Demons on her Shoulder

Chapter 3

Chapter 3“Night, Sal.” Jayden waved to the receptionist as she closed her office door, locked it and walked towards the ill-fitting glass exit. Sal waved back with enthusiasm, blonde hair bobbing on a pale face. She nodded towards Campion’s closed door.

“He’s still in his four o’clock session,” she said, her face drawing into a frown. “He’s not great at time keeping, but do you think I should disturb him? What if he’s having problems?”

Jayden narrowed her eyes at the office door next to hers and shook her head. “At six feet four and a black belt, he isn’t physically out of his depth. And he’d always buzz for help if things got out of hand.” He hadn’t yet, not in eight years of working there. Japanese genetics blended with the frame of a football line-backer made him an interesting combination of distinctive, powerful features. A gentle giant. Jayden shook her head and lowered her voice. “He’s fine. His client is the little old lady who does the flowers. Hang around if you’re worried but he’ll walk out looking mystified to see you.” She turned towards the doors and took a grateful step forward.

“Jayden! I’m glad I caught you!”

“You didn’t!” Jayden administered her brusque retort without turning. “I’ve finished for the day.”

“Yes, but wait. I need to see you.” The vicar let the interconnecting door swing closed and waddled to reach her before she got to the exit and took flight like a slender blackbird. “About before, you’re the counsellors, not me. These people are your responsibility.”

Jayden turned her lithe body in his direction, giving him her full attention. Long dark curls cascaded down her back in boisterous waves. Her startling green eyes bore into his florid face as she waited. Jayden schooled her body language into aggressive lines and angles, not wanting the vicar any nearer. The force of her presence dented his determined stride and gave her the break she needed. Jayden took a step backwards and wagged her finger at him. “Your behaviour is unprofessional. The bishop assured us you’d respect our appointment schedule after his meeting with you.” Jayden spread her hands wide. “Yet, here we are again. I can’t work like this, Reverend McLean.”

The vicar gulped and his penguin-like attire fluttered around his solid frame. His feet shifted on the grotty tiles and his hands writhed together. “It won’t happen again,” he lied. “I’d rather you didn’t quit on us. The congregation of St Jude’s is in your debt.”

Jayden’s lips parted to deliver her biting conclusion, her teeth gritting through the words. “In the future, you must deal with initial appointments yourself. Take basic details and refer the client to us. We’ll decide which of us is best able to help them. What you did today was unprofessional! Marching the poor girl and her parents in here like that and forcing Cam to see them was cruel. He had clients waiting in reception and now he’s missed a couple’s counselling session. It put me in danger when the wife turned nasty. The bishop explained your duty of care to us. I thought you understood.”

Jayden punctuated her sentence with a well-timed finger jab and watched the astonishment in the vicar’s flaccid face turn to guilt. She milked the moment, tired of his cowardice in the face of his parishioners’ misery. “I’ll tell my supervisor about this and she may involve the interim bishop again. But I can’t work in these conditions. The Catholic Church office is advertising for counsellors. We don’t have to stay here.”

“But the girl was pregnant! At thirteen! I couldn’t deal with her. It’s disgusting!” The vicar leaned forward, his chins wobbling. Jayden raised her hand as though in self-defence.

The receptionist tuned in to their conversation with renewed interest. She added her opinion to the mix, calling from behind her desk as she zipped up her purse. “They’re a nice family; we can’t all control our kids.” Her arms waved around either side of her head. “And we can’t afford to lose any more counsellors, Vicar. We started with four and you’ve upset two of them so they left. The new bishop will go mad when he gets here if you chase Jayden away as well!”

“No, he won’t.” The vicar looked smug, his lips turning up in an uncharacteristic grin. “We’re very good friends, the former bishop and I. He still has some influence over what happens in the diocese.”

“I’m not discussing it now. I’m going home.” Losing patience, Jayden strutted through the glass doors and into the winter evening, aware the vicar stared after her with his hands on his hips.