[He's trying to be even keeled about this but he is deeply disturbed]
I'm not comfortable with how he treats his patients. Or the fact that he backpedals so hard when he's called on something that he insists he's not a doctor and not anyone's doctor, even though he was treating you.
He's just not qualified.
You and I have seen enough of people who abuse their authority and take advantage of the people they're supposed to be helping. You don't need to deal with one more of them here.
[Nie Huaisang comes to find Aaron when they’re all grown up again, first looking in the library and then going to his cabin. He rocks on the balls of his feet after he knocks with his closed fan.]
Aaron! I just talked to Jesus and he said we can resume working together. And it's Thursday today. So. My office at the usual time? I already made the sweet tea.
[And when Aaron arrives, not only is there a jug of sweet tea and a cup at his spot, but also several different fresh baked fruit pastries from Shaw and Root's Yarda celebration on a plate.]
"Oh! Well, I just found out and I didn't want to miss our session," Malcolm tells him. "It's the last one before Christmas! Did you do anything special for Christmas back home?"
"Go to church," he replies blandly. "Then open the Salvation Army presents. You know, I never knew why my parents were so surprised about the stuff we got. It's because they didn't get 'em for us."
"You didn't think it was because Santa brought them? I mean, as a child, your parents shouldn't 'know' what you got, right?" Malcolm asks. "It's normal. ...Well, it's normal to at least pretend. Did you get good stuff?"
"I stopped believing in Santa when I was five or six," he explains. "And - depends on the year. But uh...one time, I told my dad I wanted this toy train at the gas station. They had that - you know, that little aisle with all the dusty old toys that don't really get sold? Anyway, guess my dad told the guy that he'd give him a couple of dollars here and there where he could to pay it off. And there it was under the tree. Still dusty but I played with that fucking thing 'til the wheels fell off."
He sees the act, he means. He wasn't under the illusion that they were completely past that or anything, but this seemed a harmless enough subject. He takes the hint and leaves it alone.
For Aaron, no subject is harmless or beyond a quick lie or two or three. He trusts Malcolm more than he ever did in the beginning, but there are automatic responses and he's in too deep to pull back.
But then Malcolm asks a better question and Aaron visibly brightens. Back to facts and truth.
"Um - oh! I found one the other day about weird medical shit that happens to people. Didn't put it down until I was done. Read the whole damn thing."
Page 13 of 21