But this doesn’t feel rash at all. This feelsright.
“But” — I turn back to Arlo — “I’d be more than happy to be available if things come up that you need help with. Just not full-time. Or even part-time. Just case by case,” I offer.
The corner of his mouth tips up in what I would consider a smile from him before he knocks on the wood table. “I’ll take that. Thanks, Oakley.”
He goes to stand when Willow interrupts.
“They’re on the way with Lennox. Thought you both would like to know. Rina said she has to drop him off then run because she has a dinner, so she wants us to meet her there.” She says the last part to me.
Arlo checks his watch quickly. “Shit, I lost track of time. Sorry to run, but I’ve got a … meeting.” He rushes out without another word.
Willow and I raise our eyebrows at each other. Interesting. Definitely something going on there. But that’s not my business.
My business is taking Willow to go see Lennox and hope that he’s doing okay. Whatever is going on with Rina and Arlo is not something I want to be in the middle of.
Arlo rushes out as Willow laughs.
“Woah boy am I going to have a chat with her later.” She shakes her head, mirth lighting up her whole face.
“Alright, little investigator, one problem at a time. Let’s go meet Lennox.”
We walk to my car because, apparently, Lennox’s cabin is a little way on the outskirts. It still only takes us about fifteen minutes to get there, but it’s very clear he wants to be on his own out here. There are no neighbors around for miles.
“I want to talk to you about something,” I tell her as we park and wait for everyone else.
“What’s up?”
“I want to see if my therapist from when I left Marshals has steady openings. Maybe once a week, once every other week. We talked about it before everything went down, but I want to get more serious about it.”
“Okay.” She nods, putting her hand on my forearm.
“I know I have unresolved shit from when I was still on the Task Force, but I also think everything that happened will hit me eventually, and I want to stay on top of it. I don’t want to put you in a position to deal with a partner who doesn’t know when he needs help. I want to be proactive.”
“You know I would support you no matter what, right? I think talking to your therapist is a great idea, but I also don’t want you to think I wouldn’t love you just the same if you struggle. Life is not perfect; we’re both bound to struggle. Hell, I was just thinking about figuring outhow to go about starting with a therapist because I’m starting to get nightmares.” She tosses her hands up.
“You’re having nightmares?” I didn’t know, and guilt hits like a freight train. I missed something.
“Just one, but it was … scary, and I don’t want them to become more frequent. That’s not the point, though. The point is, I think it’s good we’re both looking into this. We might feel great right now, but it doesn’t mean it will stay that way. What he did … is not something that will go away easily.”
“No, it won’t,” I say quietly.
“Were you worried I wouldn’t be receptive?”
“No, not really. It’s just not something I’ve ever felt like I needed to talk about. But we’re together and I love you, so I want to include you in decisions I make that affect both of us.”
“I really like that,” she whispers.
Lifting up as best as she can in the car, she leans over and presses her lips to mine. A car door shutting has us pulling away, the twinkle in her eye telling me being open about wanting to go back to therapy was the right decision.
“You ready for this?” I ask.
“No, I don’t really think I am, but he needs us all right now.”
I nod, getting out of the car and walking to the door to open it. We meet Rina in the driveway, and she looks like she has something to say.
“He’s complaining that we’re babying him. When I calmly told him he couldn’t drive himself home, he bitched that he could have rideshared. It’s like he’s a sullen teenager again, and I’m trying to keep my patience but I am about to fail miserably,” she says through gritted teeth.
“Well, it’s a good thing you need to leave then, huh?” Willow says in a very little-sister tone.
