Rebecca Anne Stewart's

~Hot Crossing's~

by Becky Stewart & RickkiB

With a big hug for Bob Arnold

~Part # 33 Is It Thursday Already?~

 

~[]~

 

Note: This is a very hard part of the story to accept. As before and will be for the rest of the story, All the interviews with Dr. Pope are based on actual life experiences of our heroine. Much of today's interview is word for word as dictated to me by Becky herself. There was more than one discussion as to whether this should be included in her story. She won, I lost. My angel had decided that all the truth was better than half the truth, so she decided to let the world know, that she was not the perfect little angel, as some thought she was. Our hope is that, maybe someone will read this and not allow themselves or others to be drawn into making the same mistakes. Sincerely RickkiB.

 

Thursday morning came and Becky's anxiety level was still at an all time high. The call the evening before from Prue, informing her that she had found the perfect person to cover for Pip, had alleviated some of it, but she was begining to show signs of the strain in unhealthy proportions. A very concerned Bob refused to leave her side and followed each and every action she performed.

"Quit doing that!" She screamed. "Quit following me around like that, opening every door and pulling out every chair. It's driving me 'round the bend!"

"Sorry. I just want to help. I can see your upset and I just want to do everything I can to make it better."

The distraught woman collapsed in his arms. "I'm sorry Bob. I'm sorry I yelled at you." She cried, the tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's not your fault. I know you are only trying to help. It's me. I'm the problem. I'm a wreck. I see all these things that need to be done and, and, and. Oh damn it!" Becky sobbed into Bob's shoulder now in earnest. "I'm scared. I am so scared."

The big man immediately went into St. George mode and held the frightened 'little girl' tight against him. He rocked back and forth telling her to "Shhh, don't cry. It's okay. Everything will work out. You'll see. I won't let anything happen to you. Everything is gong to be just fine. You'll see."

"It's just that, it all seems to be just so much. I don't know if I can take it anymore. Pip has gone away. I don't have anyone to replace her with yet. I have to go see Dr. Pope this afternoon, and." She paused briefly to sniff and wipe the tears off of Bob's silk dress shirt. "And tomorrow I have chemo again."

Bob held her away from him at arms length and directed Becky to look directly into his eyes. "Becky, listen to me. Prue phoned and said she had someone all lined up to help out. You know that, remember? Now I know you haven't met her yet, and I know that probably is adding to the stress, but think about it for just a second okay?"

He paused to let Becky sniffle again and shake her head before continuing. "Now you know that Prue would never do anything to cause you grief. Right?"

Another head bob.

"And you also know that if Prue recommends someone, then they are the best that are available?"

"Yes."

"So quit worrying. When you get home from seeing Dr. Pope, Sara will be here and you can meet her, and then you will find that everything is going to be okay. Martin is going to take you to your appointment this afternoon and, he'll and stay with you. In the mean time I'm going to stay right here and when Sara gets here, I will be able to show her around the house, and tell her what her responsibilities will be."

"You going to show her the kitchen too?" Becky quipped trying to demonstrated that she was passed her little pity party.

"Hey! I know where the kitchen is!" Bob shot back. "I just don't know where anything is in the kitchen, or how they work. That's all, and besides that's what we have women for. So they can know their way around the kitchen."

"Why Robert Bartholomew Arnold, that has to be the most sexist comment I have ever heard from you, ever. I suppose you would like to keep us barefoot and preferably pregnant as well?"

"Now there's a good idea." He joked, rubbing his chin as if he was pondering some profound thought. "Hmmmm. Yes. That might just work."

Becky's arm instantly shot out and connected with Bob's shoulder making a loud smack as it hit home. "You pig you! You just wait until I tell everyone what you just said. The great Bob Arnold prefers his woman barefoot and pregnant chained up in the kitchen."

"Hey! I never said anything about chaining you up in the kitchen, we can reserve that for the bedroom for now."

Becky's arm snaked out again, only this time she didn't stop at one hit, she continued to slap the large mans shoulder and upper arm. "You are without a doubt, the most, most…"

She had to pause briefly before she continued her statement. Bob had grabbed both her arms and had easily overpowered them, twisting them to her sides imprisoning her. He leaned over and kissed her deeply until he felt her relax with the rough embrace. When he finally let Becky up for air she was able to continue her announcement.

"Animal." She teased, as she leaned in to get more of her lover's attention.

Bob easily lifted her off her perch carried her across the room, and plopped her on top of the bed, his foot slamming the bedroom door tight behind them.

 

~[]~

 

Becky eased her self into the buttery soft leather club chair and crossed her knees. She smiled at the sound and feel of the swish on the silk nylons as they skidded across her legs. She had decided to dress up a bit more than usual today, because she knew that tomorrow would be another chemo session, and she would not have the strength to make herself feel pretty for the next few days. So she smiled to her self as she smoothed the pleated skirt of the severely tailored business suit she had chosen to impress.

Dr. Pope still sat at her desk across the room from Becky and softly talked into her small messaging recorder. Something that her patient had mentioned to her when she entered her office a few moments earlier had reminder the doctor to make a note of the progress of a little project she had started on Becky's behalf a few sessions ago. Jennifer indicated by hand for Becky to pour the tea that sat on the coffee table in front of where Becky was sitting.

"Sorry about that." The doctor apologized. It was something I had been working on earlier, and I had to remind myself to make sure I didn't forget it."

"That's okay Doctor. You are a very busy person. I doubt I would have been able to remember half the things that you have to deal with everyday." Becky smiled as she sipped her tea from Jennifer's Mikasa tea set.

"Don't apologize for memory Becky." Jennifer Pope responded as she slipped in to the opposite chair facing her patient. "The things that you have had to deal with over the years, it's a wonder you still have a mind to lose." She smiled trying to get the same response from Becky.

Becky did return the smile, but it was pained and somewhat forced.

Jennifer Pope quickly scanned the steno book in front of her before speaking. "Now after you had left the Armed Forces, you were returning back home to Ayr?"

"Yes, its one of the conditions of release. They have to return you to your home, or unless you indicate differently a place of your choosing. Since I was being dismissed, I had no choice but to return home."

"But you also said you never went home? I don't understand." The confused doctor enquired.

"I didn't. As soon as I got off the train, I arranged for my trunk to be put in storage at the station and I would notify them where I wanted it to be shipped. I then walked to the bus depot with my suitcases and boarded the next bus to London. I never did go near Father's house ever again. I waited at the bus depot and to this day I have never been back to Ayr."

"Why London?"

"Pardon?" She asked, setting down the fine bone china cup and saucer.

"Why did you pick London, and not Toronto, or some place like that?" Jennifer asked as she playfully flicked her pencil back and forth between her fingers.

I don't know." Becky shrugged. "London was close and I had always enjoyed going there when I was younger. You know, The Western Fair, The Art Museums, Concert Hall. I just wanted to go somewhere I had been happy and get away from it all. I guess."

"Okay. What did you do then?"

"Well the first thing I did was, find a place to stay. I found a little studio apartment on the second floor of this old house near the park downtown. Then the next morning I went out and found a job at an ice-cream parlour downtown within walking distance of my new house."

"And this was while you were still living as Charles? When did you begin enquiring about transitioning?"

"Oh before Christmas." Becky smiled. She was fondly remembering life back then. How she had inadvertently moved into a high gay area of London and her two friends that lived in the same building as she did.

"You're smiling." Jennifer stated, as she closely observed Becky's body language.

"Oh. Oh sorry. I was just reminiscing, taking a bit of a stroll down memory lane." Becky had a very wide toothy grin as she answered the doctor's question.

Dr. Pope recognized the positive experience and was quick to pounce on it. "So, why don't you tell me about it?"

"Oh it's nothing really. Just some of the things we used to do and some of the fun times we shared that's all."

"Don't you want to tell me about them?" The concerned doctor asked.

"They're silly, really. You really wouldn't be interested in them. Really."

Jennifer Pope leaned forward and carefully reached out for one of Becky's hands. "You know not all of the memories that you have to share are unpleasant. You also need to share the good times with me as well as the bad. I would like to know all of Rebecca Stewart, not just the tragedies."

Becky shrugged. "Okay, but they are silly."

"Trust me. If the are silly then I can have a little laugh as well." Jennifer assured.

"Okay… Well Lisa Ann and Rachel, they were my two friends that lived in the apartment below me. They are gay. I mean really gay. Lisa's real name was Steve, and she used to say that she was the definition of a screaming queen. In fact both her and Rachel, I can't remember her real name, they were proud they were queens. It was like a badge of honour to them. They were the ones that introduced me to the Halo Club in London and Lisa Ann was the one who pointed me in the right direction to begin transitioning. I won't tell you all of the things we did, because some of them were very dangerous, but we used to have contests to see how many men we could satisfy in a night. I would occasionally partake as well, but not as often as those two. I would have to be really high before they could talk me into pulling a train. I had a bit of a hang-up sometimes about things like that. Must have been my puritan ethic." She giggled.

"So you were young single and you were enjoying life. Maybe it was a bit different then most people your age, and maybe a bit excessive, but that doesn't sound like it was too much different than any other adventurous girl would have been doing back then." Jennifer added.

"Ah, Dr. Pope." Becky snorted. "You do know what pulling a train means don't you?"

Jennifer Pope did not want to really show her inexperience with the term, but she knew that she had to honest with her patients at all times, so she told the truth. "No Becky. I don't know what that means exactly. I assumed that it either referred to experimenting with drugs or some form of sex. Perhaps, sex with multiple partners. Am I wrong?"

"No, you're not wrong. But it's a bit different than that. It's like sex with lots, and lots of multiple partners at the same time. It's like a girl doing the entire football team after a big game. Something like that."

"Oh my!" The doctor exclaimed, her hand flying to the front of her expensive alpaca wool sweater. "How do you walk after that?" She enquired.

"Very carefully." Becky giggled.

"It's a wonder you didn't get AID's or some other STD." Jennifer added after she had finished giggling at Becky's joke.

"Yes. I look back now and think of how fortunate I was not to get VD or anything like that. Guess I was very lucky." Becky reflected as she stared at her shoes ashamed that she had been so irresponsible.

"You say that your friend Lisa, directed you to get started the change?"

"Uh huh." Becky shook her head. She stared at the floor and continued. "Lisa Ann worked at the hospital as an orderly. She knew that they had patients that they treated there, and she was heavily involved in the gay scene in London. She knew a lot of the girls that were trying to transition After consuming far too much wine and other party favours, I told Lisa and Rachel about what Father had done to me. A few days later she introduced me to a girl named Tabitha. She told me what doctor to go see, and coached me how to answer his questions, and what words to say, so that I would be accepted into a gender dysforia programe sponsored by University Hospital.

"That would be Dr. Bless?" Jennifer enquired, flipping through pages of medical records she had been able to requisition.

Becky giggled slightly at the memory of a name she had not year in many years. "Oh yes. Ms. Bless. Too scared to go through the change herself. Wonder what ever happen to him?" She pondered.

"I was able to acquire some of your medical records from Ontario Becky, but I'm afraid I am wilfully short on details, so you shall have to fill me in from memory as we need them okay?"

"Um. Oh. Sure doctor." She replied as she was interrupted from her thoughts.

"The information I have is that you were accepted to the Gender Identification Programe just after the New Year. It mentions a small maintenance dosage of premarin 2.5mgs. I'm sorry I can't make out the researchers notes very well. There is also mention of you showing characteristics of both natural and what could have been, I guess, artificial development when you were accepted. It does go on to say that you are stable financially and mentally, with no signs of depression. It also lists your occupation as student.

"Oh I was. Well I was sorta a student. In order to qualify for the programe I had to either apply thru social services, which meant being on welfare, or thru the University as a student. I told a bit of a white lie, because I wasn't officially a student at Western until the following September."

"Hmm. Okay." Jennifer continued reading for a few seconds. Her eyes darted back and forth across the poor quality photocopy as she mouthed, "Ya da, ya da, same old, same old." She stopped reading and flipped back to her notes. "Becky. Why did you quit the programe? I have here that you voluntarily left the programe after being on it for almost two years. If you were so determined to correct things properly, why would you quit?"

"I didn't have a choice doctor. Things started going wrong with my kidneys and my liver. I started to get sick. I was told I was hypo-glycemic. So I had to stop."

"There is no mention of that here." The concerned doctor asked.

"Well it should be, I can remember that day pretty good in my mind. That was the night I left for Toronto."

"Hold it. You were going to move to Toronto, while you were in the programe at University hospital? How were you planning to continue with that trek every few weeks?"

"I hadn't planned to move to Toronto at all. I was so mad, upset, depressed, whatever you want to call it. I went out and got really smashed! I don't know why, but for some reason I went with these guys to Toronto to visit the clubs. It was the first time I had ever tried heroin. I guess I went crazy for a while." Becky sniffed.

Jennifer Pope could see the changes in Becky's emotions changing very rapidly now. She had gone from being somewhat mater of factly. Passed sorrow and had crashed head on into fear, and was now rapidly approaching despair. "I woke up sometime that next day in a strange bed with no clothes on, there was a strange man sleeping next to me. My bottom was very tender, and I knew I had had sex with a lot of men." She sobbed as the words fell out of her mouth. The next thing I knew someone had comforted me, gave me another hit of heroin and I fell back asleep."

Becky pulled her arms in tight against her and began rocking back and forth in her seat. Suddenly her hands grabbed a hold of her skull and before Jennifer could stop her patient, Becky began to wail. "Oh doctor. I did terrible things. They put me to work as a prostitute, and the really sad thing is I didn't care. Someone threw me some really trashy looking clothes to wear, and they got me high and sent me downstairs to, to, to… OH GOD! Why did I ever do that?"

Jennifer was holding Becky very tight now. She was frightened that her patient may hurt herself, given her current emotional state. Jennifer's receptionist Steffi had come in to offer assistance. The noise had attracted her attention. Doctor Pope dispatched her go get some damp wash clothes and clear her calendar for the rest of the afternoon.

"They made me… No! They didn't make me. I, I did it voluntarily. I was giving head to anyone that wanted me to. I also let anyone who had the money take me as well…. I was, Oh god! I am so ashamed. I was nothing but a two-bit junkie whore, who would fuck any john for a fix."

Jennifer held the distraught woman tight in her grasp. She said nothing but refused to decrease her grip until she felt Becky slowly go limp. For several minutes now the howling had turned to sobs, and now they were reduced to mere whimpers. Sensing that the worst was over she softly let her patient fall into the back of the chair. "Jesus!" She thought. "I didn't see that one coming."

Jennifer applied the cool compress to the back of Becky's neck. She took another one and was wiping the woman's hands and wrists when Becky opened her eyes again. Becky was about to speak when the concerned Psychologist silenced her. "No Becky. I think you have had enough for now. Please, just lay back and rest for a bit"

"I'm okay, really I am. I would rather get thru this once and for all, if you don't mind."

"Are you sure? You don't have to. We can continue at a later time. I'm sure it will wait." She assured her patient, convinced that she would see things her way.

"No. I want to finish it now." A very determined Becky demanded.

Jennifer Pope looked deep into Becky's face, noting all the different nuances that made up her expression. Still not convinced that this was a good idea, she gave her patient the benefit of the doubt. "Okay Becky." She smiled. "We will continue." Jennifer thought. "But, lets take this nice and slow." "Why don't you tell me a bit about school?" Careful not to plunge back into the place they had been before.

"No. I want to finish off with Toronto. I need to tell somebody this. I have to. Do you understand? I have to tell somebody."

Doctor Pope smiled slightly, took both of Becky's hands in hers. "I think I understand Becky. It's time to put it all to rest."

"Yes." She replied getting rid of the last few sniffles. "I stayed in that house for what must have been a week or so. I think, it was the following Sunday. I woke up around lunchtime. I remembered I was not high. I wanted to get out of there so bad. That's all I could think of, was leaving. I cleaned myself up in the bathroom and found some clothes to put on. I remember I didn't even know who's they were, they smelled of sex, and sweat and god I was so sick. I tried to find my own clothes and my purse, but I couldn't. All I could think of was getting out of the house. I had to get away, get back home, and sort things out. I had no money; I didn't know what I was going to do. Despite letting men use me for sex for the last week or two, I didn't have a penny. I could not ever remember getting to see any money. I knew money had exchanged hands; it just never came into my hands. I told one of the men that I was going for a walk I needed some fresh air. Then I told him I was going to go to the store. Somehow I borrowed some money off of him promising to repay him when I got back, and I took off. I grabbed a coat that was thrown over the back of the couch, put on some shoes, and walked out the door. Then I realized I had no idea where I was. I saw the CN Tower off in the distance, and started walking towards it. Lucky for me it was in the right direction. I crammed my hands into the pockets of the coat and was surprised to find money. A lot of money. There must have been almost a grand in there. I stared at it in my fingers turning it over. Unsure of what to do. I knew that who's ever coat this was not going to be very happy that I had pinched it. I searched the other pockets wondering what else I would discover. When my fingers touched the small little plastic bag, I recoiled in fear. It was as if I had just put my hands into a pile of dog crap Jenny. I was almost sick on the spot. I took the stuff out of the pocket and just threw it away as if it was going to bite me. I brushed the front of the jacket in case any of the plastic bags had managed to stick to me and then I started to run. I remember I was running so hard and crying at the same time, and I couldn't stop. I just kept running. As I was running thru queens Park, I hit the side of a park bench and landed hard on the sidewalk. I lay there for a few minutes in pain before I managed to get up. When I finally did it was with the help of a patrol cop who had dismounted his horse and was prodding me with his boot. I remember he was very abusive. He called me girl, but you could tell he meant faggot. I told him I was trying to find the bus station so I could go home. He asked where I lived and without thinking I told him London. He then told me that the train station was closer, and asked if I had any money. I told him I had enough for a ticket. I knew he was just trying to get me out of the city, but right then and there that's exactly what I wanted to do. He called for a backup; they loaded me into the car and delivered me to Union Station. One of the cops stood behind me and made sure I bought a ticket for London. I can remember that. When the train finally pulled into London, I had to phone Lisa Ann to tell her to come get me."

Jennifer had slowly let her grip soften on Becky's hands when she realized that her patient was going to be okay. "Becky that was quite the terrible ordeal." Jennifer stated. "Did you go to the doctor's and get yourself checked out after that?"

"No."

"But what about the heroin? You yourself said that you had been using for what, almost two weeks, surely you must have been experiencing the effects from withdrawal?"

"Oh I was sick. I started getting really sick on the train. That's why I had to get Lisa to come get me. I don't think I could have made it home. I must have spent the next day or two in bed, heaving my guts out, and sleeping. It wasn't til the end of the week that I was starting to feel better. That's when Toronto caught up with me. I got a phone call from the guy whose coat I had swiped. He wanted his money and his merchandise back, or he wanted me to pay for it. I told him I didn't have it. I told him I threw the coat away in the park when I discovered the heroin in the pocket. I told him to leave me alone when he said he was coming to get his money. I told him that if he even came close to me I would tell the cops all about the house near Queen's Park and that he was a heroin dealer. He hung up and that was the last I heard of him. Lisa made me move out and I rented a place way out in Trafalgar Square. After that I just didn't know what I was going to do."

Jennifer sensed a change was about to happen in Becky's emotional state again, but before she could intercede, Becky had once again pressed on. "Here I was in a strange city, with no support. My one and only dream had once again been wrenched from me. I was a recovering drug addict, a hooker; I was unceremoniously thrown out of the Forces for being a freak! My family disowned me!" Becky suddenly laughed. It was a sick demented chortle, as if it had come from the bowels of some tortured soul, not from the mouth of our sweet Rebecca. "Hell doc, the only thing I had going for me was that I was going to school at a posh university and had a part time job pushing ice-cream sundaes." Becky slumped back into the luxurious leather chair. Her posture and attitude had suddenly taken a turn for the worst. "Oh I'm really doing a good job of looking after my self alright!" She exclaimed mockingly.

Jennifer abruptly interrupted Becky's rant. This was heading nowhere fast, and she really didn't want to see her fragile patient go thru another emotional battle today. "Yes. But you never let that stop you. Look at you today Becky. You were able to find a way to work around those set backs and grow into the woman you are now. Think about all that you have achieved."

"Ya, I guess so."

"Becky, look at yourself. Before me sits a very well refined, mature woman. You have moral standards that most clerics wouldn't have a hope in hell of living up to. You are always well turned out, and very determined in everything that you do. I know that once you decide on something there is very little that will disway you from achieving your goal. Very little stops you.

"Oh it did stop me for a while. I got really depressed for a long time. I shut myself off from all my friends. I would spend days, and weeks without any social activities. All I did was go to school and work. The rest of the time I spent locked up in the bloody town house watching TV or staring at the wall. I was even failing my classes at school. Something I had never done before. My hours were cut at work. Who wants to buy ice cream in the wintertime, right? I was a mess Doctor. Do you know that I even thought of ending it all? Just, giving up and calling it quits. That's how depressed I was. I ran scenario after scenario thru my head of how to do it. I look back now and know, that's what saved me, thinking about killing myself stopped me from actually doing it." Becky stopped again, stared at the floor, and shook her head. The tears were rolling down her cheeks as her bottom lip began to quiver.

Quickly changing directions in the conversation Jennifer piped up. "So what did you do to pick yourself back up? You must have done something to get back on track?"

Becky shrugged. "I'm not sure exactly if this was it but, I like to think it was Lisa Ann and Rachel who got me going again. One Saturday they barged their way into my place and decided that they had had enough of this and I was going out. They almost drug me upstairs and forced me to get dressed. Then they escorted me to the mall. We were going shopping. I guess after a while I started to feel better because we ended up at the Halo Club that night and I danced the night away. I remember I got really drunk and Lisa and Rachel took me home and put me to bed. I guess I must have told them about what happened in Toronto, because a few days later Lisa showed up with Tabitha and she told me where I could obtain premarin without a lot of hassle." Becky then looked up from the floor right into Jennifer's eyes and said. "So I guess I was back on track again. I got the pills exactly the same strength I had been taking all along. Except now I knew I had to pay for everything I needed to get done. I guess I decided to get my butt in gear and get rolling. I managed to complete my second year of geology at Western. And then that summer I left London for the west."

Finally Becky had a hint of a smile on her face. The astute doctor decided that this was today's high point, and started to wind down the session with her own returning smile. "You have your next session of chemo tomorrow don't you?"

A quick look of fear crossed Becky's face at the untimely reminder. She quickly relaxed again though before answering. "Yes. Number three."

Dr. Pope once again reached for Becky's hands and gently squeezed them to reassure her. She felt bad sometimes when she had to ask the rotten questions, but it was also her responsibility to ensure that Becky's mental health was being taken care of. She had to know if there were any other problems. She also knew that the relationship her and her patient were forming was growing stronger with every meeting. She knew that if she asked Becky the hard questions that she would give the necessary answers. "How's that going?"

"Okay I guess."

"Any problems?"

"No, not really."

"Anything you can tell me about?"

"It's nothing really. I can handle it. It's just silly things. I'll work them out."

"Becky, I thought we had this discussion already about silly things. Come on, tell me." She teased.

"Okay, but I warned you."

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

"Well I worry about the chemo. I know that my hair is falling out right now, and that probably after this session tomorrow I will likely be bald soon. I bought a wig to cover things up so no one will know; it's just that, well… I see all those other people there with the dark circles under their eyes and they are really sick and they look like they wish they were dead, and, well, oh doc, I told you this was silly, I just don't want to end up like that. I have a new man in my life and I truly love him, and I just don't, I mean I guess I'm…"

"Becky are you scared that Bob won't love you anymore. That he will leave you?"

"Well ya! Wouldn't you, if you were in my shoes?"

Jennifer Pope permitted herself a small chuckle.

Becky was confused. Here she was struggling to put into words how she felt, and the one person she thought who would understand and help her was laughing at her. "What? I don't understand. Why are you laughing at me?"

"Becky. Do you have any idea what Bob does for the hospital? Have you never listened to what people have said about him here?"

"Yes, I guess so. He's one some board or something isn't he? But, that doesn't…" Once again Becky never got to finish her statement.

"Becky, your Bob is on more than just some committee. He is on the director's list. He also sits on the BC Cancer Society's board. Not to mention the Children's Hospital, and The Child Development Centre, add to that, The University Hospital's board as well. He spends more time here than a lot of so called do gooders, who are getting paid to be here, volunteering for anything that helps kids and especially those with cancer."

"But, this is different. We are…."Once again Becky's defence was shot down as the determined doctor silencer her.

"Do you honestly think that Bob is not going to love you once you lose your hair or, you become too sick to make love to him, temporarily at least? Because if you think that, then you are a lot shallower then I thought you were. At least give Bob a little bit of credit will you! Becky, that man is as much in love with you, as you are with him. You should know that by now."

Again Jennifer assumed her position of holding Becky's hands in hers, as her patients tears continued to stream down her cheeks. "I'm sorry I just said all those things to you. I know they are not true. Oh the part about Bob loving you is true, but you are not shallow, you are just a little insecure right now, and perhaps just a little bit more frightened than you are comfortable with. Sweetie, that's understandable. But you have nothing to worry about. You will get thru this, and you and Bob will have a terrific life together, you'll see. Okay?"

Her patient sniffed back another tear. Becky shook her head as she mumbled "uh huh."

"Now I think we have covered enough for today. Why don't you go wash up and make yourself look pretty for the gorgeous hunk of yours. You take care of yourself next week, and look after that man of yours"

Another head bob, as Becky slowly climbed out of her seat. The concerned psychologist watched the woman slowly make her way thru the side door that exited into the hallway away from the waiting area. As her own office door closed, she couldn't help suppress a tear herself as she shook her head and bit her bottom lip. Jennifer silently prayed before she dabbed the corners of each eye and started on her notes from today's session. "Oh God. Please give me the strength and courage to do this. She is so fragile, and she so desperately needs my help. Please I beg you."

~[]~

 

~Next: #34 Friendships Old & New~

  

  

  

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