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Amira felt like she had been repeating herself daily for the past two weeks that Rachel had been in her home. While it should have perhaps felt familiar, it felt like a stranger in her home. Seeing Casey at work had been tearing her apart. She had been avoiding her completely. She couldn’t even look at her. It was entirely unprofessional behaviour and she wasn’t proud of it.
“We can’t work on it, Rachel.” Amira took a deep breath. Suddenly the truth was so clear to her she felt her heart twisted up inside her chest. “We can’t work on it, because the truth is, I’m in love with someone else. I’ve been seeing someone else since we divorced, I love her and I want to be with her.”
The look of shock was plain on Rachel’s face. Amira saw her face differently these days, she saw the selfishness that had driven so much of their relationship. Rachel’s face, instead of beauty, radiated bitterness and resentment and it always had, she had just been too blind to see it for so long.
“Oh, I see,” Rachel let out a bitter chuckle. “That’s what this is about. You’ve replaced me.”
“Yeah, I did,” Amira stated matter-of-factly. “We had gotten divorced and we’d both stopped being romantically involved with one another long ago. So yes, I did move on. It will never work with you and I, Rachel. You have manipulated me for too long and I have let it happen, but I’m not prepared to let it happen any longer. I’m in love with someone else.” Amira shook her head. “We’re over, Rachel. I’m sorry, but we are. I need you to pack your things and go back home.”
“I left my fucking job for you,” Rachel spat. “I don’t even think I can afford to go back to my home.”
“I didn’t ask you to do that,” Amira stated calmly. “In fact, I would’ve told you not to if I’d known that was your plan. You can go to your family. You are no longer my responsibility.”
Rachel nodded, chuckling bitterly as she stomped away from Amira. “Whatever, I don’t care. You know what? Fine. If you want to give up on us this quickly just so you can be with some slut who doesn’t love you half as much as I do, then that’s fine, Amira, but don’t come crying to me when she breaks your fucking heart.”
Amira thought for a second about how Casey always prioritised her.
Rachel was going crazy throwing her clothes back in her bag, whilst screaming at Amira.
“I’m going, and this is the last you will fucking see of me, I promise you that.”
Amira forced herself to stay calm and not react to Rachel’s histrionics. She thought about Casey.
Casey had been willing to let Amira go despite the fact that she’d clearly been heartbroken by Amira’s decision. She’d put Amira’s happiness first, which is more than what Rachel had ever done.
Amira thought of the broken version of Casey she had seen at work lately. Her eyes were always seconds away from tears and she looked like she was struggling. Amira felt so very guilty for what she had put her through.
She said she loves me. And I didn’t say it back. Even though I know I love her. I love her.
I love Casey Rosen.
I’ve probably broken her heart. There will be no chance for us now after what I’ve done.
Amira felt tears beading in her eyes.
Amira’s homewas quiet and felt peaceful again that evening after Rachel left.
The sound of her work phone ringing interrupted her quiet thoughts.
“Hello?”
“I can’t do this anymore.”
Amira’s brows furrowed as she realized it sounded like Rina Mazeto, the basketball player with unstable mental health they had been working with at the clinic. She hadn’t checked the caller ID before answering, but yeah, this definitely sounded like her.
Amira hadn’t spoken to her recently. She knew she had been working with Casey and her final report was that she was doing well and back performing well on the basketball court.
Often with athletes, with the pressures on them to perform, their mental health could become a very fragile thing indeed. Rina sounded very troubled now.
“Rina, is that you? Are you alright?”
“I’m...I think I need help.” She sounded like she was crying. “I… um… I don’t want to be here anymore.”
Amira’s eyes widened then and she snapped into reality. Rina was an athlete under her care. Dr Amira Alvarez had ultimate responsibility for her. She became acutely aware of all the noise going on in the background. The sounds of vehicles passing by, horns blowing occasionally. The sound of the wind blowing harshly…
“I… um.. I wanted to speak to Dr. Rosen but I couldn’t get through when I tried calling her…. so I called you…”
“Where are you, Rina?” Amira questioned as calmly as she could. She was already rushing to put on some shoes and a jacket as she spoke.
