Page 141 of Taking Turns

“Why the fuck,” Smith says, “did Lucinda Chatwell just drive up and take Chella away?”

“Because Lucinda is Chella’s sex therapist.” I sigh, just now putting all the pieces together. “She and Rochelle were seeing the same therapist. That’s how all this happened.”

“You knew about this,” Quin says, his anger back. “Just like you knew why Rochelle left.”

“I didn’t,” I say, pinching the bridge of my nose as I walk back towards the Club. “I didn’t know any of that. And I didn’t know that she got an abortion, Quin. I was just giving her options.”

“Options,” Quin seethes. “And you decided I didn’t get to know about it? That was one of the options?”

“I didn’t know,” I say.

But I should’ve.

Chapter Forty - Chella

“How are you feeling now, Chella?” Dr. Chatwell asks me.

I’m lying on her couch in her office. The lights are dim and the curtains are closed to keep the sunlight out. She gave me a light sedative. To help me cope, she explained.

“Very stupid,” I answer honestly.

“Why?”

“Because you warned me.” She did too. She told me it would be a very messy exit. And I don’t think they come any messier than that. “And I refused to believe you. I thought I could handle it.”

“Did something bad happen last night?” she asks in her calm voice.

“Not at first. At first it was…” I sigh, thinking about it. “Wonderful. Just how I thought it would be.”

“Just like the fantasy you imagined?”

“Yes.”

“And where did things start to go wrong?”

“I blacked out, I think. Near the end.”

“Why?”

“It felt good.”

“That’s it?” she asks.

“It was perfect and wonderful. And it just felt… it felt…”

“It made you feel something?” she offers.

“Yes.”

“What did it make you feel, Chella?”

“Happy,” I say, trying not to cry.

“And why do you think that you blacked out at that point?”

“Because feeling good about sex is wrong.”

“But we know that’s not true, right?”