AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dr. Izzard crosses one leg over the other, merely absorbing this information. To be honest, I never thought I would be the kind of man to see a shrink, but a couple years ago I landed on Dr. Izzard’s doorstep after a particularly stressful year at work. Now, I attend therapy regularly because it helps, and as a doctor myself, I firmly believe in treating the mind as much as any other part of the human body.
“This is an interesting situation,” my therapist states in a calm tone. “Can you tell me more about it?”
I sigh.
“Well, the situation is complicated obviously,” I explain.
Dr. Izzard nods. “How so?”
I stare at him.
“Because she’s my stepdaughter, what else?”
He nods, not at all irritated.
“Go on.”
I sigh again.
“Shit, fine. The truth of the matter is that I’m falling in love with Harlow,” I say in a slow tone. “I don’t even know that I’ve admitted that to myself before this very second.”
Dr. Izzard nods, his expression neutral.
“I see. So what’s the issue? Do you think that she doesn’t return those feelings?”
I rub at my eyes and groan. “No, that’s exactly the problem! I think she might, and that’s what’s fucked up about all of this.”
The good doc frowns slightly. “Yes, but if you’re both falling in love, then how is this bad?”
I stare at him. Is this guy clueless? Does he not see what’s staring at him in the face?
“Doc, I don’t know if you heard me. Harlow is my stepdaughter. I used to be married to her mom.”
He nods.
“Yes, but that was ten years ago, right? Victoria passed away in an unfortunate accident.”
I stare at him some more.
“Yeah, but don’t you think it’s wrong? I’m screwing my stepdaughter. And even worse, now I’ve gone and fallen for her, hard. Please, Doc. You have to see that this is morally corrupt, not to mention potentially criminal. This has to end.”
Dr. Izzard nods and considers my words.
“Yes, but tell me more, Sam. Why do you think this relationship has to end?”
Holy shit, this guy is just not getting it.
“Let’s see, I’m her stepdad for starters,” I say in an irritable tone before leaping to my feet and pacing to and fro across the thick red carpet. “She’s way younger than me. I used to be married to her mom. Let’s see, what else?”
Dr. Izzard sighs and cuts me off. “Sam, have you thought about that term, ‘stepdad’? What it means?”
I pause and stare at him. “Yeah, I’m Harlow’s parent,” I growl. “What else?”
He sighs. “No, not exactly, because from everything you’ve told me in the past, it seems that you haven’t been much of a parent to Harlow at all. Maybe you were briefly, almost ten years ago, but even then, you weren’t the person who raised her.”
I scowl. The words sting because they almost imply that I abandoned the poor girl when she was in need of a father figure. But at the same time, he has a point.
“Okay,” I concede. I cross my arms over my chest. “Keep going.”
