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“Now.” She put her phone away and fixed me with that penetrating stare. “Tell me about that man of yours. He treating you right?”

I couldn't help but smile. “He's wonderful. Maybe too wonderful. He hovers.”

“Men do that when they're scared. My Patrick was the same way after I had my appendix out in '65. Wouldn't let me lift a dish for three months.”

“What did you do?”

Little Grandma's eyes twinkled with mischief. “I waited until he went to work one day and rearranged all the furniture in the living room by myself. Nearly gave him a heart attack when he came home, but he got the message.”

I laughed, imagining young Little Grandma dragging couches around to make her point.

“The thing is,” she continued, “men like Graham and my Patrick, they show love through protection. It's how they're built. But you got to teach them that loving you means trusting you to know your own limits too.”

“How do I do that without hurting his feelings?”

“Honey, that man survived being a Navy SEAL. His feelings can handle you asserting yourself.” She leaned closer. “The secret is to make him think it's his idea.”

“How?”

“You'll figure it out. You're a smart girl. Now, you want some pie while you're here? Pattie made peach this morning.”

Little Grandma got me in to see Dr. Liu that same day. I ended up seeing her three times the first week, and it was tough, but Graham stayed with me. He was in the waiting room each time I came out, and he didn't ask any questions, he was just there. A comforting presence.

It wasn't until the third week that my anxiety started to dissipate. We were able to go to the Down Home Diner without me checking out everybody in the place. Additionally, that week I didn't have one single nightmare.

But the one thing I hated was how Graham had to be my rock. There wasn't equity in our relationship. I talked to my counselor about that. She got me to understand that in solid relationships, the pendulum would swing, and right now I needed care. She also made me realize that a man like Graham had a great need to protect and care for the people he loved. So this was not a hardship for him.

Still...

“What?”

“What do you mean, what?” I asked as he drove us home.

“You've been looking over at me for the last ten minutes. Something's up. Did you and Dr. Liu talk about me today?”

“She didn't talk about you. I did.”

“What did you say?”

“I'm worried that you've been having to take care of me too much. All I've been contributing to the relationship lately is occasional sex and baked goods.”

Graham's head whipped around to look at me.

“Eyes on the road.”

“You told her that?”

“Well, yes. I'm so sick of you babying me because of my shoulder. I'm practically healed, and you're treating me like I'm spun glass. Seriously, Graham, the only thing I get to do at the house is bake. It's not fair.”

He didn't say anything. The nice thing was I knew he wasn't pouting, he was really thinking about what I said. When we pulled into his garage, he came over and opened the door but didn't lift me out of my seat.

Yippee. Progress.

We made it into the kitchen, and he turned around. “You're right. I think I've been just as tweaked about everything as you've been. My way of coping has been overprotecting you.” He paused. “I can't seem to help it,” he said quietly.

“So, we both have a bit of a problem.”

“Seems like.”