Chapter 6: 6 – NEW FRIENDS

Brook Counseling & Therapy Clinic

July 7^th X281

 

The clinic door chimed again, interrupting the Cobblestone family session.

A woman stumbled in with a giant parasol and a worried look. When she turned around, she jumped in terror at the sight of everyone in the lobby. She clammed up and fidgeted her hands in front of her face.

“Am I early? Oh no. Did I mix up my appointment dates again? I’m so sorry,” the parasol woman said.

“No, Miss Fumblehouse, you’re right on time.” Dr. Ronaldo waved.

When Miss Garcia Fumblehouse closed her parasol, she seemed to shrink. She wore a long dress that touched her toes and had long, partially braided hair that sprang outward on both sides. Her dress had puffy shoulder pads and a massive, elegant yellow bow on her blouse. She was in her mid-twenties.

Florian smiled when she noticed Miss Fumblehouse holding a turtle. Florian jumped out of her seat and approached her.

“Hello, I’m Florian Lilly Cobblestone. Can I please pet your turtle?”

Miss Fumblehouse hesitated for a moment. “Ah, sure. His name is Sir Polyester Press Cotton the Third. Paul Three for short.”

“Hello, Pauly,” Florian said.

“Pauly’s fine,” Miss Fumblehouse said.

Florian examined the turtle. It was a box turtle with a spiral pattern on its back, taking refuge in its shell.

Miss Fumblehouse started to quiver. “Would you like to hold him?”

“Sure.”

Miss Fumblehouse plopped the turtle in Florian’s hands and tiptoed to a seat next to Dr. Ronaldo. The adults introduced themselves and conversed.

The turtle changed. Florian held a plush turtle. It had rainbow yarn stitching and soft green layers of padding. It had button eyes and detailed pockets that allowed it to tuck in its limbs.

It wasn’t a real pet turtle but a plush turtle, and it was also Miss Fumblehouse’s spirit animal. Its shape encompassed the plush. Florian had thought it was a real animal because Miss Fumblehouse was holding it. Spirits can’t be touched by people as they just pass right through them. In reality, Miss Fumblehouse had been holding a doll.

A plush turtle that turns into a real turtle when Miss Fumblehouse is holding it. What does that mean? Is there something special about the doll?

Florian shoulders slumped and she frowned slightly as she paused in thought. Her eyes met Dr. Ronaldo’s. She turned away.

The clinic door chimed open one last time.

“I know you. You’re that girl from the park.”

It was Sergeant Honest Nowell. He walked in with his slender spike spirit right behind him.

Florian retreated back to her seat and returned the plush turtle to Miss Fumblehouse.

“Oh, you know each other? Wait, the girl from the park? The one you told me about?” Dr. Ronaldo asked.

“Florian, was it?” Sergeant Nowell, standing six feet tall, saluted and bowed his head to Florian. “I wanted to thank you for your kind words the other day. I just really needed to hear them; I never expected them to come from you, but the weight was still the same, if not stronger. Thank you!”

The slender spike spirit jolted upward, shaking its bony structure, and bowed alongside the sergeant.

Dr. Ronaldo commended Sergeant Nowell.

The sergeant introduced himself properly to the Cobblestone family.

“Both Miss Fumblehouse and Sergeant Nowell visited this clinic before this town became Tarot Tori City. We first met when Dr. Steinsbrook adopted me when I was four. They’re like family to me,” Dr. Ronaldo said.

“Now that we’re all here, how about we play a card game? It is one of the best ways to get to know one another,” Dr. Ronaldo said.

“Wha? M-me too? I-I don’t think you would like it. I might ruin your game,” Miss Fumblehouse said.

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’ll be fun. You can sit beside Honest,” Dr. Ronaldo said.

Miss Fumblehouse glowed bright red as she moved her seat closer to the card table.

“Sorry if I scared you the other day. You seemed rather concerned, and I wanted to reassure you I was fine by showing you my prosthetic,” Sergeant Honest Nowell said.

Florian silently observed everyone.

There were four players: Dr. Ronaldo, Miss Fumblehouse, Sergeant Honest Nowell, and Florian.

Each spirit animal was behind or next to its corresponding partner.

The plush turtle spirit was on Miss Fumblehouse’s lap.

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The slender spike spirit sat behind Sergeant Nowell, dangling its long arms over the table.

Finally, the dark urchin spirit scuttled on the ceiling and halted right above Dr. Ronaldo.

Their souls interacted calmly with each other. The plush turtle was friendly and supportive of the slender spike. The dark urchin’s quills vibrated, releasing six threads. They dangled from the ceiling and drifted above each spirit.

“We’re all friends here. Let’s have fun. We’ll play Old Maid,” Dr. Ronaldo said.

Dr. Ronaldo dealt the deck of cards while explaining the rules to Florian. She took a liking to the game and understood quickly.

The game was relatively easy for Florian. Their souls revealed everything. The most valuable card was always guarded by their soul. The plush turtle nodded at the joker card whenever it was in Miss Fumblehouse’s hand. The dark urchin’s threads wrapped around the joker card whenever Dr. Ronaldo found out who had it. It would unravel whenever he lost track. The slender spike spirit’s fingers counted the cards on one hand as the other hand constantly pointed at the joker card’s location.

All Florian had to do was not take the joker from Sergeant Nowell.

“You won again, Flo? Wow. You’re so good at cards,” Florian’s father said.

“One more round. This time we will change up the order.” Sergeant Honest Nowell said, his eyes moving to track the cards.

Round after round went by. Florian didn’t grab the card the sergeant needed from Fumblehouse’s hand.

Florian won the game.

“One more round, reverse order. I’ll deal the cards this time,” Sergeant Nowell said.

He sat next to Florian, and she noticed he gave himself the joker, perhaps hoping whenever it was Florian’s turn, she would have a probability of grabbing the joker from his hand.

Florian’s hand hovered over the joker card, but every time she grabbed something else.

She won that game as well.

“Wow, remind me to never play poker with you. Ever. You are going to grow up to be a nightmare for gamblers,” Sergeant Honest Nowell said.

“That’s the spirit; you were really trying to win that one, weren’t you, Honest?” Dr. Ronaldo said.

“Come on, Ron, I was just playing around. I’m not mad. I’m amazed,” Sergeant Nowell said.

“No, I’m happy you got more involved. In my opinion, this group session was very successful. Don’t you agree, Florian?” Dr. Ronaldo said.

“Yeah,” Florian said.

“Would you like to stop by again?” Dr. Ronaldo asked.

“Sure.” Florian nodded.

“That’s great. I could learn a few things from you, Little Liter,” Sergeant Nowell said, high fiving Florian.

“Little Leader.” Florian had misheard Sergeant Honest Nowell. She was honored to receive such a high rank from a sergeant.

“Yay!” Miss Fumblehouse cheered. “Little Leader will stop by again. Does that make us friends?” she asked Florian.

“Yep!” Florian said.

“Hurray! Little Leader,” Miss Fumblehouse chanted.

“Little Liter,” Sergeant Honest Nowell chanted.

“You really like Sergeant Nowell? Are you two married?” Florian asked Miss Fumblehouse.

“W-w-w-what!? Where did you get that idea from? Honest, it’s not like that, I swear. Kids these days just say whatever pops up in their head.” Miss Fumblehouse was beyond flustered. Her plush turtle spirit tucked away in its shell.

Sergeant Nowell cleared his throat. Dr. Ronaldo and Florian’s parents chuckled.

“You are very observant and clever. I am truly impressed,” Dr. Ronaldo said.

“I could tell just by looking,” Florian said.

The two adjusted their glasses at the same time.

“See, we are team glasses. That means we are automatically friends,” Ronaldo said.

Florian couldn’t stop grinning.

“I look forward to speaking with you again, Florian Lilly Cobblestone,” Dr. Ronaldo said sincerely.

The Cobblestone family left the clinic satisfied. They all felt better about their situation and knew this was just the first step in their new lives.

From then on, Florian would meet with Dr. Ronaldo every week.

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