An Improbable Man: the Scarlet Ribbon part 5

Joanne knocked on the door tentatively. She felt worried of who might step out. After she'd returned from Afghanistan she'd found herself depressed and had trusted Doctor Melnick. She'd never met this Professor Marston woman before and she wasn't sure whether she'd be able to talk to her or not. However, Joanne had little time to walk away or even think as the door opened and a woman stepped before Joanne.

She was tall and thin with long hair of a bright, chestnut brown and a pair of sharp, calculating green eyes around which there seemed to be a shadow. She had thin, sweet lips and sharp eyebrows. Her chin was pointed, her ears were small and her hair was tied in a bun behind her head. She wore a black women's suit jacket, a blouse and a pair of trousers with black high heels and a distorted smile.

"You must be Joanne." Professor Janelle Marston said and she indicated the door while stepping inside "Please come inside."

Professor Marston disappeared inside the room and Joanne followed her in, unsure of what she might find. Joanne had been in this room many a time. Shed sat on the same sofa and seen the same walls and had casually observed the books that Doctor Melnick had kept on his bookshelf. She hadn't the slightest idea what this woman might have done to it. It could be completely different!

When Joanne entered the room her fears were confirmed.

It was still a large, rectangular room. A large window clutched onto the wall that faced the door. The wall in question, like the other four, where all cream coloured with deep brown skirting boards that seemed to remind Joanne of chocolate. The floor was of a carpet cream and was so perfect Joanne feared that if she stepped on the floor too hard it might crack and break.

In the far right corner of the room was an L shaped desk that sat quietly and faced outwards. Perched atop it was a gleaming, top of the range laptop.

A cream sofa with brown, wooden armrests sat in front of the door and facing it was matching cream armchair with the same armrests. As Joanne scanned the rest of the room she noticed that the bookshelves were gone.

Marston indicated the sofa and said "Take a seat."

Joanne did as she was told while Marston walked to her desk, took an ugly brown file out of a draw and then took a seat in the armchair. Professor Marston opened the file and briefly began to read the page at the top. After a moment or two she looked back up and said "I'm your new therapist, Joanne. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Joanne couldn't help but feel awkward. When Doctor Melnick had occupied this room it had been plush and warm and inviting. However, Professor Marston's improvements made it feel sharp and unforgiving. Joanne tried to banish the thought form her mind and did her best to focus her attention on her new therapist.

"So…" Marston began "I see that you started coming to this clinic shortly after you were medically discharged from the army. That is right isn't it?"

"Yes." Joanne replied fairly plainly.

Marston nodded, briefly looked at the file again and then spoke again "It says in your notes that you want to keep sessions going until you feel you've fully adapted to civilian life. How do you feel with civilian life at the moment?, tell me what you're doing with your life."

Joanne took a deep breath and then spoke "I've got a job."

"Oh really." Marston said with the briefest smile on her face "And how did you come by this job?"

"I'd been looking for a job for a few weeks and about a month ago I got an email from this man…" Joanne continued and briefly she found herself falling silent. But soon her voice returned and she continued "Charles Holmes. He knew I’d been in the army as a doctor and he told me that he knew I needed a job…"

Marston briefly interrupted "Do you know how he came by this information?"

Joanne faltered "Erm… no. No I don't."

The only noise Marston made was a brief, flat "hmmm."

"Anyway he told me that he had a son, Sherlock Holmes, and he's just come out of rehab, for drug use, and needed a companion to help him get from his rehab life to his normal life. Long story short I took the job and, once I'm done with Sherlock, Charles Holmes gives me £250,000 in payment."

"That's a lot of money." Marston added "However, given that you are moving from your army life to your civilian life is it a good idea for you to be trying to help someone else move from one life to another?"

"Well I'm not saying everything will go perfectly…" Joanne elaborated "But look at it this way: Sherlock and I help each other get back to our normal lives. Together."

"Interesting… interesting." Martson said " And what is Sherlock Holmes like?"

"Well I've only known him for… roughly a day and a half and we are still getting to know each other…" Joanne began "But from what he's shown me so far I'd say he's… clever. The day he met me he more or less figured out most of my life story with a quick examination of me."

"That's unlike anything I've ever heard." Marston exclaimed "I must say it boarders on extraordinary. Now tell me, how did he come by his drug addiction?"

"I… don't actually know that either." Joanne said and she suddenly heard her phone receive a text. She hastily apologised to Martson and slipped her hand into her handbag and retrieved her smartphone. She unlocked it and looked at the text.

It's Sherlock.

Get home now, there's been another one. (when I say another one I mean grizzly, bloody, nightmare inducing murder.)

I know how you feel, I'm excited about it too!

Might need assistance.

SH

"One second" Joanne said with a brief chuckle, which was not returned, and quickly typed a text back to Sherlock.

I'm busy!

I'll be back at 12.

Joanne tucked her smartphone back into her handbag and returned her attention to Marston.

She opened her mouth to speak but the only noise that emanated around the room was her text tone. And not just once but three times.

Joanne pulled her phone back from her handbag saying "Just let me make sure he's alright." and checked her texts again.

It's important, Watson!

Was the first.

The second was:

Watson, come on I need some medical expertise! And you're it!

The third caused Joanne to grit her teeth:

I hate to say it Watson but I fear that without your assistance I might be drawn to using certain substances that I should be staying away from… : (

Joanne tentatively replied:

Meet me at the house.

Joanne stuffed her phone back into her handbag and, at her own behest, stood up. With a sad nod to Marston she said "I'm really, really sorry but my client is asking for me. Can I phone and book another appointment?"

"Oh course." Marston replied with an air of understanding "You have our number, just call reception and they'll pencil you in."

"Thank you!" Joanne replied and she hurried out of the room…

To be continued