Straightjacket Read Free Page B

had caught him staring at her every once in a while. Normally it would make her feel good, even pretty, but here, it scared her. Why did she even care? She forced herself to focus again on the book. It was dangerous for her mind to wander like this.
    Just as Anna started getting back into the story, Carlene returned to the room.
    “Dr. Blackwell’s patients, it’s time for group,” she said like she was bored. She rounded up some of the patients and shooed them out the door and into a smaller room. Anna cringed but got up obediently and made her way out. Carlene put out her arms and swatted at the air near her, as if to make her hurry up. Anna noticed her red acrylic nails and could make out the tiny flowers that had been painted onto the tips. She really wanted to look at them more closely—they were pretty amazing—but Carlene’s only concern was getting them into that little room as fast as she could.
    “Come on, people! My stories are startin’,” Carlene bellowed, suspiciously eyeing an old man who was headed toward the television. “Let’s go! Let’s go!” she shouted like a drill sergeant. When Carlene had finished delivering a group of four to the room, her short legs spun her around, and her thighs began rubbing noisily together as she speed-walked to find the last few stragglers.
    Seven chairs stood in the room, all arranged in a circle. They were the kind of chairs in classrooms—hard, smooth, and with a molded contoured seat that never fit anyone. Hopefully, the chair she chose would be close but not too close to Dr. Blackwell; she wanted to be on the periphery of his vision so he wouldn’t notice her. She didn’t want to have to say anything today. It was her first time in group.
    Then Caleb walked into the room. He seemed to tower over the others—he must’ve been at least six feet tall. He sat down across from her, settling his lean body into the chair. Goose bumps exploded all along her arms. She couldn’t decide if it was because she was excited or scared. Or both.
    Chrissy soon followed and took a seat next to Caleb. She skillfully placed her index finger on her chest and traced a slow line down and along her cleavage, all the while smiling seductively at Caleb. He offered her a quick, uncomfortable nod. Anna made herself look away, focusing anywhere except on him. She examined each of the bad watercolors on the white walls, all of flowers, like she was studying them for a test. Then she turned her attention to some end tables in the corner and the fake purple orchids that had been set on top of them. Four identical flowers, each with perfectly shaped petals, lay evenly along the green plastic stems of each plant. Despite the suggestion of flowers all around them, the room smelled like Lysol.
    “Dr. Blackwell! They’re all in!” Carlene called out in a shrill voice. When she spotted him coming down the hallway, she bolted out the door. “Good Lord, they better not have made me miss that Jessica gettin’ exorcised.”
    A fifty-something man with salt-and-pepper hair and crow’s feet around his eyes walked into the room. He was dressed conservatively in a blue button-down shirt, a striped Brooks Brothers tie, and gray pleated pants. The only indication that he was a doctor was the big MD on the ID badge clipped onto his shirt pocket; he didn’t wear a white coat like the other psychiatrists.
    He sat down in the one empty chair, and Anna sighed in relief that it was two chairs away from her. She’d definitely be less noticeable to him over here. Although she hated any kind of therapy, she had to admit that Dr. Blackwell wasn’t the worst. She really wanted to like him. Why he would voluntarily subject himself to these kinds of people every day was beyond her.
    “Good afternoon, everyone,” he said cheerily as he made eye contact with each of the six faces.
    Only one woman offered a greeting back, while everyone else sat quietly.
    “I hope you all had a nice few days since our last