Drew Pearson kept his gaze focused on his patient’s eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was make Rick feel uncomfortable by training his attention on the man’s hands. It was important to make sure patients felt respected and validated while they delivered news, good or ill, about themselves. The man sitting across from Drew was in his early sixties, bald on top, white hair on the sides of his head trimmed so close to the scalp that pink skin was visible beneath. The lower half of his face was covered with white stubble, and his eyes were tinged an unhealthy yellow. The residents at Oak Grove Wellness Clinic were encouraged to wear regular clothes so they didn’t feel like stereotypical mental patients, but Rick Johansen had been institutionalized for a good part of his adult life, and he felt more comfortable wearing clothing that resembled hospital gowns: a loose gray T-shirt, blue sweats, and slippers. He sat in a chair opposite Drew’s, his right leg crossed over his left, foot bouncing nervously.
