Chapter 194: A Child Again

Charlotte I was suddenly fifteen again. Dr. Whitman was much younger then, and I remembered her, pregnant at the time, looking at me with a curious expression. She shouldn’t have been pregnant, given her age—close to fifty—but she’d referred to it as a miracle baby. "I understand that you are here for a full psychiatric evaluation," she said, her tone neutral. "Fifteen and already going into college. That’s impressive." Her expression was serious, devoid of the warmth one might expect. I was scared, but I forced a smile. "Don’t let this face scare you, sweetheart," she said, lowering her glasses and leaning forward. "I’m very well-intentioned, despite what the old rules say about people like me." She stood up and walked toward me, then lowered herself to the table’s edge. "I have a medical condition," she explained. "I can’t smile as much as I’d like, nor can I laugh freely. Fortunately, this serious face has kept many suitors away, if you know what I mean. They say 'smile to a