Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 91149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91149 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Do you need more money?”
She sighs. “The rate hasn’t changed. That isn’t the issue.”
“Then what is it? I am a busy man.”
“Tanaka is progressing well.” She fidgets with the hem of her blazer while she repeats the speech she’s prepared for me. “There have been setbacks, of course, which is only natural, but she’s doing much better. She is fully invested in the nutritional aspect of her meals and has been interested in learning the new program the nutritionist has set up for her.”
“So what is the problem?” I repeat.
“We can only do so much,” Sarah says. “Tanaka needs a support system outside of her medical professionals. If you truly want her to recover, I think it will give her the best chance.”
My foot beats an anxious tempo beneath the desk. “What would you suggest?”
“Tanaka has lived under a unique set of circumstances for the duration of her life. Essentially, she has never experienced basic human rights of passage. She has never dated a boy or gone to the movies or walked through a park on her own. Her schooling further isolated her, and even in her ballet company, she was kept separate from the other dancers. There is a deep sorrow inside her that she hides well, but it’s there. Every aspect of her life has been outside her control. Everything but her food and her dancing. It’s no surprise that she has taken them to the extreme.”
I lean forward, propping my elbows against the desk. “So she is starving herself to prove that she can?”
“It’s not really that black and white.” Sarah frowns. “But yes. Her ability to control something in her own way is a huge thing for her. The root of her issue is fear. In her mind, she thinks if she gains weight, she will lose what’s most important to her, which is dancing.”
“Her dancing career is over,” I say. “The doctors have told her as much. She is finished.”
“Then she will need to accept that in her own time. It’s too much for her to grasp right now. But in time, I am confident she will understand her limitations. The brace has been removed, and she is very excited about the prospect of exercising again.”
“Limited exercise,” I amend.
“Of course,” Sarah agrees. “Within reason. She understands she is being granted small freedoms but could lose them should she step out of bounds. Which brings me to my point. She needs something else to occupy her time. She mentioned she feels isolated here, and I believe it’s contributing to her obsessive state.”
“I told her to find another hobby.”
“Hobbies are good.” Sarah nods. “But making her feel useful, making her feel human, that’s important too. Perhaps what would be beneficial is for her to socialize more with you and your staff.”
I blink at her, still trying to wrap my head around how it came to this. Tanaka is not on holiday here. She is a prisoner. The doctor is well aware of her circumstances, and she freely accepted the payment for her services, but now she is trying to change the rules.
“It isn’t the way we do things. You could spend more time with her. I’ll pay you extra.”
“I’m afraid my schedule won’t allow it,” she says.
Well, fuck. What makes her think mine does?
“I’ll consider it,” I say, mostly to appease her.
She looks skeptical. “Just a suggestion … Tanaka longs for a taste of the real world, but she also fears it. Perhaps you could take her on the occasional outing if you find the time. Having a safety net to fall back on will help her.”
Safety net? I am the furthest thing from Tanaka’s safety net. Now this crackpot of a doctor is adding outings to the agenda. I grunt a response and tell her I have work to do.
Sarah leaves, and I stare at the monitor. I’ve been careful to avoid it because I don’t need to know the details of her sessions.
But now I want to.
“Are you busy?”
The rumble of Nikolai’s voice startles me. I was so absorbed in my stretches that I didn’t hear him enter the gym. With only an hour per day to exercise, I’m forced to make the most of it. His interruption is a hindrance, but I’m also curious about the sudden appearance, considering he hasn’t been to see me in weeks.
He’s dressed like he just came in from outside, wearing his black leather jacket and flat cap. The slight tint of pink on his cheeks betrays cold weather, but I can only imagine it myself. The seasons have changed since my arrival, but I have not left the walls of the fortress since.
“I’m stretching,” I tell him. “I still have thirty minutes.”
“I have no intention of cutting your time short, Nakya.” He bends down to dispose of the shopping bags in his hands. “But I brought something that might be of use to you.”