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“No, shortbread, Jim. It’s bad for your cholesterol,” mom chides.
Dad rolls his eyes then leans into me with a smirk. “See? You’re not the only one who has to deal with an alpha.”
* * *
Three days later, I sit in one of the smaller conference rooms at headquarters with Brandon and Opal. Brandon was able to perform the stress test, which did cause some triggers, but I could calm myself. It probably helps to know I’m not in any danger at the moment.
The rest of my session focuses on my feelings about the pregnancy and how I blame Jacob and all the rest of the men who’ve hurt me for my current predicament. My anxiety over Esteban possibly plotting an attack is justified, and talking about it doesn’t eliminate my fear, but it does help reduce it. I describe my honeymoon and how Maceo opened up to me, how it made me feel relieved to know he was positively expressing himself.
Opal sits wide-eyed, drinking everything in. I’ve no idea where her head is at, but she looks awed.
“It seems you’re taking the correct steps in handling these new dilemmas. Communicating with your partner is a valuable tool in relieving your anxiety, and I am pleased to see you’re doing well with it,” Brandon says with encouragement. “Continue to proceed this way. It’s key to notice when you’re becoming overwhelmed and when you should take a step back.”
“Okay.” It’s encouraging to hear that I’m doing something right.
“How are you able to do that? You make it look easy.” Opal says in a shy voice.
“Talk about my feelings? It’s not always easy. Sometimes it’s fucking hard to open up. Other times, it rolls off the tongue. But none of it is without a lot of hard work. Getting to this point has taken months after what Jacob did to me. There were times I barely got words out, but I kept coming back. There were days I needed someone I trusted to sit with me during my sessions—Maceo was…ismy rock and he’s there to support me. The more I do it, the easier it gets.”
Opal glances at the floor, biting her bottom lip. “I—I think I’d like to try.”
Hallelujah!“That’s wonderful, Opal.”
Brandon pulls out his schedule and smiles at her. “Would you like to work with me? Or I can offer others who would like to work with you? This all about what you’re comfortable with, so it’s completely up to you.”
“My girlfriends trust you, and I like that you don’t press for answers, only ask questions. I’d be comfortable setting up an appointment with you.”
Opal may not be screaming the guy's name yet, but this is another step closer to her opening up.
