Lauren, I'm not forcing you—"

"But if I split early you'll fink, right?"

"Look," I said, "it's a matter of twenty minutes. As long as you're here, why not make good use of the time?"

I expected protest, but she sat there, pouting. "That's not fair. I told you everything. There's nothing wrong with me."

"I'm not saying there is, Lauren."

"So what's the point?"

"I'd like to learn more about you—"

"I'm not worth learning about, okay? My life's boring, I already told you that." She ran her hands over her torso. "This is it, all of me, nothing exciting."

I let several seconds pass. "Lauren, is everything really going as well as it could for you?"

, black lashes, reached into the purse again, and extricated a pack of Virginia Slims.

When she produced a lighter, I shook my head.

"Oh, c'mon."

"Sorry."

"How can you do that? People coming here all stressed out. Don't they complain—wasn't Jane climbing the walls? She's a chimney."

"Mostly I see kids and teens," I said. "People manage."

"Kids and teens." She gave a short, cold laugh. "Every teen I know smokes. Are you allergic or something?"

"Some of my patients are."

"So why does everyone have to suffer because of a few? That's not democracy."

"It's consideration," I said.

"Fine." She jammed the pack back into the purse. "How much time left now?"