"Our newest guests?" A tall, spare man with graying hair and silver glasses asked. His smile was warm and genuine.
"Yes, Dr. Spiner. Meet Sam and Emma."
"Welcome, Sam and Emma." He shook hands with them. His hand seemed a little cool, but his grip was firm and reassuring. "May I introduce my colleagues, Dr. Cybil Abernathy and Dr. Anton McNulty. They are two of our therapists here."
Sam and Emma greeted the doctors politely, though neither of them offered to shake hands. Dr. McNulty frowned. He was a shorter, heavy set man, his gut slightly paunchy. His dark hair was thick and curly. His chin showed a shadow, though he was clean shaven.
Dr. Abernathy was an attractive Asian woman. She was quite petite, trim figured and pleasant looking. She managed a tight smile, hands firmly in the pockets of her lab coat. Nodding, she followed Dr. Spiner out the door.
Robbie ran through the rules of living at Ravenwood. "No drugs, drinking or cursing—at least not around Molly. I've been known to say a few colorful words from time to time. We do allow cigarettes, unless you'd like to quit while you're here?"
"I smoke," Sam admitted. "When I can afford cigarettes. But I can do without."
"Gotcha." She handed each a form to fill out. "I will need a complete list of all the drugs you were taking prior to admission, as well as any repeat offenders you might have taken in the past."
"Repeat offenders?" Sam frowned.
"LSD mostly. If you aren't sure, but you think you might unknowingly have ingested it, check the box. We will do a urine and hair follicle test as well. And Sam, there is a physical. We have Emma's results from the hospital work-up."
"No problem. Whatever you need."
They chatted while filling out the papers. Sam had a short physical and they both submitted their hair and urine samples.
"After all that fun, I'm sure you'd like a look around," Robbie said.
They followed Robbie as she showed them the facility. They were surprised to find a full gym complete with weight room. There was a swimming pool for lap swimming or water exercise and a dance studio that doubled as the music room. It was in a building behind the main facility, with a hardwood floor and mirrors on all the walls.
"Do you have anything like a wood working shop?" Sam asked. He'd always liked to build things.
Robbie pursed her lips, eyes downcast. "We thought of it, but decided against it. Power tools and addicts—well, you can see it might be a tad unpredictable."
"True. Good point. D.T.'s and a nail gun, could be fatal."
"Exactly. Oh, I didn't show you the library yet. You like to read?"
"We love it," Emma answered happily.
She had been rather quiet and withdrawn as they walked around the facility. Sam could see that she was overwhelmed by their environment. She liked it, but she wasn't sure what to make of it. It was so different from home, she couldn't quite understand that she was in a fear free zone.
They walked into the library together. The room was two stories tall and reminded Sam of the library in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The walls were lined floor to ceiling with books. A balcony ran around three quarters of the wall. Rolling ladders gave access to balconies and books up top. Soft chairs were scattered about the room. Hassocks, beanbags, benches and tables filled the rest of the space on the main floor. Emma was in heaven. For her, books represented freedom, a chance to escape the horrors of her life for a little while.
Sam liked to read, but he'd never been as into it as Emma. Then again, his life had never been as horrendous as hers either. Sure, his folks were addicts, they were dysfunctional and they abandoned him, but no one had ever done to him what Emma's dad had done to her.
©2020 Dellani Oakes
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