After All

Chapter 1

Amelie

“I’m not putting my mouth… there ! That’s just?—”

“Please refrain from using negative language about your partner’s desires, Lori.”

My patient’s head turns so fast she nearly falls from the edge of the cushion to the floor.

“You know what, Dr. Evans, I’m done here,” Lori says, standing and grabbing her bag before stomping out of the room.

“I’m sorry,” her partner, Isabel says.

“You don’t owe me an apology for someone else’s behavior,” I remind her gently, but firmly.

She leans forward, her hands spearing into her curls, gripping them tightly as she lets out a deep, guttural moan. “How did we make it this long, Dr. Evans? I mean, we’ve been together since junior year of college, and I’ll be forty-two next month. That’s half my life… hell, it’s more than half my life.”

Isabel stands and paces the small room, shaking her head and muttering to herself. I can only make out a handful of words, one here or there, but when I hear her mumble the word, “idiot”, I stop her.

“Isabel, that’s not healthy or productive self-talk.”

“Oh, it’s not me I’m calling an idiot. It’s her.”

I try and fail to stifle the snicker. “I’m so sorry. That’s very unprofessional of me. You took me by surprise. I’ve never heard you use that type of language about her. Only yourself. Please, forgive me.”

She smiles. “No apology necessary. I just don’t understand how one simple request can be met with so much adamant refusal without ever trying it. I just want one honest attempt, and if she doesn’t like it, then I can live without it. It’s not a deal-breaker if she tries it and hates it.”

I pause, letting her sit with her words for a moment as she leans an elbow against the wall and chews on her thumbnail.

“The real question is whether her being unmovable is a deal-breaker. If she can’t bring herself to compromise and meet you somewhere close to the middle. You’ve given a lot in this relationship, and I know it’s a sticking point for you. Consistently. It comes up time and time again, and I don’t want you to resent Lori any more than you already do.”

“Yeah. I hear you, Doc.”

“Two weeks? A month? When do you want to come back for the next session?”

Lori shrugs, and I hate to see her so defeated. “I don’t know. Can I call and schedule once I figure out what’s going on in my brain?”

“Of course, Lori. Call anytime. Suzette will be happy to schedule you whenever I have an opening.”

“Thanks,” Lori says, starting to reach her hand towards mine to shake it, but remembering at the last minute, and walking out the door.

Five minutes later, I type the session notes into my database and click save just before a knock sounds on my door. “Amelie?”

“Come in,” I call to Suzette, my office manager.

“Hey, Lori just called. Said she might need a referral.”

“For?” I ask, confused.

“A therapist.” Suzette pauses, her eyes widening. “For just her.”

“Oh…” I say, frowning at the implications of that. Lori knows I only provide therapy for couples attending together.

“Yeah,” Suzette says sadly.

“I’ll look up a few names and get you a list tomorrow.”

Suzette holds up one finger to tell me to wait, trots to the front door and flips the lock, and hustles back down the hall. Flopping into the sofa, she throws her feet up on the pouf in front of her.

“What are you up to tonight?”

“Nothing,” I say, shrugging. “Charlie keeps texting me to see if I’m coming to the concert downtown tonight. I don’t know if I’m going though.”

“What?!” she asks, shooting straight up. “You have tickets to the very exclusive, very impossible to get into Muddy Boots concert, and you’re not going?! You’ve lost your mind, woman. You’re going.”

I wrinkle my nose and shake my head. “But there will be so many people there.”

“Listen, you’ve got the hookup, so I assume you’ll have VIP tix. There will be plenty of space. You have to go.”

My smart watch buzzes on my wrist, and I look down at the incoming message.

Charlie

You’re still coming tonight, right? I won’t take no for an answer.

I roll my eyes, but I smile. I love my cousin, Charlie. He’s always the life of the party and loud and funny and knows what to say… the utter and complete opposite of me.

Amelie

I don’t know. I’ve had a long day.

Charlie

Get your ass here, give them your name, and sit and enjoy the show. You may not like crowds all that much, but you love me. I’m still your favorite cousin, right?

Amelie

Always.

Charlie

Damn straight.

I want to support him. He really is my favorite cousin, but I don’t want to go alone. A thought pops into my brain.

Amelie

Any way I can bring a plus one?

Charlie

If it gets you here, I’ll add ten plus ones, prima.

Amelie

I just need the one.

Charlie

Send me a name, and I’ll make it happen.

Amelie

Suzette White

Charlie

Got it. Save me a high five, alright?

Amelie

Will do.

I smile and look up at my best friend, the one I’ve known all my life.

“What is that smile for?” she asks.

“I just got you a ticket to the — what was it you called it? Very exclusive, very impossible to get into, Muddy Boots concert.”

I brace myself as she takes a breath and lets out an epic squeal. Smiling through the exuberance, I say, “Go. We have half an hour to get dressed, get an Uber, and get to Broadway on one of the busiest nights of the summer.”

“You’re fucking amazing, Amelie Evans. Ah. May. Zing!”

I grab my bag from my desk drawer and shoo her out of my office. I live above my office, so I run upstairs to find something to wear to a concert I don’t necessarily want to go to anyway.

Not because I don’t love supporting Charlie. He’s one of my favorite people, not just one of my favorite family members.

But his statement about me not being a fan of crowds?

Well, that’s an understatement.