Chapter 7

As soon as the door closed and Klaire and Casey left, Ava leaned forwards against her desk. Her hands digging into the edge of the table. Tears escaped her eyes and rolled her the bruise, making her even more aware of it. In all of her years of dealing with difficult people, never in her life had she been disrespected like this.

To be humiliated like this in her own workplace. How could she ever live this down? Luckily it was a private affair but who knew what Klaire would do when they left. She could go to the internet and shame her and tell everyone about the incident.

A small sob escaped her mouth and her hands shook, her tears splashed on the top of the desk. The silence of the toom mocked her as the scene replayed in her head over and over again. She knew that she should have not taken them as clients. All people like that do is bring trouble.

Some time passed before there were rapid footsteps approaching the room and she guessed it was her receptionists. After seeing the couple leaving early for the second time they would obviously want to know what happened.

Ava stood up and wiped the tears away just as the door opened but she could not hide the fact that something was wrong. Both of their faces dropped upon seeing her and they both rushed to her side in an instant.

"What did they do?" Emily asked horrified. She grasped Ava's face and wiped her tears away.

"This is the last straw. They should no- what's that on your face?!" May exclaimed.

The girls both looked at Ava's cheek. It took a second for it to click.

"That motherfucking bitch!" May shouted. "I'm going to kill her. She's gone too far."

She turned to leave the room but Ava held out her hand and pulled her back.

"Don't make a bigger deal out of this. I won't be taking them anymore so it should just be squashed here."

"How can you let them get away with this. You should press charges and get her ass thrown in jail." Emily declared.

"Over a slap?"

"I'm sure hitting a psychologist had some weight to it other than it just being downright wrong."

Ava shook her head and held onto both girls. "Let's just go upstairs and calm down from all of this."

The fifth floor was Ava's personal floor. She used it to wind down and relax when she did not want to go home. There was also a place for her receptionists and secretary to relax. It was completely different from the rest of the building. She wanted her own special touch to it so that she didn't think that she was still in her office.

They all went up to the floor and to Ava's room. It looked just like a normal bedroom and she was glad that she had thought about it in the past. It was her perfect comfort in a time like this. There was a bed to the wall and a fluffy carpet next to it. A TV was opposite the bed and it was on top of a chest of drawers. There was a desk to the left and a window.

Ava was seated on the bed and May was comforting her. Emily went to find some ointment to apply to her cheek.

"What happened?"

"You know I can't tell you." Ava sniffed.

"Oh come on. Just tell me the statement. It should be ok right." May coaxed her.

Ava sighed. "I said that I think that she does not apologize to Casey."

May froze. "That's it."

Ava nodded and May's face showed even more confusion.

"That's what all of this is about? Stating the obvious is not a reason for you to feel like that." she sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. "That problematic bitch."

"Don't say that."

"It's true. She is a bitch. I know you knew that from day one. But because you're here to help her you won't say it."

"I'm not supposed to talk about clients behind their backs. Especially when it's the bad stuff."

"She isn't a client anymore. And it's not to say you're counseling is finished. She lost the right and so who cares if we call her out. She is a bitch."

Emily returned with the ointment and sat on the bed next to Ava. he grasped her face gently in her hand in applied the ointment.

"What'd I miss?"

Agitated, May told her everything they talked about and that also caused Emily to be upset. Ava sighed as she listened to both of the girls go on and on about how much a bad person Klaire is and why her relationship is going to fail and how sorry they feel for Casey.

"It's partially his fault too. He decided that it was a good idea to come to you. He should have known that it was all going to fall apart." May said.

"It sucks that you had to deal with that. I wish you could have done something more useful. But it's not like you can get your time back."

"Exactly, so just move on and forget about them. You are the great Ava Maddison. You have so many other people who could fill their spot in a heartbeat."

"That bitch does not deserve your tears." Emily wiped the tears from Ava's face.

Ava smiled. She felt better after listening to them. They were always here to cheer her up when she had any problems. Whether that be with work or her personal life. She remembers how they gave her a rant/lecture about her dating guys and about how they just used her for her name and skills.

"Those two are gone now so just focus on your other clients. They were both going to break up with or without your therapy. That was how bad their relationship was."

"Yeah, you can't fix something that was never whole, to begin with."

Ava smiled and chuckled. "I didn't know what to do with the two of them. Klaire is dangerous and no relationship would work out with her unless she got the proper therapy to help with her behaviors."

"And since she's too dull to seek help. She's basically a lost cause."

"Alright, I get it." Ava nodded. "I should go home. Life does not stop just because I want it to."

They all got up from the bed and walked towards the door. Emily opened it and as soon as she did, there was a thump and then something big flashed in front of her eyes. Ava's heart leaped and Emily screamed. Outside of the room was Casey, he had fallen on the floor and lay on there as he looked at her.

"I- I- I didn't mean to scare you." he scrambled to his feet.

"What are you doing here?!" May demanded, walking past Ava and standing in front of him, blocking his view of her.

"Well, I came to look for Ava." he peered around May.

Ava ducked her head and turned around so that he would not see her face. Her cheeks burned at the thought of him seeing her like that just because she got slapped. She was a grown woman, she should not be crying just because of that.

"Now is not a good time. And you should not be up here in the first place. What gives you the right to go snooping around?" Emily snapped at him.

"Go back down before I have to call security." May threatened.

Ava still didn't turn around even though she could feel his burning gaze on her neck. If Casey was up here then could he have heard their conversation. Her face heated up even more. She knew she was not supposed to participate in gossip or any sort of talk like that but she did it anyway. But what could he do? Go online and trash talk her because of it Then it would be revealed that Klaire had slapped her and all the heat would go on them and her anger would be justified.

"Can I just speak to Ava? I want to apologize about earlier." he insisted.

Ava turned her head slightly to look at him. A look of hope sparked on his face when their eyes met. But that didn't mean that she was going to talk to him.

"She has nothing to say to you. An apology won't fix anything and she definitely won't take you back if that's what you're thinking. Ava is done providing service to you and your little girlfriend. So you should leave."

He looked at her as if waiting for her to save him but Ava only shook her head and turned away once more.

"Come on. Let's go." May turned and grabbed onto Ava's arm, pulling her past Casey and going down the hallway.

"Get out before this becomes physical." she heard Emily threaten.

"But I- I want your help- I want to break up with Klaire. She's gone too far this time."

May faltered in her steps and Ava stopped. The temptation to look back was strong but she kept her composure.

"Don't take him on." May insisted.

"Please," Casey called.

Ava sighed and shook her head. She should not have gotten involved with them and she was not going to anymore.

"That's not my problem anymore. Figure it out yourself," she said without turning around.

May looked behind them with a glare and then they both kept on walking.