The Lake House

5|| Overcoming

Nick carefully navigated the winding road as they headed home from Dr. Benson's office.

His mind drifted, haunted by the vivid images of Lesley's visions about the drowning girl. Still, he trusted Dr. Benson's diagnosis, optimistic that Lesley would recover by adhering to the doctor's orders.

But who was Nick kidding? He knew Lesley, and she wasn't the type to easily adhere to a doctor's directives. Nick foresaw a struggle ahead. He could easily envision the difficulty of persuading Lesley to comply with Dr. Benson's aftercare instructions.

Lesley had a mind of her own, a fact well-known to everyone who knew her.

Peering out at the road ahead, he held a tight grip on the steering wheel as if his grip would heal Lesley in some mysterious way. His muscles began to tense up, and he realized his nerves were getting the best of him. He breathed delicately, in and out, trying to relax himself.

Lesley rested her head against the headrest. Her thoughts were consumed by the unnecessary visit she had just had with Dr. Benson. It didn't make sense to her, but she wanted to provide Nick with peace of mind. She found solace in the fact that both Nick and Jackie were relieved about Dr. Benson's diagnosis. It gave them a reason for why Lesley acted the way she did that day on the patio."We have a case of exhaustion here." Dr. Benson informed. His small dark eyes hid behind clumpy bi-focal eyeglasses, "You should remain on bed rest for two weeks."

He lowered his head, glancing at the white paper clipped to his wooden clipboard. Then, reaching into the front pocket of his white coat, he pulled out a blue pen and scribbled down his recommended aftercare instructions.

"Also, be sure to drink at least six glasses of water daily." Dr. Benson added before he unclipped the paper from his clipboard and handed it to Lesley.

Lesley's eyes shifted down to the paper.

Aftercare Instructions: Drink 8 ounces of water at least six times daily.Sleep and lie in bed uninterrupted for two weeks—no guests or visitors, no driving, no work, and limit television and technology to just a few hours a day.

Lesley knew she couldn't adhere to Dr. Benson's ridiculous aftercare instructions. She immediately planned to open up her photography business in Arcaden as soon as she got home.

"Please follow my instructions. You'll feel better in no time." Dr. Benson smiled," And when you get better, I suggest you take up Yoga or another form of exercise. It'll help," Dr. Benson smiled, "Any questions for me?"

Lesley shook her head. She had already been taking yoga, but maybe she needed to immerse herself deeper in it.

Bending her head, she once again stared down at the instructions clutched in her hands. She found herself in a daze, perplexed by the necessity of resting for two weeks. It didn't make sense to her since she didn't feel unwell or fatigued.

"Well then, I'll see you in two weeks. Take care." Dr. Benson turned around, making his way toward the door. He gripped the door handle and twisted it, opening up the door.

"Dr. Benson?" Lesley blurted, stopping him before he could step outside of the room.

He turned back around, meeting Lesley's gaze.

"Yes, Lesley?"

"Does it have to be two weeks? Can I be on bed rest for one week? I honestly don't feel bad at all." Lesley asked with desperation in her voice.

Dr. Benson used his pointer finger to push his eyeglasses further upon his nose.

"I'm afraid not. Two weeks is best. And you may not feel exhausted, but you have displayed the symptoms from what I've gathered." Dr. Benson walked towards Lesley, placing his hand on her shoulder, "You'll be fine. I promise."

Lesley's mouth curved down into a frown, "Okay." she replied solemnly.

Dr. Benson walked back to the door and stepped outside. He delicately closed the door behind him.

Lesley rolled her eyes up at the ceiling, "Great!" she muttered sarcastically to herself. She then hopped off the examination table and returned to the waiting room. She spotted Nick sitting on a gray chair, his head down, scrolling through his phone.

"Hey," Lesley called out to Nick.

Nick immediately stood up, placing his phone into the pocket of his jeans, "How did everything go?" he held onto the sides of Lesley's arms.

"Let's discuss this on the way to the car." Lesley strolled to the beige-colored door with the red exit sign hanging above it. She pulled it open, and the warm Autumn air stroked her face. Nick followed closely behind.

"According to Dr.Benson, I'm suffering from exhaustion," Lesley declared, holding up the aftercare instructions. Nick slowly took it from her hand, his head bending down as he read it. Then, his chestnut brown eyes met Lesley's gaze.

"We have to get you home so you can rest," Nick insisted. "And I'll have to call Jackie to let her know you'll be fine. She was worried about you before she left."

Lesley rolled her eyes.

While they walked, Nick halted in his path to call Jackie. Dialing her number, he then placed the phone to his ear.

"It's ringing," Nick announced as Lesley froze in her tracks. Seeing the area, Lesley noticed they were surrounded by vibrant green shrubs and perfectly trimmed lawns, with a playground just outside Dr. Benson's office. She glanced around once more, soaking in the quiet and calm of her new small town. It was a world apart from the constant chaos of New York City, where she'd lived most of her life.

Jackie finally answered.

"Hey Jackie, it's Nick! How's it going?" Nick greeted as he spoke into the phone. A smile slowly grew on his face. Lesley could vaguely hear what Jackie was saying on the other end.

"I just wanted to let you know that Lesley will be fine. She is slightly exhausted, just as we had suspected." Nick nodded as if Jackie could see him.

"I'll let her know. Thanks." Nick removed the phone from his ear and placed it back into his pocket.

"What'd she say?" Lesley asked as she wrapped her brown knitted sweater around her waist.

"She's glad you're better and wishes you well," Nick replied compassionately.

Maybe it is slight exhaustion, Lesley thought. But Lesley knew the girl she saw in the lake was not part of this exhaustion diagnosis. The girl was real.

Nick veered down the narrow road, staring at the yellow lines ahead, ensuring he stayed in his lane. He reached down, pressing the Bluetooth button on the dashboard. Music sliced through the silence, and he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, vibing to the rhythm as the musical tunes played out in the car.

Lesley gazed out the window, her eyes tracing the familiar contours of the trees and mountains as they drove along the scenic mountain range. Even though she had seen Dr. Benson, she couldn't shake the image of the girl from her mind.

Dr. Benson's reassurance that nothing was seriously wrong with her brought immense relief. He attributed her mysterious sightings to stress, stemming from the new home purchase and their recent move to a new town, aligning it with her diagnosis of exhaustion.

Nick lowered the sound of the music, pressing his thumb down on the volume button, and the tunes slowly disappeared from their ears.

"I'm glad Dr. Benson didn't find anything significant," Nick said, peering at Lesley and then back at the road ahead. "I mean, it's just stress. So when we get home, I want you to go to bed. I'll make you a cup of chamomile tea. That should help you rest." Nick smiled while veering the car down the winding road.

Lesley knew Nick just wanted to help, but she did not intend to lie in bed. Instead, she yearned to venture into the forest across the lake and search for clues indicating a girl was out there. However, she was aware that she couldn't do it with Nick around. She planned to wait until later in the day when Nick ventured off to his father's house in New York City. That would be the perfect opportunity.