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Jeanne’s leg, the one crossed atop the other, bobs up and down. Her flat-heeled shoe dangles off her toes as if it’s holding on for dear life. Her brown stockings are so thin, Peter can see the tiny imperfections in the skin around her ankle. He wishes he could reach out, draw her delicate feet into his lap and massage them until she melts.
“You mentioned you’d been learning about taxidermy?”
Peter wishes she weren’t always in such a rush to pull him from his thoughts. “Yes. I’m still doing some research. It turns out, it’s one of those things you can learn at home at your own pace.”
“I’m glad to hear you’ve done some exploring. Most people I talk to say they want to try things, but never follow through. Actually, I pulled information on some free online classes for you, just in case you needed encouragement to look into it further.” The therapist pulls out a manila file folder encasing a thick sheaf of papers. She leans over, stretching to reach the recycle bin.
“Even though I’ve got some stuff down, more information never hurt anyone.” The folder is diverted and soon Peter holds her token of affection. He decides she’s spent time on this research because she cares about him. She wants to see him succeed. Peter’s heart thumps in his chest as he silently promises her he will.
“Why don’t you tell me a bit about how you’re doing? How are things going with your father?”
The chair he’s sitting in seems suddenly uncomfortable. “We got together a couple times for that work party, but I haven’t seen him in a few days.”
“How long until he’s fully released?” Jeanne writes a note.
Peter wonders if she’d like to meet his father. Ollie isn’t exactly the parent most girls would want to meet, but Jeanne has such an interest in people, he thinks she might enjoy it. “I’m not sure. They pulled him off work crew because...” He thinks of a reason. He can’t tell her Ollie has refused to offer up another body. Or that the reason for the refusal is that Peter’s been ignoring his calls.
Tracing his fingers across the folder in his lap, he takes a deep breath. “Budget cuts.”
“And here you’ve taken all this time away from work to be with him. That probably doesn’t seem fair.” Her frown accompanies sad eyes. Her upset at the disappointing news is visible.
He appreciates the way she thinks things through. She has a way of putting herself in someone else’s shoes, deducing how they might feel in a situation. If Peter were cut off from his father against his will, he’s sure she’s right. He’d be upset. “No, Jeanne. You’re spot on. It doesn’t seem fair at all.”
“What will you do now? Go back to work?” Jeanne gazes at him intensely, awaiting his answer.
“No, I don’t think so.” Charles is another person whose calls Peter’s been dodging. “I’m learning so much about this taxidermy stuff, I think I want to focus on it for a while. Maybe if I put solid time into it, I’ll get to where I understand it enough to decide if it’s right for me. Give it a shot before I go back to my cubicle.”
Jeanne writes another secret remark. She looks Peter in the eye so deep, he can feel her search his soul. “You know, when people with a criminal record have a plan and support network, they can go on to be very productive members of society. I think it’s great you’ve taken an interest in your dad’s talents. It’ll serve him well while he’s re-integrating into normal life.”
Peter laughs. “I don’t know that my dad’s life will ever be normal. He’s a little weird.”
Her smile is soft, turning up the very edges of her mouth. “Everybody’s a little weird, Peter.”
“Not everyone.” He feels his skin flush. His thumb twitches, rubbing against the rough paper of the folder. “You aren’t weird.”
Throwing her head back, Jeanne laughs with a fervor Peter’s never heard before. Dark tresses of hair cascade behind her, stroking the back of her chair. Her entire body goes through waves of tension and relaxation, lost in the delight of humor. “It takes a weird person to sit around all day listening to other people’s problems.”
“No,” he corrects firmly, “just a special one.”