jarod’s wife isn’t in one of her moods,” Nick informed him as he got out of the car.
“Does that happen often?” Chris asked, concerned.
Nick shook his head with a laugh as he locked the doors to his car. “Not really. His daughter, rebellious teen that she was at the time, used to run away to try and live here with her father, so she would order us to all be locked out. It hasn’t really happened since Jody, his daughter, got out of high school.”
“It’s kind of easy to imagine her as rebellious,” Chris said with a laugh. “I always got the idea that Jody didn’t approve of rules or how things were done.”
Nick laughed back as they headed toward the building. “I’d forgotten that you’d worked for Reggie, so of course you would know Jody.”
Chris nodded. “I worked there for over a year until I quit a couple of months ago.”
The spent the rest of the short walk talking about insignificant details about Centennial and what Chris had thought of Reggie and Jody when working there. Nick found it amusing that Chris refused to call Reggie anything except Mr. Hollis. Once inside, Nick went to talk to the receptionist, while Chris took a seat. He had the eerie feeling of being in a doctor’s office waiting room, something he definitely didn’t like.
While Nick was busy with the receptionist and Chris was just waiting, the door to the main part of the building entered and a young man entered. This would have been unremarkable, but it was the same young man that Brianna had seen standing over her earlier with glowing hands. He headed toward the entrance and froze half way there. His eyes focused on Chris and widened quickly.
When the whitelighter resumed moving he had changed course. He walked over to the wall and leaned against it. Emotions warred on his face as he stared intently at Chris.
Chris didn’t notice. He squirmed as a man dressed in a nurse’ garb exited the main area into the waiting room and talked to someone before reentering with that someone.
The door was just closing when Nick returned to him. “Let’s go,” he said as he reached him. “I’ve got permission for both of us to go in.”
Chris fingered the bottle in his pocket. Getting it in would be a little bit of a challenge, but he figured he shouldn’t have too much trouble if he made the bottle invisible. Nothing like practicing a new way to use your powers when you really needed to make sure it didn’t fail.
As they walked toward the door, the whitelighter watched them. Emotions continued to bounce around on his face until just before they left the room a smile tilted on his lips. He moved away from the wall and walked over to the receptionist. He grinned at her, an easy grin with clear affection. “I know I was just in there, but do you mind if I head back in. I just thought of something I need to tell Cassia. You don’t mind, do you?”
The receptionist gave him a look. “Really, JD, you are so see through. She’s lucky to have a boyfriend like you.”
He frowned. “How many times do I have to tell you, Cass and I are just friends? Just real quick. I’ll be out in less than half an hour, I promise.”
The receptionist laughed. “I’m not going to put any extra time limits on it. You are certainly on the list of approved visitors for her.
“On the list?” JD Williams replied, sounding a little insulted. “I am the list.”
She shrugged. “That’s confidential information, JD. Now, just make sure you’re out before visiting hours are over. You know the drill.”
JD frowned, he headed over toward the entrance. As he did, he mumbled, “Must get a look at that list.”