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Offering a hand feels natural. Paula is, after all, a dear colleague. She’s never seen her this hurt, Elizabeth thinks, watching the woman pace. She’s usually calm, collected, able to handle everything. She’s not right now and Elizabeth can tell this one hurts.
“I could always help you?”
“How? It’s not…”
“Refer her to me… or him. You don’t have to be caught in the middle.”
“He’d take it personally…”
“Then her.”
“She’d break…”
A pause, then a breath.
“How would you handle it?”
“Lock them in the same room and leave them to it.”
Elizabeth shrugs then sighs.
“If you can’t do that… one of them needs to move on.”
Later, much later, Paula curls herself into Elizabeth’s arms and rests, finally sure of her next step.
“Maybe we could… co consult?”
“Sure.”
Elizabeth smiles as she agrees, stroking a light hand through Paula’s hair lightly.
“If it’ll help.”