Page 29 of Loyalty

Siena’s steps hesitated, and the two stopped altogether on the sidewalk. “I—”

John’s phone rang.

Just like the last time.

Again.

Fuck.

“Sorry,” he told her.

Siena shrugged, and looked away. He didn’t miss the flash of disappointment in her gaze, though.

John answered the phone with a sharp, “What?”

“Mr. Marcello, Dr. Goodane would like to confirm your appointment in two hours.”

Shit.

John checked his watch, and realized he had forgotten one very important thing today. His therapist. It was one of the many requirements of his parole, not that he minded. A good therapist kept him on track with his bipolar disorder, anyway.

He couldn’t refuse. The doctor would have to report a missed appointment to his parole officer. Then, that asshole would get on his ass, too.

“Yeah, I’ll be there.”

He would just have to leave right now.

John hung up the phone, and turned to Siena. Even though he had to go, he was still determined to get her number, and meet up sometime. Three random run-ins had to be a sign of something, right?

“So—”

Siena held up a hand, and stopped John from saying more. “Hey, it’s okay. Maybe we’ll have another one of these meetings, John.”

She didn’t give him a chance to say anything before she headed down the street. John was stuck staring after her.

Fuck his whole life.

• • •

John tried to brush off the pissy mood as he headed into the therapist’s office. Amelia—a forty-year-old married mother with two teenaged sons whose pictures littered the walls—already sat waiting for him in the chair.

He took the couch across from her.

Twice a week, he had these appointments.

Mostly, he didn’t mind.

Today, he did mind.

“John,” she greeted.

“Amelia.”

Down to business first, he knew.

It was just how she worked.

Amelia looked over the papers in the file. “How’s the change in the dose of the Lithium working?”