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“Why don’t we move? We could find a new start, somewhere we don’t have to worry anymore.” He doesn’t say it specifically, but I know he means somewhere he doesn’t have to worry about Bo.
“Move? It seems drastic.”
“I think we need something drastic. Cris, the thing is, that you have a choice to make.”
I huff. “There is no choice to make, Owen. I’m married to you.”
“Yes, but you’re not mine anymore. You are nobody’s. And if you want me, then you have to choose me. Move away with me.”
I stare at his chest as I think of what he’s offering. A new life somewhere else, away from my home, from my friends and family. But I would have him. I would have my marriage back.
“All I’m asking is that you think about it,” he tells me and I nod.
“Where are you going?” I ask when he moves me off him.
“To the guestroom.”
“You don’t want to stay here with me?”
“I do, more than you know. Even more than that I want you to choose me. Until you do, I don’t want to have sex with you.” With those words of rejection that sorely remind me of the one’s Bo used, he leaves me hurt and more aware than ever of one thing. I do have a choice to make.
Damn me!
I can’t believe I’m here again. Though I’d sworn never to grace Dr. Riker’s doorstep ever again, now I stand here, straightening my shirt and slacks, then look at my watch to make sure I’m on time. Twelve-thirty.
Today is Wednesday. This is the one day where Katie picks up Mia from school and watches her until three-thirty. There would be plenty of time for my session, a quick bite, and then home. No one had to know that I’d come to see the shrink.
Blowing out a breath to calm my nerves, I push open the heavy wooden door painted in Williamsburg blue, and walk into the foyer. If I didn’t appreciate the doctor when I was here last, I definitely appreciated the old house she used as her office.
Located in downtown Charlotte, it’s part of a block of old homes that have been converted for business use. I love it. Not only were the buildings dated from the late 1800s spared demolition when they built the high-rises not a block from here, but they were preserved beautifully, the historic association having taken a hand in the process. Because the homes were large and expensive to maintain, it was decided to allow businesses to bid for them and create a sort of little old time looking business district for a few blocks.
All this I learned from Natalia, her assistant.
Past the entrance hall and to the right is a waiting room. Natalia sits in the dark space at a large oak desk. Though she’s fairly young, no more than twenty is my guess, she wears little rose colored readers with a chain to hold them to her neck. I don’t know if she needs them, or it’s that she wants to look sophisticated. Either way, it’s certainly an interesting look. Maybe it’s that she wants to look a little like the doctor.
The young brunette doesn’t notice me until I step on a squeaky old floorboard.
“Mrs. Roberts, so nice to see you again. Dr. Riker is just finishing up with a patient, but if you’ll have a seat, she’ll be right with you.” Natalia indicates the two chairs placed beside a large window across the room from her.
Before I can sit down, I hear the door to the adjoining room open and the patient, an older fellow, steps out, bowing as he leaves. “Thank you, doctor. I’ll see you tomorrow, same time?”
“Of course, Mr. Steele. See you then.” He waves goodbye and nods his head towards us, too, and then walks out of the house.
“Natalia, please send Mrs. Roberts in,” the voice comes through the intercom about two seconds after I hear it coming from the other room, unsynchronized.
The shrink stands in greeting when I walk through the door and sit on the couch across from her, the vinyl making that fart sound when as it gives to my weight. I cringe a little when I notice we’re wearing almost identical outfits, olive green shirt over black slacks. She may have winced a little, too, but if she did she recovers quickly.
We sit and I see she’s already got her trusty fancy wood pen and notebook at the ready.
“I have to say I was a bit surprised when I saw your name on my appointment calendar. After the way things ended last time, I didn’t expect to see you here. Certainly, not without Owen.”
“Yes, I honestly didn’t think I’d be back either.”
“What’s changed?”
Looking to the recorder sitting on the desk beside the pad, I nod to it. “Aren’t you going to turn that thing on?”
“I did, just as you came in.”
