and no bras hooked around the backs of chairs. Or stuffed down the back of sofas. “That’s fine. Do you need the key?”
“No, ma’am.” Now he’s smiling at me as though I’ve said something cute. “It’s all taken care of. You have a good day now.”
“Bye, Ed!” Lulu skips out onto the sidewalk, and I grab her hand. “I thought we were in a hurry,” she asks, looking back at me. “You talk too much.”
Pushing aside the awkwardness of being lodger to a man you’ve shagged, I really will miss the convenience of living in Carson’s apartment when we move out. It’s just a ten-minute walk to Lulu’s school, and a few minutes more to reach the clinic. I can’t say how relieved I am not to have to deal with the subway every morning, or the train as the network seems to be referred to here. But I expect we’ll have to get used to it at some point, sadly.
“Morning, Fee.” Lizzie, the receptionist, or front desk executive as she prefers, shoots me a beaming smile as I bustle in through the clinic’s front door. “It’s a lovely morning, isn’t it?”
“Gorgeous,” I agree, sliding my cardigan from one shoulder. It’s not terribly warm, but hurrying like a mofo can make a girl feel a little flushed. “Any news on my paperwork?”
“Sorry.” She gives an apologetic shrug. “I’ll chase them up again today.” Until my qualifications are accredited, I can’t sit in on any of the sessions, which is really what I’m here in New York for. I want to hone my counselling skills, learn more about client reactions to Compassion-Focussed Therapy, and even see if hypnotherapy is for me, not as a client, but maybe I could look into adding it to my skill set. But for now, I’m basically hanging around the office of this upscale (even for Manhattan) women’s wellness centre, which is mostly a weight management clinic. Not that I’m not enjoying myself. For starters, the team members are a little bit loopy. My kind of people.
“Oh. Do you think it would be okay if I left this on the reception desk?” I pull out a collection tin that Lulu brought home from school. “My daughter’s school is having a charity drive for the homeless.”
“I’m not sure.” She stares at the tin covered in Lulu’s artistry—the yellows, reds, and blues not at all in keeping with the clinic’s tastefully beige reception. “I’ll have to ask Ethan.”
“It’s meant to be filled with spare change from home, but as there’s only her and me at home, I thought popping it here might raise a little money.” I find myself shrugging, picking it up again. “If you don’t think he’ll want it on the desk, I suppose I can just take it into the office.”
“Sure.” She nods happily, seeming much relieved. “I think that might be better.”
No making the rich clients feel uncomfortable in the clinic, Fee.
Or in the swanky 5th Avenue apartment building. Poor Mr Martinez. My request made him feel uncomfortable, even if he did stick a couple of dollars in the slot.
“Wotcha, love!” Bethany, one of the junior psychologists, calls from across the office as I bustle in, her greeting more Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins than anything remotely authentic.
“Morning, Bethany.”
“How was that?” she asks eagerly, pushing her dark bob behind her ears. “Am I going to pass for a real Londoner next summer?”
“Sure, you’ll blend.” Marta, my favourite dietician on staff, sniggers. “Talk like that, and the locals will warm to you in no time. That or maybe throw you into the Thames.”
“I ain’t bovvered.” Beth sniffs, which only reinforces her impersonation of the movie chimney sweep, then gives an affected shrug.
“Where on earth are you getting all this from?” I throw the question over my shoulder as I make my way over to the desk I’ve been designated, plonk down in it then slide my purse into the drawer.
“I went down an internet rabbit hole last night.”
“You’re supposed to be studying for your doctorate.” Marta sends her a disapproving look over the top of her laptop.
“I’ll get there,” Beth replies with an airy wave. In the short while I’ve worked here, I’ve learned that despite being both in their late twenties, Marta has worked her butt off to get where she is while Bethany comes from money and has a pretty blasé attitude about work. But despite the office banter, they’re both passionate about helping people lead happier, healthier lives. Except for Bethany’s