One #2
“We’ve made that space our own.”
“And I’ve let you, because yours was the only crew on that floor, but you knew you shared the reception area for the entire cluster of offices when you moved in. Hell, Gillian, you shared it with other therapists when you got here.”
“Other therapists, never with anyone outside the mental health field. There are so many things to take into consideration.”
“Which is why I’m giving you a heads-up. This is above my pay grade. I’m merely making a courtesy call.”
“What if I were to rent the office instead?”
“Sorry,” he said, though he seemed to find the offer slightly humorous. “The new tenant already signed a lease. This is out of both of our hands.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Don’t let this ruin your night,” he continued gently. “It’ll all work out. You’ve got a great group of people in that space.”
She turned back toward the room where all her friends stood talking and laughing over a sheet cake in celebration of her. “Yeah, okay.”
The call disconnected, but she didn’t lower the phone.
She needed a minute to center herself, wrap her head around yet another change, and try to anchor her emotions to the good of this moment rather than the issues ahead.
He’d been right about one thing. She’d gathered a collective consisting of some of the best people in the world.
Only now the others each had a person of their own, which left her standing quite literally on the outside.
It wasn’t that she begrudged anyone their happiness.
She’d dedicated her life to helping people access the very best, most fulfilled version of themselves.
She had goals, responsibilities, and an almost singular sense of focus.
How was she supposed to keep living up to those challenges if people kept getting in the way of her clearly planned progress?
Tegan looked up and met her eyes from inside the waiting room as if sensing something amiss. “Uh-oh, bad news?”
“More changes ahead.” Gillian delivered the verdict as if it very much signified bad news even though she knew the two didn’t always go together.
“The landlord rented out the office across the hall. The only detail I got was that the business is called ‘Healing Touch,’ and we’ll have to share the waiting room with them. ”
“That could be cool,” Robin said with her usual easy acceptance.
Gillian stared at her, and the doubt or exasperation must’ve registered on her face.
“Hey now.” Sawyer gently stepped in. “I know it’s your birthday, and you can cry if you want to, or pout, or be pissy, but change can be awesome. Look at me. I’m practically domesticated. No one ever thought I’d settle down.”
“I’m not sure we share a definition of ‘settle down.’ You two went bungee jumping last week,” Gillian said flatly, then with a deep breath added, “I wanted this year to settle into a routine, settle into a groove, settle into our tight-knit little group, but I get your point. If you’d told me six months ago you and Robin would be in a steady, committed relationship, I would’ve asked if I should also expect to see pigs fly. ”
“No one’s more surprised than we are.” Robin wrapped her arms around Sawyer’s waist. “But that’s what makes it radical. The steadiness is still new and unexpected. We’re breaking the old molds every day, and that’s wild. You just never know what’s going to blow your mind in the best way.”
“Besides,” Tegan added, “Healing Touch has potential. Maybe it’s a masseur.”
“Oh, that’d get me back here faster if a massage therapist worked across the hall,” Brooke mused.
“Faster than me working here?” Tegan teased.
“You also give a good massage.”
“So do I.” Sawyer grinned.
“It’s true.” Robin stared at them wickedly as if all kinds of thoughts had flooded her brain. “The kinds one can give in a respectable office and the ones you can’t … legally.”
“Great,” Gillian mumbled, “now we’re talking about a sex worker across the hall.”
“Hey, we’re a shame-free office.” Robin popped back. “Besides, you’re single, Birthday Girl. Maybe the services Healing Touch offers could get you—”
“Could be a physical therapist,” Brooke cut her off mercifully. “Or acupuncture.”
“Lots of options,” Tegan said.
“And does it even matter?” Sawyer asked. “There’s someone new across the hall. Who cares?”
“Says the one person who doesn’t work here,” Gillian pointed out.
“But I’m here all the time, and so is Brooke.
Clients come and go, but you set the tone, Gilly,” they continued.
“If there’s anything I’ve learned over the last few months, it’s that there’s nothing more affirming than accepting people exactly as they are, right where they are, all authenticity welcome. ”
“Aw, baby.” Robin grabbed them and kissed them hard, running her hands down their back until she cupped their ass and pulled Sawyer fully against her. “You’re so freaking hot when you appropriate the healthy therapist vernacular.”
“Oh yeah?” Sawyer leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Boundaries, coping mechanisms, self-care.”
Robin fanned herself. “Will you all excuse us please? Carry on with the party. We’ll be back in twenty minutes.”
Brooke scrunched up her face in an exact replica of how Gillian felt. “Am I going to have to get used to them having sex in Robin’s office all the time when I come back?”
“Not all the time,” Robin said coyly. “Sometimes we use your office.”
Tegan laughed. “It’s not like we haven’t all done it.”
“No.” Gillian had finally had enough for one night. She tried hard to meet everyone where they were, but she had limits, and everyone was pushing them. “I’ve never had sex in any of your offices.”
“But be honest.” Sawyer nudged her. “Have you ever had sex in yours?”
She opened her mouth to deny the charge, then stopped. Heat spread across her cheeks. “It’s my birthday. I’m allowed to plead the Fifth.”
Not her most eloquent dodge or defense, and all her friends lost their minds en masse.
Laughing, yelling, talking at once, questions bombarded her.
“Wait. When? Who? Why haven’t we heard the story?” Brooke seemed particularly scandalized.
Gillian felt no compulsion to explain herself as the conversation turned to chaos around her, so she held her ground.
“Sorry, but after everything you four have put me through over the last year and a half, and with the prospect of more change on the horizon, I feel more convinced than ever that my primary function in this office and this friend group is to be the last woman standing with a healthy sense of boundaries and the ability to hold them no matter what.”