her head into her hands on her desk. Concentrating on controlling her breaths to keep from hyperventilating, the adrenaline began to wear off and the shaking began.
“Do you want to talk about it?” She looked up into Derek’s pitying eyes. She hated that look of pity, but he was a nice guy and her co-worker. With a wife and a young baby at home, the kind-hearted, red haired physical therapist had covered way too much for her lately. It was past time for her to gather control of her life. Regardless of anything else, this wasn’t fair to her co-workers or patients.
“Not really, no.”
His lips pressed into a frown. “Well, you need to pull yourself together quick. Dr. Shelby’s on the warpath this morning. I don’t think he noticed you were late, but he’s been a bear about everything, regardless. It would be a good idea to stay out of his way.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
Derek waved his acknowledgement and headed down the hall.
Julie grabbed a stack of files and her list for today’s projects. She had a ton of patient files that needed to get updated. She also needed to work on a new therapy plan for a couple of patients who weren’t responding well to their current regimen.
She was immersed in her files when a knock sounded at her office door. Dr. Luke Shelby stood there, her boss and head of the Physical Therapy Department. He was a handsome widower in his mid-forties, with salt and pepper hair, and a very fit physique, but his perpetual scowl always intimidated her and made it hard for her to see him as anything other than her boss.
Even worse, he’d been one of Aaron’s friends, so she always wondered how much he knew. Did he know what an awful girlfriend she’d been to Aaron and the details of their relationship? She tried not to think about it, but at times like this when he studied her like she was a puzzle, it crossed her mind.
“Can I help you, Dr. Shelby?”
“Yes,” he seemed to shake himself out of his stupor, “I was wondering if you have Benita Alvarez’s treatment plan modified yet?”
She reached into the box which held the files she’d already completed this morning. “Yes, it’s right here. I changed the items we discussed and also implemented a regimen of massage which I think will help loosen her atrophied muscles better.”
“Good, good.” He took the file from her. “I’ll look it over and get back to you on it.” He took a step away before he hesitated. He turned back around and shut the door.
Julie tried to calm the frisson of alarm clanging through her head. This was just her boss. “Was there something else, Dr. Shelby?”
“Yes, and this is rather awkward for me, but I can’t stay quiet any longer.”
A ball of dread settled into the pit of her stomach.
“I understand what it’s like to grieve, but there comes a certain point where you have to function again. Julie, every day, you’re looking worse, not better. You’re going to make yourself sick. I can’t allow that in my department. I think it’s time that you talk to someone. Maybe even get some medication.”
She started shaking her head, but he held his hand up to forestall her.
“There’s no shame in needing help. Losing a loved one is hard, especially when it’s so sudden. I could recommend a good grief counselor if you need one.”
Julie resisted the urge to wrap her arms protectively around her middle. Why did she feel like she was about to shatter? “Thank you, sir, but that’s not necessary. I already have someone who was recommended to me.”
He eyed her shrewdly. “And do you plan to call this therapist?”
She met his worried gaze. She couldn’t lie to him, but she couldn’t promise to call, either. She could get this under control on her own.
He sighed deeply and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Okay, I can see where you stand on this right now, but tonight when you aren’t sleeping—again—I want you to think about it. Right now I’m not insisting, but if you continue to go downhill, I will insist on therapy for your continued employment here. I can’t allow our patients to suffer.”
Panic seized her. “Has something happened that I don’t know about?”
He shook his head. “No, not yet, but if you continue on this path, it’s just a matter of time. I will not allow that to happen. Do you understand?”