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Of course, there were some women who weren’t trying to work through their grief, so they liked the group therapy sessions just fine. It gave them a chance to gain more sympathy and add to their connections.
I shook my head of the negativity that seemed to want to hover around me that day. It was unfair of me to go into the therapy session with that mindset. Some of the women really were mourning, and they were the ones I did my best to focus on, but the majority didn’t take the session seriously. It was a nightmare, and a reminder of why marriages weren’t for everyone.
Going through the list of participants, I glanced through their backgrounds. Susan Grady, the thirty-six-year-old model who’d just lost her seventy-five-year-old husband. Donna Yiu, a fifty-year-old woman who’d just lost her seventy-year-old husband, her fifth husband in twenty years. Stephanie Winger had just made headlines after losing her famous producer husband and cut the funding for all of his current projects. Lydia Jacobs was under suspicion after her philandering husband died of mysterious circumstances, and there was one name that I didn’t recognize. Jackie Moore. Her husband had recently passed of a heart attack.
It was not going to be a fun session.
Steeling myself, I headed to the room and set up the chairs. After brewing a fresh pot of coffee, I set out the box of cookies and donuts. Normally, they were stale and old, but Jacobson always made sure that there was nothing but the best for CP Morrissey clients.
I was a little surprised that he wasn’t taking the session himself. It was a great opportunity for him to pick up new private clients who could pay.
A little after the appointed time, all five women trickled in. I gave them a few minutes to get their coffee and cookies before I finally got them seated.
“Good afternoon. I’m Jillian Quinn, and I’m one of the therapists here at the center. This is an open and judgment free zone where you can meet other women who are going through a similar experience as you. You’re welcome to talk about the past and fond memories, but we’re also going to focus on coping mechanisms for the future as you open a new chapter in your life.”
There was a snort from Susan. “We all know Donna’s coping mechanism. Are you going to be trolling for husband number five or six? I think I’ve lost count.”
“I loved my husband,” Donna snarled, lifting her chin. “Unlike you, the tramp who just married the old bastard for his money. There’s no way that you display all that cleavage for your husband. He was so blind he couldn’t even see you.”
“How dare you!”
“Ladies.” My headache intensified as I held up my hand. “Again, this is a place to focus on your grief, so let’s keep our conversations focused on your own experiences. Now, does anyone want to talk about how they’re feeling or some fears or difficulties that have arisen?”
Lydia immediately burst into tears. “I loved my husband so much. I just don’t know how I’m going to survive without him!”
“Then you probably shouldn’t have mixed up his heart medication,” Donna muttered under her breath.
I immediately jumped in before another fight could start. “Lydia, I appreciate you sharing. I’m sure that many of you feel like the future is bleak, but you can get through this. Lydia, do you have some specific obstacles you’re worried about?”
“Everything! I don’t know how to pay the gardener or the pool man. I don’t know how to adjust the bed. The maid doesn’t speak a word of English.”
The other women immediately chimed in with their own worries, but it was Jackie’s quiet voice that caught my attention. “I haven’t been able to sleep in our bed since he passed.” The room immediately fell silent and the women stared at her. She shifted in her chair, but I nodded encouragingly. “My sister says that I’m being ridiculous, but when I get in the bed, it just feels so large and empty. I’ve been sleeping on the couch.”
“I let the dog in the bed,” Stephanie admitted. “We wouldn’t normally do that, but I felt the same. It was just… too cold. I couldn’t get warm no matter how many layers I put on.”
Good. This was good.
“That’s not uncommon, and that’s an excellent solution. Pets are a great way to keep love in the house, but if you don’t have a pet, I don’t encourage you to go out and adopt one. Making big decisions at this time can be difficult. Jackie, have you tried napping in the bed during the day? That’s something that we usually do alone, and it can help you adjust for when you’re ready to try at night.”
The older woman’s lips trembled as she nodded. “Okay,” she whispered.
