My Christmas Doctor

"A doctor? Out there in the city? You can't trust him."

"Why can't I trust him, Mom? You don't even know him."

"I know all I need to know, he's from that sin filled city!"

"Mom there is sin in every city! Even Akron."

"You hush your mouth! Akron is lovely!" She sounded exasperated. "I do wish you would come back here and settle down with Aaron! Such a lovely boy—"

"Mother! For the last time! Aaron is an abusive cheater! I will not ever be getting back together with him!"

"But he's changed, Janie. Comes to church every Sunday and hands out the Bibles. He's even serving in the soup kitchen—"

"Mom, he's only doing it to get on your good side." I rubbed the spot between my eyes where I could feel a headache starting. "Look, I need to go, I have work to do."

"Fine. But if you would come home and marry Aaron, you wouldn't have to work."

"Not going to happen, Mom. I love you. Give my love to Dad. I'll call on Saturday. Bye."

"But— well, fine then, if you don't want to talk to your own mother, I will just hang up! Goodbye!"

I could imagine if she were on a landline, she would have slammed the phone down in the cradle, instead it just clicked. Sighing, I turned off my phone and then stared at my computer screen. I was now in a seriously bad mood and I'd momentarily lost the passion to dive in and start writing. I needed something uplifting to get me back in the mood. I decided to head down to the gym and get on the treadmill. I could listen to some cheerful music and then after lunch, I would start on my writing.

After getting in a forty-five minute run, a shower and lunch, I was finally in a good enough mood to sit down and write. Smiling, I turned on some light jazz music and dove in. The words were flowing, and I was just in the middle of murdering Lara's character, who I'd named Lana, when there was a pounding at my door. Frowning, I stared at it, wondering who it could be. Everyone I knew in NYC knew that I normally wrote during the afternoon and evening and wouldn't stop by unannounced.

I got up and went to the door, peeking out the peek hole told me nothing. I jumped back as a fist pounded against the door again. "Who is it?" I asked through the door, I wasn't about to open it.

"It's me, Janie, open the fucking door!"

I took a step back, my heart racing. I knew that voice. "Go away, Aaron! What are you even doing here?"

"I came to take you back to Akron! Come on, open the door!"

"I'm calling security, Aaron! Go Away!" I hurried to my phone and turned it on, then speed dialed the front desk of the apartment building. "Hello?"

"Ms. Adams, how may I help you?"

"Sarah? I need you to send security up to my apartment. My ex-boyfriend is trying to break my door in!"

"Open the door, Janie! Come on, your neighbors are giving me funny looks! We can discuss this inside," Aaron shouted through the door.

"I will send them up right away!" Sarah replied.

"Thank you!" I said into the phone. "Security is on their way up, Aaron! You need to leave!"

"I'm not leaving without you, Janie! We belong together!"

"I'm not getting back with you, you psycho! You cheated on me and then hit me! You have to be crazy if you think I'm going back to you!"

"Come on, it was a one-time thing, I would never really hurt you, Janie!"

"You're such a liar! Go away!"

"Sir, you need to leave!"

Thank God! I thought, hearing the security people out in the hall.

"This isn't over, Jane! We are not over!"

I stood by the door, trying to listen to hear what was going on, but Aaron's voice had been fading as the guards led him away from my door. A few minutes later, there was a gentle rap on my door, and I looked out. It was one of the building's security guards, so I opened it.

"Ms. Adams?"

"Yes, thank you for dealing with him."

"We've barred him permanently from the property and posted his picture at the front desk. I am sorry you had to deal with that. I would suggest that you get a restraining order against the man, he was pretty belligerent and riled up. I wouldn't want to see him accost you off the property."

I nodded. "Thank you, I'll get the order. He doesn't even live here. He lives in Ohio."

"I see. Well, I'll let you go back in your apartment now, be sure to lock the door. We'll do our best to keep him out of the building."

"Thank you, seriously. I mean it." I went back in and locked the door, chaining it for good measure.