Lucinda saw Yuri in her dreams. "Wake up, wake up, your phone is ringing," Yuri said sleepily. Lucinda was puzzled as to why and how Yuri jumped on the bandwagon to be in her dreams, and why Yuri also looked sleepy.
Turning around, Lucinda pinched Yuri's face, saying in a slurry, "You're just a dream, don't disturb me.". Yuri woke up fully from her sleep. She slapped Lucinda on her back till she woke up from her sleep.
"What?" Lucinda asked grumpily, confused about why Yuri had slapped her instead of waking her up like a normal person.
"Are you still in a dream now? Your phone is ringing," Yuri said as she drifted back to sleep. Lucinda wanted to make a comeback, but she couldn't think of any valuable words since her brain was still booting. In shock at the slap, she reached to the bedside table and picked up her phone to check who had called. It wasn't a phone call, but a reminder that she needed to book a therapy session. She'd forgotten all about it yesterday... Stretching out from feeling so stiff, she yawned and got out of bed, heading to the bathroom to book her therapy session, not wanting Yuri to hear her conversation.
As she stepped into the bathroom, she shut the door without a sound and opened the tap. She then took out her phone and looked through her notes, looking for the contact information of the therapy centre. Once she found it, she saved the number into her contacts and made the call.
The phone rang while Lucinda waited for them to pick up the call; she pretended like she was doing something in the bathroom. She purposely threw the toothpaste cover on the sink, which made a slight sound...
"Hello," came a feminine voice through the phone. Lucinda immediately picked up her phone at the edge of the bathtub.
"Hi, good morning, my name is Lucinda and is it possible that I can book an appointment for the afternoon?" she asked in an almost whisper-like voice.
"Let me check if that'll be possible," the person replied. Lucinda could hear the sounds of a computer keypad through the phone. She waited for a few minutes before the person finally got back to her....
"2:30 is available, so you can book it then," she said.
"OK, that'll be fine with me," replied Lucinda.
"Sorry, miss uh?" asked the person on the other line.
"Miss Hayashi Lucinda."
"OK, done." Then she cut the line....
After a while in the bathroom, Lucinda washed up and brushed her teeth. She came out wrapped up in a towel, her hair damp from the steam from the hot shower she just had, going over to the wardrobe, she takes out a pair of shorts and a white tank top, today was a day off for both she and Lucinda, they always rotated the staff at their bakery, she was really glad because of this and also need the rest, her muscles were starting to get stiff from the amount of customers she served yesterday, going to lay down back on the bed she drags a portion of the blanket from under Yuri, mumbling on how Yuri always rolls in bed....
Pushing Yuri away to the other side, she got all tucked in and took out a book from her bedside drawer that she had been wanting to read. Lucinda had gotten through three chapters when she fell asleep again, unconsciously letting the novel drop on the floor beside the bed...
***
By the time she woke up it was already 1:45 pm, she looked at the time on her phone; she jumped out of bed, realising that she was behind time and she needed to hurry up and get dressed, 'good thing I'd taken a bath around 7:30am,' she muttered to herself, pulling on a skirt, and a cropped shirt, using her hand to comb through her untamed hair, she takes a ribbon and ties her hair, also looking around the room for her purse and her train pass, she'd gotten them and also tied her hair up into a ponytail, she walked to the stairs but paused for a brief minute, when she heard Yuri's voice streaming from the parlor, laughing at what she was watching, she held onto the stair rails, stretching, to be able to see if she'd also hear her mothers voice... She heard no sound, carrying her shoes along with her she tiptoed all the way to the back door, before closing the door slowly, the time had far been spent, when she checked her phone it was already 1:55 pm, she had no choice but to call a taxi, there was a mild traffic but she finally got there...
***
Lucinda rushed into the building. "Hi, Lucinda Hayashi," she said. The receptionist looked up at her briefly.
"Take a seat while I check," replied the receptionist. She sounded so dull. Lucinda saw a couple of free seats and chose the one close to the wall, and she sat down. She checked the time on her phone. It was already 2:26 pm. At least she was on time rather than being late. Her phone vibrated while she was waiting. A message had been sent to her on line by Yuri;
Dorama no hiroin (drama queen) : Where are you right now??
Majo (witch): went out
Dorama no hiroin: why didn't you at least tell me you're heading out, I'm all alone, you don't love me enough to take me with you
Majo: fake ass, do you need anything?
Dorama no hiroin: Your time and love, obviously
Majo: K for clown, go get a boyfriend hunny and you don't need anything so bye
Dorama no hiroin: I always knew you hated me, majo (witch), anyway get some snacks, my stash has run dry and don't forget the seaweed salted chips as well.
Majo: This is why you're my favourite clown. Only clowns can eat weird snacks
Dorama no hiroin: typing.....
"Miss Lucinda Hayashi?" the receptionist called out. Lucinda looked up from her phone. Yuri was still typing. She switched off her phone and headed towards the receptionist.
"I'm Lucinda."
"OK, you can go in now, the door is on your right," the receptionist instructed. As Lucinda glanced at her name tag, it read Tanaka in bold black words, she took note of the name, and when she reached the door, she was about to knock when she heard a woman's voice through the crack of the door, a voice that sounded flirtatious and light... She knew she had to start this now or never, so she braced herself and knocked, knowing there was no point in going back. Suddenly, the door opened and Lucinda saw a woman who looked young, Lucinda thought she might be the same age as her. She had her hair tied in a bun, with only a few strands laying lightly on her shoulder, and she wore a white gown. Her makeup was light....
She looked at Lucinda before shouting out, "Haru, you have a patient. I'm leaving, bye," she said in the most feminine voice Lucinda had ever heard. Lucinda moved to the side to let the woman pass before entering the office and taking a seat on one of the empty chairs quite far from the desk.
"Sorry about that," a voice came from behind Lucinda. Haru stood in front of a cabinet. He was leafing through some files, his glasses lying gently on the bridge of his nose. Closing the cabinet, he looked at Lucinda and smiles.
"Hi, I'm Doctor Matsuo Haru or you can just call me Dr. H like every other patient calls me," He said, smiling weirdly, which kind of creeped Lucinda out.
"Lucinda Hayashi."
Haru sat down on a chair close to Lucinda. He brought his notepad out, looking at her to start narrating her life story or to share something. This is what every other of his patients does, but there was something different about Lucinda. She looked back at Haru, not saying anything; she didn't know what to say or how to start.
Haru starred at her before dropping his notepad. " So I'm guessing this is your first time coming for therapy, well I need you to say what's wrong before I can say anything, I can't guess what's wrong with you by just looking at you, I know I'm handsome, but I'm not psychic," he explained, cracking a little joke to get Lucinda to smile a bit, it actually worked because Lucinda had loosened up a bit, she'd only nodded her head to what he'd said, Lucinda opened her mouth but no words came out, so she shut them and continued to stare at Haru.....
Haru was starting to get frustrated. "We'll do it this way. I'll ask questions and you'll reply. Are you okay with that?" It seemed like a fair deal to Lucinda, so she nodded her head in response.