At Andre's office, the morning light filtered weakly through half-drawn blinds. Papers were scattered across his desk, and he was flipping through patient files for his next session when the door creaked open.
"Good morning, Dr. Andre. How are you doing?" asked Dr. Matt — a young psychologist, new to the department.
Andre looked up briefly. "Oh, hey. What can I do for you?"
"Well…" Matt hesitated, shifting awkwardly. "I actually have a little offer for you. More like — I do something for you, you do something for me. That kind of thing." He spoke quickly, avoiding Andre's eyes.
Andre's expression tightened. "And what would that be?" His tone already hinted at refusal.
Matt rubbed the back of his neck. "I have this patient… quite a difficult case. And I think — no, I know — you could really help me with it."
Andre closed the file in front of him and leaned back. "And why exactly should I help you?"
"Because…" Matt stammered, searching for words. "Because you're a good person — and it would mean a lot to a fellow doctor."
Andre's lips curved into a bitter half-smile. "I'm not a good person, Matt. And I'm not going to help you. You're a professional psychologist — your job is to be patient with your patients. Whatever the problem is, you have to handle it. And if you can't…" His eyes darkened. "Then maybe you're not cut out for this work."
The silence that followed was thick and uncomfortable.
Andre glanced toward the door. "If you have nothing else to say, please — leave my office."
Matt stood still for a moment, disappointment written all over his face. Then he gave a small nod and took a business card from his pocket.
"Alright. But in case you change your mind, here's my card." His voice was quiet now. "It's not that I'm unprofessional — I'm just human. And humans make mistakes."
He set the card gently on the desk, then turned and walked out.
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving the office in heavy silence once more. Andre stared at the card for a long moment — his jaw tight, his mind elsewhere — before the sudden ring of his phone broke the stillness.
It was Arthur.