AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The light sage green walls were probably meant to be soothing, but I was rattled inside. Nothing about being here did anything to ease my nerves. I could feel Vince’s tension rolling off him next to me. We sat knee to knee on the leather couch. No matter how close we were, it felt like there was an ocean between us.
“Hudson,” Vince said, stretching out his legs. “That’s our son’s name.”
“Hudson Vincent Weber.” I didn’t know why I felt the need to tell Dr. Farris Hudson’s full name. He probably already knew since Vince had several visits with him already.
“Great name.” Dr. Farris’s eyes were kind and understanding.
“I’m just so thankful to have him back. We’ve been trying to find our rhythm, you know. Not much has changed in our lives. Except for Hudson. It’s been mostly easygoing so far. He’s been home for almost a month now.” I spoke quickly, my words tumbling out like a bunch of gumballs falling from a machine. I took a breath and looked at Vince, who simultaneously shrugged and nodded.
“And how are you feeling since our last session, Vince?”
“I’m a little sore. Physical therapy today was a bit brutal.” He was attempting to ease the tension of the situation. “Sorry, I know that’s not what you meant.” He sighed when Dr. Farris remained silent and waited for his honest answer. “It’s good to be home. I’m happy to be alive.”
“In that sense, you are both on the same page.” Dr. Farris tapped his pen on his notepad. “From what you’ve both said so far, it’s clear that you have a healthy commitment and love. You’re both wanting and willing to do whatever it takes to get back to what you used to be.”
Vince squeezed my hand and gave a light chuckle. “I can feel abutcoming.”
I yanked on his hand. “Vincent!”
“What?!” he asked playfully. “Trust me, babe, I know that tone all too well.” He kissed the top of my hand to ensure I didn’t take his words too personally. “We can cut to the chase, doc. What’s thebut?”
Dr. Farris chuckled. “I don’t want to cause any alarm, but I can sense that something’s off between you two. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s like one, or both of you, are holding back.”
“But,” I started and stopped when I met his eyes. I could see the seriousness in them. I clamped my mouth shut because I wanted and needed his help.
“And that's okay,” he began again. “All relationships go through ups and downs. The important thing is that you’re here, willing to work on it together.”
Vince leaned forward. “What do you mean about holding back?”
“As I said, it’s nothing to be alarmed about, but it’s something I noticed. Is there an underlying issue that is troubling either of you?”
Vince looked back at me. “Hailey?”
I began twisting and turning the damn tissue in my hands again. I pulled my lower lip between my teeth. “Um . . .” I hated that my fear overtook my words. I wanted to fix things, not make them worse.
“Sometimes,” Dr. Farris began softly, “it can be difficult to express what is bothering us. Admitting that something is, or might be bothering us, might feel like you are placing blame or pointing fingers.” His eyes seemed to bore into the darkest recesses of my brain. “Both of you are coming from a place of love. If you remember that, perhaps it will help you to say what you areconcernedabout.”
“It’s about sex!” I blurted out.
Vince whipped around so fast, his eyes wide in disbelief. “Sex?” He repeated the word in a hushed voice, like we were conspiring against Dr. Farris and didn’t want him to hear.
I took a deep breath, fidgeting with the tissue. I stuffed it into my purse. Vince took my hands in his. I lifted my head slowly, afraid to look him in the eyes. He cocked his head to the side, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Hailey, honey, why didn’t you say something?”
“I got you back. That’s all I wished and prayed for other than anything regarding Hudson. I felt selfish worrying about sex when my prayers were answered. But now that you’re back . . . well, it’s been almost two years since we’ve . . . you know?”
Vince’s laughter surprised me. “Oh, thank God.”
“What?” I was dumbfounded.
“I thought it was going to be something bad. Something really bad.” He huffed out a breath and ran his hands through his hair. “I’ve been trying to figure out what’s been bothering you all morning.”
I felt heat radiate to my neck and face. I must have been a bright shade of crimson. I looked down at my lap, unwilling to look at Vince or Dr. Farris. “It’s not your fault. I know you went through a lot, and I didn’t expect us to just pick up where we left off as if nothing happened. But I didn’t think . . .”
Vince lifted my face, his fingers tenderly holding my chin so I would look into his eyes. “Hailey, I just thought . . . after everything that happened, me being gone . . . that maybe you needed time. That you weren’t ready.”
“I thought maybe you lost interest or something.”
“Are you kidding me?” His eyes went wide. “Look at you, baby. You’re freaking amazing. I’ve been fighting day and night to keep my hands to myself.”
