Chapter 33
Thario settled into his new place. With Griz's help, he bought a few desks and other office furniture before he set up his new computers, making sure to run the power cords so they weren't on the ground. The last thing he needed was a curious puppy thinking that the wiggly line things were toys.
“This place looks great,” Thario said.
“I’m happy. I will probably buy more equipment, but this isn’t bad. I can do more searches now.”
“Just keep watch on your screen time.”
Thario rolled his eyes. “I will. Don’t worry, I feel it when I’m on my phone too much.”
Griz crossed his arms over his chest. "So, Calla, huh?"
Heat rose, and Thario nodded. "Yeah. I'm moving slow."
"That's good. She's smart and funny. She's been talking to Elowen a bunch. I like letting them spend time together. I can tell Calla is doing much better now than when she was first freed."
Thario nodded. “That has to be hard on her. When is her first therapy appointment?”
“Tomorrow morning. She’s nervous about it.”
“I bet. It’s hard to talk to therapists. I hated that part of coming back from missions.”
“Yeah. But it helps. I mean, I wouldn’t be stable enough to have a relationship with Elowen if I hadn’t gotten some of it out.”
Thario nodded. "After the explosion, it was really hard. But it's what saved me. I probably wouldn't be here if I hadn't talked to a few good therapists."
“I’m glad you didn’t check out. You’re a good man. And honestly, I’m glad you moved up here. I know you might leave after a while. Living in the mountains isn’t for everyone, but I’m happy we get the chance to know each other better.”
Thario’s throat closed a little. “I know I was a prick before, but I’m grateful I have friends like you.”
Griz’s phone pinged, and he checked the message. “Ah, Elowen wants me to grab something from the store on my way home. I should head out.”
“Thank you for helping.”
"Sure thing. This weekend, Elowen is getting a new group of guests. Want to come over that evening for a cookout?"
“Sure. I’ll bring some meat. I’ll send you a text after I get back from the store and tell you what I got.”
“Great. I’m looking forward to it.”
After Griz left, Thario sat down at his computer and started looking at his email, seeing if there was anything he needed to take care of immediately.
After an hour, he forced himself to take a break. He took Hope out and tossed a ball for her, letting her get her energy out. Frog got into the action but tired fast and went to sit close to the door. Frog wanted to go in, but Hope was still full of energy.
"Sorry, old man, the young one needs to be worn down."
Frog grumbled a bit but settled down quickly.
After about thirty minutes, he headed back inside.
Both dogs were thirsty, and after he got them both water, he sat on the couch, resting his head against the back, and closed his eyes.
It wasn’t the most comfortable couch. He would need to replace it in the next year, but at least he had a place to sit.
The bed they'd left behind wasn't great. The mattress smelled a little and was lumpy, so he planned on replacing it first. He was looking at a few mattresses but wasn't sure which one to buy. There wasn't a nearby mattress store, so he would have to order.
He needed to get back on the computers and see if there were any emergencies he needed to take care of, and he needed to search for Brent. The police had a few sightings early on, but no one had a good lead on him.
This afternoon, he would figure out his mattress situation, then tomorrow, he would start searching for Brent.
The man might think he was great at hiding, but Thario would find him if it was the last thing he did.
Calla wished she had a reason to go see Thario today, but she couldn’t come up with anything. She had a therapy appointment this morning and was very nervous.
Elowen made pancakes, but Calla skipped the coffee, worried it would make her agitated. She thought about questions she might have as she ate breakfast.
“Are you okay?” Elowen asked as she sat across from them.
Calla shrugged. “I’m fine, just worried. I guess I don’t know what to expect.”
“I’m sure it will go fine. And if you don’t like this therapist, then you can find another.”
“Would that really be okay?”
“Yes. Just because someone is a therapist doesn’t mean you’re going to click with them. A therapist is someone you need to trust and feel good talking to. If you don’t feel good, you won’t talk openly.”
She nodded. “That makes sense. I guess I just wonder what they will think of everything.”
“It’s not their place to judge. And you did nothing wrong.”
“I didn’t fight enough to get free. I should have fought harder.”
Elowen shook her head. “He might have killed you if you’d fought more. I’m glad you survived.”
Calla put her fork down and met Elowen's gaze. "I wonder where my sister is. I need to look for her."
"Maybe we can start looking for her soon. I know Thario has his computer stuff set up now. Perhaps he can help."
The thought of working with Thario sent a shiver through her. If she had the opportunity to spend more time with Thario, she would take it.
After breakfast and a shower, it was time for her session. Elowen and Griz left the house, giving her privacy. She was grateful for the consideration they gave her.
When the session started, she was very nervous, but after about ten minutes, she opened up, telling the therapist everything.
After giving the full rundown of what happened, the therapist asked a few questions, then gave her some homework, which was basically writing down things she wanted to do now that she was free.
The therapist gave her permission to write down the craziest ideas to the most basic things, like trying ice cream or pizza.
After she ended the session, she felt much better. When Elowen and Griz arrived home, she thanked and hugged each of them.
To keep herself from going to Thario’s place, she spent the day working in the garden and making bread. She needed time to think before seeing Thario.
She knew without a doubt that she wanted him to have a place in her life. Since she’d spent so many years held prisoner by her brother, she didn’t know how things worked, but she had more confidence now. And telling Thario how she felt wasn’t as scary as it had been a few days ago.