✅ Potty Genius [NaNoWriMo 2022]

Sixteen

¿Did the hypnotist cure you?

I had high hopes as I walked down the stairs. Somehow, knowing that they could help me completely changed the atmosphere of the place. It no longer seemed gloomy and just a little bit creepy. The dim bulb seemed run-down, sure, but that was just because they didn't want to waste money on a brighter one. It did everything that it needed to do.

This time, I reached the bottom to find Britney sitting at her desk facing the door, although it still took her a second to acknowledge me. This time, her attention was fully on the object in her hands; some kind of logic puzzle. The kind of thing where you have to twist it in just the right way to separate two complex interlocked rings.

"Oh, hi!" she said, after I'd been standing in the doorway for a couple of seconds. "I... You know, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say now. I mean, if we had a staff introduction booklet, it would probably tell me to ask everyone who comes in how we can help you. But I already know why you're here, you know? But if I just say I'll tell Dr Abbott you're here, that might sound too informal. This is the kind of stuff they never teach you in Business Management 201."

"You got a business degree?" I asked, before realising that was even more unprofessional. "I mean... It's probably easier if you act like a friend, if the person seems like they'd appreciate it. Do you call me a patient, or a customer? I don't really know if this is a medical thing or not."

"We've been going with 'subject'," she said, and smirked just a little. "But we put 'client' on the paperwork. And yeah, I guess it's going to be a little less formal than it should be. You're the first actual client since we moved here, and all the online ones, and the people we worked with in Moistville, were kind of friends already. So it's weird having to be professional now. You think small talk would make you feel more comfortable with the process?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "For me, at least. Thinking of you two as people rather than a doctor and the doctor's assistant. Makes it easier to talk, because I don't have to feel so guilty about doing something stupid. I mean..."

"I think I know what you mean. And I'm glad you felt like you could trust us enough to come here. Maybe you're the first one who's going to start this word-of-mouth tsunami to make the business take off."

"I'll try. But don't get your hopes too high, I won't even be living here too long. I'm off to Moistville myself in a couple of weeks, you know? Studying population diversity during the European renaissance. I really hope I can get a job in that when I graduate."

There was a moment of silence, before we both exploded in laughter at the same moment. It seemed like we'd connected easily enough, and I really hoped that would turn out to be a good sign.

"So..." I mumbled, not sure what I was supposed to say. Were we waiting for the hypnotist to be ready, or did I need to wait a couple of minutes for the actual time on my appointment email?

"So! We had your first session scheduled for today, right? Can you wait a second, I'll just see if Dr Abbott is ready for you." I just nodded, and sat in the reception area while she went through to the back. I tried not to pay attention as I heard her voice drifting through before the door closed: "Theo? Hurry up and get changed, remember you've got a session today..."

I don't know why, but her maternal tone conjured up images of the scenes behind that door, with Britney helping the doctor into a respectable outfit for interacting with patients. It brought a little smile to my face when I imagined her lazing about in sweat pants in the back room until a client came in, and then having to get changed in a hurry. Just like I would, I guessed. If I could learn the hypnosis stuff, I would probably be doing exactly the same. So feeling a lot safer, I let myself focus on my phone for a while, picking outfits for Baby Adrica as I speculated on what Dr Abbott would be wearing when she was finally ready to hypnotise me.