Chapter 16: The Call for Help
The next morning, the heavy oak doors of Arthur’s study remained open. He sat at his desk, but the financial reports were pushed to the side. In front of him was a leather-bound Rolodex and a notepad. He had spent the early hours of the morning making a different kind of executive decision.
He dialed a number he had been given years ago by a school counselor—a number he had previously thrown in the trash. When the receptionist answered, Arthur spoke with a newfound clarity. "Yes, my name is Arthur Pendelton. I need to schedule an appointment with Dr. Evans. For my son. And... and for myself. We need family counseling."
It was the hardest phone call he had ever made, a surrender of his ego. But as he hung up the receiver, the suffocating weight in his chest felt a fraction lighter. The ghosts of the mansion were finally going to be addressed.
