Suzie’s House 200 : Who to Talk to

“But you wouldn’t do that, would you, Gene?” Tracy looked like she might cry. “You wouldn’t. You just… wouldn’t.”

“No. I wouldn’t,” Gene said, answering Tracy’s question without actually meeting her eyes.

While everyone else at the table relaxed, and Tracy laughed in relief, Suzie continued to watch Gene.

“Then what did you mean, Gene?”

From the way everyone startled, Gene, Tracy, Ben, and Lisa must have forgotten Suzie was there. Amazing how you could be right in the middle of something and go unnoticed.

”I just meant that Tracy is only my girlfriend for as long as she’s with me. I mean, I thought she was going to be gone already. It’s just a matter of time. Then she’s gone.”

“Oh please.” Tracy rolled her eyes upward. “Does it look like I’m going anywhere any time soon?”

Gene bristled, but before he could lash out, Suzie stepped in.

“Gene, come here. I want to talk to you.” Suzie led the way to her office.

“What’s the matter, Mrs. H?”

Suzie closed the door, then moved to the chair behind her desk before she answered. He already sat in the chair set against the wall. She leaned forward to look him in the eye.

“Gene, I think you may have a problem.”

“Huh.” He laughed without humor. “Only one?” His smile was wry.

“Yeah, at the moment I think it’s just the one. Gene, do you have any idea how badly you hurt Tracy’s feelings just now?”

“I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.”

“You man not have lied, but talking about your relationship with your girlfriend as if it didn’t have a chance to last isn’t the best way to make it work out. Consider that she went to some effort to stay here just so she could be with you.”

“Huh. Yeah. But why? I don’t get it.”

Suzie sighed in exasperation. “She loves you.”

“Hah, that couldn’t be it.” Gene shook his head. “I mean she likes me and all but…. Hey. How did you know she hadn’t gone home. You weren’t surprised at all when she walked in.”

“I had a suspicion when she started talking about how unstable her mother’s life is right now, and hinting that maybe her aunt wouldn’t kick her out too soon.”

“Oh.”

Had he really not noticed? Well, be that as it may, Suzie had other concerns.

“Gene, I think maybe you need to talk to someone about it – about your father and mother I mean. Especially about your mother.”

“Talk to someone? You mean, like a shrink?”

“Not necessarily, although if you’d like to, I’ll be glad to arrange that for you.” Actually, she didn’t know the first thing about finding a therapist for him, but presumably the social worker who had set up the foster care relationship between Suzie and Gene would be able to help.

Gene stood up abruptly, swearing as he did.

“I don’t need a shrink! I’m not crazy!”

“I didn’t say you were.”

“But you think I’m wrong about my mother, don’t you? That’s why you want me to talk to someone?”

That was exactly what Suzie thought, but didn’t dare agree right this moment.

The door swung open, creaking slowly on hinges she thought she’d oiled recently enough, but must not have. Tracy stood in the doorway. She smiled a hopeful, vulnerable smile.

“You could always talk to me,” she said.

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