Second Thoughts by Clarke Kristofer

Author:Clarke, Kristofer [Clarke, Kristofer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Second Twin Publishing
Published: 2012-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Patrick…

In My Mind

The drive from the Courtyard Marriot in the Buckhead section of Atlanta to Dr. Aiden Kendrick’s office didn’t take as long as I thought it would. I’d left a little early just in case I found myself sitting in the Atlanta traffic. I also wanted to be early for my appointment with Dr. Kendrick. After all, she had adjusted her schedule to fit me in when she didn’t have to. Wednesday morning’s forecast had promised afternoon and evening thundershowers, but it was expected to be another hot summer day. The Atlanta sun sat almost in the middle of an ocean blue sky, its rays burning the skin on my forearm through the windshield and side window.

Dr. Kendrick’s office was located on Seminole Ave in Northeast Atlanta, a few blocks from Freedom Park. I’d pulled into the underground parking garage, relieved I didn’t have to worry about finding parking on the street. It was a quiet ride up from the second parking level to Dr. Kendrick’s office on the fifth floor, even though I wasn’t occupying the elevator by myself. I did exchange the usual morning pleasantries with some of the other occupants, but that was the extent of any conversations between us. Looking at these individuals, I wouldn’t have passed them on the streets and assumed they had issues. Their plastic smiles and borrowed confidence hid the disorders that existed inside them. But they were probably saying the same thing about me. We rode in unexplained awkward silence, keeping our eyes focused either on the floor or up at the highlighted floor numbers, anticipating the beep that granted us our anticipated release from our momentary internment.

I’d stood in the rotunda-like waiting area, with its shades of red chairs. The receptionists sat behind a half round desk. Its aluminum laminate front panels displayed my reflection as I approached. Dr. Kendrick shared her office space with one other psychologist, her husband, Dr. Benjamin Shipley. Over my visits, I’d learned a lot more about Dr. Kendrick. Dr. Aiden Kendrick was a native Georgian. Dr. Shipley was transplanted from Chicago, after his first two years at the University of Chicago. They were married the summer between undergraduate and graduate school, and had a thirteen-year-old son, Spencer, at Woodward Academy in College Park. Dr. Kendrick and Dr. Shipley had been providing services in psychotherapy for more than 10 years. I don’t know much else about Dr. Kendrick, but as far as I was concerned, this was more than enough.

“Mr. Brent Goens,” I announced to the receptionist, providing the alias I had been using since I started my sessions with Dr. Kendrick.

It wasn’t until I was actually sitting on her couch on my first visit that I gave her my government name.

“I’m here to see Dr. Kendrick,” I continued after getting the receptionist’s attention.

She picked up the phone to dial in to the doctor’s office.

“Mr. Goens,” Dr. Kendrick spoke as the door to her office swung open. Her office sat directly across from the receptionist’s desk.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.