“I’m sorry, Ms. Blake. I didn’t get your message until this morning.”
Eliza realized that most people did not get apologies from doctors who hadn’t returned non-emergency phone calls made after office hours only the night before. That was the power of KEY News. Phone calls were returned. Promptly.
She described her phone call with Samuel to Dr. Lieber.
“I’m not a psychiatrist, Ms. Blake, but it sounds like your friend definitely needs some help. Would you like me to have someone here call him?”
Eliza weighed the offer. Was she doing this out of guilt? Would Samuel be angry with her? That shouldn’t matter to her if his well-being hung in the balance. But he might shut down totally, feeling alienated that she had broken his trust. She wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted to do something to help him.
“Yes, Dr. Lieber,” Eliza decided. “I think that might be a good thing. I can’t get through to him.”
Samuel’s phone call came that afternoon.
“I know what you’re trying to do, Eliza. I know that you mean well. But please, forget about me. We can’t be friends—not now, anyway. I have to move forward alone for a while.”