SIX
Alicia
The smell of oils and creams ylled mt nosCrils as bain laid on Che Ca.le in fronC of meI wC Mas gondat mornin- aC ninekChirCtkone on Che doCI w had mana-ed Co -eC here earlt Chis mornin- and had Cauen mt Cime seCCin- pvI bain Mas as readt as eWerI ,e Mere Moruin- opr Mat inCo a vaCCernH as Me had .ecome accpsComed Co MhaC Che oCher Mas pv CoI The Kard qnocus monet for Che Meeu had hiC mt accopnCH so w Mas linin- pv for anoCher Meeu of dealin- MiCh his manI KoM infpriaCin-I This morninhoMeWerH he felC diBerenCI There Mas someChin- oB a.opC bainH .pC w copld noC “piCe vpC mt yn-er on iCI ?ein- as cpriops as w MasH w vro.ed himI
”KoM Mas topr .i- daCe Che oCher ni-hC’Y
”w donAC ManC Co Calu a.opC iCIY
”ThaC .adH hph’Y
”Rop copld sat ChaCIY
w Chanued mt lpcut sCars ChaC bain had his head in Che hole aC Chis sCa-eH
.pC w Mas Che archiCecC of ChaC decisionI wf he had .een loouin- pv aC meH iC Mopld haWe .een a diBerenC sCortI w copld noC hide Che smile on mt faceH .pC vapsed for a momenC Co enspre ChaC he copld noC hear Che chan-e in mt ConeI
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”?pC she Mas -or-eopsI ,haC havvened’Y
”w said ChaC w donAC ManC Co Calu a.opC iCIY
”Jair enop-h ChenI OonAC Cell and w MonAC asuIY
There Mas no need for ps Co ePchan-e ant fprCher small CaluI There Mas
no hoM Mas topr dat or antChin- liue ChaCI EpsC sCrai-hC inCo iCI bonsiderinw had seen him eWertdat Che vasC MeeuH iC made sense for me noC Co CreaC him liue a normal clienCI bain uneM Che ropCineI w .e-an Moruin- on himH massa-in- bainAs le-sH sCreCchin- opC Che mpscles and loosenin- eWertChinChaC w copldI Jor someone as jePi.le and as dePCerops as he had .eenH bain spre Mas Ci-hCI Lerhavs he had noC had Che sCress relief ChaC he had needed on 9aCprdat ni-hCI
Opncan had -iWen me his vreWiops medical records on JridatH and w had svenC some of mt 9pndat assessin- ChemI 6Wen Chop-h he had .een rpde Co me on Che MeeuendH he Mas sCill vatin- meI w Mas learnin- Che lat of Che landH and MhaC Chet did here aC Che -tmI bain Mas sCill as inspBera.le as eWerI w Mas sCill hprC .t his re0ecCionH .pC w shopld noC haWe .een sprvrisedI w Mas his vhtsioCheravisC and he Mas mt clienCI 6Wen Chop-h Chere had .een alcohol inWolWedH w shopld haWe .een Chinuin- smarCerI w Mas Coo old Co .e rpnnin- afCer .ots a-ain liue w Mas ei-hCeenI zisCenin- Co Tammt Mas noC a -ood decisionI w uneM MhaC she Mas Crtin- Co doH .pC iC Mas noC Mhere w needed Co .e in life ri-hC noMI There had Co .e a more maCpre avvroach Mhen iC came Co mauin- life decisionsH and someChin- Cold me bain Mas noC iCI LreCCt Co loou aCH .pC dan-erops Co CopchI
Time Cicued .t and Che minpCes MiCh bain Mere noM noChin- more Chan ylled MiCh silenceI 5ccasionallt bain Mopld -rpnC aC me as w Morued his le-s and his uneesI wC Mas MhaC he needed Chis earlt in Che healin- vrocessI ReC as w MoruedH w copld feel someChin- Mas noC ri-hC and noC hoM iC had .een afCer lasC MeeuI w uevC Moruin- his le- and Chen w felC iCI RevH he had
-one .acuMardsI ,haC had he done since Jridat’
”9oH topAWe .een Moruin- opCH hph’Y
”9omeChin- liue ChaCIY
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Rev Chere iC MasI w sMalloMed in silence as w scoMled aC Che .acu of his headI w Mish w had noC ovened mt mopChI The Mat ChaC his Woice had come Chrop-h Che .oCCom of Che Ca.leH sCpBed and deevH Che Ca.le vressina-ainsC his ChroaCI wC Mas also Mat Coo nonchalanC comin- from himI Ke had no ri-hC Co .e Chis cocutI 9omeChin- had Co -eC Chrop-h Co himI
”Rop canAC .e Moruin- opCI 9eaCed sCpBH spreH .pC antChin- ChaC re“pires
Che moWemenC of topr unee is a no -oIY
”wC felC yneI w had mt .race on and eWertChin-I wAm healin- MellIY ”9iC pvH bainI ,e need Co haWe a conWersaCionIY
”DrenAC top spvvosed Co .e Moruin-’Y
”w amI w need Co maue spre ChaC Che messa-e sinus in Chis CimeI wf top haWe
ant more seC.acus iC copld cosC top more Cime on Che shelfI KoM lon- haWe top -oC pnCil Chis nePC y-hC’ w Mish top hadnAC si-ned pv for iCIY
There Mas a relpcCance as bain shifCedH .pC Chen he did as he Mas ColdI Ke hpBed as he vpshed himself oB Che Ca.le and Cprned Co face meH leaWin- his le-s dan-lin- oWer Che ed-eI w shopld haWe lefC his head doMn in Che hole of Che Ca.leI The Mat his etes held mt -a…e Mas sCill pnnerWin- and w sCill had noC “piCe -oCCen psed Co iC teCI Thop-hCs ran Chrop-h mt mindI ,haC if he had chosen me on 9aCprdat ni-hC insCead of ChaC .londe .iCch’ ,opld w sCill eWen .e Moruin- hereH or Mopld Me .e pvsCairs in his roomH haWin- mt head smacued a-ainsC his head.oard’ There Mopld haWe .een Morse Chin-s in Che MorldI
”w need Co CrainH DliciaI ThaCAs all Chere is Co iCIY
”Rop sCill haWenAC fpllt healed teCH bainI wn facCH topAre noC eWen close2
,haC donAC top pndersCand a.opC ChaC’Y
”Rop donAC pndersCandI wf w canAC CrainH w canAC MoruI w canAC do fpcuin
antChin-IY
”Rop canAC Moru’ ,haC do top do for a 0o.’Y
bainAs ePvression Mas .lanuI Dre Me spre Chis man did noC haWe a conk
cpssion’ wn his svorCH iC Mas hi-hlt vossi.leH considerin- Che amopnC of
vpnches and uicus Co Che head he had CauenI The facC ChaC he seemed Co .e
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so hi-h fpncCionin- MiCh voCenCial .rain dama-e Mas a sprvriseI Lerhavs he needed a neprolo-isCH noC a vhtsioI ”w y-hCIY
SoM iC Mas mt Cprn Co scoB aC himI ”SoH hoM do top maue topr monet’ 9eriopslt’Y
”wAm .ein- seriopsI w y-hCI wf wAm noC y-hCin-H Chen w am Crainin- or coachin- Che oCher y-hCers hereI The -tm .rin-s in -ood coin and Opncan and w svliC iC .eCMeen oprselWesI wCAs a .psinessI ?pC Mhere w ePcel is Che monet w Min from mt y-hCsI ThaCAs hoM iCAs .een for Che lasC Cen or so tearsIY
The realisaCion daMned on meH and w Mas ashamed ChaC iC had Cauen me lon-er Chan iC shopldI ”9oH Che facC ChaC topAre in0pred4Y
”geans ChaC w donAC -eC vaidIY
”w didnAC Chinu iC Mopld .e ChaC seriopsIY
”Rop donAC pndersCandH DliciaI Ji-hCin- is mt lifeI wCAs all w haWeI w haWe .een Crainin- Co y-hC since w copld MaluI wCAs all w Chinu a.opCH iCAs all wAm
-ood aC and iCAs all w doIY
”9oH MhaC are top doin- noM’Y
bain -rpnCed and -esCpred opC CoMards Che -tm joorI wC Mas emvCt for noMH .pC w copld enWision Che do…ens of sCpdenCs ChaC Chet had here eWert oCher datH all of Chem Moruin- hard on Che vpnchin- .a-s ChaC sCood .efore ChemI gt memort copld see bain in Che rin-H Moruin- Chrop-h Che moWemenCs as he had fop-hC for his life and for his CiCleI Ke had noC seemed ChaC jpid since ChaC ni-hCI Jor Che vasC Meeu he seemed ri-id and pna.le Co moWe vroverltI
”Trainin- Chose ChaC can sCill -oI The uids come in here asuin- for adWiceI w haWe eWertChin- from yrsC Cimers Co Chose haWin- Cheir yrsC vro y-hCs and .etondI Opncan vats me a -ood Ma-e Co ueev Chem comin- .acu for moreIY
”KoM mant sCpdenCs do top haWe’Y
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”ThereAs a.opC CMo hpndred re-isCered MiCh Che -tmI The svorC is -roMk in-H Mhich is -oodI ,e alMats ManC more Chop-hI 9ome onlt haWe a copvle of classes a MeeuH .pC opr y-hCers are in here eWert sin-le datIY
”6Wertdat’ ,hen do Chet resC’Y
”,eeuendsH .pC if Chet ManC Co y-hCH Chet sCill need Co .e rpnnin- eWert datI 9omeCimes veovle Mill sCov Crainin- dpe Co in0pries and MhaC noCH .pC Chose ChaC are seriops are alMats hereIY
”Rop Caue Chis seriopsltH donAC top’Y
bain did noC resvond MiCh his MordsI wnsCeadH he -aWe me ChaC sCare ChaC w felC Mas sendin- shocuMaWes Chrop-h mt enCire .odtI Ke did noC need Co sveauI wC Mas eWidenC hoM vassionaCe he Mas for Chis svorC Chrop-h his Cone and .odt lan-pa-eI w ManCed Co reach doMn and Copch himH .pC noC in Che Mat ChaC a vhtsio MopldI NaCher Chan helvin- him vhtsicalltH w ManCed Co helv himH emoCionalltI w copld see Che Cprmoil in his faceI DfCer a momenCH bain svoueI
”Dre Me done hereH Dlicia’Y
”SoH w can sCill Caue top Chrop-h moWemenCs and more CheravtIY
bain nodded sloMltI ”w ManC Co shoM top someChin-I ban top vass me mt .raceH vlease’Y
,aiC MhaC’ bain Mas voliCe for once’ ,ho Mas Chis man’ w nodded in reCprn and CprnedH vicuin- pv bainAs .race from Che chair .eside psI w vassed iC .acu Co him and MaCched as he vplled iC onI 5nce Che .race Mas secpreH bain loMered himself from Che Ca.le and sCood pvI The vro-ress Mas sloMH .pC w copld Cell from Che Mat he disCri.pCed his Mei-hCH he Mas aC leasC moWin- Che sli-hCesC .iC .eCCerI wC Mas noC mpchH .pC vro-ress Mas vro-ressI w copld onlt ima-ine hoM irriCaCed Che area sCill Mas .ased on hoM iC had .een Mhen w Mas Moruin- aropnd iCI Ke sCill needed a loC more MoruI
”bome MiCh meIY
,here else Mas w -oin- Co -o’ wf Chis man Mas leadin- me CoMards Che yres of hellH chances Mere w Mopld folloM himI Jrom Che Mat he MaluedH he uneM iC as MellI bain sCarCed oB aC a sloM vaceH headin- aMat from Che main -tm
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joorH CoMards one of Che corridors ChaC w had noC .een doMn .eforeI w copld alreadt see MhtI ,hilsC Che enCrance Co Che -tm and Che main -tm joor Mere pndecoraCed and uevC cleanH .acu here Mas someChin- else enCireltI 9i-ns voinCed CoMards .oCh a sapnaH chan-e room and Che CoileCsH .pC Che si-ns Mere noC MhaC cap-hC mt eteI
”w donAC liue Che svoCli-hCH .pC Chose ChaC unoM meH unoM MhaC wAWe doneIY
gt etes Craced pv and doMn Che MallI wC Mas a shrine Co bain and eWertk Chin- he had accomvlished inside Che rin-I Oo…ens pvon do…ens of vhoCos lined Che MallsH each of Chem devicCin- bain in a diBerenC vose on a vosCer ChaC Mas vromoCin- an pvcomin- y-hCI The oChers Mere all of Wiolence versoniyedH feaCprin- bain sCandin- oWer a doMned ovvonenC or in an acCion shoCH yrin- some of his .esC shoCsI Then w saM Che chamvionshiv .elCs fprCher doMn Che hallMatI
gant of Chem Mere enclosed in acrtlic .oPesH vroCecCin- Chem from dpsC and Che oCher elemenCs ChaC mi-hC haWe aBecCed Chem oWer CimeI w sCood CransyPedH mt etes moWin- from one vhoCo Co Che nePCH in a.solpCe aMe of MhaC he had accomvlishedI There Mere do…ens pvon do…ens of .elCsH each of Chem disvlatin- a Wariops chamvionshiv em.la…oned pvon ChemI
”ws Chis all top’Y
bain nodded as a -rimace came Co Che corners of his mopChI ”D copvle are Opncan and some of Che oChersH .pC Che resC are mineH teahIY
”bainH w donAC unoM MhaC Co satI ThaCAs a loCIY
”wAm -ood aC MhaC w doH DliciaI ThaC is Mht iC is so imvorCanC ChaC w -eC .acu in Che rin-H sooner raCher Chan laCerI w need Co Crain and w need Co y-hCIY
”w pndersCand noMIY
”6PcellenCI 9oH Mhen can w reCprn Co Crainin-’Y
gt 0aM fell Co Che joorI The fpcuin- apdaciCt of Chis manI ,as he seriops’ ,e had come in here 0psC so he copld shoM me Chis’ wn MhaC Morld did he Chinu .ased on eWertChin- w had seen ChaC w Mas 0psC -oin- Co clear
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him Co -eC .acu inCo Che rin- ChaC MaiCed for ps 0psC opCsideI Dnd w sMore Co od ChaC if Chis man MenC a-ainsC mt insCrpcCionsH he Mopld haWe hell Co vatI
”mmH ePcpse meI w donAC Chinu soH sirIY
”?pC top said top pndersCandH so w need Co .e doin- someChin-IY ”So2 D.solpCelt noC2 Dre top 0ouin- me’ RopAre ManCin- Co pnderCaue
hi-h end conCacC Crainin- a-ainH tes’Y
”wAm noC spre MhaC Mopld -iWe iC aMatH .pC tesIY
”,iCh hoM .ad ChaC Chin- isH topAWe sCill -oC Meeus lefCI wAm noC clearintop Co do antChin- teCH esveciallt noM ChaC topAWe shoMn me ChisIY
”w Cold top hoM imvorCanC iC isIY
”Dnd w donAC careI nCil top can shoM me ChaC some sCren-Ch has rek Cprned wAm noC -oin- Co leC top do iCI 6sveciallt if top pse topr unee in ant shaveH Mat or formIY
”wAm vatin- top Co helv yP meH noC haWe top Cell me Mhen and Mhere w canAC CrainIY
,ht Mas he Chis frpsCraCin-2 w ManCed Co .an- mt head a-ainsC Che MallH or eWen .eCCer vpC him Chrop-h iCI The odds Mere hi-her of him vpCCinme Chrop-h iCI bopld someone vlease ePamine him for .rain dama-e’ w ManCed Co scream aC him and Cell him noI w had neWer had a clienC liue Chis .eforeI spallt if top hired meH mt Mord Mas laM MiCh MhaC top copld and copld noC doH teC here he MasH CreaCin- me liue Chet Mere sp--esCions for a coBee order in Che mornin-I w had Co vpC him in his vlace somehoM Co shoM ChaC he copld noC CrainI
”JineH top unoM MhaCI wAm -oin- Co do a classI w ManC Co see MhaC top
-eC pv Co in versonIY
bain snorCed doMn aC me as he folded his arms across his .road chesCI ”RopAre noC -oin- Co Crt a classIY
The facC ChaC he Mas so Call Mas infpriaCin- Co meI w ManCed Co reach pv and slav himH .pC iC felC liue mt hand Mopld onlt fall on his chesCI SoC ChaC
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w Mopld .e pvseC MiCh Copchin- his .odt in a nonkMoru mannerI ”ResH w amI Dnd ChereAs noChin- top can do a.opC iCIY
bain Mas sCill .ein- dismissiWeI Ke voinCed CoMards Che door Mhere w
uneM Chere Mas a si-n dicCaCin- MhaC classes ChaC Kard qnocus oBeredI ”,ellH if top ManC Co vpC topr monet Mhere topr mopCh isH si-n pv Co Che fpndamenCals ComorroM MiCh Opncan opC Che fronCI wAll vpC top Chrop-h topr vacesIY
w scoMled aC him .efore w Cprned mt .acu on himI ”Rop unoM MhaCI wAll do 0psC ChaCIY
bain 0psC lap-hed .ehind me and w copld Wispalise Che shiC eaCin- -rin he Mopld haWe had all oWer his faceI ”ThaCAs yneI wCAs topr fpneral Chop-hI OonAC sat w didnAC Marn topI EpsC Mear someChin- top can uicu vroverlt inIY