A SEAL at Heart by Anne Elizabeth

Author:Anne Elizabeth [Elizabeth, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Contemporary
ISBN: 9781402268908
Amazon: 1402268904
Goodreads: 14296743
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Published: 2012-12-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Nuts!

—General Anthony McAuliffe,

surrounded in Bastogne, Belgium

Jack dropped into his chair with one minute and fifty-three seconds to spare. Being in the psychiatry department of Balboa Naval Hospital made his stomach clench, though he’d never reveal the depth of his discomfort to any of the men in white. Some day these guys would learn to lose the office and meet their patients at the beach or in a pub for a chat. The doctor’s secretary poked her head around the door and said, “The doctor will be with you in a moment, Petty Officer.” Then she was gone.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, going over his strategy for the session. The best method would be to act calm, cool, and collected, which in all truth was the exact opposite of how he felt. Show him a guy who was comfortable talking about his emotions, and Jack would be amazed. He’d rather have bamboo shoots shoved under his fingernails, and since that had actually happened to him, he knew how torturous the pain could be.

His preference was for this appointment to be his final visit. He had a sinking feeling that he was not that lucky.

Heavy footsteps approached. Had to be the doc—sounded like he carried the weight of the hospital with him or perhaps a mega-sized ego to go with his know-it-all attitude.

“You’re here.” Strolling in with a pile of file folders in his hand, the doctor sat down at his desk. “I had my misgivings, especially given how many sessions you have actually made. Glad to see you didn’t violate your orders, Petty Officer First Class Roaker. Now, where should we begin?”

“Officially, I only rescheduled them,” commented Jack with a single raised eyebrow.

“On that topic, let’s clarify the rest of your attendance issues. When last we spoke, you had walked out of group,” Dr. Derek Johnson, the chief headshrinker, began. The man smelled of rubbing alcohol and cigarettes. Seemed like this doc had at least one bad habit and probably a few issues, too. Who was he—or anyone else—to judge?

“Correction, I was excused from group by the doctor, as were many other participants. With all due respect, there is a difference,” Jack replied in a monotone voice. He could maintain his blank expression forever, if necessary. It was too bad, really, that the doctors had become the enemy to him.

The clock on the wall ticked loudly. Only two minutes had passed. “Yes, of course, that particular group leader will not be providing that option next time around. I see your next group session is on Tuesday morning. I believe the topic is love and relationships and the importance of creating balance in a soldier’s and sailor’s life. I’m sure it will be fascinating.”

Good Lord, kill me now! Jack used every bit of control he had not to groan in misery. He would rather spend a month in a mosquito-infested jungle than talk about his interest in Laurie and the uncertainty about the future.

Wasn’t he allowed to keep anything private?

Tick.

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